The first bite of pork belly, with its melt-in-your mouth caramel flavour, is a good sign of more tasty dishes to come. We have arrived at Sen Vietnamese Kitchen & Bar to interview owner Nga Thanh Nguyen, commonly known as Bo, and he has generously served up a raft of traditional Vietnamese dishes for us to photograph – and then eat. The photographing seems to go on for a long time and the smells of Vietnamese street food wafting around the restaurant send my taste buds into overdrive.

Sen has a focus on traditional Vietnamese food, Bo explains. “The food at Sen is just how we cook in the north, it’s Hanoi-style food.” This is evident by the deep-fried spring rolls made with rice paper that is imported from Hanoi. The delicate filling covered in crispy light rice paper takes me right back to eating the same thing on a restaurant rooftop overlooking the Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi.

The distinctive tang of Vietnamese food comes from its fresh flavours. Through generous use of herbs, every bite is a true taste sensation. Key ingredients are lemongrass, Vietnamese mint, coriander, chilli and fish sauce, but it’s the combinations that make the dishes zing with flavour and freshness. This is never more evident than in the summer rolls that we sample.

“You never feel like you’ve overeaten with Vietnamese food,” says Bo. “It’s fresh and light and it suits a lot of dietary requirements because of the rice noodles. It’s a great option for anyone with gluten and dairy intolerances.”

Now 34, Bo recalls landing in Auckland in 2002 at 16. “There was one Vietnamese restaurant in Ōtāhuhu and I would travel there weekly to experience the flavours from home. I pined for my mother’s beef pho.” His parents wanted Bo to experience an overseas education, but he quickly realised that business studies weren’t for him. Instead, he trained as a barista and found a passion for hospitality. When he met fellow Vietnamese foodies Billy and Dung, Sen was born. The trio also own and run Nam Nam at Commercial Bay and Takapuna. 

Consequently, Bo is a busy guy, splitting his time between restaurants. As we finish up lunch, he explains the most traditional Vietnamese dishes and the “must tries” at Sen. “Pho is made everywhere in Vietnam and this defines our food in many ways, from the street-style food on the go to what we eat at home”. Pho is a rice noodle soup dish with meat, herbs and chilli. Another traditional dish is bun cha, a grilled pork and rice noodle dish that is a specialty from north Vietnam, where the meat is cooked over charcoal. 

Bo recommends Sen patrons try at least one of these traditional dishes. Expect to spend around $70 for two people, including entrees and mains. It’s reasonably priced for a fresh, tasty restaurant meal and Sen’s location in the historic Colonial Ammunition Company building in Mt Eden. Sen is open for lunch and dinner Monday-Saturday, with a function space for 60 people.