After taking over the space where Besos Latinos once was, Jungle 8 is finally opening its doors at Elliott Stables, inside Elliott Street’s bustling food court.
Bringing with it a progressive approach to modern Vietnamese cuisine, the Jungle 8 concept is the brainchild of Paul Wong and his team, the
Fans of Lucky 8 will be thrilled to know that Jungle 8 will be following a similar style of offerings with almost everything on the menu priced at $8.88.
On the menu you’ll find drool-worthy delights like wagyu beef pho, mini banh mi, crispy banh xeo and the star dish according to Paul: xoi man sticky rice, all done with a modern twist.
“I’ve always preferred street food over fine dining, and while travelling in Vietnam we would explore the city sustained by street vendors serving us banh mi and xoi,” says Paul. “We came to learn that the best food doesn’t come from a Google review page.”
Jungle 8 takes inspiration from the energy and vibrancy of Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City and has seating booths encircling its dining space and high tables taking centre stage.
The recessed alcoves on the exposed brick walls are “home” to neon-lit jungle creatures.
Cocktails here are inspired by the fresh and aromatic flavours of Southeast Asia with fresh florals, punchy herbs and sweet tropical fruits such as the Bu Vien Haze, and the Phuc-cing Recovery, a twist on a classic espresso martini with phuc-long and brûlée custard foam reminiscent of Vietnamese egg coffee.
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Advertise with NZME.The food menu features Vietnamese-style street food, and while most dishes are priced at $8.88, there are larger sharing plates priced at $12 and the whopping Jungle Phozilla bowl — featuring crazy fish, beef rib and wagyu slices in this rice noodle soup dish — at $88.
“We spent a lot of time hunting the most aromatic pho, the crispiest banh xeo and the freshest spring rolls, discussing how to make each dish our own, and of course taste testing,” says Paul.
Viva’s favourites were the prawn banh xeo — spicy prawns nestled in a taco-shaped shell — and the mini lemongrass beef banh mi.
Paul was right about the xoi man being awesome too, Jungle 8′s take on this sticky rice dish comprises quail egg, mushrooms and Vietnamese sausage.
Also not to be missed is the grilled pork bun cha, a dish that has its roots in Hanoi but was made famous by Barrack Obama after he was photographed having it with the late celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain during a visit there in 2016.
Nestled above the 100-seat restaurant is a jungle-themed VIP room that can seat 15, accessible through a spiral staircase.
Expect lights, music and bustling energy at Jungle 8, with the party vibe ramped up with in-house DJs for late evenings when fully opened.
From LED screens on the roof to the bar and floor layout, Paul says each part of the design has been taken from memories of places they have visited in Vietnam. “Jungle 8 is about a space with energy, madness mixed with sophistication, a place you step into and forget about the normality in your life and ‘get wild’,” he says.
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Advertise with NZME.The best way to enjoy the jungle feast is to bring the entire crew so you can get to try everything on the menu.
There’s easy parking at 130 Albert St from 5pm to 12pm (overnight) and two hours on the weekend for $5 per car for every $88 spent.
Jungle 8 opens to the public this Friday, operating with its ‘soft opening hours’: Tuesdays to Saturdays, 5pm to late. If you want to be the first to try, pre-book here.
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