Sunny's Bakery, Collingwood

Sunny's Bakery, Smith st, Collingwood $4

I could have sworn Smith st had around 4 Vietnamese hot bread bakeries and planned on reviewing them all in one foul swoop. Really make a day of it I suppose, but on arrival, the reality of gentrification set in. A damn shame really. Only 2 places exist on all of Smith st to get a humble pork roll. N. Lee had already been reviewed so I had to make the most the day trip and get a huxtaburger to fill the hole that had enough space for 4 pork rolls. Now the reason we are here in the first place;
I can see why so many cool folks go to N.Lee over Sunny's but having said that its not entirely shit. Plenty of good cold sliced meat to give it some snout and not much salad, but still fresh. The bread rates highly but overall it is a fairly plain offering. Chilli had room for improvement and very generous with the pepper.

Bread: 3.5/5
Salad: 2/5
Meat: 4/5
Chilli: 2.5/5
Overall: 6/10

Ingredients: Mayo, Pat'e, 3 cold sliced meats, cucumber, pickled carrot, coriander, chilli, salt and pepper, soy sauce

Crosta D'Oro Hot Bread, Thornbury

Crosta D'Oro Hot Bread, Cnr High St & Clarendon St, Thornbury $4.80

Before eating this 1kg bohemian baguette I was nervous. I thought to myself, this could be possibly the best or worst pork roll my adventures have taken me on. I had to ponder the ingredients in silence. Does coleslaw belong in a pork roll? This very question was unfathomable until the moment those tongs clutched the creamy cabbage sabotage. It was a day of allowing unorthodox ingredients in the fill so I didn't question the pork princess's motives. I thought to myself it could be an easy mistake as she happily tonged at the ingredients with the speed only a pork roll princess could possess. I had a quick conversation about the 'gravy' she asked if I wanted. A rich tomato, stock, garlic and ginger reduction added a good zing that I was looking forward to, and the peanuts, I am always one for the peanuts. An odd combination that paid off in the end. Presentation was great with meat on top and bottom and double whammy of onion. I am a fan of this bohemian.

Bread 3/5
Salad 4/5
Meat 4/5
Chilli 3/5
Overall 8.5/10 experimental viet pigs

Ingredients: mayo, pat'e, 2 cold sliced meats, vietnamese gravy, soy sauce, coleslaw, spring onion, onion, pickled carrot, coriander, chilli, peanuts

Barkly Hot Bread, Brunswick

Barkly Hot Bread, 84-86 Sydney Rd, Brunswick $3.70

Another pork roll with street cred but does not deliver its promise. Given its locale I am not surprised of its reputation amongst the trendy folk who are after a touch of culture, I must say I was not entirely disappointed. Meatball is indeed a good touch but if the other ingredients lack in quality, then your overall points are going to drop.  I have been here a number of times and the level of customer service is always the same - lousy. Now let me point out that this is a good thing. I dont want to be your friend and I dont want a fake smile, I just want a tasty, tasty pork roll. You, and your bad attitude are going to give it to me, quickly. But dont even think about skimping on ingredients. Definitely lacking in mayo and pate'.

Bread 2/5

Salad 2/5

Meat 4/5

Chilli 3/5

Overall 6/10 viet pigs with attitude 

Ingredients: Mayo, pat'e, 3 different cold sliced pork, meatball, coriander, cucumber, pickled carrot, chilli, soy sauce

N.Lee, Collingwood

N.Lee 220 Smith St, Collingwood $4

A tasty pork roll no doubt about that, but unfortunately the street cred far outweighs the true substance of this one. I probably was not wearing enough op-shop clothes to get the nod of approval from the pork roll team at N.Lee but this visit was strictly business. It is a neat and efficient but westernised hot bread bakery that has lost its true sense of home. Bread was soft and chewy like a McDonalds bun and focused more on the mayo and pat'e as the centre of attention. Although it had excellent salad, Ho Chi Minh would be disappointed.

Bread 1/5
Salad 5/5
Meat 2/5
Chilli 2/5
Overall 5.5/10 raybanh wearing viet pigs on fixed gear bicycles

Ingredients: Mayo, Pat'e, 2 types cold sliced pork, pickled carrot, cucumber, coriander, brown onion, chilli, soy sauce