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Ms Kim

25 Aitken St, Williamstown

Slide open the heavy door down an alley in Williamstown to find the food of My Kitchen Rules alumnae, Kim Tran. When a place is named after the matriarch herself, you know it’s going to be personal. And dining at Ms Kim in Williamstown feels exactly that – like being invited into someone’s home, if their home had a stunning cocktail list and a menu that dances between Vietnamese tradition and playful innovation.

What you might not guess is that this address is a clever little shape-shifter – part distillery, part restaurant, part neighbourhood hangout – depending on which day you drop in.

From Monday to Wednesday, it’s home to Bathtub Gin Co, a micro-distillery founded back in October 2018. But from Thursday to Saturday, the room changes pace, and the space belongs to Ms Kim, a modern Vietnamese restaurant that moved in around April last year, run by Kim and her husband Robert who floats around the restaurant spreading hospitality as it should be whilst you can see Kim from the kitchen window. What started as a joint venture is now one of the most charming examples of local hospitality you’ll find on this side of the West.

And it’s working. As we sat down with our Lemon Meringue Martini and French 75 in hand, using the flavours from their Vietnamese kitchen and the gin from the distillery. The space slowly filled – by 7:45pm it was buzzing with locals. Not tourists. Not hype-seekers. Just people who live here, know good food, and know they’ve struck gold.

We started with Pork & Prawn Spring Rolls and Vegetarian Rice Paper Rolls – textbook Vietnamese staples, but handled with finesse. The spring rolls were piping hot, packed tight, and clearly rolled by someone who’s done this hundreds of times. The rice paper rolls were bright and herbaceous, the kind of thing you eat and instantly feel better about all your other choices that day.

The Crispy Chicken Wings came next, doused in chilli-coriander dressing with a side of tang that cut through the richness perfectly. Braised Ginger Chicken followed – warm, soulful and deeply fragrant, it felt like it had been cooked for hours and was worth every second. The Vietnamese Pancake (Pork & Prawn) brought that crackly, golden lacy edge and a playful DIY assembly with lettuce and herbs. It’s the kind of dish that turns a meal into an experience.

We added an Asian salad for brightness, rice to mop up the sauces, and the Vietnamese Beef Stew, which came with a side of toasted garlic sourdough – not traditional, but entirely welcome. It was thick, rich, and comforting, like a bo kho and a French pot-au-feu had a very delicious baby.

The space itself is understated and warm, a shared venue that doesn’t feel like a compromise. It’s cleverly designed to shift identities depending on the day, but when it’s Ms Kim’s turn to take over, it feels fully hers – considered, welcoming, full of care.

It’s not just a restaurant – it’s a collaboration. A clever little business move. A labour of love. And the kind of place you wish existed in your own suburb if it doesn’t already.

“We both make a bit of money,” Robert joked. But really, it’s clear this is about more than that. It’s about building something lasting in the neighbourhood. And judging by the full tables and contented faces all around us, I’d say they’re doing just that.

Images: Supplied