A few times, we ordered tomato rice with crispy chicken supporting the local enterprise

Got this from the Viet restaurant down the road

They served it hot and the carbs reminded us of Java rice

They put lettuce and sliced carrots to goad

Of course he had other items, I counted at least seventy

Had menus and his wooden tables could fit fifteen

Despite his beautification, didn’t attract plenty

A Buddha statue peered atop his canteen

I didn’t know the owner’s name and never asked

His pho was okay his competitors had queues

We bought beef and chicken pho banal but always made sis plussed

The meat, bean sprouts, mint, and lemon took away our blues

Another Viet eatery proclaimed, ‘You will pho-get your worries’ years ago, we went there for my birthday supper

He watched Man v Wild told me he loved the adventure

Had a thick Viet accent and pronounced his s as t not a bother

Months later, he sold his shop will prolly get a new denture

Mum beheld his wife while crossing the street

Her face scary a veteran of plastic surgery

At a local cafe, I bumped into ‘Tomato Rice’, though I didn’t greet

He drank black coffee wasn’t creamy gave me a toothless smiley

Did not front a new place

Anyhow, he could not best the newer and bigger establishments

His wifey needed more dough to improve her face

He’d have an uphill battle, in spite of his ornaments

His fare sophomoric but good value

Never mixed up our orders, used fresh ingredients, and had fast service

Can’t say the same of his neighbouring restaurant, to which accuracy they must pursue

These dishonest joints should be put on notice

My anecdote reveals a dog-eat-dog world

Too much of the same fare and ‘Whack! You’re gone’

Shame the axe fell on Tomato Rice’s head this had him whirled

I’m happy to have been a customer as, in the end, we had some fun.