Still on a Vietnamese cuisine high and realising that it’s frankly one of the best cuisines for healthy eaters, I came across this hidden gem in Southwark, central London.
It purported to be a cheap eat run by a friendly Vietnamese family who believed in quality and authentic flavour. It had great reviews so I had to pay them a visit.
The Restaurant. 
The restaurant is just a short walk away from Southwark station on one of the quieter streets: Union Street.
Decorated with hues of blue and tons of character, the establishment has a cool street food feel.
We first found our table upstairs and popped back downstairs to have a look at the menu. We were also told how lucky we were to get a table with ease because they are usually very busy.
The Menu
There was so much choice. I tend to dislike menus that have too much choice because I’m honestly just glutinous and then get frustrated that I won’t be able to try everything. I mean, how will I ever know what the best dish is?! I’m sure not many other people share this problem though.
I opted for the ultimate pho which had sliced beef cooked to medium, chicken breast and king prawns. I also ordered their vegetable spring rolls with sweet chilli and a Vietnamese Iced coffee. My guest chose the chicken curry with rice and pork spring rolls with a mango smoothie.
We noticed they also had a pho challenge where you had a chance to have your picture on the wall for defeating it. I’ve always wanted to enter a food challenge so perhaps I’ll enter this at some point.
The Food.
The Vietnamese iced coffee came first. I’m not usually a fan of cold coffee but had never tried this take. I’m so glad I did. It was delicious. I could taste condensed milk and high quality coffee throughout.
The spring rolls to my delight were baked as opposed to deep fried. They were crispy and delicious. They tasted even better because they weren’t drenched in oil as normal. Unlike some spring rolls that taste like a mouth full of pastry, these had a generous filling. They were also huge! I struggled to finish all three as these weren’t your typical sized spring rolls.
The pho was incredible and fresh. I couldn’t choose which pho to have so was happy they offered this deluxe version for those who want it all. The beef slices used were of very high quality and all the ingredients were crisp and tasty. The broth itself was well seasoned and had strong tones of ginger, spring onion and meat throughout.
I had a taste of my guest’s meal too (because I’m a typical woman who wants whatever you’re having as well). The chicken was incredible and the dish, even down to the chilli used, was fresh and well thought out. My guest seemed pretty impressed.
Above all, I was delighted not only by the friendliness of the staff, but how affordable this was with such high quality ingredients. My meal came to just under £14, (£17 with the iced coffee) which is extremely reasonable for the choice and size of what I had. The portions were monumental and I actually took home half of my pho which I then had for dinner too. Their prices are around £1 cheaper per dish if you get your food to go.
I would definitely recommend this restaurant if you’re passing through the area of for an affordable date where you could easily eat for under £10 or £20 for a more extravagant selection. There’s also something really refreshing about spending your money somewhere so family orientated. I felt really at home.
The Food Doll.
The Food Doll 