Huong Viet

Reviews

• What a fun evening

  We had one of our most fun nights out of the year at Huong-Viet. All of our foodie friends from the North of London have raved about this Vietnamese canteen. As have Charles Campion, Time Out and Nigel Slater. It has a sense of authenticity and quirkiness that appeals in spades. Much of this is derived from the fact that the site for this restaurant used to be public laundry and baths and then became a community centre for Vietnamese refugees. It then evolved into a canteen serving authentic, inexpensive Vietnamese food to whoever was either close enough or brave enough to visit.So when the excuse arose we pounced. With the aid of a compass, some thermals and an appropriately named Hackney Carriage we waded in on a mission to try the entire menu. With the aid of Edwin's impressive grasp of the Vietnamese language and Jack's sheer appetite we were soon swamped by so many dishes that we had to annex a second table!Summer rolls were fresh, crunchy, soft, cool and fragrant all at the same time. I reckon I could eat these all day. For me they are on a par with the Paddyfield in Balham, if not better.A Vietnamese omelette was unnecessary, given the amount of food we'd ordered, but delicious nonetheless. Stuffed with crunchy and gungy stuff it was a text book example of contrasting textures. Doused in firey chilli sauce and it really came alive.The highlight to the first act of our meal was a plate of chargrilled squid which achieved the ultimate goal of being succulent and rammed with flavour at the same time. Other starters such as fish cakes and beef wrapped in leaves were so good they disappeared before I could photograph them! Much to my irritation and everyone else's mirth. The beef transported me back to a lunch time cafe in Hong Kong which I became addicted to several summers ago.It was as if the main courses didn't want to be outdone by the starters. My hot and spicy lamb was one of the favourite things I have eaten this year. It lived up to its name by delivering the sort of sticky, tangy heat that makes you lick your lips for days afterwards. I had to fight Jack and Anna off with my chopsticks.Cowie's whole steamed sea bass was good enough to prevent me from being offered any. Always a good sign. It's just a shame they couldn't find a larger plate. But I guess that is part of the charm. incidentally, this appears to be one of Nigel Slater's favourite dishes.Edwin's impressive ordering skills resulted in a scene that wouldn't have been out of place in an ad for HSBC! A waiter appeared holding a scorching hot plate at arm's length and deposited it, still spitting in front of Edwin. It was a wonderful piece of theatre. And cooking too. Given the amount of burning hot oil that splattered onto the table it was essentially a healthy option.Other dishes included a fragrant chicken curry with a plenty of lemon grass and a saucy pork curry. All washed down with plenty of Vietnamese beer and a lot of banter. If you can judge a meal by how dirty the table cloth gets, then we had a whale of a time. By the end we were trying to interpret the oily splodges around Edwin's plate in a way that would have had psychologists raising a lot of eyebrows!We loved the informal atmosphere, direct service, delicious food and cheap bill. Some writers have suggested that there has been a lull in quality in recent times. But that wasn't on show when we visited. We loved it and are already planning a return trip. We just wish that we either lived closer, or that they would consider opening in Brixton or Balham.

  Browners
  Review Date: 11/04/2009 Report review
• Downhome Vietnamese Grubstop

  One of my female mates whose spent time overseas thinks this place off the Dalston main drag is the closest in ambience & grub to the far east experience. It ain't fancy, slick or polished. The floors tiled lino and the wall decor is an amusing stitch-up of odd landscapes and other uplifting vistas. Tables are little square jobs covered in short table clothes and the place can be a bit borderline windy on a cold, winter night. Some might call it no-frills earthy. Bit it's more of a take me as you find me atmosphere. It gets crowded at the weekends and its best to phone ahead and book a table. On Saturday afternoons it can get rammed with families looking for a low priced, healthy feast. You don't have to ask whats good - the menu has all the chef's special dishes marked - I've tried most of them and only one of them was less than very good. The ingredients are fresh - they use a little Msg, not much but some. My favourite dishes were the Special Rice with Lotus seeds, sweet, warm and filling. The Vietnamese spring rolls were filled with crunchy, fresh vegetables, the Veggie Curry is a good staple, even if the mushrooms were those cheap and squishy ones. Prices are pretty good - overall, a great grubstop tucked away in a nookey sideroad.

  Stantoncarlisle
  Review Date: 12/11/2008 Report review
• Huong Drawn & Quartered

  This used to be a great local restaurant. Whilst the food is still not bad the service has taken a dip with long waits and plates arriving 15/20 minutes apart, given this was a Saturday night but still a little erratic. A vegetetarian salad came with chicken and we were billed for items we did not order. Again a little disappointing but not the end of the world. However a mildly aggressive and unpleasant attitude from several staff members did spoil the occassion and I doubt we'll be hurrying back. A pity as Huong Viet used to be an enjoyable place to eat.

  20

  Hamish L.
  Review Date: 14/09/2007 Report review
• Food is reasonable, service not very good

  This used to be a local gem. However food has deteriorated a bit, still reasonable but a little less fresh and occassional overcooking. Some staff are extremely friendly and helpful, some are not. I think there are probably better places for an evening

  20

  Hamish L.
  Review Date: 08/09/2007 Report review