Decent lunch takeaway at a fair price. I ordered the crispy chicken noodle salad today for around…read more£8 and thought it was fine but nothing special. Flavours were a bit muted and the portion of chicken was much smaller than the pictures made it seem. The lines were long for lunch but we had ordered in advance and so it was ready when we arrived. Little things annoyed me like the lack of customisation in the bowls and the fact that I specifically requested chopsticks that they didn't provide. The bowl didn't have much in it besides noodles and a very small portion of chicken. I think the price was fine for what it was but I don't think I'd order again.

Very good pho! Got the shredded shrooms pho because that is different from what I normally get in…read moreNew York and wow! It actually had the chew of beef. I added chili to the order but honestly I think I will go without that next time and just drink the soup because it was light and limey just how I like it. I will come back and try the other menu items. It was about a 5 min wait for food during lunch hour which was great.

Opened just a few weeks ago, this little Vietnamese take-away place enriches the Charlotte-Street…read morearea in Fitzrovia with yet another culinary adventure. I actually discovered by accident that the "famous" Banh Mi Bay" from Holborn had set up shop in this area as well. To be more precise, I'd come to the area to try out the new Okonomyaki place just around the corner (called Yaki). Anyway, I'd made my typical mental bookmark and I came back the following week to grab some lunch from here. I walked in and I was greeted super-friendly by the staff behind the counter. They invited me to a small conversation about Vietnamese food and I admitted that I'd lived in San Francisco for a long time and that my expectation would be quite high ;-) Undeterred by my food-snobbishnes, the nice guy behind the counter went ahead and recommended some special items from the menu. I ended up choosing their special Vietnames sandwich special and although I was tempted to go for the healthy option by choosing brown bread, I went for their home-made Vietnamese baguette, which is made from rice flour. The sandwich was good, although I would've personally liked to have it a little spicier. At the other Vietnamese sandwich places in the city (Cà Phê, for example), they usually ask to add extra sauce or peppers...I missed this here. (Although I assume that if I had asked for it, they would've been very accommodating.) What I really liked best here was the vibe - all the staff was super-friendly and when I asked a random question about Vietnamese cuisine, one of the cooks overheard my question and came to the front and answered it. (I wanted to know, what a typical Vietnamese breakfast consists of and he told me - to my surprise - that people would eat Pho for breakfast! Who would've thought...)

A lovely place right by St Pauls. Great Lunch Deal, especially if you are vegetarian…read more The decor is nothing special- not very Vietnamese. The price was a great value, especially considering the location. The food was delicious! I ordered the Lunch special rice box that came with braised tofu and vegetables, along with carrots, cucumbers and radish salad and rice. The tofu was well cooked and flavorful and went beautiful with the rice. Overall a fulfilling meal.

Clean, casual atmosphere. Fast service once you're seated! I ordered the chicken pho and the broth…read morewas perfect for a cold December day. Agreed with other reviews that the portion was magnificent, and it's a great place to have a cozy solo dinner with a book, or a catch-up with friends. Would definitely come back.

Friday night on a visit to London. A book given to me by the hotel had this spot as a…read morerecommendation. Overall happy with the food quality. Had the fried egg rolls and the pho. I'm used to the thin noodles in the US so the texture was just a bit off but the flavoring of the beef broth was very good. The egg rolls had a nice crispy taste. Just a slight ding from 5 to 4 stars for service...and the place was so loud. Second place I've been to where it was like this so maybe it is a London thing?

I had the HOI AN DELUXE, and it did not disappoint! What I love most about this place is the…read morebread--perfectly crispy on the outside without being too bready, which really lets the fillings shine through. The pâté is rich and liver-forward, which I personally love. It does have a slightly grainy texture because of this, but the bold flavor more than makes up for it. The sandwich strikes an ideal balance of savory, creamy, and sweet with a nice tart kick from the pickled vegetables. The pork belly was soft and slightly gelatinous, but not oily. It adds a nice depth of flavor and texture without being too heavy. One note: the sandwich leans a bit on the salty side, so I'd recommend pairing it with a drink. Overall, it's a fantastic bánh mì and well worth a visit! I also tried the wonton soup. The wontons were decent. The soup was rich in umami flavor, though I think some ginger would add depth and really elevate the dish.

Got a bbq brisket bahn mi. The meat was very tender. Food was tasty & fresh and service was fast &…read morepolite. Free WiFi was great.

Came here after I found out that Natasha Bedingfield comes here! This was the best meal of my…read moreLondon trip. Fast casual spot, I ordered then found a spot to sit and they brought out my food to me. No wait on a weekday lunch. The duck wrap was good but it wasn't a must get. The chicken laksa was soooo good. The broth was soooo good. The noodles were sooooo good. The chicken was juicy and good. Gosh that was a freaking amazing bowl. I was sitting there on cloud nine eating it up. Highly recommend.

First visit. Basic, but functional seating area, very much like a picnic. Service was fast. You…read moreorder when you walk in, then food is delivered to your table. I had the duck pho. Fresh ingredients, but I thought lacking in flavor compared to other places.

Amazing food, service needs some work…read more 5 minutes from Highbury and Islington Tube and overground this Vietnamese restaurant had taken a tough area to do business, where the previous two business closed, to stay afloat. There is a very good reason. The food is amazingly good and what you expect from a great Vietnamese so I would advise that they do their best to keep the chef! The reason I say this is there were some unnecessary errors on the part of the waiting staff who were sadly a bit sloppy on a Monday night. First do not give a bill to a customer who has just arrived. Second do not start eating your food when the customer is still waiting for theirs at 10pm. However I do agree that you were very diplomatic and were quick to realise that a grave error had been made and then made the necessary changes to the bill. Thank you Andy, you saved the night for us and we will be coming to sample the food again. The restaurant is the standard hipster hangout with brick walls, artistic graffiti on walls and pipes hanging out so it looks unfinished. Lighting was good and tables were well placed to make you feel that there is enough space to enjoy a quick meal in peace. Vietnamese food always makes me think of street food. It is quick, light and filled with so much flavour. Our pork spring rolls had a crunchy outer layer with a sumptuous pork filling. The vegetable pancake went perfectly with the lettuce leaves and the sweet sauce. Sadly we waited a bit too long for the mains so had to have them when I got home. The Caramelised braised pork belly (Thit Kho) was just amazing. The fat just melted in my mouth and both the meat and the fat was infused with the rich flavour of the sauce. A good restaurant for a quick meal whether you are a couple or a large group. I highly recommend it even though I hope that the service is on par on the day you visit.

Nice restaurant away from the busy London center, just outside Highbury & Inslington tube station…read more Cosy environment, nice graffiti over the walls, friendly stuff, excellent food (of course pho!) & reasonable prices. Worth a visit for a relaxed dinner or lunch!

I walked in to this restaurant with my friend on a Saturday night around 6:30 PM and we were given…read morea table immediately in the front of the restaurant. Unfortunately, from the moment we sat down, we were quite cold because of the door being opened frequently and the lack of heating. We ordered the crispy spring rolls to share, and my friend ordered the spicy beef noodle soup and I got the spicy tofu noodle soup (pho). The spring rolls came quickly and upon taking a bite, I noticed what I thought was pork or chicken inside, so as a pescatarian/doesn't eat meat I spit it out and we flagged down the server. The staff member said they were seafood spring rolls, and when we asked if there was pork, beef or chicken, he didn't know. We asked him to check with the chef, and he was gone for 5 minutes. He returned and said it was seafood only in the spring rolls, which is okay for my diet, so I continued eating the spring rolls, although was still a bit hesitant. They had a nice crunch and were good tasting, but I didn't like the mustard dipping sauce. My friend and I both liked our spicy noodle soup/pho (hers with beef, mine with tofu), although we weren't too impressed. We expected more spice, and I would have liked more vegetables or toppings in mine. The service was decent but not amazing, and the restaurant was very cold in the London winter time. The restaurant was busy on a Saturday evening but had lots of space and there never was a wait. I saw big parties of people there, couples, individuals out solo, and more, a big mix. My total was £19 for splitting the spring rolls and my tofu soup and tap water, which is okay for London (but still expensive!). The mix up with the spring rolls is still looming in my mind...

You are not just paying for small food here; you are paying to be dismissed and lectured by the…read morestaff. They are far more interested in defending their illogical pricing than providing decent food or service. This restaurant should be avoided. The Problem: Price vs. Plate This spot has a huge line, but don't be fooled--it's not worth the wait or the price. I paid £15 for the spicy noodles, and the portion that arrived was laughably small. It felt like an appetizer, not a main course, and the flavor was bland and unauthentic. This is a severe failure of value for money in a competitive London market. The Owner's Unacceptable Attitude When I gave feedback about the poor value on the bill, the owner immediately got defensive, and the conversation became completely unprofessional: 1. Hiding Behind Culture: They tried to excuse the size by claiming it's an "authentic Vietnamese breakfast portion," and that servings are naturally smaller than in the US. I pointed out that I was here for dinner, paying £15. 2. The Condescending Giggle: When I mentioned where I'd had a properly sized, authentic bowl before, the owner and their companion actually giggled at me. The companion then snapped the quote: "Americans have large portions everywhere." The problem is the staff's unacceptable defensive attitude toward a legitimate customer complaint. They use cultural excuses to mask illogical pricing. Do not waste your money here.

One of my favorite meals while in London (but I do love Jian bing). It's a very unassuming stall on…read morethe street, but the menu is painted in the door next to it. Card only. I got the pork jian bing which has egg, juice marinated pork, a mix of cilantro/herbs, cucumber, and I think pickled veg, with a fermented bean/chili oil sauce lightly painted on the bing. Service was quick and it's made in front of you. Only difficulty is not dropping it all over the floor as you're stuffing it into your mouth, hah.

What began as a normal afternoon for myself and my friend, Victoria turned into the best foodie day…read moreever. We'd just spent the entire morning working hard on our dissertation for our master's program (woo - the thrill). Typically, we pull up to Ace Hotel, Hoxton Hotel or another cozy cafe in Shoreditch to crank out sentence after sentence. And you guessed it -- we're usually hungry by the day's end. We're also usually broke. Now that we've got the particulars out of the way, this day was no different. Vic and I were in search of some good, fulfilling street food for the low. I was honestly hoping to find something that was less than 10 pounds. So we headed to Soho in London's West end -- an area that neither of us frequents often. Just as I was scrambling along Greek Street to hustle up some content for one of my gigs, we spotted the cutest pink facade with white lettering. Two men stood in front of the narrow window so we couldn't quite tell what it was exactly until the smells swept under my nostrils. The menu at Pleasant Lady Trading is very small which can be a good or a bad thing depending on who you ask. I was extremely hungry at this moment so a small menu was heaven sent. I'm usually pretty indecisive when it comes to food choices so this 4-option menu was perfect. The base of these Chinese-style crepes ( traditionally known as Jian Bing) is the 'original veggie' option to which you can then add meat. I opted for the 'cumin lamb' because lamb is never a bad idea and cumin is one of my favorite spices on planet Earth. I was not wrong, y'all. It was everything. Oh and Victoria ordered the 'chicken miso' and 'twas was delicious, too. Don't let anyone tell you that London street food isn't top-notch. Full blog review here: https://youmelunch.com/blog-native/2019/8/10/the-hidden-food-stall-you-need-to-try-in-london