Restaurants

Hailed by critics and always crammed with hungry Hoxtonites, Song Que still sits on the culinary throne of Kingsland Roads Little Vietnam. Spartan decor and brusque waiters are certainly not the reason for this popularity; its the wonderfully mastered northern and southern Vietnamese specialities. Dont order willy-nilly though: quite a few Chinese dishes lurk amid those 170 listed on the menu; some of the stir-fries, clothed in thick sauces, are nothing like the light meat and veg stir-fries you find in Vietnam. So here are a few recommendations. Bo tai chanh, a Vietnamese equivalent to the Italian raw beef carpaccio, is a light appetiser that combines a variety of textures. Cua lot (peeled crab), a deep-fried salty delight, has chillies spicing up the little shellfish. The massive king prawns (tom sot me), still in their crunchy shells, are served in a bright orange sauce that, though a little sweet, has a distinct tamarind taste authentic to Vietnamese cuisine. Rightly beloved of its many fans, Song Que is one of Londons best Vietnamese restaurants.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008