• Mien Tay

     
  • Regional fare on Kingsland Road

  • © Ming Tang-Evans

  • By Charmaine Mok

  • The turnover of Vietnamese caffs on Kingsland Road is brisk. On our last visit to year-old Thang Loi, on a Friday night a few weeks ago, the place was deadly empty – our arrival signalled the need to fill the void with pumping pop music. So it was no surprise to discover that Thang Loi closed soon after, to be swiftly replaced by Mien Tay.

    With clean tablecloths and a new lick of paint (oceany blues have replaced the jarring red), this newcomer prides itself on the fresh, sweet flavours of southern Vietnam, where much of the cuisine is characterised by its emphasis on seafood and influences from southern Chinese immigrants.

    The restaurant’s signature dishes included steamed king prawns with coconut and fried eel stuffed with pork; we veered towards the hearty ‘Mien Tay spicy soft shell crabs’, which were expertly battered, though could have used more chilli heat. The waiter misunderstood our request for king prawns with spring onions and presented us instead with the Chinese dish of sesame prawn toasts, but they looked so good (a generous mound of minced prawns atop a crisp, golden circle of French baguette) that we gobbled them up without protest.

    The stunner of the meal was deep-fried sea bass with fish sauce and mango. Presented whole with slivers of the just-ripe fruit, chilli and lashings of the fishy nuoc mam, it was a pure harmony of flavours (sweet, salty, sour) and textures (crisp skin, moist fish, refreshing mango). All that was left in the end was a pile of bones and rogue shards of skin – a macabre image, but a clear indication of customers who couldn’t get enough; it was enough to make the kindly proprietor smile from ear to ear with pride.

  • Time Out Issue 1975: June 26 - July 2 2008

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  1. Posted by Zoe Rubins on 04 Aug 2008 12:31

    i went to the restuarant over the weekend and made a promise to add a comment to this place. WOW. Everything I ate was so delicious and fresh and then the bill came and it was SOOOOOOO cheap! I was so stuffed for £15! i wish i lived in east london, it must be cheaper to eat here than cooking at home. the summer rolls are amazing, don;t miss them as they are called fresh rolls but i asked and i am glad i did!

  2. Posted by Amanda on 24 Jul 2008 18:04

    Yum Yum Yum! I had a yummy meal here with my boyfriend, I tried the fish but had the whole seabass with chilli and garlic, it was totally perfect. My boyfriend had Pho which he loved and it was just perfect for lunch.

  3. Posted by Katy H on 17 Jul 2008 16:32

    I tried this restaurant after I read your review and was surprised to see you had given a restuarant on Kingsland Road 4 stars. I have been more and more disappointed with that area so was dying to see if it was the saviour of yummy affordable vietnamese. And it was! I could not fault the food, try the salt and pepper squid - I have eaten this dish many many times and this had to be the best!

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  • Details

  • 122 Kingsland Rd, Shoreditch, E2 8DP
  • Tel: 020 7729 3074
  • Category: Vietnamese
  • Travel: Old St tube/rail or bus 48, 55, 149, 242
  • Times: Open daily 12noon-11pm
  • Price: Meal for two with soft drinks and service: around £40. BYO; no corkage charge
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