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Huong-Viet
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Success seems to have gone to the head of this once-modest little community-centre dining room. Plastered across walls are various newspaper and magazine articles, and nomination forms for ‘restaurant of the year’ are given out as ‘comment cards’ by the waiters – sneaky. Set in the run-down building of the An Viet Foundation, the kitchens have gone from serving home-style food to Vietnamese refugees, to attracting praise from the national press (a glowing Guardian review is pasted on the back of the drinks list) and winning our hearts too. What a shame, then, that on our most recent visit we were presented with a greasy banh xeo and a beef pho (Huong-Viet’s trademark) that arrived without its accompanying fresh herbs and beansprouts. Still, we moved on and saw glimpses of former glories. Strips of tender chargrilled squid with lemongrass and chilli was fragrant and delectable, while cari ga (chicken curry) tasted of the pleasant sweetness of Vietnamese curry powder. A dessert of creamy tofu spiked with ginger syrup and coconut cream made a pleasant end to the meal.
Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2009
Time Out reviews restaurants anonymously and pays for meals. Of course, we cannot guarantee the accuracy or independence of user reviews.
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Details
- An Viet House, 12-14 Englefield Road, Dalston, N1 4LS
- Area: Dalston
- Tel: 020 7249 0877
- www.huongviet.co.uk
- Category: Vietnamese
- Travel: Dalston Kingsland rail/67, 149, 236, 242, 243 bus
- Times: Lunch served noon-3.30pm Mon-Sat. Dinner served 5.30-11pm Mon-Sat
- Price: Main courses £4.90-£6.50. Set lunch £7 2 courses
- Credit cards: (over £12) MC, V
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Last visited in Nov 2008 and had a good time, this most recent visit was very different. Poor service (despite being nearly empty) and insipid, lukewarm, overcooked and oversalted food. Tre Viet on Mare St is a regular haunt of ours. We'll keep it that way and not come back here in a hurry.
TBH has gone downhill, service pretty atrocious over the last year - v slow and culminated in a refusal to take away a dish in which the beef was 'on the turn'. Had to argue with them to get it replaced without being charged for it.
However at the end of the day it is a cheap and cheerful cafe and the food realy aint half bad. In fact its pretty darn good.
I read various good reviews of Huong Viet before paying it a visit last night. I just cannot see what the fuss is about at all. The place was dark and dingy, the staff seemed to feel inconvenienced by its staff and the food was distinctly average. Summer rolls smelt damp and not as fresh as you'd hope. The won ton soup was little more than stock with pieces of cabbage and a few dumplings. I've tried many of the vietnamese places in east london and by far and away the best is Cay Tre. I've never had a bad meal there
Service can be patchy in the evenings, as it gets busy, but this place beats the stretch of Vietnamese restaurants at the Shoreditch end of the Kingsland High Road every time. Better quality of food, none of the corner-cutting - everything comes with the right herbs and salads.