NAM

Vietnamese street food has been moving swiftly into the mainstream over the past year. The Pho chain - while it divides opinion - brought Vietnam's national dish of noodle soup to central London; it now has branches in Farringdon, Fitzrovia and Westfield. The Franco-Viet street snack, bành mí (a type of filled baguette) has been popping up all over town, from market stalls to cafés. One of Kingsland Road's recent success stories, Mien Tay, recently opened its second branch, in Battersea. So now we have Nam, in Soho. It's a simple gaff that sells the basics - summer rolls, pho, bành mí and rice dishes. All the pho dishes cost a bargainous £4.90, though the serving is smaller than most. The light, beefy broth was agreeable and had a certain level of depth, while the raw beef slices were tender and just lightly cooked in the hot broth. However, the rice noodles were grainy rather than silky, and the serving of herbs was parsimonious. For a quick pho fix, Nam isn't a bad choice; however, the meek flavours and small servings are in contrast to the fresh tastes and hearty nature of Vietnamese cuisine.