Vietnam24? Douze points
Pro Excellent value for money.
Con You'll want more, and you'll want it now!
Pay
€
Per Person €10 for three courses and drink. El tenedor offers may be available.
Find
Website https://www.restaurantevietnam24.com/
Access Stepfree entry
In Short
Hopes. Be there Nem?
Reality. There be Nemmmmm!
First Impressions Exterior looks a bit tired, but inside it's simple and smart.
USP? It's all about the money, money money - don't have doubts about the price tag.
The offer in three words. Tasty, very tasty.
Service! Efficient and attentive.
Friend friendly? As ever, SE Asia tends to use a lot of products, but Vietnamese doesn't use the same fish and oyster sauces as others. Best to check.
Rating for dating. Yep. Chopstick usage is recommended, but not required, so if you're doubtful, worry not.
Tip? 5%
Change one thing? Sauce it up on those profiteroles!
Revisitability. Absolutely required.
Compare & Contrast
Pretty much the same quality from elsewhere in SE Asia at Som Thai.
In Pictures
On Google Images
What's the story?
A different kind of menu del día, this one is an A4 card, populated with a dozen or so options for main and starter. Staff informed us it's not compatible with El Tenedor's offer, but it's well worth not getting your yums, because, this is the real thing. One big, fat, delicately spiced noodle-tastic YUM.
Nem tom is what got me into Vietnamese food in the first place, 25 years ago in France. A back street restuarant in the centre of Avignon, to be precise. I spent the night listening to mice crawling about in the ceiling, stuffed with stuffed deep fried rolls and unable to sleep.
Then, for years, I was without. I was like a Clint Eastwood character, hungry in Hanoi. The Man With No Nem. But not any more. So. Take your lettuce leaf, add fresh herbs - mint is a must - then take your deepfried roll with a meaty pork stuffing. Wrap up like a vegetable version of a taco and dip in the sweet delicate chilli sauce. Then scoff. And allow eyes to widen at the brilliant ensuing flavour balance. Wonderful stuff and really recommended for the omniverous.
Oh, there's a jolly nice steamed dumpling too. It was really good. Lots of fresh crunchy vegetables inside. But I confess now. I stuck with the dish with my nem on it. Ahem.
Stirfry chicken and crispy noodles is on the left. Initially looking bright, but a little underexciting, this turned out to be deliciously successful. The noodles were like strands of prawn cracker, with plenty of crunch to them. Very fresh chicken pieces and lots of fresh vegetables were only just cooked, but the right side of that. Absolutely excellent stuff. Grilled chicken was a real pleasure, too. A spicy, peanutty sauce which increased its intensity bite by bite. Excellent balance, there. A success and yet another indication we need to try more from the a la carte .
We're not new to this game, and let's be honest, desserts are not likely to have you leaping about when you're only paying a tenner for three courses. So we have little complaint that three profiteroles were plain and in need of a flood of chocolate sauce rather than the drizzle they'd had. Mind you, a refreshingly acidic banana yoghurt was surprisingly satisfying and ended things simply and nicely.
Service was smart and organised, without delays or hold ups. very good. Decor's good too. Lots of space between tables, simple decor with a touch of greenery and plenty of hints of Vietnam on the walls without tipping into any sense of a theme restaurant.
Simply, this is splendid, almost unbelievable value for what you get, considering you're 5 minutes from Gran Via. It's a great lunch.
I'll be back for a plateful of Nem at the first opportunity.
Pro Excellent value for money.
Con You'll want more, and you'll want it now!
Pay
€
Per Person €10 for three courses and drink. El tenedor offers may be available.
Find
Website https://www.restaurantevietnam24.com/
Access Stepfree entry
In Short
Hopes. Be there Nem?
Reality. There be Nemmmmm!
First Impressions Exterior looks a bit tired, but inside it's simple and smart.
USP? It's all about the money, money money - don't have doubts about the price tag.
The offer in three words. Tasty, very tasty.
Service! Efficient and attentive.
Friend friendly? As ever, SE Asia tends to use a lot of products, but Vietnamese doesn't use the same fish and oyster sauces as others. Best to check.
Rating for dating. Yep. Chopstick usage is recommended, but not required, so if you're doubtful, worry not.
Tip? 5%
Change one thing? Sauce it up on those profiteroles!
Revisitability. Absolutely required.
Compare & Contrast
Pretty much the same quality from elsewhere in SE Asia at Som Thai.
In Pictures
On Google Images
What's the story?
A different kind of menu del día, this one is an A4 card, populated with a dozen or so options for main and starter. Staff informed us it's not compatible with El Tenedor's offer, but it's well worth not getting your yums, because, this is the real thing. One big, fat, delicately spiced noodle-tastic YUM.
Nem tom is what got me into Vietnamese food in the first place, 25 years ago in France. A back street restuarant in the centre of Avignon, to be precise. I spent the night listening to mice crawling about in the ceiling, stuffed with stuffed deep fried rolls and unable to sleep.
Then, for years, I was without. I was like a Clint Eastwood character, hungry in Hanoi. The Man With No Nem. But not any more. So. Take your lettuce leaf, add fresh herbs - mint is a must - then take your deepfried roll with a meaty pork stuffing. Wrap up like a vegetable version of a taco and dip in the sweet delicate chilli sauce. Then scoff. And allow eyes to widen at the brilliant ensuing flavour balance. Wonderful stuff and really recommended for the omniverous.
Oh, there's a jolly nice steamed dumpling too. It was really good. Lots of fresh crunchy vegetables inside. But I confess now. I stuck with the dish with my nem on it. Ahem.
Stirfry chicken and crispy noodles is on the left. Initially looking bright, but a little underexciting, this turned out to be deliciously successful. The noodles were like strands of prawn cracker, with plenty of crunch to them. Very fresh chicken pieces and lots of fresh vegetables were only just cooked, but the right side of that. Absolutely excellent stuff. Grilled chicken was a real pleasure, too. A spicy, peanutty sauce which increased its intensity bite by bite. Excellent balance, there. A success and yet another indication we need to try more from the a la carte .
We're not new to this game, and let's be honest, desserts are not likely to have you leaping about when you're only paying a tenner for three courses. So we have little complaint that three profiteroles were plain and in need of a flood of chocolate sauce rather than the drizzle they'd had. Mind you, a refreshingly acidic banana yoghurt was surprisingly satisfying and ended things simply and nicely.
Service was smart and organised, without delays or hold ups. very good. Decor's good too. Lots of space between tables, simple decor with a touch of greenery and plenty of hints of Vietnam on the walls without tipping into any sense of a theme restaurant.
Simply, this is splendid, almost unbelievable value for what you get, considering you're 5 minutes from Gran Via. It's a great lunch.
I'll be back for a plateful of Nem at the first opportunity.