Hop-Namo

Second floor of Boxpark
2-4 Bethnal Green Rd
London
E1 6GY

There is a glut of Vietnamese restaurants in the Shoreditch area, and this newcomer has set up in the "pop-up" shopping area of Boxpark. A bunch of shipping containers have been stacked to make tiny individual stores and food outlets. Being the trendsters that we are, P and I arranged a meetup to look at the stores and see what kind of dinner we could get. After giggling at hipsters in onesies, we decided to pit Hop-Namo against the rest of the places in the area. I ordered a regular beef pho, and it was definitely not the dish I usually think of - the flavor of the broth was quite different and it was missing a depth to it - when I think of good pho, I can feel my bones getting stronger from the richness of the stock that the noodles are in, and this was certainly lacking that feeling. No plate of cilantro, beansprouts, basil, chillies, and lime was served alongside it either - so I just ate what was in my bowl with no adjustments for personal preference. Not to say it was bad - I finished it - it just isn't what I want when I want a good bowl of pho, so I doubt I'll be returning.

Vietnamese Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Another Vietnamese-inspired dish that is being written about completely out of season. But just think what you can do with it next year when the veggies are fresh and you want something light but packed with flavor!

Quinoa, by the way, is one of my favorite grains - it cooks very easily and is apparently incredibly healthy for you, but most importantly, I love the texture and taste it adds - a sort of nutty, lightly popping / crunching sensation between the teeth.

Again, any in-season veggies that you would have in a salad would work below, so just use it as a guideline - the most important components not to forget are the dressing and quinoa. The vegetables and proteins can all be swapped out for alternatives.

Vietnamese Shrimp and Quinoa Salad

Adapted from Serious Eats

Ingredients

For the dressing:
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon Asian fish sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, plus more if desired

For the salad:
1/2 pound cooked shrimp, peeled and de-veined
1 cup quinoa, rinsed (or pre-washed)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 red bell pepper, cored and cut into thin bite-sized strips
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 courgette, sliced thinly
1 avocado, diced
1 small cucumber, diced
 1/4 cup chopped fresh coriander

Method

Add quinoa, salt and 1-2/3 cups water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed and quinoa is cooked. Transfer to a serving bowl and let cool.

In the meantime, make the dressing by combining the lime juice, Asian fish sauce, sugar and crushed red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Whisk until the sugar is dissolved. Add shrimp to the dressing and let marinate until ready to assemble the salad.

Once quinoa is cool, add red bell pepper, carrot, courgette, avocado, and cucumber to the bowl. Right before serving, add the dressing, shrimp and coriander and toss well. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, sugar or crushed red pepper flakes if necessary. Serve cold.

Vietnamese Beef Salad

Apologies for a long absence. There have been a lot of weddings, visitors, and travels recently, and I haven't been able to get myself in front of this blog for long enough to properly write up anything. 

It's a shame, really, since this salad was so delightful, and perfect for the bit of sunny weather we had. A and I were probably going through one of our many phases of trying to eat slightly healthier, lighter meals, and this was a huge winner. I'm pretty sure I used a cut of beef that was not particularly luxurious, but made sure to only sear it quickly so that it wouldn't get tough. I see a mix of lettuce, rocket, cucumbers, and peppers on the plate, so let's assume that is what I used, though really any leafy, crunchy, crispy vegetables would work as well. I think the crushed peanuts on top were the real kicker to this recipe, so try not to omit them if at all possible.

Vietnamese Beef Salad

Serves 2

Ingredients

Salad:

250g beef steak - sliced thinly, against the grain

1/2 head of lettuce

1/2 cucumber, sliced

1 or 2 bell peppers, different colors, diced into bite-size pieces

1 carrot, sliced into thin coins

Handful of coriander (cilantro), mint and basil, roughly chopped

any other salad greens you like (nothing too bitter, I don't think)

1/4 cup roasted salted peanuts, crushed

Dressing:

4 tbsp lime juice

4 tbsp fish sauce

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp chili flakes

Marinade for beef:

1 tbs fish sauce

1 tbs soy sauce

1 tbs sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Method

1. Mix beef slices with marinade ingredients, and set aside for at least 10 minutes but overnight if you wish.

2. Assemble your salad with all salad ingredients except for the beef and peanuts.

3. Put dressing ingredients in a jar or container and shake well.

4. When beef is done marinating, heat a pan over high heat. Toss beef in and quickly sear it on all sides before removing to a plate.

5. Pour dressing over salad leaves and toss well. Plate the salad on serving plates, then top with beef and a scattering of peanuts.

Bahn Mi Bay

4-6 Theobald's Road
London
WC1X 8PN

I always get excited when I see bánh mì on a menu - these sandwiches are absolutely amazing when they are done right. I pass by this place on my walk to and from work so it made sense one day to pop in and see if they were making bánh mìs to my specifications. The guy behind the counter recommended the Bahn Mi Bay Special, which includes pork pate, pork roll and spiced pork. They also have an option of a special Vietnamese baguette - it costs a bit more but is more authentic as it is made with rice flour rather than wheat. 

When I took a bite, I was a little disappointed by the bread-to-filling ratio - the flavors of the filling weren't punchy enough to stand up to all of the bread. I love all of the ingredients that go in, especially the pickled vegetables and cilantro, but for some reason everything tasted a bit muted. That said, it's still a bánh mì and so I still finished it - it just wasn't one that I would necessarily rave about or go back for.

Mien Tay

122 Kingsland Road
London
E2 8DP

After attending my first (and probably last) Pilates session with C, we decided to reward ourselves with some light and fresh Vietnamese food. Mien Tay had been recommended by some other friends so we found ourselves inside, looking over a menu that had surprises like goat on it. My curiosity piqued, I had to try the chargrilled goat for lunch, along with some stir fried morning glory on the side for my greens quota. C went with the more traditional pho, which she enjoyed. The goat was surprisingly tender and had a lovely smoky aroma to it - the pickled carrots on the side were fantastic for cutting through the meaty taste as well. And morning glory will always be one of my all time favorite Asian vegetables - I should really make it more often at home. Add Mien Tay to the list of fabulous Vietnamese restaurants on Kingsland Road!

Viet Hoa

70-72 Kingsland Road
London E2 8DP

Viet Hoa is the first Vietnamese restaurant I went to in London, back in 2006. Little did I know that I would end up moving into a place only 10 minutes away by bicycle - and that it would undergo a complete renovation, setting itself apart from the other Kingsland Road Vietnamese places with its modern and clean  design. Apparently we can even expect a bar area to open soon.  Thankfully, the renovation has not changed the tasty menu, and there has only been a slight increase in prices. C and I had fried tofu to start and then both ordered the Bun Xa with pork and lemongrass. This is a giant bowl of rice vermicelli noodles, grilled pork, bean sprouts, coriander, crushed peanuts, fried shallots and a fish-sauce based marinade that you pour in and mix with everything. Every bite is full of sweet, salty and sour flavors balancing against each other, and all for under six quid. I will be back.

Ba Le

5018 N Broadway St
Chicago, IL
60640

M and I were running errands with new baby O and needed some lunch, so we tried bahn mi from Ba Le. We still had a couple more places to hit after I bought the sandwiches so it was probably another 30 minutes before we got home to eat them, but they were still delicious. I had the #1 special, which is your typical bahn mi - ham, pork pate, headcheese and pork roll along with pickled carrots and daikon, cilantro and jalapenos. M had a vegetarian bahn mi with fried tofu. I loved the crispy baguette paired with the savory meats, though I love cilantro so could have done with a little more. The jalapeno was really spicy so I removed most of it before I finished eating. For $2.95, it's cheap and yummy to boot.

Baguette House

Chinatown Center

10901 N. Lamar Blvd. #C312

Austin, TX

78753

My mom and I were shopping for Asian groceries when we decided to stop for lunch. Baguette House makes really delicious Vietnamese baguettes, and I was keen to try their bahn mi. $3.25 buys you the #1 House Special, which comes with sliced ham, head cheese, pate and pork meat loaf, along with the usual pickled vegetables and cilantro. My mom went with the grilled beef sandwich for $3.75. The baguettes were perfect as usual - crispy on the outside so they shatter when you bite in, but soft on the inside so the fillings don't escape. I think the beef one was slightly more flavorful though - really nice lemongrass marinade on the meat. I also had a milk tea with tapioca but it was only so-so, I'll stick to bubble tea at a proper bubble tea cafe next time.

Huong Viet (Revisited)

An Viet House
12-14 Englefield Road
N1 4LS

A's parents were in town and expressed interest in trying out our local Vietnamese restaurant, so A and I introduced them to it on a busy Friday night. Surprisingly, we managed not to over order this time, though we were still very full by the end of the meal. Starters included the crispy duck with pancakes and chargrilled squid pictured above. We also had summer rolls with prawn and A's dad ordered a small soup with tofu and greens. After we tore through those, the mains came out: steamed sea bass with chili, spring onion and ginger, lamb in a lemongrass and chili sauce, tofu with garlicky greens, and tofu with aubergine in a dill sauce. Everything was delicious and I liked the sauces so much I even ate a bit of white rice topped with nothing but sauce. Service was a bit of a shambles as usual, but at least they're apologetic for it. Thanks, S&C, for a nice meal!

Viet Baguette

14 Charlotte Place

London

W1T 1SW

Met J for what will hopefully become a regular Wednesday lunch date. She had seen this place that does banh mi and wanted to try it, so we headed off to Viet Baguette. They've got a few options for fillings - caramel chicken, lemongrass beef, BBQ pork & pate, roasted veggies and grilled tofu. I chose the pork version and J went for the beef. We also got cups of fizzy plum lemonade to drink. Sandwiches are 3.70, and the drinks (which also include lemongrass tea and iced coffee) are 1.30, making it a 5 quid lunch deal.

I liked the banh mi, though admittedly I am not an expert at all and have only had a couple of them in my entire life - baguettes are fresh (they remind me of the baguettes from Pret sandwiches, actually) and the pork pate and BBQ pork filling is really tasty. Pickled carrots, cucumber and cilantro completed the stuffing and I thought the ingredients were well-balanced. Would go back if I was in the mood for another banh mi!

Tay Do Cafe

65 Kingsland Road

E2 8AG

Went to Tay Do Cafe (this is different from Tay Do at 60 Kingsland Road) for lunch with H, since we were planning to go to an art gallery close by afterwards. I had the special beef pho and H ordered the spring roll and crispy pork skin bun. I liked the pho - good broth - but next time I may stick to the pho that doesn't have meatballs in it since I think I prefer the thin sliced beef on its own. Iced milk coffees were fine, but nothing special, and sadly it did not wake me up at all - this may have been due to how full I was after the pho though! As usual, photo was taken after eating most of the food - still trying to remember to take a picture before I eat. Sigh.

Huong Viet

An Viet House
12-14 Englefield Road
N1 4LS

M&S are thinking about looking for a place to live in our neighborhood, so to help sell them on how great it is, A and I took them to a couple of our favorite pubs and the Vietnamese restaurant Huong Viet. A successful attempt to show off the charms of the area, I think!

Between the four of us, we ordered prawn summer rolls, half a crispy duck with pancakes, chargrilled squid, fried spicy squid, fried spare ribs, steamed sea bass, rice vermicelli noodles with pork, and chicken with cashews. This resulted in a feast where as usual, I ate too much, but it was all very tasty - I think my favorites are the chargrilled squid, crispy duck, sea bass and noodles. All for a very reasonable 16.50 per person, considering how much we ordered (we brought our own wine, for which they charge a 1.50 per person corkage fee). I think we probably could have ordered half of what we did and still been quite satisfied, but when you're trying to convince someone to move close by, you have to pull out all the stops!