Massive improvement
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| Bò Chín - Tender Beef |
I am a big fan of Vietnamese cuisine, its freshness and aromatic flavours are truly special, and as an ex colonial of France, the cooking can also be quite bold and rich. Simply put, it is hard not to love Vietnamese food! When Pho & Bun was newly launched in late 2015, I was one of the first people rushing to try, but it was not quite right for me, the service was very weak, and some of the dishes were very questionable. 2 years later, you would think the restaurant has ironed out all the launch issues and refined the menu, so off I go again.
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| Confit pork nudget |
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| Squid & Crispy Spring Roll Pork and Crab |
The honey glazed BBQ spare rib was done well with the meat easily came off the bone, it was tender and loaded with some rich sweet and smoky flavours. It was very enjoyable. However, the crispy pork and crab spring roll was rather average, the taste of the crab was overshadowed by the pork and I felt the seasoning was lacking. What really got me in joy was the Hanoi sticky rice, absolutely faultless, the double cooked pork belly was moist and had a sensational melting texture, luxurious rich with a settled sweetness. The quail egg added another layer of bold creamy taste, it has been a while since I had such a delightful rice dish.
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| Honey Glazed BBQ Spare Rib |
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| Sticky rice pot with pork belly |
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| Flan caramel and coconut panna cotta |
I opted for the special Book a Table star deal, and it turned out to be money well spent, the special £21 deal with wine was amazing value for money indeed. From a pure food judging point of view, everything was a notch better than my first visit, while some of dishes had a touch of western twist, I still found they retained the Vietnamese essence and true to its root. The casual dining setting is also great for a quick meal before a theatre show or a fast lunch grab. Service, unlike many other Asian restaurants in and around China town, was actually very solid as well, a rarity!
Food 3/5
What I paid:
£25 per head
Average cost without drinks and services:
£20
76 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 6ND
http://vieteat.co.uk/
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