There's only so long you can go without Vietnamese food after living in multiple areas that serve it so easily, cheaply and tastily. The trio of Cay Tre, Mien Tay and Song Que are well known here and so it sounds like I'd eventually eat at them all anyway.
The menu is extensive of the staples and describes each dish well. They don't have che ba mau, so if you're reading this, add it to the menu!
- Shrimp & Jellyfish Green Mango Salad (with Vietnamese mint, perilla, garlic chips, vinaigrette, prawn crackers) £8.5 - a small serve but a delicious array of flavours and textures bound together by a mild nuoc mam dressing;
- Original Pho (with steak & brisket) £11 - this is my standard aka Pho Bo Tai Nam. Rare fillet slices are added to the hot broth to slightly cook and not-too-fatty brisket is a bit firmer and meatier. The broth has a nice spiced flavour, without being too strong and MSG. It's strange that despite the menu saying so, they don't give any sawtooth herb or Thai basil unless you ask for it. Maybe because it's expensive. So only the people that know will ask and get it;
- Bun Bo Hue (with beef & pork hock) £12 - a nice broth with good shrimp paste and lemongrass tones. Usually it needs to be a bit more fiery red (from either annatto seeds or chilli sate) but this simpler one allowed the flavours to come through nicely. It usually comes with lettuce and laksa leaves, but not so here.
Once I accept the prices, I'll probably enjoy it more and eat Vietnamese more frequently. Until then, it's an occasional necessity. I wonder how the others in the area compare?