Cafe East

I have made it a personal quest to find decent Vietnamese food in London. It is most certainly shameful here. It takes an Aussie to make acceptable pho and after reading this blog (written by a fellow Aussie), Smee and I thought we'd give Cafe East a try.

Cafe East is actually quite close to where we live. Much closer than Old St/Kingsland Rd, the traditional home of Viet food in London. Nestled on a street corner next to a decrepit store (I think, never been there during the day), it blends in nicely into the neighbourhood with it's minimal signage , yet manages to stick out sorely as the single Asian cuisine restaurant filled to the brim with a small queue outside. Admittedly the restaurant only seats about 20 at most (and the queue was only 2 ppl plus us), but I didn't see any other queues outside the kebab store or other small Asian restaurants nearby.

The other blog says that the restaurant is owned by a Brissie dude. Who is KOREAN. I don't care, he's probably not doing the majority of the cooking and when it comes down to it, if you can make decent pho, then you shall be my friend. But please don't put kim chi into it.

In a smart and economically advantageous move, they choose to only make a small number of dishes. This is probably their stongpoint - doing fewer dishes but doing them well. It keeps the locals coming back!

The herbs for our Pho. Smee ordered the rare beef one and I ordered the special (as always).

We also ordered the Banh Cuon. I haven't had this in years! Years I say! It was done very well, with the pork spiced to perfection and the fungus adding the nice crunch. Tasted just like home - Melbourne home that is, not Vietnam home.

Banh cuon and all the tidbits.

Now here's the dealbreaker - pho. I will say this. It seems that nowhere in London can you find anyone using fresh rice noodles in pho. Hence it will never compare to home. But this has to be the best pho soup stock in London so far. Better than Song Que, our other haunt.

Smee's rare beef.

My pho special was a little odd. I've never had prawns and chicken in it before and it was missing the tendons I so desire. But it still tasted fine.

Here's a shot before the herb addition. Necessary pictures.

Smee and I returned a few days later. Hahaha. No pictures this time, but I had the Bun Bo Hue which was lovely.

Despite the little things that I shall always gripe about, I have to say that I've found my new place for a pho fix.

For those who want to get there, the closest tube is Surrey Quays on the East London line. The number 47 bus from London Bridge goes past as well and drops you off closer.