Hoa Cau — Restaurant in London

I was upset due to an incident that caused a chain effect on train schedules. My train was badly delayed and I decided to indulged my self instead. I initially wanted to enjoy a pint or two at a pub chain in Streatham, but stopped in the middle of the way, in front of Tam. So, today I decided to have a try. It’s been a while since last time I ate Pho Bo (the beef noodle soup) in Chinatown. I became a slightly Pho Bo fanatic since I visited Hanoi in 2017. The service was quick, alongside the takeaway orders through phone calls. I had a big bowl of beef rice noodle soup in front of me. I slurped the noodle, along with some bean sprout salad, chopped red chilli and a chunk of fresh lime, as well as coriander/parsley and mint leaves. My mind suddenly flew away as if I were in Hanoi, in a restaurant with white fluorescent lamps and fans down the busy street (of course there, people would serve you with a big bunch of salad in a small plastic basket). Back in the day, I spoke in English, they spoke in Vietnamese, but still I felt the warmth and hospitality of Viets, as if I were a local too. I also imagined if there were these small tables and stools in the hot sweating tropical temperature. But… Oh, I suddenly realised that I was in Streatham. The meal I had tonight was enough to make me feel nostalgic of authentic Vietnamese Pho Bo (Beef Pho) I enjoyed back then in Hanoi. Accompanied by a couple of Hanoi beers, I indeed felt like I was in Hanoi. The price was reasonable, and I appreciated the ambience and the service. I wish I could finish the broth, but I had to make some space for the beer. Might try different menu next time, but I am afraid I’m not going to be far away from Pho Bo... Haha… I bet the chef always tries their best to make it taste like locals. Thank you, Chef! ^_^ A little advice, when the Covid situation gets better, some authentic decorations/themes that remind people of Vietnam could be one of the ideas to add the vibes. It doesn’t have to be expensive, but creative. What a day! From frustrating train delay to happy belly and nostalgia, enjoyed my...

We have had many wonderful meals here in the past. Over the last few months, it has gone horribly downhill. We tried again tonight.

On arrival, we waited a full five minutes before anybody came out to greet us and sit us down at our reserved table. We needn't have bothered with the reservation. At 8:30 pm on a Friday evening, they only had one table, which tells you everything that you really need to know. David, who was front of house, was really nice, kind and helpful but left on his own in a restaurant that is clearly lacking competent management. We brought our own white wine because they had none available on the last two occasions despite it being on their menu. David apologised for having to serve it to us in Champagne glasses because no white wine glasses were available. Apparently, they only have nine white wine glasses for the entire restaurant!

The chicken satay starter is still one of the best that I have ever eaten. Really good satay sauce. The fried pancake starter was also truly excellent. The main course fish was so overcooked that it was dry. The morning glory looked massively overcooked before I confirmed by tasting it. There was very little duck in that main course dish and it was really fatty. The fat was completely unrendered.

It is a real shame but we won't be...

We came here two weeks ago after a friend recommended it. While we were enjoying our drinks and waiting for food, there was an unexpected health and safety inspection. It was a busy Saturday night, and a waitress came around to let everyone know there might be delays because the kitchen could be interrupted.

We had plans to catch a film afterwards, so unfortunately, we couldn’t stay for the food. Even though the very apologetic waitress said we didn’t need to pay for the drinks, we insisted—and she ended up giving us a £10 voucher.

We finally made it back today and had an absolutely amazing meal! The food was authentic, delicious, and great value. Service was excellent—despite the place being packed, our food came out in just 10 minutes and the portions were huge. The 5-star hygiene rating was a nice bonus too.

Feels like we’ve found our new favourite spot—we’ll definitely be coming back!

P.S. The food was so good we couldn’t wait to dig in and only managed to snap one...