Hailing from Sydney, I’m a bit spoilt, as fresh, cheap, authentic (I’m always a little hesitant to use that word, as what actually constitutes authenticity?) Vietnamese cuisine is everywhere. Not so much in London. Thankfully, I’m now in the know that there is one in walking distance. Boom!
Mien Tay has a varied and lengthy menu, and choosing is tricky.
According to other published reviews, the quail is a must. We start with that and the chargrilled pork balls; cue the entry of what appears to be spam. Where are the balls? The waiter assures us that these are indeed the balls but that they just flatten them out… Well, they’re not balls then, are they?! Once loaded with garnish and lots of chilli sauce they are fine but nothing special. Thankfully this is the lowlight of the meal and everything from here on in is super tasty.
The quail is juicy and possesses a delicate balance of flavours: Fire meets spice. Whenever I have quail, I wonder why it isn’t more popular, as it is damned delicious. Sorry chicken, all your smaller bird friends are tastier. I had a run-in with a poussin recently that was utterly delectable… I digress. Look at the beautiful amber hue of that quail. Drool. Obviously presentation isn’t key here, the quail is just plonked on the plate slightly haphazardly, but who cares if it tastes that good?
Pho is a must at any Vietnamese restaurant and can be used as a benchmark to see the true pulse of its kitchen.
The broth is well-flavoured and is actually the best tasting pho I have had. Sometimes, I find the broth lacking in depth, and needs so much added to it (from the array of sauces on the table) to bring it up to a suitable level of flavour for my palate.
There are lots of finely cut slices of rare beef in the pho, plenty of noodles and quite frankly, the bowl is more like a small swimming pool. Good London value for £8.50 (note, London value is entirely different from value in general).
Another dish that is oozing flavour is the lamb with lemongrass and chilli. Bright and summery, this dish is a winner with this rather formidable dining duo. The lemongrass provides a gorgeous zing and gives the dish an interesting texture, with its fibrous pieces clinging to the lamb.
Hard to mess up, is greens with oyster sauce. Spot on. Not overcooked and smothered in a very morish, sweet, garlicky marinade.
With a wine list that certainly does the job (Picpoul was our choice with its bone-dry minerality to balance out the spice) there’s something to suit all palates. The beer list is in need of some dire attention – hello delicious craft beers, where art thou? – and only has blandish styles on it.
Service is your typical, fast, although slightly slap-dash, get ’em in, get ’em out kind, but you don’t really come here for silver service and a lovely relaxed atmosphere. You come to Mien Tay for exciting Vietnamese fare executed very well.
