In premises previously occupied by Quê Me the interior of Viet Ngon was revamped during the lockdown to increase the size of the bar and strip out some of the more kitschy elements of the decor to good effect.

The menu remains pretty much the same – standard Vietnamese sharing starters then salads, stir fries, curries and phø. One change that will appeal to veggies/vegans is that equal prominence is given to their options on the menu with plenty of choice on offer.

We shared all the rolls for a starter and excellent they were too. Given that they all came with the same sweet chilli dip we wondered why they didn’t just come with a big trough of the yummy stuff rather than individual bowls. Not me doing the washing up though so not my problem.

My duck red curry was delicious with crispy duck in a medium spice sauce and perfect rice on the side. Next to me beans and tofu in a massive roasted aubergine looked very highly quality veggie food. They’ve made an astute move on the drinks front – as well as bottled Vietnamese beers they now have Asahi and Siren Sonic on tap, the latter went down a treat.

On a quiet Sunday evening they had a reasonable trade going on which is a sign that in a competitive stretch for dining they’re onto a winning formula.

8/10

Food London Restaurants Food stroud green Vietnamese