I’ve never been to its capital city but if the food at ‘The Hanoi Bike Shop’ restaurant is anything to go by I’m off to Vietnam.
Situated in the Glasgow’s West End, down a cobbled lane, lies the attractive little Vietnamese street food place. The inside has a back street cool feel with its quirky and colourful decoration and a busy kitchen visible to customers, all steam and fiery noise from the cling clanging of the woks.
There are three main types of dishes. You can have the ‘Street Food’, serving up delights such as Bo Nuong La Lot (beef wrapped in betel leaves with pickles), or Bun Thit Nuong (Char-grilled pork patties). Then there is the ‘Pot and Grill’, among them big hearty bowls such as Lau Ga (spicy chicken hot pot), or Mat Ong Gung Ga (honey and ginger chicken and Sa Ven Bien (turmeric and lemongrass marinated mackerel). Or you could go for the ‘Pho’ dishes. These are bowls of aromatic broths with a selection of meat, fish or vegetarian contents swimming around with the noodles. I love the Pho Hai San (the seafood Pho).
New stuff too like hot pots of Ca hap la Chuoi (chilli and garlic Coley) and Don var co go lau (coconut and coriander shellfish). Also every second Tuesday of the month is ‘Phat Phuc’ night a special noodle dish night for only £16.95!!
Vegetarian optionsand other side dishes are availabe, as well as imported Vietnamese beers.