Zurich is turning into a mecca for high-quality Vietnamese food. I couldn’t be more pleased; after all, this is one of my favourite cuisines. With the Saigon chain of places, Co Chin Chin and others, you are spoilt for choice.

Among the great places that have popped up in recent years, Pho Mai stands out for a variety of reasons. First, the food is just a notch tastier than elsewhere. Second, the opening times: in this town, you may have a very hard time finding an eatery that’s open on a Sunday – yet Pho Mai is at your disposal until 20:00. Third, the service is delightful and seems genuinely pleased to welcome you to the place.

Now let me point out a few things that Pho Mai isn’t: as you can tell from the photo, it doesn’t score highly on the interior design front. Form follows function here. And despite coming across very much like a take-away for a quick bite, this is not the place if you are in a mad rush. Food & drinks usually take a while to arrive. But let me assure you, they are absolutely worth waiting for.