Mien Tay Shoreditch: tasty, fresh and friendly

Spring rolls (Chả giò).

Vietnamese food is wonderful, and a good place to find this cuisine in the UK is Kingsland Road in Shoreditch, London, where Vietnamese restaurants dominate the street.  (If you're unsure, check out my 'picture special' post from Vietnam for lots of tasty food photos ^_^).

Traditional Crispy Pancake with Tofu, Onions & Beansprout (Bánh xèo chay).

With so much competition, it can be a little overwhelming to pick the right restaurant.  I followed my instinct and went for a busy one - Mien Tay - and busy it certainly was!  With very simple décor, the diners were certainly not there for the views, but clearly the food - always the right way round in my opinion.

Char-grilled minced beef in wild betel leaves (Bò lá lốt).  

The restaurant specialises in food from the south west of Vietnam.  From looking at the menu, they are keen to show their 'home-style' nature by introducing owners Mr Su Tran and Mrs My Le along with a picture (presumably them), as well as proudly displaying their many positive reviews from +Time Out London , +ViewLondon , +Metro , +London Evening Standard , +The Times and The Sunday Times and Cheese and Biscuits Blog.

Rice Vermicelli with Spring Roll & Grilled Pork (Bún chả giò thịt nướng). 

I can certainly see why the restaurant has its fans.  The food felt fresh, my friends and I enjoyed our dishes, staff are courteous with a smile and the atmosphere is busy yet friendly and relaxed.  All in all, it felt like a great place for friends to meet up over a tasty and good-value meal.

Stir-fried rice noodles with beef.

So if you're around Kingsland Road and looking for some Vietnamese food, put Mien Tay on your consideration list.

Nearest Overground: Hoxton