Viet Grill - Shoreditch

A few weeks ago we headed down to Shoreditch to celebrate Jools' 31st birthday at Viet Grill. I've been to a few of the BYOB Vietnamese restaurants dotted around Hoxton and never been that impressed with the gelatinous food and plastic tables. Eating at Viet Grill was, as my friend Helen would say, a revelation. It may be a bit pricier than the other Vietnamese restaurants nearby, but the food and interiors are considerably better.

The birthday boy

We started with Cha La Lot; vine leaves stuffed with minced pork, topped with roasted peanuts with a chilli dip on the side. We also shared some chilli, salt & pepper squid, with stir fried white and spring onions. Both starters were really tasty, but the squid in particular was fantastic. The batter which the squid was fried in was light, crispy and deliciously spicy, perfect when combined with the sweet, salt and pepper fried onions.

Cha La Lot

Chilli, Salt & Pepper Squid

For my main course I ordered ox cheek braised in cinnamon and cardamon. It was my first taste of ox cheek, when you think about eating an animals face it is a little grim but when you taste the tender meat you forget all about its origins. The sauce was rich with cinnamon and worked beautifully with the meat. Chris' Dong Du Curry was spicy and delicious, with large chunks of lamb on the bone.

Ox Cheek au Vin

Dong Du Lamb Curry

The service was speedy considering we were such a big table (there were around 20 of us) and the atmosphere was fun and lively. It may not be BYOB, but that does mean you've got the option of having a cocktail or fancy fruit juice alongside your food. It's probably not the ideal place for a cosy date, but it's perfect for dinner with a big bunch of friends.