Salvation in Noodles

People write that this is a hipster place. Surely it is but the phō was great nonetheless. I’d be happy to come back and try out some other items on the menu.

Outside of the «Phở-​mile» this is where I go for phở. Really good Viet food with some pan-​Asian foods thrown into the menu in a beautiful hipster style restaurant. We didn’t arrive until after 10pm and the staff were happy to keep the place open for us. Food was served quickly, probably due to us being so late, and it tasted pretty good.
I would go back just to get a better look at one of the staff though, as he was a fully decked man-​bun glory, whose muscled arms and abs really showed through the tight black tshirt as he took the rubbish out. But I digress. Like Viet, like hipster style buildings, like hipster men. This is the place to go. But if you want true Viet food, it’s worth making the trek down Kingsland road to the Phở mile.

The deepfried wings are amazing!

Little and cozy place. I ordered chicken phở soup and spring rolls. There was nothing special in phở soup (basic delicious phở soup) but spring rolls with pork and dofu were amazing.
If you are heading to this place be prepared to wait at least 30min. Or maybe we were just unlucky on saturday morning.

Fresh Vietnamese food with really, really good wings. Vietnamese food rocks because there is that healthy fresh element throughout the menu mixed with deepfried wings and spring rolls. This Viet place has a nice balance of those two things place plus throw in some Chinese items to please the crowds too.
There are a number of ‘social plates’ to share for starters including the juiciest lamb chop I have had (yum), viet prawn and pork salad, sesame crisps, the above mentioned chinese items as well as dumplings and more. All of these have a nice spice through them and you can add more with the on-​table sriracha.
Then you can go with a Vietnamese salad which all have the same fresh vegetable and rice noodle base, just chose your protein. And there is the very delicious looking soup. They call the soups phở but they seem to have a lot more going on than a good old fashion phở– so more like a viet soup morphed with chinese soup (or maybe my chinese/​vietnamese food terminology is out of wack). Lots and lots of flavour, colour and aromatics. Tick.
The wine list is very short– I would have loved to see a couple more wines on there but the Riesling was good (£28). Lots of craft beers on offer too and the cocktails are great. Oh and a lot of craft soft drinks too and of course coconut water because Dalston.
And because we are talking Asian food there is lots of veg options as well as melt in your mouth pork.

This hipster joint also does very good food!
Had the summer rolls and the chicken phở. (Tip: ask for the chilli sauce and the extra chilli if you are a spice fiend). They were both great. The phở in itself was delicious and brothy with amazing flavour.
We went in at a bit of an odd time (around 4pm) so they didn’t have some of the menu items but I look forward to going back to try them!
Will be back.

Phoking excellent noodle joint! Bun Bo Hue you say? Yep, it’s the real deal — deliciously spicy lemongrass broth filled with noodles, beef brisket pork and all the herbs, a great bowl of phở rain or shine. The Lemongrass lamb chops are excellent, cooked pink with rendered fat — a delight. If you are in their Dalston branch and spot the dumpling on special — GET THEM — crack parcels! Failing that, head over to Finsbury Park and order at least two rounds, you won’t regret it.

I don’t know why «hipster» would factor into this; maybe these reviewers who have an issue with the social factor lump it with ambience. Fair enough, but even hipsters know how to give a good dish, provided you go with your GUT! I was between the brisket/​pork belly and the crab/​prawn/​pork belly soup, and these days seafood has really been grabbing me. There’s not a ton of mention here on the seafood side of SIN (say that eight times fast). So I took a gamble, went with what I craved, and got rewarded. I avoided the standard spring rolls because the bowls here are humongous, and unless you’re sharing the rolls with other people and having your own dish, it may be a meal for either a single hungry-​hungry-​hungry hippo or someone with an insane metabolism. Back to the dish: probably the tastiest vietnamese offering I’ve had ever; put some chili sauce in there for that spicy kick, and you’re rewarded with some sweet crab flavor, some delicious mild prawn, lemon juice sparkle, mint and parsley madness, bean sprouts up the hoo ha, and noodles, my god the noodles, they never end and I never wanted them to end. It all became a wonderful spiral of flavor, especially with that chili sauce to offset the sweetness of the seafood/​crab combo. I wish I had a bigger stomach because I would’ve ordered another bowl right away. And if that isn’t a compliment, what is?
I will say the service is more of a hands-​off sort of establishment. More apt to give the eater space, especially if they’re by themselves, but if you look up and focus a gentle stare on one of them, they’ll catch on that you need something. Beer and wine prices are reasonable — around 3 – 5 pounds, but I skipped that because I didn’t want to get sloshed; the broth was doing enough of that work.
Also, they charge a mandatory 12.5% service charge, so don’t feel like you need to leave a tip unless the service has been outstanding. Had the server/​waiter been more of a recommender (I was on the fence and went with the gut in lieu of the lack of external push) or more involved with making it personal, I would have left a tip.
Unilocalers, make this your go spot and DON’T FORGET TO ADD THE CHILI SAUCE!

Another hipster noodle place in east London. Blah blah blah. The noodles were only ok.

(Forgive the all too easy phở puns ahead) .I can easily say that I am a phunatic. In San Francisco where I live, I eat phở 2 – 3 times a week. While I will gladly eat phở from the greasy spoon in a dingy asian food court, I eat an almost equal amount of higher end phoductions. S.I.N easily ranks up there with some of the best phở’s I’ve had.
The Phacilities:
While this was my first trip to London, the Dalston area reminds me of other gentrifying areas. Mixed neighborhood, with a smattering of higher end restaurants and shops moving in. S.I.N itself was a pretty sparse but hip restaurant with a small area for bike parking in the front. There’s counter seating facing out towards the streets, and a number of tables in the main area. There was a surprising amount of waiters for the amount of tables, and I found service to be perfectly adequate. Friendly, mostly prompt, nothing out of the ordinary.
The Slurp:
We split the fish sauce wings, lemongrass phở and beef phở. The wings were juicy with a good texture to the breading, and came out quite quickly. I’ve never been a huge fan of sweet wings, but these had a good balance of sweet/​garlic.
Lemongrass phở would be a good intro to Bun Bo Hue for the uninitiated. The lemongrass and spice can normally be very overwhelming, but this had a more mild balanced feel to it. Meat was super tender, and good noodle texture (not typical noodles, they use the spaghetti shaped ones).
Beef phở was a standout. Thin flat noodles were high quality with a good spring to them, the broth was balanced and tasty, and the meat was exceptionally well cooked. I did ask for the steak on the side so I could put it in myself, which they forgot, but it was so tender, I didn’t care at all.
Overall:
Totally worth the trip, and one of the best meals we had in London.

Really nice ramen but it was the starters that really stood out. The lamb chops were delicious as were the crispy chicken wings. Service was friendly and efficient and a big plus is that there is bicycle parking at the entrance to the restaurant so you can park up easily and keep an eye on your bike from the restaurant.

Damn those wings are worth dying for! They make my mouth and stomach extremely happy. I also ordered the fried spring rolls which were tasty too!
The Phở wasn’t quite to my taste. The soup did not have the strong flavour that I’m used to. Texture of the noodle was great though.
But damn… I’m coming back for those wings soon again!

Oh dear. I liked the Vietnamese coffee at Salvation in Noodles. The service and my phở? Not so much.
Salvation in Noodles is a hipster haven in otherwise unenchanting surroundings. For some reason I was expecting a Vietnamese place similar to the ones on Kingsland Road. Instead I was greeted by a fixie out front, check shirt-​wearing patrons, tattooed waiters and a casual chic interior. Indicative of high standards, right?
Sadly not. We ordered our food — a starter, two mains, two drinks and tap water. Our drinks appeared, but our waiter immediately disappeared before I could ask him for a glass for my beer. I kept trying to catch the eyes of the three waiters circulating around the small space but none seemed interested. Neither did our tap water appear. Finally, ten minutes later, our waiter returned and was able to rectify both. I mean sure, some people are happy to drink beer straight from a bottle, but it only takes two seconds to check.
Then our starter arrived. Or so I thought. My girlfriend’s eagle eyes spotted that we were being served spring rolls rather than summer rolls. She pointed this out to the waiter who disputed her comment with «For real?» My girlfriend persisted and the waiter took both back. A more senior waiter appeared and quickly saw the problem: our summer rolls had been served to the neighbouring table and his spring rolls served to our table. Gah. Again, after a delay, it was rectified. The summer rolls themselves were okay, with hints of the crunchy, flavoursome signature of Vietnamese food but some of the ingredients (e.g. the tofu) didn’t seem very fresh.
Next, our phở arrived. My girlfriend liked her crab and pork one. My chicken phở was bland and boring. I’ve long since revised my expectations of phở in London from the hopeful highs I had after having excellent, dirt-​cheap phở in Vietnam, but even with these lowered expectations I was disappointed, labouring through the broth rather than enjoying it. For what it’s worth, I think the phở at the chain restaurant Phở is the most dependable in London, however unfashionable it is to sing the praises of chains.
Was I the only diner left wanting? No: when asked how his meal was, our neighbour shared his dismay at the poor service he’d received, backing his feelings with the revelation that he had worked in restaurants as a waiter too.
As the only reassuringly middle class restaurant in the area I’m sure that Salvation in Noodles will continue to attract custom. But I really hope they fix their service and food, particularly now that prices are noticeably higher than mentioned in the other reviews here (mains cost between £8.50-£9.50). As it stands, I’d be heading to Que Viet et al for Vietnamese food in Dalston.

After a long flight from LA we really did find salvation in noodles. We stayed in a flat just around the corner so this was our go to dinner spot for our time in London. Really delicious and fresh phở. I recommend the fried chicken wings as an app.

And the verdict is…
I came into this restaurant coming with knowledge of phở made by friends’ parents and living in the states where good phở is normal to come by. My experience here was quite pleasant.
Overall I was quite pleased.
Atmosphere is very nice. Hipster-​like and very modern. Something many Asian restaurants miss here in London. Meaning caught up with New York and San Francisco. Lighting and décor is appropriate for a restaurant bringing together traditional Vietnamese regional dishes with a modern layout.
Food was quite nice. I did not get a chance to try a starter, but I ordered the bun rieu and was very impressed. I was worried at first reading the suggestive reviews on tripadvisor with the «bland» broth. However bland for some reviews means salty and my phở was not bland. The broth encompassed a very tasty mix of flavors of tomato and crab. It also had a mild spiciness to the flavour. I enjoyed the fact it wasn’t piled with mounds of msg which many uneducated foodies are regularly used with. So now that we’re passed the broth… ingredients… the ingredients consist of vermicelli noodles, crab, prawns, pork belly, bean sprouts, spring onion, cilantro, and tomato. The ingredients all were in very good proportion allowing me to enjoy the food.
Overall I had quite a pleasant experience. I would suggest my friends in the states to try this place out if they want a proper Vietnamese fix that most of the UK can’t provide.

Finally was able to give my local phở restaurant a try. The location is quite interesting — it’s not on Kingsland Road with the rest of the phở restaurants in East London and it’s not sandwiched near all the other restaurants on Upper Street. It’s on a busy road called Balls Pond Road — easy to find and very neighbourhoody.
I came here on a Tuesday and it was packed, though we were able to get a seat straight away. I ordered a bowl of the chicken phở and shrimp summer rolls. The rolls were standard nothing really to comment on and nothing that separates it from other restaurants. The phở was nice — the chicken was good quality, not like many phở restaurants on Kingsland Road. Size was on the tad smaller side, but fairly normal size when it comes to London phở. Bit expensive at £9/​bowl.
Nice décor inside, very hipsterish, owner and staff are very friendly. Bonus points for having its own bike parking right in front in a well lit area!

Bowled over by a noodle bowl on Balls Pond Road. If one can indeed find Salvation in noodles, I’m going to start a noodle monastery and I’m looking forward to spending an afterlife surrounded by awesome SE Asian noodle ladies. I’m excited. SIN (see what they’ve done there) was a follow up to On the Bap (y’know, trendy looking new Asian places). It’s not a small space by any means — a few tables at the front (plus a window bench) and some room at the back.
The menu is pretty straightforward — starters, soup noodles, and cold noodles. There’s nothing particularly outlandish on the menu — for starters we picked the shredded chicken with sesame crackers and a plate of pickled lotus root with carrots, pork, and crispy shallots and peanuts. Both starters were pretty large and packed with flavour, really close to similar dishes I’d tried in Vietnam. The chicken dish is well spiced and seems to keep ging forever — my one gripe is that it’s a little dry in places (leg would probably be better), but still. Delicious. The pickled salad has a great combination of textures and packs in a lot of crunch.
When we went, the cold noodles weren’t on, although it wasn’t clear whether it was a one off thing or a Monday thing. It didn’t matter, I was going for the bun rieu, whatever happened. Bun riu (crab noodle soup with tomato) has a special place in my heart, being the first dish I ate in Vietnam and was a moment of instant love for me. That part of my heart can belong to nobody else. It’s also a dish I’ve not had outside of Vietnam yet, so to find it brought a tear to my eye. My partner ordered the bun bo Hue, a tangy, herby beef noodle soup.
Like the starters, these dishes are large and packed to bursting with goodies (meats, herbs, banana blossoms…). I really enjoyed my bun rieu. It’s not the tangy, full-​on flavour assault that I’ve experienced before — the flavour is more delicate, but it’s delicious and has an excellent crabby flavour. The lime also helps to add a little more zing. I tried some of the Bun Bo Hue too — also very flavourful, although could have done with a little more tang too. Still, very good, and tasty strips of beef to boot.
Two nights, both times a full-​to-​bursting Rob. Seriously, the starters already filled me up a lot and the soups were genuinely excellent. Overall the value for money is really good — large bowls of soup for under 10 quid, and massive starters. The service was friendly, albeit a little slow, but given the quality of the food, it didn’t bug me too much. I’m glad they were getting good business on a Monday night too, although I can imagine that there’s a queue a lot of the time.
If you are trying to find penance, you know where to go. It’s a little out of the way, but worth the trip, and I would happily travel to come back here (need to try the phở!). Despite the trendy aesthetic, it’s pretty authentic overall, and a lot of care has been put into the food. It’s simple, yet super effective AND holy. What more could I want?

SIN has a rather small menu and is focusing on the regional noodle dishes that is still a pretty new territory in the London dining scene. As a keen foodie that always enjoy exploring, I headed off to SIN on a fine Friday evening to seek some classic Vietnamese noodles.
Bun bo hie, aka beef brisket and pork in hot and spicy lemongrass soup was very pleasant and really showcased the fine quality of soup noodle. The soup was cooked for 24 hours using pork and beef bones as well as other Vietnamese seasoning, very rich in taste but not challenging at the same time. The soup had a lovely depth of herbal and meaty aromas and I personally enjoyed it far more than any of the Japanese ramen I tasted in London such as Shoryu…

A hipster heaven, Phở with a slight twist. This place just opened up — and I can tell it’s going to be a favorite of many in Dalston soon enough.
The Phở is really lovely quality — rare beef and meatball Phở has been my favorite so far. The staff is friendly and super attentive.
All the Phở options are between £ 8 – 9. Open from 6 – 11 everyday. The times on Google maps are not correct so be careful!

D wanted me to give this place 5 stars but I just can’t… don’t get me wrong, I very much enjoyed my meal here last night. The chicken/​lime salad starter was delicious and my beef steak Phở in oxtail broth was very nice (D said his crab/​pork/​something Phở was amazing) and all but I don’t think I’m qualified to give a Phở place 5 stars because I don’t think I’ve tasted enough Phở in my lifetime to be able to say that this Phở is as good as it gets.
I always get a little disappointed when I finish a bowl of Phở. The reason for this is rather than feel full to bursting, I just feel like I need a wee. This is probably psychological but it’s true and I think to myself — did that satisfy my hunger? I can’t tell.
Let’s get serious though. Salvation in Noodles (SIN for short) is very nice. Prices aren’t too bad and there was a nice atmosphere here on a Monday evening. I enjoyed my Phở here more than I have done in Vietnamese places along Kingsland road so that surely counts for something. The menu is more limited though but I always think smaller menus are a good thing.
Don’t trek across London to come here but if you live locally then it’s definitely worth a visit.