Mien Tay

Couldn’t be bothered cooking dinner so strolled down to Mien Tay to see if their no frills but quality reputation was deserved. We were soon greeted by a friendly waitress who kindly served us throughout the evening. The food was well priced and tasty. Would recommend.

Love this place. Took a friend who had never been and she soon agreed that the food is a delight.
We shared a crispy chicken pancake to start which surprised us. Looked much like a giant taco filled with fresh chicken and beansprouts. Accompanied by a lovely sweet sauce.
We also wolfed down beef smothered in delicious Satay sauce.
For main we shared half a duck with pancakes. Be warned, this is huge and would comfortably feed four. Lucky for me, I got to take the rest home.
Fresh juices are another highlight. I had a refreshing carrot and orange.
As others mention, the tables are packed alarmingly close together, so prepare to hear all about your fellow diners.
We left stuffed and very satisfied. I’ve already been several times, and I’ll be back phở sure!

Very simple looking restaurant, and the service is brusque but efficient. However, the phở is pretty good — one of the best I’ve had in London and I’ve had a few — with generous portions of beef and noodles, for only £7. Win in my book.
Prawn summer rolls were ok, which was a disappointment. The mekong catfish we tried was tasty, but the sauce was a bit too salty. My benchmark for Vietnamese catfish is the one from Cay Tre — this is definitely not as good.
Overall, I’m going to be coming back, but for one thing only — the phở. But it is worth coming for if you’re local in the area.
Note — this place is cash only as well. But there is no service charge!

After visiting Vietnam in January this year, I’ve been on a search for delicious Vietnamese food in London. Mien Tay absolutely nailed it! The salt and pepper squid was soft with a crispy coating, the phở was rich, full of meat and a huge portion! But the best for me were the bo la lot, which took me right back to my holiday. £36 for 2 courses and a beer each! Slightly let down by the service, which was efficient but not very friendly. They only accept cash, but there is a cash point very nearby. I’ll be back soon!

Maybe I’ve been in London too long, but I think these guys deserve five stars.

I’ve been here probably 5 or 6 times as the food is really good (and reminds me of my travels to Vietnam)
The portions are good sizes and really tasty, there’s a good atmosphere but expect to be close to other people. I have found the staff to be rude on occassion and rush you out (as it is so popular) but other times it has been fine. I always go for the vermicelli spring rolls and am never disappointed.
And remember to bring cash as they don’t accept card.

The service here leaves an awful lot to be desired, but all things considered, I’m a fan. Huge portions, very fresh and good prices means that Mien Tay is pretty unbeatable! The wine prices are also very reasonable. It gets very busy so it’s definitely making sure you make a reservation.

Great casual hole in the wall style Vietnamese restaurant in Clapham Junction. Relaxed atmosphere, quick service. Don’t be surprised if you find yourself seated in very close proximity to other customers– the tables are very close together.
I ordered the fresh prawn paper rolls and some beef phở, although my friend has the crispy vermicelli spring rolls and I couldn’t help but pinch a couple… they were amazing! Phở tasted delicious and reminded me of being back in Vietnam– great way to warm up on a cold winter’s day in London. All the food was very fresh and fragrant. Alcohol-​wise they have beer and wine, and they also have Vietnamese coffee on the menu.
My only gripe is they don’t take cards– it’s cash only. Thankfully there’s an ATM about 40 metres away.

Best Vietnamese in London
I love this restaurant and have been loads of times but for some reason I hadn’t been for a while until last night. I was really looking forward to it and as usual it did not disappoint.
We tend to order the same things as we know what we like. Favourites include the springrolls which are sublime, thin and crispy on the outside with delicious generous fillings and the fresh rolls served with a peanut dipping sauce which are so lovely and leave you feeling virtuous and healthy. The choice of fish cooked on the bone is great — my favourite is the sea bream with lemongrass and chilli. The goat with galangal, the crispy aromatic duck and the singapore noodles are real winners too.
This time though there were a few new additions to the menu and we opted to try the chargrilled goat which was really tasty and succulent and best of all the spicy soft shell crab which was the best soft shell crab I have ever tasted — I’m dreaming it of it now and wish I could have another plate of it!
Desserts are limited but interesting — we had the Vietnamese Rainbow Drink described as Mung Beans, Gelatinous Seaweed and Coconut Milk, but don’t let that description put you off, it was sweet and delicious and a lovely way to finish our meal!
This used to be a BYO restaurant but not anymore unfortunately, but wine and beer are reasonable.
If you find yourself in Battersea you need to give this place a go, but do book in advance. We were there on a Monday night and people were queing out the door — I guess that says it all! Oh and one final thing — it’s cash only, so don’t get caught out!

Most definitely high quality vietnamese food at reasonable prices. Indifferent service, but you’re getting cheap food and the best phở I’ve had in London. Take it or leave it? Take it. Just don’t expect a lot in terms of service. Like to be given the cheque and that.
Loads, loads, loads of food, and so good.

Amazing Vietnamese Food! PHO is worth all 5 stars :-)

Quick glance:
+ authentic Vietnamese flavours
+ quick service
+ take reservation
— cash only
— rushed service
Full review:
Delicious and authentic Vietnamese flavours in Clapham Junction, so if you live in the area why wouldn’t you visit when you are craving for the fresh taste of coriander, grilled meat and soupy goodness. If you aren’t opposed to quail, try the barbequed quail — succulent and flavoursome. Yum!
The venue is small and it’s a bit packed, but I guess that keeps the atmosphere cosy and the cost down. You feel a bit rushed when you eat there because they want to turn over as many tables as possible, so it’s not somewhere for a a first date (unless you’re in a hurry to depart or get to the bar). At the end of the meal, they give you complimentary dessert by way of fresh, sweet orange slices. Great way to end the meal.

We found this place to be really good when we went for lunch around 1:30pm on a Saturday. We had previously ordered take-​away from there with some friends as they knew it and essentially introduced us to it.
The décor is not great (though the wooden houses under the glass at the tables is kind of cool) and the 3 star hygiene rating kind of put me off but since we’d eaten their take-​away before, we knew the food was great.
We ordered sparkling water and green tea. The menu says 500ml for the water but it’s actually 330ml. Not a bit deal but really should be changed as that’s a bit of a difference. The green tea was excellent, a giant pot of it that seemed never ending and had a great flavor.
We ordered the beef phở as an appetizer because we were really hungry and it came pretty quickly. It was very tasty except I suspect it did have a bit of MSG as near the end, when it was just the broth, it started to have a kind of weird flavor.
They brought our mains, Chicken with Cashew Nuts and Scallops with Ginger and Spring Onion very soon after the phở so the table was quite crowded. We also ordered some steamed rice as we had forgotten before. The rice was very sticky but surprisingly good and went well with the dishes. We thought both dishes were tasty though my partner said you could definitely taste sauce more than scallops in his dish (I didn’t try it).
The service was good, when we needed something (rice, fork, extra glass) they brought it right away.
I think we would definitely go again and can recommend it to anyone looking for some well-​priced and tasty Vietnamese!
Be advised, it’s cash only!

This place was recommended by a friend. I heard they were super busy all the time so we came on Sunday around 3pm for a late lunch. It wasn’t packed and we were seated right away. The tables are really cute, they have a 3D scene of a traditional Vietnamese house (i’m guessing…).
We started with the spring rolls which were nice and crunchy on the outside and full of veg on the inside. I opted for the lemongrass and chilli chicken which was really tasty. My friend had the chicken curry which was super delish It tasted like a spicy yellow Thai curry. We both got sides of rice, but we only needed one as it a huge side.
I was a bit off put when we walked in that the guy who took us to our seat was coughing quite a lot. However, they servers were nice and were quick to come over once you get their attention. The price was amazing for the food we had. I even have some leftover for lunch today… yum!

Absolutely delicious home-​style Vietnamese. We will definitely be back. :)
The décor is no frills but emits a cozy, in your dining room comfort. Several tables seemed to have VIP treatment and spoke with the waiters in Vietnamese. Always a good sign.
Service was mediocre but the food came out quick and was absolutely delicious.
I enjoyed the wine list and love the inclusion of pairing suggestions.
We ordered:
Traditional Crispy Pancake with Pork, Prawn & Bean sprouts starter (Bánh xèo tôm tht)
Curry Clay Pot (both Prawn & Chicken)
Spicy Rice Vermicelli Soup with Beef & Pork (Bún hu bò heo)
Each dish was amazing — I highly recommend them all!
**Cash only

Sorry Mien Tay but a downgrade… the food was still good — though it does seem to have gone a little bit downhill — but the service was apalling. They forgot our drinks repeatedly, gave me a funny look when I ordered a beer (it is allowed!), and then brought the wrong food but accused us of lying and then had an argument in front of us.
Not sure if it’s just the one guy but this trip wasn’t nearly as enjoyable as usual.

*nom nom nom*
What can I say? This place is amazing, probably the beat Vietnamese restaurant I have been to !
It is not always easy to get all of these dishes right, the seasoning in Vietnamese cuisine is key and not everybody can make it work. Mien Tay does.
I now go there to ease my home food cravings, oh happiness !
Things I love, are made very well and would advise you to try:
— chao tom: grilled shrimp around sugar cane. (chew the sugar cane after wards ~ nom nom~)
— banh xeo thit tom: Vietnamese
Pancake with porc and shrimp, in the starter section.
— mango salad: don t miss it, that one is über good: DDD
— Do get a bowl of PHO, one of the best ever !
Only negative point to reach the 5atat rating would be: the reduced desert menu :(and they do not serve Soy milk either… Noooo !
Oh well, the food makes up for it!

I came here for my first meal during this trip in the UK. I got a standard tofu and vegetable dish with noodles. The bok choy was crisp and the tofu was soft and well-​seasoned. I was happy with it. We also tried the fried rice and that was not too greasy and flavorful.
The water cups were small and they were too busy to fill up my cup so I was thirsty for a lot of the meal. We sat in the basement and shared a table with another pair, which was a bit awkward but fine. Check it out. Cheap and delicious, just like you.

This is one my favourite restaurants in London.
It is probably the best phở I’ve ever had (grew up near a large Vietnamese community in Cali). Amazing, deep flavoured broth that is not too oily or full of MSG. Generous portions of meat and noodles as well.
Some other notable dishes are the fried sea bass and lemon grass, beef and watercress salad, and the spring rolls!
You almost always have to book a table, so make sure you call a day beforehand.
This place is also BYOB, which is another plus in my book :)

What am I doing in Clapham for Viet food? Mien Tay opened another branch in this area and I had to try it. The chargrilled quail was cooked well and tasted like how I had it when I was a young kid. The vermicelli noodles were of a decent size and was delicious. This time around I had the spicy broth phở and it did not disappoint. Mien Tay did a good job in opening their second location by not letting the quality of their food go down.