For months now I've been in search of a Vietnamese restaurant to fulfil my cravings, especially since Mekong River closed down for renovation. Word on the street is that it is now open for business again, though. In the meantime my cravings for Vietnamese food have steadily increased, even with various venues with Vietnamese kitchens which recently opened like F.C.C. Unfortunately, I still have not been able to satisfy my appetite for a good bowl of Pho.

Finally I had cause to salivate, as my salvation seemed within reach. Upon hearing of Quan Vietnam, which recently opened its doors (sometime before Christmas, as there are still some Christmas decorations up), I had to drop everything to try it out.

Reaching the restaurant with eager anticipation for their Pho, I was quietly brimming with excitement as I entered to find an empty restaurant with an army of waitresses ready to serve.

Scanning the room for clues to see if this an authentic Vietnamese restaurant or just another business hoping to cash in on the recent Vietnam buzz, I found the place was tastefully decorated with the usual cultural display items and images matched together with simple lighting and furniture. I was a little let down as I could not see the bottles of chilli sauce, fresh chillies and other condiments that you normally find in restaurants in Vietnam or other cities which have become homes for Vietnamese migrants. The sauces and condiments placed on tables are a usually a telling sign that a place serves decent Pho. These, however, were no where to be found (yet in Shanghai) and as my excitement diminished, I tried to console myself with the fact that this establishment was intended as more of a dining restaurant rather than a noodle house.

Glancing quickly at the menu, the first impression was rather impressive, as I saw some items on there which I never expected. I wished I could have ordered more, but as I was only there for lunch and solely searching for a decent Pho, naturally I ordered the staple dishes required to get the general taste: Beef Pho (25rmb), Vietnamese Spring Rolls (22rmb), Vietnamese Sea Food Crepe (32rmb) and Vietnamese Coffee (20rmb). Overall I found the prices to be very reasonable, especially given the size of the portions.

For the tasting, I thought the coffee had the right taste, but outside of Vietnam it¡¯s almost impossible to get a proper glass. Black Ice Coffee should have a thick texture and come frothy, which is generated from the way the coffee is stirred. The Vietnamese Spring Rolls were pretty decent. But I was a bit disappointed as the spring rolls which I¡¯m accustomed to have a different kind of skin (normally rice paper), which is not smooth and should crackle in the mouth. The surprise of the day were the Crepes, the size, taste and ingredients were as close to authenticity as you can get.

Having been impressed with the starters, my hopes were high for the Pho. As it was placed on the table, there were once again a few things that deflated my excitement. The very necessary bean sprouts were missing, and by the time the dish arrived it was cold. The rice noodles resembled vermicelli and not eh, fresh rice noodles as it should be. The all-important soup was in short, a real let down. The colour was non-existent and the taste was masked with MSG.

Looks like I will have to follow the recent horde of travellers to Vietnam to get my fix.

Quan Vietnam
Tel: 021-6116 9330
Address:790-1 Dingxi Rd. near Yan'an Xi Rd.