House of Hoi An

Move over Saigon Sally and Hanoi Hannah, there's a new Vietnamese eatery in town. Situated slightly off the beaten track in Windsor, with its abundant display of colourful lanterns, eclectic furniture and graffitied exterior, you'd be forgiven for thinking that you'd made your way to Hoi An in the middle of the Tet Festival.

Bought to you by internationally renowned chef and restaurateur Ms Trinh Diem Vy, House of Hoi An's menu is (unsurprisingly) Vietnamese inspired, and contains the likes of 'Hoi An Street Food', 'Hoi An Celebration Food' and 'Daily Food from My Family Food', being a selection of memorable dishes that Ms Vy grew up eating as a child.

House of Hoi An's Chao Tom ('roll your own' shrimp mousse on sugarcane) definitely couldn't be accused of being your average rice paper roll - a popular traditional Southern dish available throughout Vietnam, the dish is made from marinated shrimp, wrapped around thin pieces of sugar can, grilled and served with rice paper, rice noodles, fresh herbs and sweet and sour dipping sauce.  Whilst slightly on the messy side, the textures and flavours on offer when the soldiers are all rolled up are definitely worth getting your hands dirty for.

For those who find some Vietnamese salads too sweet - the Pomelo Salad with Chicken is the salad for you.  Balanced out by the bitterness of the pomelo, this salad is beautifully complemented by the texture of the accompanying prawn crackers - who needs a fork when you can scoop up your salad with one of these crackling little bad boys.  And if you're looking for a dish that is punching with flavour - don't go past their Ga Nuong La Chanh (BBQ Chicken and Lime Leaf) - BBQ chicken thighs with lime leaf and herbs, served with rice and salad.

Whilst I love my wine more than most - a dining experience at House of Hoi An wouldn't be complete without trying some of their home made Vietnamese 5 Spiced Tea - sweet, fragrant, and punching with flavour, it gives most teas at T2 a solid run for their money.  And this post wouldn't be complete without a special shout out to Tin, our server on the night.  His absolute passion for the food and the overall restaurant shone through in his service, and his warmth and kindness made the whole experience an absolute delight.

With its fragrant and fresh flavours, delicious food and incredible service, I look forward to heading back to House of Hoi An soon.

Food: 4/5
Decor: 4.5/5
Service: 4.5/5
Total: 13/15
Verdict: love get around to trying it soon

The New Fave dined courtesy of the House of Hoi An