Thai food has become something of a commodity – almost every village has a little restaurant churning out reliable Asian cuisine. Vietnamese on the other hand is far rarer and with a strong recommendation I set off for Saigon Saigon in Hammersmith.

In an otherwise unprepossessing street, Saigon Saigon has been serving up a wide range of traditional Vietnamese dishes for years. On a wet Saturday evening the restaurant was buzzing but they managed to squeeze us in. The friendly staff were happy to reccommend dishes for first timers.

The beef pho was delicious – rare steak and tender brisket in an umami laden noodle soup.

Of the mains, the shaking beef was the undoubted star. Generous chunks of steak sizzling on a red hot griddle, served with a spicy, pepper laden sauce.

The aubergine and mushroom claypot was great, lots of fish sauce. We also had a really nice duck breast, heavily seasoned with five spice. The menu is pretty extensive and i’ll definitely visit to investigate the pork options.

If you’re not familiar with Vietnamese food – I really recommend it. Think thai with a little more chinese influence. Saigon Saigon is a great place to try it out – three people ate their fill for less than £20 each which is a pretty astonishing feat in London!