Dzo! Viet Kitchen - Review - Islington - London - The Infatuation

"Dzo Viet Kitchen is sandwiched between a tool shop and a hair salon on a crowded part of Upper Street, but we have a feeling it will stand out for regular commuters around Highbury & Islington. It’s a run-of-the-mill-looking spot that crowds tables as tightly as it packs its summer rolls, and there’s a care to Dzo Viet’s cooking that sets it apart from other Vietnamese restaurants. Here, shaken beef is especially tender with caramelised wedges of onion and morning glory has a vibrant crunch. Paired with a spoonful of sticky rice and a frosty Saigon beer, a dreary Tuesday night can become immeasurably better. The menu spans beyond the usual suspects. The Full House—with peppery Vietnamese sausage, braised pork hunks, a knuckle of ham, and a fried egg—is indulgently piggy and not for the faint-hearted. Food Rundown Grilled Prawn Summer Rolls Pleasingly filled, with crunchy frisée lettuce, these summer rolls do the trick. The prawns could be bigger and we’re always in favour of a fistful of herbs, but they’re a nice start dipped in a fish sauce dressing. photo credit: Jake Missing Shaken Beef These hunks of beef are dangerous given how difficult it is to stop shovelling them. In a shiny sauce that mixes soy, oyster, and fish to umami-ish qualities, the beef bounces with tenderness and tears away into pink strands. The chunks of pepper and onion also retain a nice crunch. photo credit: Jake Missing Full House Sticky Rice Pork on pork on pork, with a side of egg and a ball of sticky rice, this dish shouldn’t be approached alone. It’s sweet and sticky, although the braised pork is a little too fatty for our liking. Get a vegetable on the side to cut through it and you’re in business." - Jake Missing