"Normal isn’t something that restaurants tend to aspire to be around Covent Garden, but a normal neighbourhood spot is exactly what an area with fire breathers needs. At Vietnamese restaurant Hoa Sen, there’s no flashy furniture or a neon-lit bar, but there are slippery, pork-filled bánh cuốn and duck served with mango and wrapped in lettuce leaves. Being the West End, warming bowls of phở are priced around £15. But when the food is this comforting and consistently good, it’s worth it. " - heidi lauth beasley, jake missing, sinead cranna, rianne shlebak