Some say life is about taking chances and that some things are better the second time around. So to celebrate life and second chances, A & I went back to East Street. A scored a deal via Groupon: £17 for a 3-course meal each. We only had to pay for drinks and sides. Bargain!
While waiting for our starters I got a bit peckish so I decided to grab some spicy prawn crackers (£2.20). I hate those normal white prawn crackers you get from Chinese restaurants because they taste like cardboard. These were nice, though. Probably the same ones they serve at Mango Tree.
I was craving for dumplings so I ordered gyoza for starters (normally £5.25). I rarely order gyoza because I find them boring. East Street’s mini bites were fairly decent though. The minced pork and prawn filling was pretty tasty; I didn’t need the dipping sauce to pack more flavour.
My entree was the bu loc lac (Vietnamese shaking beef, £8.95). Presentation-wise it charmingly looked homemade, like something one would make to impress a date at home. It tasted homemade meal too, like something comforting your angels would have prepped for you after a long day. It’s good. The rump steak was tender, cooked beautifully and infused in a sauce seemingly made of the triumvirate of Asian cooking.
For dessert, I thought of getting the khaw niaow mamuang (Thai sticky rice pudding) but decided to stick to the Vietnamese theme and got the chuoi ran (£4.95) instead. Similar to the Philippines’ turon (deep fried bananas in spring roll wrapper), it’s made with fried bananas coated in nuts and breadcrumbs. East Street served it with some sort of caramel sauce and cinnamon ice cream. This was definitely a treat.
A & I were comfortably full after but definitely happier than when we first visited. Our choices were heaps better than the first visit (A got goi con for starters, pad thai for mains and the same for dessert). The servers were more attentive and eager to serve, so much so that we had five different ones come to our table through the night. The atmosphere seemed livelier and I think that’s what East Street is really about. The food is still ‘just okay’ but it’s fast and it’s quick and it’s cheap. Why not.
Oh, there was some sort of evidence that we really enjoyed it this time around, but you’ve got to be friends with me on the social networks for that 😉
East Street Restaurant
3-5 Rathbone Place London W1T 1HJ | +44(0)20 7323 0860
Ave spend pp £20 for three courses, sides and drinks
