Onin.London Visits Cay Tre
Last month, I ventured down to the gorgeous Vietnamese restaurant, Cay Tre, to try their new cocktail menu and their delicious food offerings. My friend who attended with me on the night had raved about the food so I must admit my expectations were high! Spoiler alert… the food, drinks and restaurant all lived up to the hype.
Upon arrival we were seated at a lovely booth which gave us a great view of the restaurant. It was obvious this place is insanely popular and it really does live up to the hype.
I wasn’t drinking on the evening whilst my friend was as so it nice to be able to sample a mix of their Mocktails and Cocktails. The new cocktail menu converts their signature punchy and refreshing Asian flavours into a menu of cocktails inspired by the bustling streets of Saigon and the rich culinary heritage of Asia. The menu has been curated to offer guests a selection of classic recipes they can relate to, infused with unique Vietnamese twists, structured to pair and perfectly complement with the menu, from authentic snacks through to something sweet, rounding off the meal.
Each cocktail is designed to elevate the dining experience and transport guests on a culinary journey through Asia. Aromatic creations such as Mandarin Orchards, made with Beefeater dry gin, mandarin, campari, sweet vermouth and thai basil and the delicate Tea Chaser, infused with Yuzu, jasmine tea & orange blossom are perfect to pair with snacking favourites such as the fresh papaya and mango salads, Hanoi crispy crab parcels and spring and imperial rolls.
The wait staff were absolutely lovely and were able to offer non-alcoholic options of what seemed like most options on the menu! Perfect for those who are taking a break from drinking or can’t drink.
Food wise, it was a struggle to choose what to order. Everything looked and sounded amazing. Given my friend had visited before, I let her make most of the decisions and boy am I glad I did.
For starters we had the Nem cua | Hanoi crispy crab parcel – crab meat, pork neck, prawns, Asian mushrooms, glass noodles and the Chả lá lốt | Betel leaf wrap –minced beef & pork, daikon, spring onion infused oil, topped with roasted peanuts and the GREEN PAPAYA SALAD Gỏi đu đủ dressed in our house vinaigrette, mixed herbs, chili sauce & topped with roasted peanuts.
Each mouthful was better than the last but the Betal Leaf Wrap was the standout! So full of flavour. I really could have ordered a second round of this.
Moving on to mains, I opted for the CHICKEN ROYALE Bò lúc lắc grilled whole poussin marinated in five spice, roasted and dressed in sauce soy sauce with a side of Special Fried Rice. My friend ordered the ASSORTED MUSHROOM PHO Phở nấm 14.5 with shiitake, hon shimeji and button mushrooms with kai choi and tofu all served in a rich chicken broth. Both dishes were exactly what we wanted and hit the spot that had us curling our toes and dancing in our seats. Portion sizes are huge so thankfully we were able to take the meals home to enjoy the next day. How it tasted better the second day I do not know but it did!
Founded in 2003 by Hieu Bui, Cay Tre is renowned for its lively atmosphere, authentic flavours (herbs and noodles are flown in from Vietnam) combined with fresh, local ingredients and British produce. With two restaurants located in the heart of Soho and Hoxton, Cay Tre has been a firm favourite in the London dining scene for over twenty years and now boasts its own signature cocktail list – an exciting testament to its dedication to continuously evolve and meet the palate and tastes of hungry Londoners.
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