The whole table erupted with laughter and I, a little tipsily, reached for the bottle of wine and found, to no-one’s surprise, that it was empty. I was still reeling a little from the concentrated aromatic hit of Pho (who knew that broth could be that good).
As I leaned back in my chair, my eyes blearily roaming the table for another bottle, more food was brought out – great plates of shiny sleek fresh tuna and bowls that, by their salty fried aroma were full of chips. Greedy Diva, Slow Food Kitchen, Vintage Macaroon and I all looked at one another sharing a moment of foodie appreciation before someone said something and we all burst out laughing again.
I had wandered in, the proverbial lone wolf (or, to be honest, the speccy geek lingering on the disco fringe). It’s not often I dine solo at so social a place. What’s more, this was my first real taste of supper clubbing, London style. But I was made very welcome, and was soon babbling happily away to fellow diners in an atmosphere that encouraged chat.
Beef pho
I have heard much about the F&L’s food and was looking forward to dinner. First up, a chicken salad with carrot and herbs. Light, moist and packed full of fresh herbs, it was a great appetite whetter. It’s too easy to make a chicken salad dry. Not this one. It was a melange of sweet, fresh and lightly meaty flavours.
Next, a veritable mountain of hot crispy spring rolls. Something of an experiment we were told. Shredded pork, prawn, crab and octopus were crammed in those sizzling skins. A Vietnamese surf ‘n’ turf, it could have been a bit of a mess of texture and taste, but it wasn’t. It worked and worked well. So well I polished off all the rolls the other six table members couldn’t quite squeeze in.
Prawn and pork are a well established combo, both have firm salty-sweet flesh that works well together. The crab added oceany depth and the octopus, cooked just right, added texture and an undefinable something flavour-wise. I know, because I tasted one without octopus. And while good, it was missing that something.
Making a mountain out of a roll hill (sorry)
The Pho…oh my word the pho. I have a thing about good stock – it can make or break dishes, and this…this was wonderful stuff, orchestral in its complexity. It sent me into rhapsodies. It has a meaty, savoury and deep flavour, with hints of star anise and aromatic herbs. I could have just drunk this. All night.
The flat rice noodles, herbs, beef slices and chilli added layers of texture and taste to an already strong base. I thought it was superb, my highlight of my night. And as good as anything I ate in Hanoi.
I could go on and on, but you’d be left reading an essay. So quickly: “Fish and chips” was stacks of the freshest fatty and mellow tuna sashimi, offset by a big bowl of salty crunchy chips. Broken rice with pork cutlets was well cooked and lots of fun.
Coconut and Cointreau sorbet was a wonderful way to round off the meal. A fresh, airy and reviving sorbet. Although by this point, I was having such fun (and had drunk so much wine) that I was in little need of reviving.
What really struck me was the fun that everyone was having. There was a constant buzz of conversation punctuated by shouts of laughter and plenty of gesturing as people cooed over the food and generally had a ball.
This sort of thing is much more difficult that it seems to get right. All those strangers in one room, not all of whom are sure what to do? It could have been like a painful school disco. It’s a testament to Uyen’s skills as a host that it was more like a houseful of old friends, enthusiastically catching up. A memorable, tasty, and above all fun night.
More about Fernandez and Leluu:
Vintage Macaroon
Londonist
The London Foodie
Gastrogeek
www.fernandezandleluu.co.uk, top secret location somewhere in London.
Ahhhh you lucky thing you got there for a Vietnamese night! I would so love to try F&L’s Vietnamese cooking. Sounds amazing!
Fantastic review, I can’t believe I still haven’t been.
I want to go!
@catty – you missed a goodun, that stock, i swear, it’s fabulous stuff. Nectar of the gods, i love it. We’ll have to get you there before feb!
@kavey – nor can I
It’s such a cool place.
Great review! The food sounds and looks soooooooo yummy!
I second Kavey – great review – love the descriptive language, it’s hard to get it not too cheesey and not too somber. Also you really captured the fun, sounded rollicking ^_^
@Gourmet Butcher – it was and it certainly tasted damn fine.
@Sasa – thanks! It was a super fun night, I think you would have loved it. Next time you’re in The Smoke, we should try and get you there.
What a fun night. Terrific food, and what an atmosphere! And I got the best seat in the house, of course – I do think we polished off more than our fair share of the spring rolls!!
I’m a bit gutted that I couldn’t join you as it looks pho-tastic (sorry had to be done!).
I’m a bit of a supper club sceptic but if there’s one I’d like to try, it’s F&L, not least cos I’ve met Uyen a few times and I have no doubt that I’d be well looked after.
wonderful review of a great place, can’t wait to go back there!
@Greedy Diva – you were in the prime spot – one of the first to be served and in a prime spot for spring roll intercepts
But damn, those rolls were tasty.
@Mr Noodles – yup, i tossed that one around a bit before settling on the mountain pun
F&L is the perfect spot if you’re a sceptic. I wasnlt sure what to expect, but it was very different in feel to a restaurant, lots of buzz and more social.
@Ute – thanks! You and me both.
What a fun night, we did have way too much to eat and drink but a lot of laughing in between too! To be repeated again soon.
@May – it was so much fun – the over indulgence and hilarity was just what I needed that night
It is such an honour to be on your blog – its one that I have been following since you started it. As always because you write really well and it feels so good to be considered in The Grubworm’s head!
Thank you – I had a wonderful evening doing this for you guys, May, Carly, Debbie, Libby & their friends. Some nights are just more electric than others and THIS WAS THE NIGHT – its down to dinner guests and their own sense of enjoyment and open-ness. Love nights like these – thats why we do it – because its about people and enjoying a good meal that we made with all our love and care.
We are starting to get guests who come and expect us to cook their dinner as well as entertain them and nothing is good enough because of how much coverage we have already had, expecting it all when they don’t even have the manners to say thank you and goodbye.
So glad that you liked the food – always very nervous about having a table of respected foodies/ bloggers come and taste our cooking : )
thank you again, love Leluu xxx
@Leluu – there was a real energy that night, and I had the feeling, had I not had to stagger home at midnight, I would have seen the party carry on till the early hours.
It’s sad that some people come burdened with expectation of what they think a supper club should be (often culled from a lot of restaurant eating i reckon). The real joy is not knowing what to expect and finding out that every evening, let alone every supper club, is different. They forget they’re coming in to someone’s house.
The food itself was fab, really really good – particularly the Pho.