Chatsworth RD, Brownies and Bad Service at Viet Grill

Sunday 20th March 2011

Restaurant: Viet Grill, Kingsland Rd
Price per Person: £30 upwards
Rating: 3 out of 10

It was a lovely sunny day, and thanks to the wonder that is Twitter I had got wind that The Chatsworth Road Market was on today, and was a stones throw from my home in Hackney. We wondered down and had a lovely mooch - The Chatsworth Kitchen was packed and buzzing, likewise Le Creperie on the corner. There were lovely cupcake stalls, The Vegan Peasant making yummy salads, American hot dogs, and Japanese pancake stall, fresh cheeses and organic meat...lovely, lovely, lovely neighbourhood market. I really hope this market continues to grow and grow as it is a great asset to East London. You might even see a Hungry Londoner stall there one day soon...

Next on the agenda was making brownies. After seeing a recipe for brownies using Hellman's mayonnaise in place of butter in many magazines over the last few weeks I thought I would give it a go as I am allergic to dairy so brownies are normally a 'no-no.' The recipe called for the following:

40g Flour (I used white spelt flour as I am also allergic to wheat!)
25g Cocoa
140g Chocolate
3 Eggs
225g Caster Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Vanilla Extract/Essence
55g Chopped Walnuts
8 'Dollops' Hellman's mayonnaise

You have to sift the flour, baking powder and cocoa. Then you melt the chocolate over the stove (we used Green & Blacks 70% as it is dairy free). You whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla together then whisk in the melted chocolate. Finally fold in the flour mixture, walnuts and the tablespoons of mayonnaise. Pour this into a greased tray and put into an oven heated to 160c for 30-35 mins. Leave to cool in the tray(while you go to the Viet Grill) then cut up and munch! They are incredible: and dairy and wheat free! Literally the softest, squishiest brownies ever; crispy top then proper roof sticking oozing middle. I am going to make them again but with Lindt 'Touch of Seasalt' to see how they turn out...

While the brownies were cooling, my housemates and I decided to use a £50 voucher I had received from Viet Grill due to a previous bad experience of poor food and poor service in what had been until then a favourite haunt. On arriving we were seated quickly in the not even half full restaurant (it was 6pm by the way). We waited...and waited...and waited...more than ten minutes for anyone to offer us a drink (we didn't even have a drink menu mind!). When someone finally came over we were asked if we were ready to order, and on asking were finally given a drink menu. Only one of us ordered a starter, Vietnamese rolls, the rest of us wanted just prawn crackers. Three of us went for Sizzling Seafood, number four order beef cooked in a clay pot,and we had some greens in oyster sauce and a couple bowls of rice for the table. We also asked for four tap waters. We waited...and waited...the restaurant was still not even half full...the starter came...we still had no drinks...no prawn crackers...starter cleared no drinks, no crackers...Mains arrived immediately. Actually no, greens and rice arrived then almost five minutes later the rest did, so our accompaniments were already cold. We had to ask twice for our water, twice for our prawn crackers. Our one cocktail that we had ordered with our food arrived finally halfway through the meal (so twenty minutes after ordering); the place is even emptier by now as a party of 4 adults/4 children had gone. The food itself was very tasty: lots of squid and lovely fresh vegetables, a few slices of scallops and 3 fat fresh prawns in a thick and flavourful garlic sauce served on s still sizzling cast iron pot did the trick just grand. The greens were crunchy (but cold). The beef dish was literally just beef strips in a pot but flavourful. We were cleared and promptly ignored for over twenty minutes. We were not offered desserts, drinks, the bills - ignored. We finally waved our arms to get the bill. The price before discount was £82, which was for one stater, four mains with 3 sides, one cocktail and one beer. I find that really extortionate for what we had: it was good but no better than any other Vietnamese establishments on that strip. After the discount we paid £8 each which we decided was exactly what it was worth and nothing more. Considering we were going to the Viet Grill after a previously poor experience, I have concluded I will never go back again. It is over priced, poorly served and no better than any of the other restaurants on Kingsland Road - please go somewhere else!!!