The Green Papaya

brilliant - if I could move in I would
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 8 | Value for money 8
Saturday, July 19, 2008

I'm not really sure what people mean when they say that this place is good. When I last visited, I felt humiliated by the fare that was served up. The starters were ok - crispy squid was crisp but too salty, and the prawn rolls were nice - but I've had better. However, the mains were revolting. Smoked tofu with asparagus resembled and tasted like spam, and the hot and sour soup was basically bisto gravy that they had added some spices, frozen mixed vegetables and indeterminate bits to. Yuck, I couldn't eat it and had to have it taken away.
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Rosie
Overall rating
Food 2 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, July 24, 2007

This restaurant is definitely worth a visit. Shoreditch and Hackney are saturated with Vietnamese restaurants and having tried most of the recommended ones, I would say this is definitely the best.

The ingredients are super fresh and the menu is interesting - there is even a "specials" board. Try the deep fried shredded sweet potato and prawn (tip: it's supposed to be wrapped in the lettuce leaf to eat) and/or herb rolls to start. Stewed belly of pork was good to follow.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Sunday, January 07, 2007

This is a local favourite.

The staff are superfriendly and the service is quick. The restaurant is clean and the mix of people that come here is always fun checking out. There's the quiet guy with a book eating his noodle soup. There's the young slightly trendy (lost from shoredtich?) family. There's the tattoo artist and his friend having an animated discussion.

Everyone there is enjoying the food and the wonderfully relaxed atmosphere.

The food is great. The starters are definitely my favourite. Crispy squid with a sauce made with purple basil which is absolutely to die for. The sweet potato and prawn cake is equally mouth watering. The raw beef salad is made with tender steak and just delicious.

It's worth a trip to Hackney. It will make your tummy very happy and it won't hurt your wallet. Go!
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LB
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Thursday, June 15, 2006

The only factor that saddened me about my recent release from Hackney after a three-year sentence was not being within walking distance from Green Papaya. This friendly establishment remains my favourite restaurant in London and is somewhere I return to as often as I can.

I would recommend the fishcake soup, which, although enormous, never leaves you stuffed only satisfied, or the barbequed chicken with rice, which makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Both incidentally cost less than a KFC Bargain Bucket.

Excellent enthusiastic service, with the owner always happy to share his kitchen secrets. A must for food fans and the curious alike.
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Andrew Stone
Monday, November 07, 2005