Xich Lo

We went to Xich Lo on a Tuesday night in January. The restaurant was very quiet, but the staff still seemed a bit confused by their job! The food was very good, though expensive. This was mitigated by us using a discount card but we had to ask several times before they calculated the discount correctly. Overall, then, good food but questionable service and overpriced.
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Overall rating
Food 8 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 5
Sunday, January 21, 2007

Have been here twice and on both times have been given a little freebie taster, which at first is all good but then when I got the bill it was just as well. I found it a little bit over priced for what I got. Have been to places where I have paid a lot more and not minded as everything was pretty much spot on.

The food is good here, there's no doubt about that but I don't feel it's true to what Vietnamese cusine is about. It's as though they've tarted the dishes/ingredients up...a lot...it's like Vietnamese food gone ultra posh...so posh that I didn't really recognise some of it. This is not a bad thing at all as I did enjoy the food but as I mentioned it's not what I would call authentic. The only familiar dish was a starter consisting of asummer roll and spring roll (which tasted great) but even then it was all 'gucci-ed' up.

The service wasn't great..it wasn't rubbish either. Just slow and it seemed as though staff didn't really know what was going on at times although having said that they did try their best.

Come here for nice food but bare in mind that you can get nice food at other places that also offer better value for money and has better service at the same. It's a shame as this place has lots of potential.
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hp5al - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 5 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 4
Tuesday, October 31, 2006

We had a great dinner last night at this gem of a restaurant in Clerkenwell. They are currently running a 2-for-1 dinner offer, to encourage guests to bring friends to try their Vietnamese Fusion cuisine, and my friend and I chose the 7-dish set menu which was great value at £24.95.

The meal started with a free house appetiser of succulent Tamarind-marinated beef with fresh coriander - amazing taste! Next a long plate with starters: exotic salad with shreds of chicken in a mild chilli salsa, black sesame rice cracker and a sliver of tender roast beef with fresh herbs.

Then another long dish with a small portion of delicious crab consomme, a seared scallop on a dash of spiced potato mash and a prawn and octopus rissole with mango salsa. At this stage my friend and I were really impressed by both the beautiful presentation of the small dishes, as well as the range of delicious flavours. We especially enjoyed the generous use of fresh herbs and the tenderness and tastes of the meat and seafood ingredients.

For our main course, we had a choice of duck breast in a ginger sauce or halibut with cherry tomato and onion concasse, served with Xich Lo rice. We chose the fish, however found it slightly on the dry side though with the sauce and tasty rice, it was still very nice.

Then the grand finale of a stunning dessert, again served on a long plate with 3 items: an amazingly smooth and tangy passion fruit creme brulee, an artwork of a biscuit with a scoop of light coconut icecream inside, topped with a chrysalis and a slice of some delicious, exotic fruit that we hadn't tasted before, and with a rasperry and mango coulis on the side. Simply sensational!

We were really satisfied with our meal at Xich Lo and will definitely go again. Service was very satisfactory, the waiters friendly and charming. On leaving we noticed that Xich Lo's lunch menu is very different from their dinner menu, consisting of lower-priced home-style Vietnamese dishes. They sounded tempting so we will soon be back to try some of these.

Keep up the great cooking!
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Ann-Marie Wong - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, September 05, 2006

We had a great dinner last night at this gem of a restaurant in Clerkenwell. They are currently running a 2-for-1 dinner offer, to encourage guests to bring friends to try their Vietnamese Fusion cuisine, and my friend and I chose the 7-dish set menu which was great value at £24.95.

The meal started with a free house appetiser of succulent Tamarind-marinated beef with fresh coriander - amazing taste! Next a long plate with starters: exotic salad with shreds of chicken in a mild chilli salsa, black sesame rice cracker and a sliver of tender roast beef with fresh herbs.

Then another long dish with a small portion of delicious crab consomme, a seared scallop on a dash of spiced potato mash and a prawn and octopus rissole with mango salsa. At this stage my friend and I were really impressed by both the beautiful presentation of the small dishes, as well as the range of delicious flavours. We especially enjoyed the generous use of fresh herbs and the tenderness and tastes of the meat and seafood ingredients.

For our main course, we had a choice of duck breast in a ginger sauce or halibut with cherry tomato and onion concasse, served with Xich Lo rice. We chose the fish, however found it slightly on the dry side though with the sauce and tasty rice, it was still very nice.

Then the grand finale of a stunning dessert, again served on a long plate with 3 items: an amazingly smooth and tangy passion fruit creme brulee, an artwork of a biscuit with a scoop of light coconut icecream inside, topped with a chrysalis and a slice of some delicious, exotic fruit that we hadn't tasted before, and with a rasperry and mango coulis on the side. Simply sensational!

We were really satisfied with our meal at Xich Lo and will definitely go again. Service was very satisfactory, the waiters friendly and charming. On leaving we noticed that Xich Lo's lunch menu is very different from their dinner menu, consisting of lower-priced home-style Vietnamese dishes. They sounded tempting so we will soon be back to try some of these.

Keep up the great cooking!
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Ann-Marie Wong
Overall rating
Food 9 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 5 | Value for money 8
Tuesday, September 05, 2006

I ate here a few weeks ago and found the food fantastic - authentic but also imaginative. Service was with a smile, and the waiter serving our table spoke very good English - despite only being in the country for a few months (as an overseas student). Complimentary tasters to start the meal, icecream and desert wine finished off a very pleasant experience.
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Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 10 | Atmosphere 10 | Value for money 10
Wednesday, July 12, 2006

A terrible experience! The staff mostly barely understand English. I asked to substitute chicken for prawns in my salad and got both. When ordering, I enquired about the seafood dish but decided to only have a salad and desert. They brought the seafood dish; I turned it away. They came back to ask if I wanted it wrapped to go; I said no. The bill included the seafood. We tried to explain that I hadn't not ordered it, got another waiter come & say 'on this occasion, we'lll make an exception and won't charge. Then we heard a loug argument develop in a foreign language. After 5 mins, we went to the till and tried to talk to the lady there. She ignored us, continued to talk to our waiter in Vietnamese I assume. She gave us no eye contact. The waiter said he would pay for the dish!!! We tried to argue that it was not fair for him. Obviously the other employs staff fresh out of Asia, therefore she should take responsability. She was appalingly rude. Take my word: the food is ok, not special or Fusion as claimed in other places, and the service is TERRIBLE. Don't go...
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emmanuelle
Overall rating
Food 4 | Service 0 | Atmosphere 3 | Value for money 2
Tuesday, July 04, 2006

This is definitely not 100% vietnamese but combinations are very interesting. Service was a little nervous by staff who didnt speak very fluent English but did try to be helpful. I thought the menu was a little short and the food slightly too salty, but nonetheless had a pleasant evening with the duck being the best dish.
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Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 6 | Atmosphere 6 | Value for money 5
Thursday, June 22, 2006

Over priced and completely lacking in atmosphere.

The food was ok, but that was all, just ok – and for those seeking Vietnamese food is not what you would expect. The prices are astronomical – enough to make my Vietnamese friend shake her head in disbelief – after she’s tried to figure out the menu! I’ve had far better Asian food at Cicada and far better food full stop at St John for this sort of money – both of which are within a minutes walk of Xich Lo. It’s got some way to go before it can compete with the likes of these 2 which I’m assuming it’s trying to do based on the prices.

The restaurant is the size of an aircraft hanger once you get in – past the rickshaws and unfinished signage – an unfortunate design feature which sucks all atmosphere out of the place. This is compounded by the staff and chef watching you like hawks as you eat – not the most pleasant way to enjoy a meal.

Not recommended unless you want whomever you take to think you have something against them.
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Michelle
Overall rating
Food 6 | Service 4 | Atmosphere 1 | Value for money 2
Wednesday, June 14, 2006

3 of us had a meal there a couple of weeks ago and were very impressed. We all had something different and we sampled each others meals. Very good indeed. Interesting flavours and excellent presentation. I also liked the spacious decor and good lighting. I have just booked our office summer dinner there for 8 people so let's hope the second visit will be as good.
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John vaughan
Overall rating
Food 7 | Service 7 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 7
Thursday, June 08, 2006

Good morning, VIETNAM!!!

Goodbye, Thai. As Vietnamese is definitely the new Thai. It's the ORANGE rickshaw on St John Street. I love this place!!!

It's about time we have good quality, well presented Vietnamese food in the capital. I was completely surprised by a Norwegian friend who took me to Xich Lo and couldn't believe Vietnamese food was so much more than Pho (noodle soup)! Being quite ingredients-conscious these days, I noticed that XL uses absolutely the best ingredients and could make others on Kingsland Road seem like McDonalds!

Portions are generous but well presented and food was heavenly flavoursome. In fact, I have changed my restaurant booking for tonight and will go back to XL with another friend. I had a healthy beef salad (the beef was so tender) last night and will definitely go for the lamb with aubergine (which I had only a small piece from my friend's) tonight. Personally, I think the food is less heavy than Thai dishes. And if staff was a bit inexperienced, they make up by being totally friendly and helpful. I would recommend the traditional tray for beginners and the owner carefully picked suggested wines for the dishes. If you get on with the chef - I couldn't help myself congratulating him and the owner, they might serve you their own home-made durian ice-cream (it's not even on the card! so don't say I told you!)

P.S. the restaurant actually looks more interesting than the photo on this site and there are ample parking spaces just outside!

Ask to check out the huge party room downstairs and the tree house designed and built by the owner himself.
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mange-tout - View all reviews by this user
Overall rating
Food 10 | Service 8 | Atmosphere 7 | Value for money 10
Thursday, May 25, 2006