From the guys behind Salvation in Noodles, comes MAM – Notting Hill’s very own Vietnamese BBQ restaurant. Nestled on All Saints Road, just a few steps from The Rum Kitchen is this great new addition to the area. The space is light, simple and unassuming.
We ordered drinks at the bar – a Worldwide Cuba (£9) for me + a Guyanan in Louisiane (£9) for him. I often find that the average restaurant bar doesn’t serve amazing drinks but that was not the case here and we were impressed.
Next up is the menu: food is sorted by An Choi (small plates), Pho (noodle soup), Com (rice dishes) + BBQ.
Starting with An Choi, we went with Spicy Dumplings (£7.20) Fish Sauce Wings (£6.50) + Vietnamese Crackers (£2.50) all of which I would recommend. The Dumplings really packed a punch, while the Crackers were unlike others I’ve had before. My favourite dish is definitely the Wings – perfectly sticky and sweet.
The main event is the Vietnamese BBQ skewers which are cooked on a custom made robata grill. You can choose from Pork, Chicken, Beef + Prawn… or 3 skewers for £12 which come in the form of Banh-Hoi. This includes steamed rice vermicelli sheets, Vietnamese herbs, pickles, lettuce, cucumber + nuoc cham dipping sauce. Naturally we went for this feast. You are advised to abandon chopsticks and use your hands to get stuck in. This platter was almost a meal on its own and a tasty change from what I usually eat out.
To finish, we went for Beef Shortrib Com (£12.90). By this point I was stuffed but the meat was so tender that it fell right off the bone and I couldn’t resist tucking in. Another delicious dish, although I could have skipped this and been content.
The only downside to the meal was that some cocktails and the dessert were unavailable. My sweet tooth was yearning to try the Black Sesame Ice Cream with Coconut Sago (£4.50) but I was told that it wasn’t going to be ready until next week. Instead I opted for a Viet-Espresso Martini (£8) which just about satisfied my need for afters.
Overall my experience at MAM was a lovely one. The food was delicious, the drinks were on point, the service was (mostly) good and the vibe was great. Considering that the restaurant had only been open an hour, I must say that it was running super smoothly. I’d give a solid 8/10 👌🏽
Find MAM at 16 All Saints Road.
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