What: A casual, fast-paced Vietnamese restaurant just across the road from Borough Market. Kêu Borough follows the success of Kêu sites in Shoreditch, Soho and The City and majors in bánh mì and over rice and noodle dishes.
Who: Kêu is the creation of Vietnam-born restaurateur Hieu Bui who is also behind highly-rated full-service Vietnamese restaurants Viet Grill (in Shoreditch) and Cây Tre (Shoreditch and Soho). Born in Hanoi, Bui was sent to London in 1999 by his mother to study for a degree in marketing. Soon after arriving, he took a job as a waiter at Viet Ho, one of the first Vietnamese restaurants on the stretch of Kingsland Road that is now nicknamed The Pho Mile. A few years later, he struck out on his own with Cây Tre Old Street which was soon followed by Viet Grill on Kingsland Road. Kêu launched in 2012 on Old Street and was designed to challenge the notion that Vietnamese food had to be served in a full-service environment and take on the likes of Itsu, Leon and Pret a Manger.
The food: While the core of Kêu’s menu is consistent across all of its sites, Bui likes to mix things up. Kêu Borough’s USP is Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang (pictured above) - hand-pulled chewy rice noodles topped with prawns and roast pork that are a mainstay in Ho Chi Minh City (formerly Saigon). Though they can be ordered in an umami-rich pork stock, it is not to be confused with pho, which originates from the north of the country. The famed French-Vietnamese sandwich bánh mì comes in myriad combinations including the classic bánh mì hội an (ham, spiced pork belly, chicken liver pâté, chilli, cucumber, coriander, spring onion, daikon and carrot pickle, pictured below) and the not-so-classic coconut tofu curry. Topping for rice and noodles include various Cantonese-style roast meats (which are hugely popular in Vietnam) as well as braised dishes and curries. Smaller plates include summer rolls; steamed pork buns; and wonton soup. Prices are at the higher end of fast casual with most main course options priced around the £13 mark.
To drink: Options include traditional Vietnamese coffee made with condensed milk that can be ordered hot or cold, Saigon lime soda (not too dissimilar to a virgin mojito), homemade lemonade and a variety of beers.
The vibe: While food is still ordered from the counter, Kêu Borough eschews the stripped-back fast-casual aesthetic of the Kêus that have come before it. Inspired by ancient Saigon, the restaurant - which previously belonged to better burger brand Patty & Bun - features traditional colours and designs found in the southern Vietnamese city, using vivid reds and yellows with accents of pale mint. There is a mix of table seating and stools on the ground floor with further seating available downstairs including a long table for up to 12 diners.
And another thing: Unlike its siblings Kêu Borough is open late into the evening.
19 Borough High St, London SE1 9SE
