1 /5 Ben Kaye: We absolutely love Vietnamese food and consider ourselves pho aficionados. We always check hygiene ratings before dining out and normally only visit restaurants rated four or five by the Food Standards Agency. Sae Woo was too new to have a rating listed online, but we were encouraged to see a “5” displayed on the door. Once inside, however, we realised the certificate actually belonged to the previous occupants — The Real Greek. Displaying someone else’s rating is misleading and, frankly, deceitful.
I ordered summer rolls, salt and pepper prawns, and seafood pho. The summer rolls were small but fine. The prawns dish was mostly onions and spring onions, with the prawns served in their shells, making it more effort than enjoyment. The pho broth was overly sweet and lacked the rich, savoury depth that defines authentic Vietnamese pho.
On the table, they had bottles of Flying Goose hoisin — my favourite brand. When I poured it, it came out thin and watery. I mentioned this to the waiter, who said they “make their own sauce.” I found this confusing, as it was being served in a branded bottle, which gives a false impression. In reality, it seemed more likely that the sauce had simply been watered down.
My vegan partner had the vegetable spring rolls, which weren’t good, and the super green pho with added tofu. The broth was bland, and the tofu had no flavour and an odd texture.
The bill was printed in both English and Chinese, which, along with the overall experience, confirmed our impression that this isn’t a genuinely Vietnamese-run restaurant but rather one capitalising on the popularity of Vietnamese cuisine.
Overall, the food was disappointing and the hygiene signage issue unacceptable. We won’t be returning and will be alerting the Food Standards Agency to the misleading display of the hygiene rating.
