Med Salleh Viet is a hidden slice of authentic Vietnamese cuisine in the heart of Earls Court, run by Med Pang and Koi Lee - the duo behind beloved Malaysian restaurant Med Salleh Kopitiam. At its helm is Syphong Lam, Koi Lee’s Vietnamese-born wife, who flawlessly weaves her Ho Chi Minh City upbringing throughout the menu, emulating the spirit of family cooking through her food.
This pocket-sized gem is tucked away from Earls Court’s busy crowds, and inside feels like miles away. Dark wood furnishings are offset with bright turquoise walls and pops of joyful yellow, and one wall displays an intricate mural of a Hanoi market scene.
Med Salleh Viet’s menu starts off with refreshing and light bites like prawn summer rolls, their vegetarian counterparts, instead filled with oyster mushrooms, and a fragrant mango and prawn salad. There’s also rather more indulgent fried chicken drumettes wings, or for the more experimental - fried chicken gizzard. The grill accounts for a large part of the Med Salleh Viet experience, and this part of the menu consists of a BBQ lamb rack, chargrilled whole squid, and king prawns.
There’s also a variety of Pho for every appetite on offer. Pho is the traditional Vietnamese soup made of a beef bone marrow broth, flat rice noodles and usually topped off with thinly sliced meat. Med Salleh Viet’s Pho has simmered on a low heat for at least 18 hours before being served - making it the perfect comfort food by the time it reaches the customer. Variations of this warming ‘comfort bowl,’ as its called at Med Salleh Viet, include a classic rare beef pho, traditional ox tail, a vegetarian assorted vegetable, tofu and seasonal mushroom pho, and, hiding at the bottom of the selection, an opulent signature truffle Wagyu pho.
The drinks selection includes a mix of beers and world wines, and a selection of sweet Asian-inspired soft drinks.