HANOI BIKE SHOP, RUTHVEN LANE, GLASGOW

1 Location

Tucked away opposite Hillhead subway station. Bright wall signs point you in the right direction.

2 First impressions

Warm and friendly. It’s easy to see why the restaurant has become so popular. The ground floor has a mix of wooden benches and tables, while upstairs has a lovely balcony for eating al fresco on sunny summer days and nights.

3 service

Every staff member was knowledgeable, attentive and super-friendly – we didn’t see anyone without a smile on their face!

4 menu

Serving up traditional Vietnamese cuisine, the menu is packed with options. Dishes are designed to be shared and the staff recommend ordering three or four dishes between two people, as well as a few smaller sides. You can also choose to make your own Pho bowl, topping the noodle broth with beef, chicken, tofu or seafood.

5 taste

We chose to sample dishes from each section of the menu, sharing three mains and two sides between two. Opting for the tofu spring rolls, chilli glazed rice cakes and black pepper tofu, alongside jasmine rice and garlic, sesame greens, we were surprised by how large the portions were. Every dish was delicious, fresh and perfectly balanced. We particularly loved the sticky, sweet sauce that accompanied the tofu.

6 price

Quite a lot of bang for your buck – two pints of beer and five dishes came to just over £40, and we had plenty of leftovers to take home.

7 ambience

With paper lanterns and colourful décor, we almost forgot we were in Glasgow, not Hanoi.

8 something special

Handmade every day on site, the organic tofu is a must. Forget everything you thought you knew about bean curd – this is next level delicious.

9 toilets

Mixed gender and a wee bit too close to the tables for our liking. Otherwise, they were clean.

10 verdict

Fresh, delicious and served with a smile, the food at Hanoi Bike Shop is simply unbeatable. 18/20