Randomness Guide to London - Differences between Version 44 and Version 39 of Cafe East, SE16 7LH

Version 44 Version 39
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Vietnamese cafe/restaurant in the [[Locale Surrey Quays|Surrey Quays]] shopping/leisure complex, near the [[Surrey Quays Odeon|cinema]]. Previously situated on Evelyn Street in [[Locale Deptford|Deptford]], it moved to Surrey Quays in Spring 2009, with the original premises now housing another Vietnamese cafe, [[Mama Pho, SE8 5DG|Mama Pho]], run by another member of the same family.
 Cafe East is a Vietnamese cafe/restaurant that used to be situated on Evelyn Street in [[Locale Deptford|Deptford]]. In Spring 2009, they moved to the [[Locale Surrey Quays|Surrey Quays]] shopping/leisure complex, near the [[Surrey Quays Odeon|cinema]]. [[Kake]] and [[bob]] attempted to visit the new location a week after they reopened, but they'd had such great demand the day before that they'd run out of food and had to close! A visitor known as MC tells us that the food is as good as ever, though the prices have gone up marginally. MC adds that the new premises are much bigger, seating around 100 people, and there's now a waiting area.
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In complete contrast to the old street-corner cafe, the new location is large and canteen-like, with bright lighting, hard echoey surfaces, and thin paper tablecloths. There's a small waiting area near the entrance, with a ticketing system used to control waiting times — it's very popular with students, and gets very busy.
 Note: as of September 2011, they're cash only and they don't serve tap water.
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[[Kake]] and friends visited on a Wednesday evening in April 2012. The place was full, but we had only a short wait for a table. Even though no music was playing, it was very noisy, with the full room and hard surfaces conspiring to make it a little difficult to hear one's companions.
 (The original Cafe East premises are still in the hands of the same landlord, and his son has opened yet another Vietnamese cafe there, known as [[Mama Pho, SE8 5DG|Mama Pho]].)
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Banh cuon (steamed rice wrappers stuffed with mushrooms and pork; &pound;5.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7092910349/ photo]</small> were fine, but bi cuon (pork skin rolls; &pound;5.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6946841244/ photo]</small> were fridge-cold and fairly flavourless. Goi cuon (summer rolls; &pound;5) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7092911187/ photo]</small> were similarly fridge-cold and also had an unusually low proportion of prawns and pork, with an increased quantity of vermicelli and lettuce used to bulk them out; they were also lacking in the fragrant herbs that might have gone some way to remedy their lack of flavour.
 Our review of the old location is at the bottom of this page - [[bob]] has been to the new location but is being slack about writing it up.
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A main course of bun chay/vegetarian BCNTN (vermicelli with salad and vegetarian spring rolls; &pound;7) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6946842578/ photo]</small> was a generous portion, but the spring rolls were quite disappointing, with smooth wheatflour wrappers rather than the bubbly, crackly rice paper wrappers [[Kake]] had been hoping for, and a distinct flavour of tinned vegetables in the somewhat mushy filling. However, the com khau (marinated belly pork steak served on rice; &pound;7.50) <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6946887192/ photo]</small> ordered by another member of our party was better-received, and certainly looked tasty.

Our final bill <small>[http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7095614895/ photo]</small> came to &pound;51, or &pound;12.75/head, including tea and water. No indication was given on the bill of whether it already included a service charge.

It's worth noting that as of April 2012 they are cash only and they don't serve tap water, only bottled mineral water. Also worth noting is that they close up and go on holiday for a month or so every year, generally around August/September.

[[Kake]]'s verdict: I was a bit disappointed. I'd had the pho at the previous location (in 2007) and thought it was really good, so I'd been expecting the quality to be maintained. I didn't like the ambience in the current location half as much as in the old place, and the food on this visit wasn't good enough to make up for it.

Accessibility: There is step-free access, but this involves negotiating a very steep ramp and a sharp turn.
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* Photos of the menu as of April 2012: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6935097152/sizes/l/ page 1], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7081172175/sizes/l/ page 2], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7081175069/sizes/l/ page 3], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6935102952/sizes/l/ page 4], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6935104846/sizes/l/ page 5], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/7081179271/sizes/l/ page 6], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/6935106886/sizes/l/ page 7]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/20/restaurant-review-jay-rayner-cafe-east The Observer review] (Jay Rayner)
 * Photos of the takeaway menu as of February 2010: [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4401787556/sizes/l/ page 1], [http://www.flickr.com/photos/kake_pugh/4401021321/sizes/l/ page 2]
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* [http://www.tehbus.com/2009/06/eat-vietnamese-cafe-east-surrey-quays.html A Rather Unusual Chinaman review]
* [http://bellaphon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cafe-east.html Bellaphon's review]
 * [http://littlemissrandom.blogspot.com/2009/05/two-weekends-ago-we-capped-off-my-best.html Eternally Neurotic review]
* [http://food.elitistreview.com/PermaLink,guid,c40e51f5-3112-4b91-90f4-0d0f2ea7449f.aspx Elitist Review review]
* [http://lizzieeatslondon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cafe-east-vietnamese-feast.html Hollow Legs review]
* [http://helengraves.co.uk/?p=820 Food Stories review]
* [http://bellaphon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cafe-east.html bellaphon's review]
* [http://www.tehbus.com/2009/06/eat-vietnamese-cafe-east-surrey-quays.html tehbus' review]
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* [http://cooksloweatfast.blogspot.com/2009/04/cafe-east-version-20-surrey-quays.html No More Big Menus review]
* [http://www.thecattylife.com/2009/09/spongy-squidgy-noodles-cafe-east-and-my-exemplary-gastronomic-vocabulary/ thecattylife review]
* [http://fatcc.blogspot.com/2010/01/cafe-east.html Gluttonous Sins review]
* [http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2010/03/cafe-east-london-cheap-eats.html The Wild Boar's review]
* [http://www.eatingeast.co.uk/2011/02/17/cafe-east/ Eating East review]
* [http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2011/mar/20/restaurant-review-jay-rayner-cafe-east The Observer review] (by Jay Rayner)
* [http://www.facebook.com/pages/London-United-Kingdom/Cafe-East/65062175885 Facebook page]
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* [http://littlemissrandom.blogspot.com/2009/05/two-weekends-ago-we-capped-off-my-best.html Eternally Neurotic review]
* [http://helengraves.co.uk/?p=820 Food Stories review]
* [http://fatcc.blogspot.com/2010/01/cafe-east.html Gluttonous Sins review]
* [http://lizzieeatslondon.blogspot.com/2009/05/cafe-east-vietnamese-feast.html Hollow Legs review]
* [http://cooksloweatfast.blogspot.com/2009/04/cafe-east-version-20-surrey-quays.html Not Another Big Menu review]
* [http://promisesandpie.wordpress.com/2014/09/20/cafe-east-pho/ Promises And Pie review]
* [http://www.thecattylife.com/2009/09/spongy-squidgy-noodles-cafe-east-and-my-exemplary-gastronomic-vocabulary/ thecattylife review]
* [http://www.pigpigscorner.com/2010/03/cafe-east-london-cheap-eats.html Wild Boar review]
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<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]] and friends, April 2012. Opening hours taken from menu on that visit.</div>
 <div class="last_verified">Opening hours taken from a flyer collected in August 2009.</div>

Old review:
<div class="old_info">
Small cafe in [[Locale Deptford|Deptford]] serving good, authentic Vietnamese food. It has seating for maybe about 25 people. They also offer takeaway and possibly delivery. No alcohol, and it's really a cafe rather than a restaurant, but it is open in the evening.

[[Kake]] and [[doop]] visited on a Saturday evening in December 2007; we'd been warned that we might have to queue, but we got a table straight away.

We shared summer rolls to start, then both had pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) - doop had chicken, and Kake had chicken, beef, and prawn. Kake liked everything about hers: the base stock was really clear-tasting; the noodles weren't even slightly stodgy; the prawns were good big ones and not overcooked; and although the beef was well-done, it was still tender and not at all dry. Portions were very generous. Our bill was &pound;18.20 in total, including tea (50p per person) but not service.

Will try the Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef soup) next time, as it's been recommended on Chowhound.

Note that the owners of Cafe East close up and go on holiday for a month or so every year, generally around August/September.

<div class="last_verified">Last visited by [[Kake]] and [[doop]], 1 December 2007.</div>
</div>
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category='Cafes,Restaurants,Step-Free Access,Takeaway,Vietnamese Food'
edit_type='Minor tidying'
 category='Cafes,Restaurants,Takeaway,Vietnamese Food'
edit_type='Normal edit'
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formatted_website_text=' class="external">cafeeast.co.uk'
host='2a00:1098:86:4d:c0ff:ee:15:900d'
 formatted_website_text='http://www.cafeeast....'
host='81.187.166.218'
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latitude='51.496389'
 latitude='51.495875'
== Line 48 == == Line 56 ==
longitude='-0.041593'
major_change='0'
 longitude='-0.040004'
major_change='1'
== Line 60 == == Line 68 ==
summary='Vietnamese canteen in Surrey Quays.'
 summary='Small cafe in Surrey Quays (used to be in Deptford) serving good, authentic Vietnamese food.'

Cafe East is a Vietnamese cafe/restaurant that used to be situated on Evelyn Street in Deptford. In Spring 2009, they moved to the Surrey Quays shopping/leisure complex, near the cinema. Kake and bob attempted to visit the new location a week after they reopened, but they'd had such great demand the day before that they'd run out of food and had to close! A visitor known as MC tells us that the food is as good as ever, though the prices have gone up marginally. MC adds that the new premises are much bigger, seating around 100 people, and there's now a waiting area.

Note: as of September 2011, they're cash only and they don't serve tap water.

(The original Cafe East premises are still in the hands of the same landlord, and his son has opened yet another Vietnamese cafe there, known as Mama Pho.)

Our review of the old location is at the bottom of this page - bob has been to the new location but is being slack about writing it up.

Getting here: On the map, Cafe East is on the corner of Redriff Road and Quebec Way; however, the frontage and entrance face west, across the carpark and towards the bowling alley and cinema. The photo on this page was taken from the carpark.

See also:

Opening hours taken from a flyer collected in August 2009.

Old review:

Small cafe in Deptford serving good, authentic Vietnamese food. It has seating for maybe about 25 people. They also offer takeaway and possibly delivery. No alcohol, and it's really a cafe rather than a restaurant, but it is open in the evening.

Kake and doop visited on a Saturday evening in December 2007; we'd been warned that we might have to queue, but we got a table straight away.

We shared summer rolls to start, then both had pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) - doop had chicken, and Kake had chicken, beef, and prawn. Kake liked everything about hers: the base stock was really clear-tasting; the noodles weren't even slightly stodgy; the prawns were good big ones and not overcooked; and although the beef was well-done, it was still tender and not at all dry. Portions were very generous. Our bill was £18.20 in total, including tea (50p per person) but not service.

Will try the Bun Bo Hue (spicy beef soup) next time, as it's been recommended on Chowhound.

Note that the owners of Cafe East close up and go on holiday for a month or so every year, generally around August/September.

Last visited by Kake and doop, 1 December 2007.

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