Captain Haddock's Reviews

Cool is the word I'd use to describe this place, in both the positive and negative senses. We were there on a wintery Wednesday afternoon, so I can imagine the stripped back little space feeling more inviting when it's packed in the evening, but the nonchalant service didn't do much to warm it up. Ducksoup definitely feels hip, though in quite a carefully studied way. The food, on the other hand, is a different story. There was nothing self-conscious about the roast chicken with aioli or an earthy compilation of pumpkin, spinach and girolles topped with ricotta or my highlight, a glass of sticky chocolate mousse with a dollop of creme fraiche on top. Wine – even the glassware is fashionable – from an interesting list was great too. Still, you can find other places in town (especially Soho) of this calibre and at this price that serve a little more joie de vivre with their food. If there's a queue of hipsters running down Dean Street in December, I won't be joining it!

I can see why this place is permanently packed with Shoreditch locals. It's good looking without being aggressively trendy or pretentious and the menu caters just as much for a beer and a bowl of pho as multiple courses. If you're paralysed by the range of choice, the smiley faces (denoting a house speciality) are a good guide – the five-spice beef fillet, for example, is a highlight and salads don't cheat on the spice either. Neither the service nor the seating is conducive to a long lingering meal, but it's all delivered with grace & efficiency. The recession menu – £9.50 for two generous courses at any time – is worth knowing about too.

Yup, it's not exactly Nobu to look at, but you'd be hard pushed to find better value Vietnamese anywhere in London. The off-licence opposite has a great selection of beers and wines too, so you can treat yourself to a nice Pinot Gris for under a tenner.

Starter ‘musts’ include the grilled quail – served with lime and salty sugar for dipping – or the chilli squid, which most people in there seemed to have ordered, and the spicy green papaya salad, which – unusually, has plenty of green papaya in it! The fresh spring rolls are great too.

If you're on a budget, skip starters as main-course portions are gigantic. The spicy prawn pho, for example, or the beef rolls (a DIY job, delivered in its constituent parts: rice paper, spiced minced beef, veggies and vermicelli) – all hovering around £6 for a dish that could conceivably feed two! Service is friendly and efficient, too.

A great antidote to Clapham Junction's array of tacky chains. The Social opposite is a good place to meet before/head afterwards for a drink.

A solid neighbourhood Indian that blows the trousers off your average high-street curry house. The atmosphere is low key and pleasant (in spite of the incongruously upbeat soundtrack) and the service consistently gracious and efficient. The food is just as reliable. The tandoori salmon starter is a particular favourite but both starters and mains are well spiced and good value, particularly if you go for the £10 for two courses, which offers plenty of choice and runs all evening (except Friday/Saturday). Takeaway comes in funky little bags made out of newspaper.