Taste Vietnam is a Vietnamese restaurant on the west side of central Coventry, a short walk from the Belgrade Theatre. This authentic restaurant is family-run - owner Han comes from the countryside near Hanoi, and set up the restaurant when he found himself craving food from home. The dishes at Taste Vietnam have been developed from his family recipes, so he really is bringing a taste of Vietnam to Coventry.
Inside the restaurant is full of character, having been converted from a terraced house. There are small dining rooms spread over the ground and upper floors, so a visit to Taste Vietnam really feels like a visit to Han's home. The decor is simple - wooden labels, faux leather chairs, with some exposed brick and flowers lending a bit of colour and character to the rooms.
The menu is packed with authentic Vietnamese cooking, from noodle salad bun cha to fried rice dishes, spring rolls, summer rolls, stir fried noodles and salads. Taste Vietnam's pho noodle soups are also extremely popular, with flat rice noodles in a long, slowly simmered beef bone stock, and toppings including rare beef brisket, corn fed chicken, seafood or tofu.
Taste Vietnam also serves banh mi baguettes at lunch time, which prove very popular with Coventry's lunch crowd. It's worth making time to come and grab a baguette for lunch, as the restaurant makes everything in-house (including the banh mi barbecue sauce that goes in the baguette).
There's also a small drinks menu that includes lots of soft drinks and a handful of bottled beers, including Vietnamese beers like Hanoi beer and Saigon beer.