Definately a SIN when it's this good.

I am a huge fan of Vietnamese food, the banh mi is probably my favourite sandwich of all time and pho is one of my top comfort foods so when I heard good things coming from Salvation In Noodles I had to check it out. It did not disappoint.

Colin Tu of Big Dirty Burger fame opened SIN in March located on Balls Pond Road near Dalston Junction. Quite a bold move from someone with no restaurant experience, especially when you have big players like Cay Tre, Song Que and Tay Do Cafe just down the road.

SIN is quite an unassuming establishment, when I walk in I get quite a homely feel, not dissimilar to Mama Lans in Clapham. The staff are friendly without being too over the top, pretty much in keeping with the relaxed atmosphere in SIN. The menu is clear and concise, with the starters being a more social dish and the mains being the noodle section. I opted to share the Goi Ngo Sen with my friend, this is a salad of pickled lotus stems, carrot, daikon with prawns and pork belly. I'm not really one for ordering salads when I eat out but I had a mountain of roast dinner a few days before so decided to go for something a bit lighter. The dish looks vibrant and so is the taste. There is a sharpness to it with the pickled vegetables which balances well with the richness of the pork belly and prawns, a good way to awaken the taste buds and I imagine it being a great salad to have in the summer too.

For the mains I opted for the Pho Bo whilst my friend opted for the Bun Rieu. The Bo reminded me of how my Vietnamese friend's mum makes it. Pho takes time to make mainly because of the broth (a good broth can take as long as 24 hours to prepare), and you can tell a lot of time and effort has gone into making this pho. It was packed with beefy flavour, and the steak was cooked rare and sliced perfectly thin.

 The Bun Rieu is more of a seafood affair using vermecelli noodles it contains crab, prawns and also pork belly. I loved how the tomatoes brought all the elements together. I had a taste of the Bun Rieu and it will definitely be the one I go for on my next visit.

I've had some pretty disappointing pho in London, some really bland ones but SIN stands out not only as a brand but also in the food they serve. For me pho should give you the homely, comforting 'feels', a dish that changes your mood after a crappy day. SIN definitely ticks that box.