The Hanoi Bike Shop - Glasgow (and other stories)

I am, on occasion, asked to go to Glasgow for work and do stuff relating to that work for a period of time. Sometimes I have the opportunity to look around, sometimes not but on my last visit, I found myself at a loose end for an hour or so over lunch time. I had also changed hotels from my usual Holiday Inn Express as my booking had not been processed correctly and I couldn't get a room, to the Hilton Grosvenor Gardens because it was the closest at the same price. Say what???? I can get a room at the Hilton for the same price as a Holiday Inn Express but the beer costs a fiver a pint?? Something is seriously bobbins there Glasgow, you best look at that.

I've also noticed that finding lunch on your own can be a weirdly daunting experience for people. You can wander up and down an unfamiliar street looking in the windows thinking 'Do I want that? Is it too expensive? That looks a bit fancy, but at the same time I don't want a chicken sandwich and a pasty from Greggs', and before you know it, you've wasted the better part of three quarters of an hour not finding anything that you want and so you go to Greggs anyway. 

Anyway, the point is that I was in the middle of this process as I walked up and down Byres Road which under normal circumstances would not be something I would have time to do. I even went into Subway before realising my mistake as the average age of those around me plummeted to roughly the same as my shoe size. I backed out and was about to continue in my journey of despair when I saw this:

Vietnamese street food in Glasgow? Intriguing. I hurried through the door and stopped as the smell of fish sauce hit me; subtle, it was not. While I was recovering though, I made use of the opportunity to look around and while I didn't get the chance to snap many pics of the inside, I've had to rely on Google for the following:

If anyone sees these and cares enough to contact me, I'll take them down but until then they give you a great idea of the style the Hanoi Bike Shop or (HBS) is going for. What it doesn't convey though is how busy it was, even on a Wednesday lunch time, the place was doing good service, and it's the kind of back street cave in which I could see people (and by people I mean myself) losing many hours over lunch, snacks and dinner all washed down with plenty of booze.

I think it's safe to say that I absolutely loved it. A fantastically unusual setting, a (what I can only assume to be) authentically inspired menu and their own home made chilli and fish sauces on every table (oop, there it is). The only things missing were the oppressive humidity and sweating Americans, other than that I could have been transported to the jungles of Lao Cai.

I was sat next to what I thought was the smallest kitchen in the world but what actually turned out to be simply a forward staging post and chose a chicken Banh Mi to see if it measured up to those that have gone before. I was reassured that it is pretty bloody tasty - although the meat was a little on the pink and juicy side so I was close to deciding that discretion may be the better part of valour. But if it was a bit dodge, the Parkes cast-iron stomach managed to see off any issues nicely and I wasn't hindered by any subsequent hurried trips to the bathroom.

The main event itself was good, the pickled veg was crisp with a bit of punch and the chicken pate was strong with iron-y taste. Any good sandwich has filling that is only defined by how much falls out of it and I was pleased to see that this one had more than enough to fall on to the plate, splurge all over my face and get into my gob all at the same time. If the chicken thigh had been spiced or marinated I couldn't tell but the whole thing was well seasoned and a great example of something this country is horribly lacking: high street culinary variety.

Personally, I could have done with something with a bit more of a chilli kick, but then that's what the additional sauce is there for I guess and the dipping pot was good with vinegar and sugar but again, I was expecting more heat. However, for a little over six quid and a drink on top, given the choice between Subway and the HBS, what's not to like? I'd love to go back and try the evening menu - maybe next time I'm in town.

Oh, and I also ate this, although thankfully not in the HBS:

A pasty shaped item that has somehow succeeded in evading detection and has been classified as edible but in reality has to be one of the most unpleasant things to enter my mouth for many years. Some kind of pseudo sausage based filling which, I was reliably informed by the girl at the till, could be eaten either hot or cold. I would recommend neither and if you see one, don't eat it. I warned you. 


http://www.thehanoibikeshop.co.uk