We've been wondering what JKS Restaurants were going to do with the site where XU used to be, ever since it was confirmed that the Taiwanese restaurant was not going to reopen. Now, they've answered that question - at least for the short term.
They're going to reopen it as a seven-week Vietnamese pop-up, VIỆTPopulaire, taking as their inspiration the street food "found in the coffee shops and beer stations of Hanoi’s old quarter". So that means bánh mì baked daily on site and filled with pickles, pâté, and yellow butter mayo alongside cold cuts, red roast pork, lemongrass meatballs, fermented sausage and fried tofu.
Each week there'll be a special bánh mì including:
- Crispy fishcake and sweet chilli
- Bánh mì doner
- Cage grilled pork patties
They're even planning a Christmas special of turkey ham bánh mì with duck liver parfait and tangerine jelly.
Alongside the bánh mì you'll also find dishes like Bò Né - sizzling black pepper beef with fried egg, beef meatball and pâté and Chả Cá Lã Vọng - stone bass with rice noodles and dipping sauce.
As for drinks, they're promising the very enticing sounding Vietnamese ‘phin’ coffee - a dark filter coffee roasted with butter and vanilla which then slowly drips onto condensed milk, along with whipped egg coffee, teas, salted plum sodas and Vietnamese Bia Hoi beer.
This should be a seriously handy place in the run-up to Christmas, as it's also going to be open late with last sittings at midnight.
More about VIỆTPopulaire
Where is it? 30 Rupert Street, London W1D 6DL
When? Friday 29 October 2021 for seven weeks
Launch offer: Free bahn mi from 12pm-2pm on opening day
Find out more: Follow them on Instagram @vietpopulaire
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