Viet Grill in Hoxton

Deciding where to eat in Hoxton takes a while - there is everything and anything you could ever desire, a juicy burger in The Diner, a veggie treat in Saf, or something a bit more exotic from the selection of Thai and South East Asian eateries. We chose to venture to the huddle of restaurants on Kingsland Road, specifically to the very popular Viet Grill, a great hang-out serving as authentic Vietnamese food as you're likely to find anywhere in London.

The restaurant was bustling as you might expect on a Saturday night. The success of this venue has led to the opening of two other restaurants, both with a similar menu. We passed sister restaurant Cay Tre on our way, where hungry Hoxton hippies stood in a long line outside awaiting a table and some grub.

We were seated downstairs at the bar where, with a Hanoi beer, we waited till a space became available. Before too long a waiter showed us to a nearby table and gave us menus. There are certain categories on the menu but many of the dishes seemed very similar to me. Unfortunately our confused waiter seemed to know nothing about the food which didn't help much with the decision making process. For mains we opted for two meat dishes: sitting duck curry and ginger roast duck, the food came very promptly - very generously sized, steaming bowls of aromatic fare. Silence fell over the table as we scrambled over the food. Rich and delicious and very fresh tasting, the duck was cooked to perfection. In a hope of finding the 'morning glory' vegetable that I am addicted to in Busaba Eathai, we ordered a portion of wokked Bo Xoi greens cooked with crushed garlic and a touch of rice wine, this was a lovely complement to our main dishes.

I wouldn't recommend Vietnamese desserts unless you've experience of these curious delicacies - sweet treats that tend to taste rather odd to western tastebuds, often consisting of slimy jelly or strange fruity flavours that I find rather challenging and unpleasant. So we left on a high from our mains.

Viet Grill has a great vibe and fresh delicious food that is reasonable and comforting. Definitely worth the trip.

The Hoxton Hotel

The Hoxton Hotel is slick, cool and efficient on every level, catering to every need ensuring an easy and enjoyable stay. This hip budget hotel is located on Great Eastern Street in East London, and promises style and comfort without rip-off prices. It is the genius idea from Pret-a-Manger co-founder Sinclair Beecham, a savvy businessman who seems to know what hotel guests want from a night’s stay away from home.

We arrived on a Saturday afternoon and already the venue was buzzing - lively staff welcomed us in the friendly reception area that leads into the trendy Hoxton Grill and bar hang out; it reminded me instantly of New York. We were allocated room 521, arriving via the lift you walk down a luminous orange corridor to reach your number. Hanging on the doors are Pret breakfast bags – brown paper carriers where you can mark the time you would like your free Pret banana, orange juice and yoghurt delivered the next morning.

The room exceeded all my expectations - stylish and smart, a far cry from budget. Funky cushions adorned the bed and a useful material ‘I love Hoxton’ bag had kindly been left on the table for me, complete with an extremely handy mini Hoxton guide (which we used later that evening). I immediately felt very at home, with lovely gestures from hotel staff evident everywhere. Complimentary water and milk is left in the fridge, free WiFi use is unlimited and in the bathroom Aveda toiletries are left for your comfort, along with a big bar of Pears soap which you are encouraged to take home. The room was perfectly functional, and is clearly intended to be that way, but there is also a sprinkling of unique additions that make you feel that little bit special.

The chic bathrooms at the Hoxton are all shiny and swish, with deep red tiling and wonderfully large mirrors. Heavenly white fluffy towels hang from the rail. An elegantly designed spacious shower is the best feature though, this wonderfully refreshing power shower was perhaps the best I have ever tried.

The Hoxton Grill restaurant, though in the vicinity is not part of the hotel. After a quick passionfruit Daiquiri in the bar, we decided to venture further afield to try out one of the Vietnamese eateries for supper, which we found directions to on our hotel guide.

Hoxton is a great area, with quirky restaurants and bars galore and it was lovely to explore, but I was relieved to get back to our hotel room that night, and lie back on the plush bed. Through our large window there was a spectacular view of urban London that made me oddly nostalgic. Our room was quite hot so we opened the window and unfortunately with the fresh air came a variety of loud city noises, but once shut again the room was blissfully silent, and conducive to a good night’s sleep.

Next morning, after sleeping for a full ten hours, we woke to find our healthy Prêt breakfast outside. With the little kettle and sachets of Lyons, I made some hot coffee and then enjoyed a lazy morning in bed.

The Hoxton Hotel gets it just right. Mr Beecham has cracked the formula for a great hotel and gives the guests exactly what they need and want, with an attention to detail on the things that matter, and a no fuss approach to everything else.

The nightly rate at the Hoxton varies from £49 – 199, with a limited number of £1 rooms available for the Hox Fan Club members. Business rooms and meeting areas are available at reasonable prices and come equipped with a larder of tasty snacks.

81 Great Eastern Street, EC2 (020-7550 1000, hoxtonhotels.com)