Panda Panda - Lewisham

Tasty cheap. Had a great meal here, Really good value for money.

Panda Panda has a cute name and mascot. It also has surprisingly little competition, at least when it comes to the banh mi, from Deptford's other Vietnamese restaurants.

To my surprise I discovered that Deptford has quite a few Vietnamese restaurants I decided to check out one of them by visiting Panda Panda for a quick Friday lunch. Panda Panda's menu was complete with the baguettes called 'banh mi' and is the brewed beef soup 'a pho?

Just what I needed on a Friday evening. Crispy pork and chicken baguette served with fresh pickles, cucumber and mayo. The Vietnamese iced coffee was also a great compliment to the baguette, perfectly strong and sweet. Don't be fooled by the cafe's unfussy exterior, the food is made from scratch and tastes fresh, and the staff are very welcoming (despite me staying past closing hours). All for a reasonable price, well under a tenner.

I LOVE THIS PLACE. I traveled all the way from Wiltshire to Deptford because I had been craving a bahn mi sandwich for weeks, and it was just as delicious as I remember. Sandwiches are excellent value at £4.50, (as is everything else to be fair). They offer a wide variety of Vietnamese street food including soups, noodles and salads. My friends have tried them and really enjoy them, but I'm less adventurous so I always get the same thing. I've had the sandwiches, and also the spring rolls they do. Everything tastes so fresh and vibrant. You can opt to have your bahn mi without the chilli and peanuts if you're afraid of spice, but unless you have an allergy, HAVE THE CHILLI AND PEANUTS. One thing to note, CASH ONLY. That aside, this is one of the tastiest and best value places in London to grab a bite.