From Hackney to Chiswick

Saturday, November 07th , 2026

Sven Viet is a simple Vietnamese Café in Hackney that has recently changed ownership.  It delivered some pleasant spring rolls and stir-fried egg noodles with pork. This is not a destination restaurant, but you could do a lot worse if you are visiting Hackney.

Brook and Green is a relaunch of the site that was Silver Birch. The owner has decided to switch from a restaurant with a named chef and ambitious cooking to an all day, casual affair where the chef’s name appears to be a state secret. Based on the meal we had this is perhaps understandable, as we ended up sending both main courses back. I have no issue with the relaunch, but they do need someone in the kitchen who can actually cook consistently.