Like the Hanoi street markets it aims to emulate, any visit to East Street, London’s Pan Asian answer to fast food cuisine, is an assault on the senses.

The minute you pass over the threshold just off Oxford Street you are hit by an implosion of colour, sounds, smells and flavours. Despite this it still seems like an escape from London’s busiest shopping hub; an oasis of cool design and tasty dishes amid the harassed crowds that throng the pavements just outside.

The funky décor is a key aspect of this frenetic-yet-friendly ambiance and also the best part of the restaurant itself. Backlit stall signs from across South East Asia adorn the ceiling alongside low-hanging retro lamps and the back wall is dominated by a projected cartoon sequence. In true street market style, brightly coloured plastic stools line the tables and an array of foreign notes and phone cards pinned to the walls help to create a distinct backpacker vibe.

Review: East Street