Belgrade seems to have got its first Vietnamese restaurant and it’s delightful. Looking for a quick lunch of soup, salad or a sandwich? Or for a comfy dinner with friends? Look no further. The answer is Restoran Istok.
After a long search for the perfect location, the collective of Restoran Istok (engl.the East) brought one of the world’s most wholesome and salubrious cuisines to the capital. Located in the charming borough of Dorćol, the new restaurant is bound to spoil your senses with vibrant flavours, beautiful colors and exotic ingredients.
Interior – Minimal But still Authentic
The interior (by Nemanja Nikolić Prika) creates a highly authentic Vietnamese setting. The very first thing you are bound to notice when entering the place are the multicoloured lanterns. The walls are decorated with pictures and posters showing the streets of Vietnam, and painted chopsticks. Istok is divided into smoking and non-smoking areas.
Contrasting Flavours, Varied Textures & Exotic Ingredients
Vietnamese cooking is known for its balanced taste meaning that each dish is created to balance out the five fundamental elements of taste in our taste buds. Inspired by the traditional but also the modern tastes and flavours Restoran Istok serves street food like Pho (350/670 RSD), Vietnam’s national dish, Goi Cuon aka Summer Rolls (310-420 RSD) and Steamed Buns, Vietnamese style sandwiches with different kinds of meat. (320-350 RSD).
There are 15 different dishes on the menu for the time being. It can never get tedious and bland because new dishes will emerge at times. Bun Bo Nam Bo, a rice noodle salad with beef, carrots, daikon, mango, Nuoc Cam, roasted onions, peanuts and sesame dressing (890 RSD), is the dish recommended by the staff. And regardless of how full you might feel after the main course, there must be room for a small dessert, eh? And what is better than a peanut cake with fried bananas (360 RSD) or fudge made with condensed milk, mango, toffee and green tea? (350 RSD) Maybe the chilli chocolate truffle (90 RSD)?
Never mind if you’re completely new to Vietnamese food, the lovely staff will explain the menu and help you choose the right dish. Istok’s underlying philosophy is to serve fresh food and have customers who enjoy their place and love coming back. So, if you are in the mood for something different in Belgrade, the Istok restaurant is definitely the right choice for you.
- Gospodar Jevremova 50
- Tuesday – Sunday: 12:00 – 00:00 / 01:00
- +381 64 649 11 59
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