When the folks at Suum Vietnamese Kitchen invited us to a tasting session of their children’s menu, we bit their hand off!
Of all the MyMarlow children, Kelly’s were deemed the most adventurous in culinary terms. Joshie (10) and Stan (6) put up no resistance at all to being honorary MyMarlow reviewers for an afternoon. Here is how they got on…
The restaurant is busy at lunchtimes and weekends, despite its hiding place in Anglers Court (under the arch, behind Bonners & Babingtons and Boraca). However, they’re keen to encourage Marlow families to expand their tastes and try new cuisines; we all know how easy it is to stick to the foods we already know our children will eat. But where’s the adventure in that?
Luckily, Joshie is an anomaly – he is a ‘foodie’, he loves trying exotic new dishes, and his palette is better than mine! Stan will quietly try new things but is a little fussier than his big brother.
Our starters included a lesson in building the perfect slow-roasted duck pancakes, and summer rolls stuffed with prawns, noodles and lettuce. Not a morsel was left on the table once the boys had learnt the art!
Our main courses were pho noodle soup with beef (Joshie), stir-fried ramen with prawns (Stan) and a ha noi BBQ bowl for me. The boys were close to being full after the starter feast, but we all loved our meals and Joshie polished off anything that Stan and I couldn’t manage.
Miraculously, they had room for pudding… funny that! Stan is a chocolate fiend and inhaled his chocolate cuddle – chocolate mousse, chocolate straw, chocolate ice cream and white & dark chocolate drizzle. Joshie was more sophisticated and thoroughly enjoyed his passionfruit tart with mango sorbet. I tried the banana fritter, something I wouldn’t normally opt for but it was delicious, light and not stodgy, paired with vanilla ice cream. Again, not a crumb was left!
Joshie’s verdict: “This is now my number one favourite restaurant and everyone should go there!”
Stan’s verdict: “I loved the duck pancakes and the Chocolate Cuddle tastes like a LOT of chocolate!”
Overall: We will definitely be back (in fact Joshie now wants his upcoming birthday dinner there). “Suum” is a creative name for the restaurant derived from Vietnamese “sum vầy”, meaning a cozy gathering around the dining table. Owner Nhan and his team looked after us so well, the food was fantastic, and it should definitely be an option for your next family meal out – your children may surprise you!
Empty plates all round!!
Below are a few more photos from our visit:
Suum Vietnamese Kitchen, Anglers Court, Marlow SL7 1DB
Kids Menu: click here
To book call: 01628 471110
Website: http://suumkitchen.com
