Welcome to my website. I am the author of ‘Vietnamese – Simple Vietnamese Food To Cook At Home’. I am a photographer and film maker. You can book into my supper club, Vietnamese cooking classes, buy my book, check out my photography and lots more here.
Please follow me on instagram @loveleluu – Thank you so much for visiting x
The supper club is held in my home in London Fields, Hackney. It is like a dinner party in the tradition of a Vietnamese feast with homemade Vietnamese food.
Facebook told us ‘Due to cancellations, – 4 places for dinner tonight’ Saltoun Supper Club. We jumped on it. We love going to supper clubs as well as do them! The hosts are probably as crazy as us for opening up our homes to complete strangers! So its nice to bond.
We wondered out of place along the streets of dark, cold and wet Brixton to find ourselves creaking up to the top flat of a Victorian terrace following, John. He is our waiter for the evening. Upon entry, it immediately felt like we had all stepped into another world, another time, another era.
Hello. My name is Arno. Says Arno. Welcome to my place. ?Arno has a thick moustache. Perfectly combed resting above his lips like a Mario but he is tall and thin. Dressed in a pink shirt with braces holding up his brown tweed trousers with sleeves rolled up his arms and an apron around his waist – Arno goes back to his station and we are shown to our table. Its like stepping into the 1940s and pleasantly so.
Arno is a food stylist – this is not missed when our courses are placed in front of us by the gracious and tickled John. There is detail in every stem of salad, every corner of the plate to every dash of dressing. I wiped the plates dry – the salad, small but perfect, consist of lambs lettuce – just a few leaves, a different shapes of beetroot. It was heavenly.
The second course of gnoochi with cauliflower and truffle oil could have converted me to become a nun – even if it was just for an hour! The balls of gnoochi, perfectly balanced was like biting into divine joy – everything just wonderfully seasoned.
Arno’s collection of vintage plates and cutlery matched his sense of flair. Stuffed birds and kitsch toys play hand in hand scattered around his creaking floor flat – at each place, sits a poised sort of decoration. It was hard to believe we were enclosed in such urbanity of Brixton, it was like stepping into a time warp or perhaps more accurately, it was like stepping into Arno’s mind.
The main course of duck was no exception. Deliciously seasoned, pink and tender. There is no room for anything else other than perfection in this house. And we can not rate this place enough. This is one of the places I have eaten exceptionally well in. The service and the atmosphere were not anything gimmicky or of pretence. This is not stepping into someone’s house and risk what you might get. This place has precision, this is what I expect from top restaurants and hardly ever receive.
Its stepping into another world, be it in Arno’s home or Arno’s restaurant. Here is a man who knows how to cook, how to style, how to host, how to entertain. He is charming and calm.
The desserts and cheese board, plus tea or coffee added to my kick. I love being so impressed by someone and by food. Good food holds centre in Arno’s masterplan and there is no doubt in my mind that this is one of the best places we have ever eaten in.
For £25 donation per person (you should tip too), this experience and meal was worth triple if not more in my view – and I would happily donate this every week should I live closer. The food is outstanding and of very high quality. We recommend this place highly. Go GO GO if you can!
Arno has been doing these great suppers for over a year now! May he thrive forever and a day!