Hop-Namo at Boxpark

Just when you thought you’d had enough of pop-ups, along comes another one. This time a whole ‘pop-up park’ if you will, although don’t expect any greenery.

Boxpark in Shoreditch is a temporary shopping mall, made up entirely of shipping containers. Mini versions of urban outlets like Puma, Levi’s and Boxfresh sit along lesser-known stores that you wonder how will stump up the rent such as Cyber Candy – a shop entirely devoted to American and Antipodean sweets.

The mall is also home to the world’s first ever Smiley retail store. Yes, that’s right, a whole 40 square feet devoted to the iconic acid rave smiley face. Not your average clothes shop, the Boxpark Smiley store doubles up as a room to rave in coming complete with laser and smoke machines, a sound system and DJ decks built in to the cash and wrap area!

But raving was not on my agenda, when I visited Box Park with The London Word‘s editor Nick Purves… food was.

We visited to have lunch at Hop-Namo. ‘Hop’, meaning ‘box’ in Vietnamese, is the box-sized off-shoot of the original and very popular neighbourhood Namo restaurant in Victoria Park.

The wood-clad eatery was filled with the aroma of Vietnamese cooking smells and burning incense and was busy and buzzing on our visit. We chose from a simple menu of Pho, Vietnamese (Ban Mi) baguettes and salads.

I believe I counted no less than three chefs and five waiting staff in the tiny kitchen so it was no surprise that our food and drink was all served exceptionally Quickly. Hop Namo’s speedy service makes it a great spot for locals wanting a fast but fresh lunch.

I opted for a Mango & Kolrabi salad with crispy tofu. A classic Vietnamese salad with shredded raw vegetables doused in a tasty, tangy dressing of chilli, lime-juice, sugar and fish sauce. The crispy tofu was so good I’d actually say that I enjoyed it equally to if I would have opted for the duck or chicken version – a strong statement from a meat lover.

Nick had a Pho with rumptail beef, which he deemed as very pleasant with just the right amount of ginger and flavour.

We finished up with two generous-sized pieces of incredibly sweet mango and pineapple cake and a Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk and then set on our ways bouncing off the walls on a sugar high all the way home.

Box Park is right next to the Shoreditch station on the fabulous new East London line so definitely worth ‘popping’ by.

Hop-Namo
Boxpark Units 48 & 49
Bethnal Green Road
Shoreditch
E1 6GY

Tel: 020 7729 9723