Glasgow’s Vietnamese restaurants can be counted on one hand; and three of those fingers now represent members of the Non Viet family. The group has expanded since impressing with their original Charing Cross operation, with Non Viet Hai (as in ‘two’) near Kelvinbridge, and now with number three, or Ba, noticeably dropping all animal products and declaring itself the vegan of the family. 

The new place, close to Partick’s unofficial Chinatown, is compact, with restrained, tasteful décor (bicycles, flowers, lampshades) and a bamboo-clad tiny back bar, where efficient staff busy themselves with Vietnamese beers and a small cocktail list. In an era of QR menus, Ba’s hefty number feels old-school, belying choices that are actually fairly light: essentially the meatless bits from the other venues’ menus. No bad thing: Non Viet’s cooking is dependable, fresh, vibrant and well executed. Same here at the new spot.

Most appetisers feature in the house platter, where excellent frying skills produce crispy spring rolls, Ha Long cakes of tofu with seaweed, and spicy salt and pepper tofu pieces. Fresher, rawer textures arrive with summer rolls, fragrant with herbs and dunked in rich peanut sauce, and addictive sweet-and-sour salad dotted with chillis and peanuts. It’s all enjoyable eating, if a wee bit pricey (some starters can feel like you’re paying for the seafood option but getting the vegetable). 

Of the mains, benchmark Hue spicy noodle soup is an eye-catching riot of rice noodles, tofu, beansprouts and mushrooms, with plenty of flavour, pepped up with lemongrass, chilis, mint and lime. Coconut curry comes rich, creamy and nicely spiced, with tofu and sweet potato chunks dominating, while special fried rice, theatrically wrapped in a large leaf, is enhanced with homemade soy sauce and shredded salad. 

Non Viet, 279 Dumbarton Road, Glasgow.