With its fast, tasty food and cut-price value, Friends Oriental Food Hall is a favourite amongst the concentration of travellers and young professionals in Putney.

The Venue
Turn off the high street to find this Putney stalwart, nestled around the corner in a typical southwest residential road. The garish green sign directs you into the food-hall style restaurant, with simple chunky benches lined up against pale green walls in the long, slim space. Fresh lilies often decorate the timber bar sitting in the back corner, where a fridge stocked with Tiger beer and eager bar staff always guarantee you stay refreshed throughout your visit.

The Atmosphere
Great-value dishes keep the crowds coming to Friends and generally you’ll find the benches stuffed with chatty punters, any night of the week. Friendly staff always meet you at the door, ready to seat you and deliver speedy service. The open kitchen at the back hisses with steam and buzzes with the chatter of the chefs and banging of woks, giving a lively market feel to your dining experience. A steady takeaway trade means there’s also a regular stream of people popping in to pick up their dinner - it’s a hub of activity and a welcoming haven.

The Food
The menu is a mix of Japanese, Chinese and Thai. Usually the confused cuisine would be a signal to avoid at all costs, but Friends delivers tasty, great-value dishes across all the distinctive oriental styles. Start with the Friends version of Thai prawn crackers (£1.80) – crispy and spicy, and delicious when dipped into the sweet, punchy sauce. The miso soup (£2.80) is also a decent version of this salty favourite, with soft tofu floating in a light, fragrant broth.

In the Japanese section, the yaki soba (£6.90), a huge portion of fried noodles mixed with chicken, small prawns and veg, dusted with sesame seeds and topped with shreds of bright red and piquant pickled ginger, is a winner that’s sure to satisfy. There’s a huge range of favourites, like katsu curries, chow mein, ramen noodles and in the Thai section: curries, pad Thai and tom yum soup.

In the Chinese section, fried ho fun (from £6.90), with shiny, thick and flat rice noodles stir-fried with egg and veg, is another enormous feast dished up with chicken, beef, succulent prawns or, if you can’t decide, a house mix. Generally without exception, the traditional dishes are fresh and delicious, with generous portions and terrific flavours. And with starters starting from £3.30 and mains from £6.90, you can afford to indulge.

The Drink
A great choice of Asian-influence beers from £2.95 (Kirin, Asahi, Tiger, Tsingtao, Sapporo, Singha and sake) is often the best choice with fragrant curries or noodles but if you fancy wine there are some standard choices from £9.90 a bottle (not available by the glass). A choice of freshly squeezed juices (including apple and carrot) from £2.50 offer a healthier alternative.

The Last Word
Excellent value, good food and a vibrant local feel make this food hall a great meeting and eating place for friends and hungry punters looking for a good deal.

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