NOVA ESEA

Your guide to the UK's best ESEA (East & Southeast Asian) music, arts, culture & more

FEATURE

My Kids Are Hungry: Vietnamese comfort, made for Southbank weekends

Born in lockdown and run by Vivien, a London mum-of-three, My Kids Are Hungry serves home-cooked Vietnamese comfort food with an easygoing “family kitchen” vibe. The stall grew from sharing recipes online to a full-time spot at Southbank Centre Food Market, and yes, the kids helped choose the menu. What to eat? Two signatures stand out: chicken & prawn bao — pan-fried, juicy, sesame-topped dumplings — and a crunchy, classic bánh mì. Everything at the stall is nut-free, wh

NOVA ESEA

My Kids Are Hungry Asian Food Stall at Southbank Centre Market

Sen Noods 仙麵: Best Dan Dan & Vegan Ramen in London

East Asian noodles, made for London streets. Sen Noods began as a lockdown idea between two friends, Godfrey and Johnny. They were living together, both out of work, and kept joking about “one day” running a food truck. In late 2021 they bought a van and actually did it. Their first bestseller was a soy-milk ramen inspired by an episode of Food Wars, created to give the menu a strong vegan option. Today, it is one of their most ordered bowls. From kitchen mates to a noodle

NOVA ESEA

Sen Noods 仙麵: Best Dan Dan & Vegan Ramen in London

Meet Cantoast: Hong Kong Style French Toast at Victoria Park Market

At Victoria Park Market each weekend, Cantoast keeps things simple: thick-cut milk bread, dipped and fried, topped with butter, golden...

NOVA ESEA

Meet Cantoast: Hong Kong Style French Toast at Victoria Park Market

Wheelcake Island: Taiwanese‑Japanese Pancakes Winning Londoners One Flip at a Time

When JC and Yin set up a modest griddle stall in an Oxford market back in 2017, the goal was simple: pay rent and cure homesickness with the sweet, round pancakes they grew up eating. Six years and thousands of wheel‑shaped cakes later, Wheelcake Island has become a fixture at Old Spitalfields Market, luring queues with the hiss of batter and the scent of custard and azuki bean. A “fun‑to‑watch” dessert that caught London’s eye "People were intrigued by the cooking process

NOVA ESEA

Wheelcake Island: Taiwanese‑Japanese Pancakes Winning Londoners One Flip at a Time

Pho Street Eats: Mother-Daughter Duo Serving Authentic Pho in London Since 2019

Pho Street Eats is proof that comfort can flourish in unexpected seasons. The mother‑an d‑daughter stall launched in 2019 while Old Spitalfields Market was still emerging from lockdown lulls. Footfall was low, conversations were long, and every bowl of beef pho felt personal. "Those quiet months let us meet everyone properly," the daughter recalls. "Now the market is busy again, but we still recognise our regulars and check in with them." Real Broth, Local Roots Their recipe

NOVA ESEA

Pho Street Eats: Mother-Daughter Duo Serving Authentic Pho in London Since 2019

ABOUT

NOVA ESEA is dedicated to curating and spotlighting the most vibrant East and Southeast Asian (ESEA) cultural experiences, creating a central hub that makes it effortlessly simple for both enthusiasts and newcomers to discover and engage with music, arts, and cultural showcases. Our aim is to become the definitive online platform, where the richness of ESEA culture is celebrated, shared, and explored, bridging communities and fostering connections through the universal language of art and heritage.

NOVA ESEA

Your guide to the UK's best ESEA (East & Southeast Asian) music, arts, culture & more

FEATURE

My Kids Are Hungry: Vietnamese comfort, made for Southbank weekends

Sen Noods 仙麵: Best Dan Dan & Vegan Ramen in London

Meet Cantoast: Hong Kong Style French Toast at Victoria Park Market

Wheelcake Island: Taiwanese‑Japanese Pancakes Winning Londoners One Flip at a Time

Pho Street Eats: Mother-Daughter Duo Serving Authentic Pho in London Since 2019

ABOUT

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