Banh Mi in Vancouver?

[scout]

All of the talk about banh mi in the Pacific Northwest forum has made me a little jealous.

I'd love to find out where the good banh mi places are in Vancouver (surely there must be a few).

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks,

Scout

[Rhea_S]

My friends and I used to go to Buu Dien on 3345 Fraser St. (on the west side of the stree, a couple of blocks south of Kingsway, small strip mall). It was still there when I visited home last summer, so it should still in business. There should be several other banh mi places along Fraser St. Don't expect anything fancy. There's an order counter, handwritten signs and a few old tables. However, the buns are nice and crisp on the outside (expect crumbs everywhere) and there used to be lots of meat and veggies. This may not mean anything, but a Vietnamese friend who is a picky eater introduced me to this place.

[Vancouver]

Thought I'd revive this old thread and add some recent favourites:

Au Petit Cafe on Main - probably my favourite overall so far. The bread is crisper, the meat is more tender and better seasoned, and the veggies are fresher. Compared to what you ask? To the others I've tried (which I admit is limited compared to the number of places available).

Kingsway Deli at 1188 Kingsway - a close runner up to Au Petit Cafe. My favourite is the BBQ Pork Bahn Mi (#8).

Others?

[Daddy-A]

Pho Thy on Victoria at about 38th. Just tell them you want the house special

A.

[Jeffy Boy]

Pho Thy on Victoria at about 38th.  Just tell them you want the house special 

A.

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I agree with Pho Thy! It's my favourite spot for pho, and I love their meatball sub. What's the "house special"?

[the g-man]

Au Petit Cafe on main and 33rd is a wonderful place. Banh mi loaded up with chilis and cilantro with a bowl of house pho is great comfort food. What's more, the gentleman who works the counter is a very good guy. I ordered take out lunch there recently and when it came time to pay i had some trouble finding enough cash - and they don't take credit cards or bank cards. He immediately offered to give me the lunch and said I could pay the next time I came in! I eventually found a twenty and problem solved, but kindness and character like that is very rare.

If you go, its best to get there early as the banh mi usually sells out midway through the day.

it would be great to see a place like this in the downtown core for lunch.

[jackandjill]

Buu Dien is, unfortunately, not there anymore. It was my favourite spot for Vietnamese subs untill the entire strip mall was leveled. It may exist in a different location, and if anyone knows of it, please let me know.

Downtown, there are a couple option. Saigon Ventures, on Burrard at Drake, you can find some passably good ones. Better yet, and one of the best I've had, is Saigon One on Hornby Street, in the little strip od deli/restaurants where Lunch Box Soup used to be (between Smithe and Nelson, I believe). They have great subs, using good chili, pickled veggies, and crusty bread. Their salad rolls are also great, loaded with fresh basil.

If anyone else knows of where to get good Banh Mi in downtown or the West Side, please post. They're such dependable, good, cheap food.

Edited June 10, 2005 by jackandjill (log)

[chocomoo]

I like Au Petit Cafe too! My favourite is their meatball sub, although I also used to like their tomato-based beef brisket that came with bread or rice (bread all the way! sops up the delicious, slightly sweet sauce nicely!) - not sure if that's still available. Haven't been in a while, as work prevents me from going during the weekdays, and during the weekends, the tiny place is packed! I agree with the g-man, the owner is super nice. I wonder if his son & daughter still work there?

[PearL]

I think Au Petit Cafe is a winner --- I've tried to order on 3 different occasions and each time they were sold out of their bread before 2 pm!

[jackandjill]

Au Petit is a little out-of-the-way for me, and the one time I made it over there, they were out of bread by 3. Running out of bread is an all-too-frequent occurrence at most Banh Mi joints - I just can't understand why this happens so often.

It seems logical for them to just increase the number of buns they order (or bake) by half a dozen each day, and stop increasing their order the day they have one extra left at the end of the day.

Is there some valid reason for why they run out so early? Would the bread become too stale? Do Vietnamese *never* eat sandwiches after 4pm? It's one of my great culinary frustrations.

Edited June 10, 2005 by jackandjill (log)

[Daddy-A]

Pho Thy on Victoria at about 38th.  Just tell them you want the house special 

I agree with Pho Thy! It's my favourite spot for pho, and I love their meatball sub. What's the "house special"?

Never had the pho at Pho Thy ... how's that for irony? Kim Phung is just up the street so I've never had the need.

The house special is a kind of "best of." I've never asked what's in it, the old guy just told me that was the best one to have. Who am I to disagree? Damn tasty is all I know.

A.

[Vancouver]

Better yet, and one of the best I've had, is Saigon One on Hornby Street, in the little strip od deli/restaurants where Lunch Box Soup used to be (between Smithe and Nelson, I believe).  They have great subs, using good chili, pickled veggies, and crusty bread.  Their salad rolls are also great, loaded with fresh basil.

←

Do you mean One Saigon Deli at 979 Hornby? Sounds like the place you are talking about. They offer a good rendition as you have said. They are also very friendly and helpful. I do prefer Au Petit Cafe, but if craving one downtown One Saigon Deli does a passable job.

Cheers!

[sanrensho]

Is there some valid reason for why they run out so early?  Would the bread become too stale?  Do Vietnamese *never* eat sandwiches after 4pm?  It's one of my great culinary frustrations.

I always thought it was considered a lunch staple. My usual pho joint usually doesn't have any left by late afternoon.

[HKDave]

Is there some valid reason for why they run out so early?  Would the bread become too stale?  Do Vietnamese *never* eat sandwiches after 4pm?  It's one of my great culinary frustrations.

I always thought it was considered a lunch staple. My usual pho joint usually doesn't have any left by late afternoon.

←

In Vietnam - Saigon, anyway - banh my seems to be more of a breakfast/lunch thing. My usual banh my cart in Saigon (on the sidewalk across from HSBC bank in Distrist 1) opens at something like 6am and is sold out mid afternoon. Cost is about 20 cents.

In Vancouver, I like the banh my at 'Ba Le', on the west side of Main, near Georgia. One with everything will set you back $2.50.

[Vancouver]

Ok, I've turned up a new favourite for me. (Yes, at the same level as Au Petit Cafe, but seems to have longer availability throughout the day!). Tiem bahn dong khanh is a vietnamese bakery located on Kingsway. It is in the same parking lot as the Kingsway Deli on the south side of the street. I had the pork version which featured a sweet roast/BBQ pork (similar to the typical chinese version of BBQ pork) but sliced in the shape of long bacon strips. The bread was extremely fresh (my guess is right out of their own ovens in the back), the pork was slightly sweet and quite tender, the carrot and daikon mixture was thin sliced and crunchy with a slight vinegar flavour, the cilantro was aromatic, the pate very smooth and generously applied, the fish sauce and black pepper delicately enhanced the overall flavour, and the chili peppers added the proper amount of heat. Oh, and it was a whopping $2.50. Buy 10 get 1 free.

Cheers!

[chocomoo]

Better yet, and one of the best I've had, is Saigon One on Hornby Street, in the little strip od deli/restaurants where Lunch Box Soup used to be (between Smithe and Nelson, I believe).  They have great subs, using good chili, pickled veggies, and crusty bread.  Their salad rolls are also great, loaded with fresh basil.

←

Do you mean One Saigon Deli at 979 Hornby? Sounds like the place you are talking about. They offer a good rendition as you have said. They are also very friendly and helpful. I do prefer Au Petit Cafe, but if craving one downtown One Saigon Deli does a passable job.

Cheers!

←

I just tried One Saigon Deli's banh mi for the first time yesterday, and I agree, I like Au Petit Cafe better as well. I liked how they used pickled chilis though. Lots of veggies, including the standard pickled cucumber, white radish, carrots, chilis (both red & yellow variety), & lots of cilantro. However, I like Au Petit Cafe's pickled veggies better - One Saigon's veggies were less sweet, more vinegar-y, & sliced more thinly (hence had less crunch). I tried the pork sausage sub, which had (I think) the pork sausage that they sell in Chinese bbq shops, the big thick sweet kind that's bbq'd (the sausage in the sub was non-bbq'd). For $3.50, it was a really good deal - they also have vermicelli on the menu ($6.50).

[jackandjill]

I just got back from Kingsway Deli, where I had #3, the Shredded Pork Banh Mi ($2.50) and two fabulous salad rolls ($3). All prices include tax. The Banh Mi was excellent - toasted bun so that it was crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy in, and a nice level of warmth throughout. The fillings were generous - pate, chillis, green onion, cilantro, and pickled daikon/carrot. The only thing I didn't love was the shredded pork itself - in my fish-out-of-water panic, I ordered the shredded pork because it made me think of Mephis-blues style shredded pork. I completelty forgot the jelly-like texture of Vietnamese shredded pork.

It was good nonetheless, but next time I'll go for the House Special. They also didn't have a BBQ pork version. The salad rolls were excellent, packed with everything under the sun but a nice harmony of tastes.

However, I was trying to get to Tiem bahn dong. Vancouver, I walked up and down the street but couldn't find another banh mi shop nearby. Is it really in the same parking lot as Kingsway Deli at 1188 Kingsway? Is it a banh mi shop, or is it more of a grocery store with a banh mi counter? Help!

[Keith Talent]

Didn't we all concur in another thread that toasting was a fault and a full one point deduction?

[jackandjill]

Oh... umm.. I must have missed that thread.

But this was immaculate toasting. More like a warming. It didn't cause any crusting of the bun. If you try it and still feel it deserves a deduction, then I'll abide by the decision.

I repeat, no crusting of the bun.

[Vancouver]

However, I was trying to get to Tiem bahn dong.  Vancouver, I walked up and down the street but couldn't find another banh mi shop nearby.  Is it really in the same parking lot as Kingsway Deli at 1188 Kingsway?  Is it a banh mi shop, or is it more of a grocery store with a banh mi counter?  Help!

←

Same parking lot! When you are facing the Kingsway deli from Kingsway it is 2 or 3 doors to the left. It is a bakery - hence very fresh bread.

Cheers!

[canucklehead]

However, I was trying to get to Tiem bahn dong.  Vancouver, I walked up and down the street but couldn't find another banh mi shop nearby.  Is it really in the same parking lot as Kingsway Deli at 1188 Kingsway?  Is it a banh mi shop, or is it more of a grocery store with a banh mi counter?  Help!

←

Same parking lot! When you are facing the Kingsway deli from Kingsway it is 2 or 3 doors to the left. It is a bakery - hence very fresh bread.

Cheers!

←

Is this the same bakery that has the Durian Buns? If it is - try 'em. You will either wretch or be in heaven. I plan to bring them to the next egullet event - they will be a rite of passage.

[Vancouver]

However, I was trying to get to Tiem bahn dong.  Vancouver, I walked up and down the street but couldn't find another banh mi shop nearby.  Is it really in the same parking lot as Kingsway Deli at 1188 Kingsway?  Is it a banh mi shop, or is it more of a grocery store with a banh mi counter?  Help!

←

Same parking lot! When you are facing the Kingsway deli from Kingsway it is 2 or 3 doors to the left. It is a bakery - hence very fresh bread.

Cheers!

←

Is this the same bakery that has the Durian Buns? If it is - try 'em. You will either wretch or be in heaven. I plan to bring them to the next egullet event - they will be a rite of passage.

←

I think it may be. They certainly had a large variety of various Chinese and South East Asian baked goods. Didn't see Durian specifically, but it wouldn't surprise me. They do have lots of pandan flavoured items too.

Cheers!

[Daddy-A]

They do have lots of pandan flavoured items too.

JEEEZ! I thought he said PANDA!

A.

[Vancouver]

Just to update on durian buns - yes, they do have durian coconut buns. $1.20 each. Quite a fluffy bun with a filling of coconut flakes and durian.

Cheers!

[Jeffy Boy]

On the basis of the many recommendations for Au Petit Cafe, we trekked down there today for lunch. Since it was Saturday, not surprisingly we had about a 10 minute wait for a table.

I had the #1 sandwich, featuring both meat balls and (pork?) - more meat than I've ever seen in a Banh Mi. Guess that's why it was $4.00. It was very good (the bread was excellent), but it had less pickled vegetables than I like. Also had a seafood pho, which was also good. lemon curd had a beef pho, and we shared some spring rolls, which were quite crispy, with mushrooms inside.

All in all, I think the Banh Mi at my traditional haunt, Pho Thy, measures up equally well, and they have (IMO) a more flavourful pho.