21 September 2023
By James Mullan
Banh Mi Delicious, Mosman
The new roll on the block makes missing your bus at Mosman’s northbound B-Line stop a little more worth it. Partners Lam and Thi brought their irresistible flavours from Parramatta to Military Road a year ago after situational circumstances led them to pursue their passion for home cooking. Lam had been working in the medical field before being made redundant around the Covid period, and on a day out to Balmoral Beach from Parramatta they fell in love with the area and found the perfect spot to set up Banh Mi Delicious.The store rocks a classic setup with fresh grated veggies stacked next to some seriously big rice paper rolls. On offer there are five varieties of pork roll from the classic to roast, BBQ Pork AKA Nem Nuong and the lemongrass pork. The Sun tried the very unique Char Siu which is Lam’s favourite!
You might be more accustomed to finding this pork at a Chinese restaurant but when you put it together with patte, mayo, pickled carrot and daikon, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, soy sauce, fresh coriander, chilli then top it off with fried shallot, you have one of the best Banh Mi in Mosman. The sweetness of the Char Siu with the pickled veggies really compliments the aromatics and saltness of the patte, with the texture being simply perfect. They really pack the roll, especially the meat, with the fillings going all the way to the crunchy bread crust.
If pork isn’t your thing, Banh Mi Delicious also offers chicken rolls in roast, schnitzel or lemongrass and tofu and tuna options too. The pho and rice paper rolls are also extremely good, also served up with generous portions with great prices. Every ingredient is prepared on site with the recipes all being family secrets passed down through generations.
Eat Mi, Grosvenor Lane, Neutral Bay
This is one you would definitely miss if you weren’t paying attention. Nestled in the alley way that connects Grosvenor Lane to Military Road, Eat Mi is a hole in the wall shop parallel to Priceline Pharmacy and just in front of the Neutral Bay Community Centre.
Eat Mi opened up a little over four years ago filling a huge void in the area with plenty of great food options ranging from the Banh Mi menu to an extensive iced tea list, from your standard lemon to lychee rose, chrysanthemum and of course Vietnamese style.
They also offer fresh noodle salads served up with vermicelli noodles, lettuce, herbs, pickled veggies, cucumber, peanuts, fried shallots; topped off with fish and soy sauce.
The Sun reviewed Eat Mi’s unique eggplant Banh Mi – not your typical filling, but a great option for those who are vegetarian or just looking to mix it up. Every roll at Eat Mi is served with your classic ingredients such as pickled veggies, cucumber, spring onion, lettuce, pate, chillies and coriander; however, at this store they also feature the option to add sweet chilli sauce, mayo, sriracha and fried shallots.
Those additional sauces and aromatics pay off flavour wise though. The eggplant had a soft texture which complemented the crunchier veggies and onions whilst the sauces brought an extra level of flavour which helped bring out the best in the eggplant, packing more subtle tones. Flavour wise it was on the sweeter side which was very pleasant with the fried shallots really bringing the finishing touch to balance it all out.
If you aren’t that keen on eggplant, Eat Mi also offers the classic pork roll, crispy pork complete with crackling or for something a little more deluxe try the New Nuong Vietnamese style pork. Tuna is also an option as well as tofu, which is served with shredded yam, carrot and bean noodles – a nice touch that really completes the piece.
Simply Sandwiches, Crows Nest
The next Banh Mi joint has been a local favourite for 14 years sitting in the heart of Crows Nest. It’s no frills, family run and the flavours are out of this world. Simply Sandwiches was opened by Van after he had worked for several years at his brother’s bakery in Bankstown. He has kept the family tradition going, with Van’s aunt and brother working alongside him serving up fresh feeds. Since opening up he has loved Crows Nest for its quiet, friendly atmosphere.
The store doesn’t solely serve Banh Mi, with the option to order a standard sandwich with any filling you could ever ask for. If you ask any local resident or worker they will tell you there is one that stands above the rest – the Roast Pork Roll. Served with pork crackling, the roll features incredible pickled daikon, fresh coriander, spanish onions, carrot, coriander, mayo and a family recipe pate. It might be a little more bare bones than other Banh Mi rolls the Sun has reviewed but the flavour is seriously rich, especially the fatty pork pieces. The salads soften up the texture along with pate, creating a melt in your mouth sensation.
If this was a competition the chicken and classic pork would be a close second. The rolls are all hearty in size too, which is definitely another reason the queue outside is always long at lunch time. The traditional pork is another original recipe with three layers of meat creating a rich texture whilst the chicken is on the leaner side.
If you haven’t been convinced to try these flavoursome rolls yet, the selling factor is the roll’s affordable prices – with all under $13, which considering the portion has to be one of the best deals on Willoughby Road. You may also want to try subbing out one of the fillings with the other meats on the menu including chicken schnitzel, roast beef, turkey, salmon or even tandoori chicken. It really depends on how much of a Banh Mi purist you are. Simply Sandwiches may seem like your standard shop from the outside but the flavours and servings will leave you beyond satisfied.
Botanica Garden Cafe, Waverton
Wait a minute, isn’t this just your standard local cafe not a Banh Mi joint? Well, it might not stand out as your classic Vietnamese bakery but top of their breakfast menu is a roll that will change the way you think about bacon and eggs forever. We’re talking about the seriously unique, tasty and signature Botanica Breakfast Banh Mi. Australian – Vietnamese fusion at its finest.
Botanica has been a Waverton establishment for about a little over eight years but has been under its current ownership for four years now. Owners Minh and Vivian are of Vietnamese descent which inspired their wonderful culturally inspired creation. It’s pretty common to find pork on your Banh Mi but bacon is rare, let alone egg. It was served to the Sun with caramelised onion which is another unorthodox yet sensational ingredient choice, as well as homemade garlic chilli soy sauce. The roll is banished with the classic fresh coriander, chopped spring onion and optional chilli.
The result: one of the best rolls you’ll find locally.
The runny egg provides a creamy sauciness that a pate would normally bring whilst the sizable bacon brings a crunchy and salty addition. The sauce really brings it all together like your typical BBQ sauce on a B&E, but instead with the pop of some soy sauce.
Botanica is a winner here with this roll bringing the best parts of Banh Mi and a B&E roll together. You almost wonder why this isn’t a more common menu item around Sydney, but for now there’s only one place you can find it – amongst the lush green canopy in the heart of Waverton.
St Leonards Breads and Cakes
Amongst the bustle of one of the North Shore’s busiest bus stops is a family-run bakery that will become an essential pit stop, if it isn’t already. This bakery is on Pacific Highway next to Domino’s and Bon Pollo Chicken, behind the northbound St Leonards Station bus stop.
Van and Trang have been baking up a storm in St Leonards for eight years after previously running a Banh Mi store in Chinatown for 10 years. They are serious veterans of the pork roll game. It’s seriously tough work, starting their day at 3am and preparing all the bread, sweets, meats and other ingredients from scratch by hand.
Trang told the Sun the traditional pork roll is the most popular, with a thick layer of cold cut style pork topped off with your standard liver pate, carrot, lettuce, tomato, red and spring onion, a hint of mayo and a soy-style vinaigrette. But today, we simply could not go past the crispy pork roll.
The pork cooks for one and half hours which you can taste in the crunch of the crackling, not to mention the juiciness of the fatty parts. For such a low price, it is a very decadent treat. Every meat is prepared from homestyle recipes that have been passed down through generations.
St Leonards Breads and Cakes also offers a third type of pork roll in the form of garlic pepper pork which packs a serious flavour punch, as well as a beef Banh Mi alongside your classic chicken and tuna.
If you’re not in a Banh Mi mood, the sausage rolls are quite sizable with the flavour to back it up. Bakery classics like pies, caramel slices and brownies are also done to perfection by Van and Trang. The owners love the atmosphere and friendly people of the North Shore and have raised their two kids here.
In their line you find all sorts from RNSH nurses, to tradies, locals and office workers – all in agreement it’s one of the best value, quality Banh Mi rolls on the North Shore.
Saigon Rolls, St Leonards
St Leonards might just be the Banh Mi capital of the North Shore as much as Saigon (aka Ho Chi Minh City) is the capital of Vietnam. This roll shop might just be the best of them too. Tucked away on Sergeants Lane just off the station, next to Ace Noodles is a serious gem for hungry office workers, locals and people passing through the busy St Leonards CBD.
Saigon Rolls has been a lunch staple for 10 years, with Katie and her husband Peter having run the business for the last four bringing their deep passion for serving food, especially that of Vietnamese cuisine, to the area.
Before bringing their roll craft to St Leonards, the pair were working at Hungry Jacks together whilst Katie also worked part time at a bakery. Although the burgers may be better at Hungry Jacks, the Banh Mi isn’t, so they decided to open up their own establishment.
Everything on the menu is made from scratch and original family recipes that you won’t find in a cookbook or online and it really shows in the unique and rich flavours. On offer is an all star lineup of Banh Mi from grilled, crackling and traditional pork to meatball, tuna and tofu. The Sun, however, was tempted by the chicken rolls – a choice between the lemongrass and traditional roasts. We chose the roast chicken which provided an almost out of body experience with the extremely juicy meat packing a beautiful flavour.
They marinate the lemon grass and roast chicken for hours to make sure that flavour is strong, Katie added. The rolls also feature your Banh Mi classics including carrot, red onion, remarkable patte, daikon pickle, shallots, Asian herbs, fresh coriander and some feature tomato and lettuce. This might be regular practice, but there is just something about the extra flavour touches the couple put into the fillings that take it up a notch. The bread is a perfect mix of crispy, not flakey on the outside and soft on the inside.
Katie told us her personal favourite roll is the pork crackling which takes two hours to prepare in the morning. Saigon Rolls also adds a special vietnamese style ham to the regular cold cut pork lineup.
While interviewing Katie, a familiar face walked past and said they love the vegetarian options available including the tofu roll or salad bowls. Also featured on the menu is Pho, rice paper rolls (you have to try the prawn) and summer bowls which have vermicelli noodles.
Both Katie and Peter have really enjoyed serving up in St Leonards as they enjoy the vibrancy and friendliness throughout the day time and they appreciate not having to stay up working late into the night like prior gigs. So why not pop in to say hello to these friendly neighbours and try some of their incredible rolls.
I bet you’ll be back a second time.
Special mentions:
- Nimba Bakehouse, Milsons Point – Banh Mi is just one of the many delicious treats you can find at Nimba. Check out our review from last year’s November edition.
READ HERE: https://northsydneysun.com.au/issue_archive/november-2022/ - Stop St Food, Crows Nest – Just around the corner from the new metro site, you can read about this great cafe in out May edition.
READ HERE: https://northsydneysun.com.au/issue_archive/may-2023/