Vietnamese Food
Banh mi | Pho | Noodles | Summer Rolls | Flan | Vietnamese Coffee
Banh mi
Vietnamese banh mi is a delicious sandwich that blends French and Vietnamese culinary traditions. It features a crisp, airy baguette filled with a variety of savoury ingredients. Here’s a breakdown of its components:
Baguette: The foundation of a banh mi is its baguette, which is characterized by a thin, crispy crust and a light, fluffy interior. The baguette often has a slightly softer texture compared to traditional French baguettes, which makes it perfect for holding the fillings without becoming too tough to eat.
Protein: Common fillings include chicken, beef and pork. The meat is often marinated and seasoned with a mix of spices, offering a savoury and sometimes slightly sweet flavor. Vegetarian options often feature tofu.
Pickled Vegetables: A typical banh mi includes pickled daikon radish and carrots, which add a tangy crunch and balance out the richness of the meat.
Herbs and Vegetables: Fresh cilantro, cucumber slices, and sometimes jalapeños or other peppers add freshness and a touch of spice.
Condiments: The sandwich is usually spread with mayonnaise or a similar creamy sauce, and a drizzle of chili sauce can be added for extra flavor.
At our shop, we take great pride in sourcing our Vietnamese-style baguettes from a local baker every day. This ensures that each banh mi is made with a freshly baked baguette that has the perfect balance of crispness and softness. By supporting local bakers, we not only contribute to the community but also guarantee that you receive a sandwich with the highest quality ingredients, right from the heart of our neighborhood.
Pho
Vietnamese pho (pronounced "fah") is a flavourful and aromatic noodle soup that is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine. It typically consists of a clear, savoury broth, rice noodles, and a variety of fresh herbs and garnishes.
Broth: The heart of pho is its broth, which is traditionally made by simmering beef or chicken bones for several hours with a blend of spices. This slow cooking process results in a rich, clear, and deeply flavourful broth.
Noodles: Pho uses flat rice noodles, known as banh pho. These noodles are usually soft and slippery, providing a perfect texture contrast to the broth.
Meat: Pho can be made with various types of meat. The most common are thinly sliced beef (often sirloin or brisket) or chicken. The meat is usually added raw to the bowl, where it cooks in the hot broth over a long period.
Garnishes: Pho is typically served with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables on the side. Common garnishes include fresh basil, coriander, and hoisin and sriracha sauces. Customers can add these to their soup according to personal taste or use them as a dipping sauce for the meat.
Pho is enjoyed across Vietnam and has become popular worldwide for its complex flavors and comforting qualities. Each region of Vietnam has its own variations, such as pho bo (beef pho) in the north and pho ga (chicken pho) in the south, reflecting local tastes and ingredients.
Our pho is slow cooked for at least xx hours and comes with homemade dipping sauces that some customers use for dipping and others add to the broth for even more flavour.
Noodles
Vietnamese beef or chicken noodles without broth are commonly known as "bánh hỏi" or "bánh cuốn". The key components of Vietnamese noodles:
Noodles: The dish features rice noodles, which can vary in type but are typically thin and delicate. These noodles may be steamed, as in bánh cuốn, or slightly crispy, as in some variations of bánh hỏi.
Meat: The beef or chicken is typically stir-fried and served in thin slices or chunks. Common preparations include marinated beef with garlic, lemongrass, and spices, adding a savoury and aromatic flavor to the dish. The beef is usually cooked to a tender perfection and may be seasoned with soy sauce, fish sauce, or other Vietnamese seasonings.
Accompaniments: Without broth, the noodles are usually served with a range of fresh and pickled vegetables, such as shredded carrots, cucumber slices, and bean sprouts. Fresh herbs like coriander, Vietnamese mint, or Thai basil may also be included, providing vibrant flavours and textures.
Sauces: To enhance the flavor, the dish is typically accompanied by a dressing. A common choice is nuoc cham, a tangy and sweet fish sauce-based dressing with garlic, lime juice, sugar, and chillies.
Garnishes: Crushed peanuts, and fresh herbs are often sprinkled on top, adding crunch and additional layers of flavor.
Our Vietnamese noodle bowls highlight our tender lemongrass marinated beef and chicken and flavourful noodles without the need for a broth, offering a dry, yet equally satisfying, noodle dish that is rich in taste and texture. Virginia’s secret sauce is also drizzled over the top alongside crushed peanuts.
Summer Rolls
Vietnamese summer rolls, known as "gỏi cuốn," are a fresh and light dish that perfectly captures the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. Here’s what makes them special:
Rice Paper Wrap: Summer rolls are wrapped in translucent rice paper, which becomes pliable when dipped in water. These wraps are thin and delicate, providing a light and slightly chewy texture that holds the ingredients together.
Fresh Ingredients: Inside the rice paper, you’ll typically find a combination of fresh and crisp ingredients. Common fillings include:
Rice Noodles: Thin rice vermicelli noodles add a light, soft texture.
Proteins: Cooked prawn or pork are popular choices. They are often sliced thinly or chopped into small pieces.
Vegetables: Crisp lettuce, carrots, cucumber slices, and sometimes bean sprouts are used to add crunch and freshness.
Herbs: Fresh herbs like Vietnamese mint, coriander, and Thai basil impart vibrant flavors and aromatic notes.
Accompaniments: Summer rolls are typically served with a dipping sauce. The most common is a savoury, slightly sweet hoisin-peanut sauce or a tangy nuoc cham (a fish sauce-based dipping sauce with lime, garlic, and chilli). These sauces complement the fresh ingredients and add a burst of flavor.
Assembly: To make summer rolls, the rice paper is briefly dipped in warm water to soften. The ingredients are then layered onto the paper, which is rolled up tightly to enclose the fillings, creating a neat, cylindrical shape.
Vietnamese summer rolls are celebrated for their freshness, versatility, and balance of flavours. They are often enjoyed as a light appetiser or snack, offering a refreshing and healthy option that is both satisfying and delicious.
Our summer rolls come in prawn or pork and accompanied by Virginia’s secret peanut dipping sauce!
Vietnamese Flan
Vietnamese flan, known as "bánh flan" or "caramel flan," is a popular dessert in Vietnam that combines French culinary influence with local flavours. It is similar to the classic French crème caramel but often with a unique twist. The key characteristics include:
Texture: Smooth, creamy, and slightly firmer than its French counterpart. It has a custard-like consistency that melts in your mouth.
Flavour: The flan has a rich, sweet flavor with a hint of caramel. Sometimes, it includes a subtle coconut or coffee flavor, depending on the variation.
Caramel Sauce: A layer of caramel is poured over the top, which oozes down when the flan is inverted out of its mold. The caramel has a bittersweet taste that contrasts nicely with the sweet custard.
Ingredients: Typically made from eggs, condensed milk, sugar, and vanilla, with milk used as the liquid base.
Serving: It is usually served cold, making it a refreshing dessert, especially in the warm Vietnamese climate. Some variations are served with crushed ice or coffee on the side.
Vietnamese flan is a favourite treat in our shop thanks to Virginia’s delicious recipe! We recommend having an iced Vietnamese coffee alongside your flan for the perfect sweet treat.
Vietnamese Coffee
Vietnamese coffee is a distinctive and robust beverage known for its strong flavor and unique preparation method. Here's a look at what makes it special:
Brewing Method: Vietnamese coffee is traditionally made using a drip brew method with a metal filter called a "phin." The coffee grounds are placed in the filter, hot water is poured over them, and the coffee slowly drips through, resulting in a strong and concentrated brew.
Coffee Beans: The coffee used is typically robusta, which has a more intense and earthy flavor compared to the milder arabica beans commonly used elsewhere.
Condensed Milk: One of the hallmarks of Vietnamese coffee is the use of sweetened condensed milk. The strong coffee is brewed directly over a layer of condensed milk, which adds sweetness and a creamy texture. This combination can be served hot or over ice.
Iced Variations: When served iced, the coffee is poured over a glass filled with ice and mixed with the sweetened condensed milk. This creates a refreshing and indulgent drink that balances the strong coffee flavor with a creamy sweetness.
At our shop, we use barista coffee as the base for our Vietnamese coffee. This choice ensures that you get a rich, well-balanced flavor profile in every cup. Our barista coffee is carefully selected and roasted to enhance the bold, robust characteristics that define traditional Vietnamese coffee. By incorporating this coffee, we aim to provide a refined yet authentic experience that is efficient for our takeaway customers.
