Banh Mi (or The Saigon Sambo)

Sydney Morning Herald

Tuesday September 11, 2007

Joanna Savill

Taste Bakery

Taste takes the archetypal Vietnamese hot bread shop model to a whole new place, pumping out freshly baked baguette-style rolls as fast as lunchtime customers can line up. Owner Hieu Luong has baking in his blood (his brother runs La Banette bakery in Avalon and his father started the La Vina franchise). A former IT worker who was "sick of lousy sandwiches", Luong feeds famished Surry Hills workers on lighter-than-air baguettes with Vietnamese-inspired fillings. Luong says the secret is the low-gluten flour and the handmade technique. The sandwich counter builds on the basic banh mi, offering everything including a classic pork and pickle filled roll ($5) with the crunch of fresh vegetables, the saltiness of soy sauce, the tang of vinegar and smooth slices of roast and processed pork. Don't forget rings of fresh chilli and coriander for the full effect. Also very popular are grilled lemongrass beef and chicken rolls, plus good quality Thai dishes for eat-in lunch and dinner.

38-44 Foveaux Street, Surry Hills, 9281 7228.

Hong Ha (and Red Roll)

A longtime legend in the hot bread shop business, Hong Ha pulls daily queues along Mascot's main drag. Whether it's the smell of just-baked bread wafting through the shop that packs them in or the speedy service from the six women behind the counter, you'll get your fix pretty fast. Here too, the bread is wonderfully airy inside and crisp outside, filled with neatly sliced roast pork, luncheon meat (cha lua) and pressed ham (thit nguoi), a smear of pate, a daub of mayo, carrot, cucumber, a spring onion stick, onion rings, coriander and ... yes, please, chilli, plus a squeeze from the dipping sauce bottle. Magic. If you're city-bound, try Hong Ha's newish World Square and Wintergarden outlets, called Red Roll - a slicked-up take on the original. There's also a Red Roll in Hurstville and others are planned.

1151 Botany Road, Mascot, 9667 2069, see www.redroll.com.au.

Tan Hoan Cau

Back at the Vietnamese mothership, Cabramatta, banh mi stalls sit on every second arcade corner. Crammed among pandan-green waffle irons, hot custard roll machines, sugar cane juicers and a fluoro-orange line of plastic mandolines for home slicing and julienning, this multi-skilled bakery features a neat little pork sandwich stand. Choose from tiny grilled meatballs or three kinds of pork meat plus pate and mayo and build yourself a very tasty sarnie on a wide, slightly more densely crumbed roll (from $2.80). A sweet slurp of freshly squeezed sugar cane juice ($2.20) or a powerful Vietnamese iced coffee with chewy tapioca bubbles ($3) rounds it off.

73-79 John Street, Cabramatta, 9726 2529.

Need to know

WHAT IS IT?

A fusion of French-inspired crusty roll and Vietnamese fillings.

SUCH AS?

The classic: pate, pork, pickles, carrot, cucumber, coriander, chilli and dressing.

WHAT ELSE?

Multiple variations include grilled pork balls or lemongrass chicken.

© 2007 Sydney Morning Herald

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