Bach Dang Canley Vale NSV

Roast quail  - I loved this but it was pricey.

Sunday evening and the restaurant was well patronised, many tables with birthday celebration gatherings.  The several young staff were quick on their feet, spoke a variety of languages including Vietnamese and English and were well dressed.    In a two shop space, the interior was modern and you could see the street outside through windows.   There is easy ground level access from the street.


Welcome to Bach Dang, understandably an institution amongst the Indo-Chinese Australian community and which has been serving food for many years.  Even those outside this community have ventured here and generally provide a positive experience of this restaurant.    I could hear Teochew being spoken, this is a language of southern China, especially amongst Bach Dang's diners.  


Most tables had steamboat going.   It was a boisterous atmosphere, with smiling grandparents doting over their exuberant grand kids, with bearded brown haired hipsters seated beside their doe eyed black haired angels.   Even on one wall were letterings announcing a birthday for some captain !   We looked out for the cakes - one was outstanding traditional, nothing like what we expected.  It was round shaped but did not have sponge or cream, perhaps jelly like layers but I do not really know. 


The steamboat had a most satisfying flavour, not too plain and not over spiced or chillied out.   It is the integrity of the stock in the soup and it had a bit of a twist with a light sourish feel, like as if tamarind was used.   The fish slices are tender, juicy and fresh.   Steamboat is communal eating - and Bach Dang echoes this best.   There is an emphasised family atmosphere but I did not feel crowded in in the spacing of tables.   There are option in varying cost levels of set menus.


For entrees, we had quail, one of my favourites and Bach Dang more than delivered.  Crunchy, with the right notes of meat marinated just right.   Service is friendly.  Two of my mates who used to be in Wollongong grew up here - and they still have fond memories of Bach Dang.  I observed steamboat is popular in the Teochew heartland along the south China coast ( Shantou, not far from Hong Kong)  and Bach Dang does justice to this tradition.    The Teochews migrated to Vietnam before the latest phase settling in Australia.

Seafood steamboat.

Vegetarian, meat and seafood  - Bach Dang has these three pillars in its menu.




Bach Dang  is located at  46 Canley Vale Road, Canley Vale, NSW, near the Rail Station.
Contact +61 2  9727 9931
Opening hours are open from 10am to 10pm every day.

An independent review by Kevin Yong

My dish recommendations at Bach Dang, Canley Vale are as follows:

Catfish bathed in caramel sauces in a clay pot.

Chao Gio Do Bien  - deep fried spring rolls stuffed with seafood and they taste as well as they look!

Crabs with vermicelli in a hot pot.

Chao Tam - those battered prawns served on petite sugar cane sticks.

Steamed oysters for starters.

Roast quail or pigeon.

Steamed fish with ginger and shallots.

Chicken wings stuffed with pork.

Pipis stir fried with XO sauce.

Braised Chinese Broccoli with oyster sauce.

Avocado, Jackfruit or custard apple smoothies.

 

Pho Toan Thang Vietnamese Restaurant Homebush NSW

It was a rather early Sunday morning - the crowds had not arrived as yet.   Some shops, cafes and restaurants were already opened for business, including Pho Toan Thang.


PTT is a family run business that has both Vietnamese and Cantonese hues in its food and atmosphere. People were having breakfast here!    The grocery across the paved walkway, Tan Hung Long, was awaking from just opened mood, but next door, K.W. Barbeque, already had people lining up.    The roast ducks, pork and soy chicken were going fast from the display window - and I saw a fresh batch of marinated chicken feet brought in form the kitchen behind.  


The PTT menu can be seen replicated across many such comparable Indo-Chinese themed restaurants across metropolitan areas in Australia today.    Many Aussies are familiar with now staple items like pork chops with tomato flavoured rice, beef Pho and hotpots of seafood.   I was more curious as to why many people would line up at TT for lunch, afternoon snacks and dinner soon later in the day.


The PTT staff spoke Cantonese, but also was conversant in Mandarin and English.   I chose a typical dish to test the waters at PTT.   The chicken rice noodles soup I got had a different taste from traditional Pho in Vietnam.   It may be just me, but it seemed more southern Chinese in character than Hanoi.    PTT provided generous clean cuts of breast meat slices.  The mint and bean sprouts were there on a  separate plate.  The soup however was more clear than expected.   The narrow rice noodles served were what I like best in a  soup, with its rather appetising texture.  A squeeze of lemon, some sauce and the piping hot bowl became better.


The colour of the tomato flavoured rice here is not so orangey.   I noticed the pork trotters, crispy chicken, Bahn Mi, and salt fish flavoured fried rice with chicken at other tables.    Many of my mates with a Vietnamese family background have told me this restaurant is one on the familiar weekend  circuit on countless family routines around Sydney.


 Not much time to ponder more about food....there is more grocery shopping to do, and then head to a home party!




Pho Toan Thang Vietnamese Restaurant visited is located at  Shop 9, 90-95 The Crescent, Homebush NSW.
Opening hours are from 9am to 8pm daily.
Contact +61 2 9764 3687

Mr Happy Chef Noodle House Homebush NSW

The classic tomato flavoured rice that comes with pork chops, or as above, with deep fried chicken.

The crowds this time were not just lining up at Toan Thang, much celebrated in social media, but also two doors away at Mr. Happy Chef.   So our group of six persons decided to give this corner restaurant a try.  It was a public holiday and so many people were out and about, we just being lucky to have found vehicle parking spaces not too far away.   There is a relatively spacious walk area outside this restaurant - another plus in so called Asian suburbs!

Subtle but flavourful stock in soup served with Wanton dumplings and egg noodles.

As in such so called ethnic places, service can be devastatingly fast.   The soups do come piping hot, and my best dish experienced that day was the tomato flavoured rice with the deep fried chicken.    The chicken skin was crispy, the rice had sufficient oomph in flavour and the meat was happily good on the bite.   The prawn noodle in contrast lacked the required level of taste but the accompanying ingredients were all right.    The wanton dumpling soup was above average to my fellow lunchers who love Cantonese styled food.

Tender on the bite pork slices garnish a spicy soup brewed with ground shrimp, enhanced by shallots, bean sprouts and boiled eggs  -  the Mee Yoke or Prawn Noodles.

So there you go, one has to be selective in having dishes anywhere.   The buzz at Mr. Happy Chef is turnover, tight seating and friendly service.  One of my meal companions went for a quick drop by to get Western Australian nougat and another got the chopped barbecue meats next door.    There are, as expected, many items in the food and drinks menu at Mr. Happy Chef.

My Impressions on this visit to Mr. Happy Chef at Homebush West:

Ambiance:  2.5 out of 5

Staff Engagement: 3.5 out of 5

Culinary Delight: 3 out of 5

X Factor: 3 out of 5

Overall Score: 3 out of 5

The butcher is central to the social and business life in Flemington NSW.   This  is K.W. BBQ located between Happy Chef and Toan Thang.

Mr. Happy Chef Noodle House visited is located at Shop 11/90 The Crescent,  Homebush West, NSW next door to K.W. BBQ and Toan Thang Vietnamese Restaurant.
Opening hours are from 930am to 900pm every day.
Contact   +61 2  9746 8999

Miss Saigon Hurstville NSW

Stir fried flat rice noodles buried under a heap of veg, chicken, corn bits and carrots.

I recall having dropped by this restaurant many years ago when Hurstville was already showing signs of being one of the most non-mainstream suburbs in the southern part of the greater Sydney area.  


The restaurant's name resonated with a spectacular and popular musical staged at the Capitol Theatre in Sydney's Chinatown, with the inevitable Filipino artiste taking the lead about the evacuation of Saigon at the end of the American War.


Well, this modest place at one end of the now crowded and bustling Forest Road, the main business strip for Hurstville, continues to dish out standard fare from the Vietnamese cooking genre.   Perhaps the strategy is to provide good old simple fare that is modestly priced, consistent with expectations of the target market, who could be families out on a social outing, singles and couples who cannot bother to cook and those in a hurry to have a quick meal after alighting from the nearby rail station or from many of the passing buses.


I did notice an interesting section this recent visit on the menu - starch noodle soup or the Hu Tieu Dai.   They come served  steaming hot with the usual seafood or pork chops.  Why starched? To me, it looked like the Koay Teow Thng soup found in many street food locales in south-east Asia,  especially popular amongst Fujian diaspora who settled away from southern China overseas for  many generations by now.


Pho, of course is a useful, iconic test for any Vietnamese food place and Miss Saigon serves only beef options here, still tasty according to my mates.


One of my fav orders at such places is the Chim Cut, or marinated quail pieces then deep fried to give an extra crunch on the bite.    Another quick snack is the Banh Xeo, where bean sprouts, pork slices, prawns and chopped shallots are whipped up into a pancake fold, which is presented with fresh mint leaves, fish sauce dips and freshly peeled lettuce on your plate.


The restaurant looks a bit jaded in its walls - and although the framed wood cuts are lovely, perhaps need a refreshed overhaul in look and feel, away from its rather current brownish feel.  There are competitors nearby, but perhaps mainly from the mainland China variety, which does offer another sort of cuisine, more affecting the traditional Cantonese culinary places. 


Still, Miss Saigon is open the whole day and echoes comfort food for many Asian- Australians, even if the younger ones have moved one in taste, residential base and mindset to other parts of greater Sydney - or even to London, California, Singapore and back to Vietnam itself.


I did enjoy my serve of the Viet-Chinese version of Sar Hor Fun.  The wok heat came through the noodles,  the serving size was not over the top and the stir fry was thorough  (first photo on this blog post).   There was no pennywort drink that day but we settled fro the young coconut juice at AUD3.50, a bargain price compared to most similar restaurants these days.

Miss Saigon is located at 185C Forest Road, Hurstville NSW.

Opening hours are from 10am to 10pm every day.
Contact    + 61 2 9585 0068



My impressions of Miss Saigon at Hurstville NSW:
Ambiance: 2.5 out of 5

Customer Engagement:  3.5 out of 5
Culinary Delight:  3.5 out of 5
X Factor: 2.5  out of 5
Overall:   12 /4  out of 5

 

Tan Viet Noodle House - Eastwood NSW

The three coloured drink, with an extra touch of honeyed nuts, accompanies the compulsory chilies, dilute tea and bean sprouts.


Ever reliable for a snack or feed, Tan Viet Noodle House was our destination again for sustenance on a busy day.

Tables are placed close together, as can be expected in an Asian food house.  The restaurant is indeed located along a busy street, amidst a wide selection of cafes and restaurants offering diverse cuisine and street food. Interior decor is relatively modern.   The menu is not as extensive as some comparable places in Cabramatta or Canley Vale, but is streamlined for easy decisions be made by customers. 

Staff are of the younger set. In my experience, they do greet you and offer quick service.  Many customers I observe are come, eat and come again.  

At Tan Viet, there are the usual variety of Che, the traditional Vietnamese sweet beverage that comes in various combinations with kidney beans, tapioca, clear or grass jelly bits, black eyed peas, Mung beans or fruit slices (especially Longan, Jackfruit, Durian, Mango and Lychee).   Personally I prefer those without coconut milk and with a clear look, displaying the various add on ingredients that go with a texture and bite in your mouth.  Depending on the season, you may like them either  served warm, hot or cold.  Che, which can also mean simply tea, also comes with colourful stuff like Pandanus leaf extracts, Sesame seeds, Aloe Vera and seaweed. 

Che is a south-east Asian phenomenon.  Closely related varieties are found in the Cendol of George Town, Penang island; the Filipino Halo Halo and Sago T' Gulaman ;  and Indonesian Es Teler, laden with avocado, Nipah palm jackfruit and young coconut meat.

Herbal duck with egg noodles and veg - the Mi Vit Tiem.




When a meat is lovingly massaged and then cooked, it shows.  I did not regret going for something different at Tan Viet - the duck thighs placed in a herb bag, coming out with their skin crisp and yet with the inner meat moist.  Flavour infusion and delicateness are the key themes - hints of rosemary, thyme, pepper, garlic, ginger and spices like cinnamon, clove and star anise.  Dried mandarin fruit skin enhances the marinade for the herbal duck.

Although the duck is brown looking, the taste is refined, with contrasting sensations between the succulent meat and texture of outer skin. 

Braised goat curry.




Not as hot as versions dished up in the Caribbean or the Indian sub-continent, the goat curry from Tan Viet is a milder but still flavourful and spicy option.  Unlike white meat like chicken,  goat can be not every one's taste and preference.   Tan Viet does it well in slow cooking the goat meat served till it is juicy tender and yet it does not break apart. The body does feel noticeably warm inside after partaking this dish - so it can be suitable for autumn and winter consumption.

Best eaten with steamed rice, the accompanying curry gravy is peppery.  Tan Viet's offering here is not gamey at all but provides a wholesome experience that is more braised than curry.  One cannot avoid some fat and bone with goat but I reckon they add to the experience.

My impressions of Tan Viet Noodle House
Ambiance:  2.5 out of 5
Customer Engagement: 3.5 out of 5
Culinary Delight:  3.5 out of 5
X Factor:  2.5 out of 5
Overall:   3 out of 5


Recommended menu choices:
Crispy skin chicken with egg noodles or tomato flavoured rice
Hainan steamed chicken with flavoured rice
Herbal duck with egg noodles
Pork chops with egg omelette

Tan Viet Noodle House is located at 209 Rowe Street, Eastwood NSW, opposite the school.
Opening hours are from 1030am to 9pm every day.
Contact + 61 2 9858 6157

Saigon Senses - Wollongong Central NSW

It was the interior deco that caught my eye as well.  There were far and few in between Asian food outlets in the Wollongong area when I first moved there many years ago, perhaps a few Indian and Indo-Chinese ones selling pan -Asian menus.   Now that the demographic diversity of the greater Sydney Basin is more reflected in gastronomic choices in this seaside town, I can now cite three recently opened places selling the pork roll ala Vietnam - the Quay Canteen at Crown Street Mall, the Bakery Boys at lower Crown Street and now Saigon Senses.

And yes, the belly pork roll which I had as takeaway at Saigon Senses is the clear winner - wholesomely generous, bursting with flavour and brimming with the garnish of pickled slices of crunchy veg.  Roast belly pork per Vietnamese recipe is closer to the Cantonese version than to those in Spain, Germany or Italy.  maybe it is the added spices for taste, perhaps it is the French effect with a baguette - make your choice as to multigrain, wholemeal or more.   The meat is tender here, well cooked for the palate, better than pulled pork and the crispy crackle is the bonus of the experience.

There is only a simple menu here, but easily divided in to wraps, soups, rice dishes, vermicelli and rolls.   Normally I gyrate towards the combination of broken rice, served with side garnish and a well charcoal grilled meat like chicken or pork chop, but here they have beef as an option as well.  This one plate combination is a good idea for a lunch time selection and can be a take away.  I am not partial to those mixtures of meat and dry vermicelli but do like the wraps, especially those packed tight with fresh veg and ingredients like prawns and bite-sized meat cubes.

 I had one evening walked into Saigon Senses, knowing it had closed up for the day,and said hi to Mr. Bao Dang, who is one of the co-owenrs of Saigon Senses with Ms. Thuy Huynh. This affable young man has a natural smile - and when I next dropped by on a nearly lunch hour, Bao seemed to do everything in preparing the food for me.  Easygoing, Bao was efficient in getting the orders from other customers.  I like the way Bao displays the bread rolls as if it is in a French cafe.   Both Bao and Thuy left behind their training and career in IT and education to go into the food business - they previously operated at the food court in Wollongong Central.

I have yet to try the Vietnamese meatballs, an interesting choice that plays on the Wollongong market's penchant for meatballs from such diverse places as Italian  restaurants and Subway rolls.
One thing that stood out is the lemongrass flavoured tofu - soy being essentially neutral in taste, this brings a rather Thai twist - lemongrass is also available for beef.    The roll I may go for on a next visit is one containing mayonnaise and egg.

The iconic item of pho served here relies on its gentle soup stock, not over powering with five spice powder but simmering along easy on the palate like a slow boat along a quiet stretch of Halong Bay.    Pho as you know originated from the Hanoi area  - there is an image of an elephant and farmland vista from Sapa on the wall of  Saigon Senses.   I found the breast meat cuts woody and not as juicy tender as I have had at some other cafes in a few Sydney suburbs.

 Saigon Senses is located on the ground floor of the GPT Shopping centre in Wollongong Central, opposite Coles supermarket and one floor above the car park level.
Address is 200 Crown Street, Wollongong NSW.
Saigon Senses is open every day from 10am to 4pm.
Contact +61 403 831 368

 

Viet Kitchen, Mount Eden - Auckland

Rolls packed with brimming freshness and delicate taste.

A new player in Dominion Road's food scene offers a lilting menu and a variety of yummy Vietnamese dishes for take away or for an easy time out.  The Viet Kitchen has a modern decor, has a spacious interior and friendly staff.   My group was seated in an friendly and efficient manner and staff made sure to ask if everything was going all right with the food after we had started taken them. Young Kayley was captivated by the framed paintings and photos on the wall - and took time out to also check the bamboo plant with her Mum.  The restaurant is sited in an already existing hub of food outlets and not far from the Countdown supermarket in Mount Eden.

Grilled offerings are popular in Vietnam - the Viet Kitchen provides this entree which is flavourful, authentic and  wholesome, grilled pork on lemongrass sticks.

The egg noodles in soup are a must to try.  The day the four of us visited, with an infant in tow, the stringency, freshness and texture of the noodles stood out positively.  The other test for such a delicate and simple dish is the satisfaction the soup gives you on the palate - this one for dinner time was not over whelming, not salty and you could taste the chicken in the stock.   In contrast, to my palate, I found the tomato based soup with vermicelli and garnishing (photo above) did look colourful but in taste lacked a certain oomph.

Other recommended items to try are the duck flavoured soup with egg noodles, the traditional iced coffee using condensed milk, grilled beef skewers, Pho noodles, combination plates of grilled meat with rice and salad and deep fried spring rolls.
The menu pricing is moderate and practical.  I suggest this place to keep in mind after a busy day, when no one feels like cooking and is suitable for couples, families or friends gathering.


The Viet Kitchen is located at342-344 Dominion Road, Mount Eden, Auckland 1024.
Opening hours are 11am to 10pm every day.
Contact numbers are  +64 212787999 and +64 96302218

Quay Canteen - Wollongong CBD

There is the Bakery Boys located further down Crown Street in Wollongong city centre.  But on the upper side along the mall, on top of another coffee place (the Square), lies a hidden gem, in the innards of the previous Central Chambers - climb up an unassuming stair case, navigate the narrow passages once you are on the first floor and head towards the corner balconies.  The menu is mostly Indo-Chinese, but you still have Aussie favourites like croissants, avocado smash and banana bread.
Another perspective is that it is vegan friendly, has gluten free options and its catch cry emphasise "raw treats".

Then we noticed the French baguettes, and before long it was Good Morning Vietnam!  Ingredients like fried shallots, coleslaw from the tropics, coriander, vermicelli salad and spicy sauces dotted the compact but diverse menu.  A fellow luncher recommended to me the v salad - laden with pepitas (roasted pumpkin seeds), mint leaves, cucumber slices, carrot and pickled daikon radish. We all felt like backpackers discovering this fusion of the best of Asia and Australia.   I can have my breakfast waffles but they do not come with honey or maple syrup  - instead they are served with Nam Mouc (or  dipping fish sauce) and five spice powder flavoured mushrooms!   There is crackling pork available to eat with cole slaw.  Imagine fresh tofu presented on a baguette.

Quay Canteen has turned the tables on burgers and sandwiches.  I can be messy with my disintegrating crumbs on the table from a bitten baguette, but the bite from a crunchy textured baguette is just so different from that with a multi grain bread or sourdough.   I can have bbq pork with all these explosive but tasty Asian salad garnishing.  We look out from the balcony but it is not Saigon or Hanoi.  The food served is light, not over done and can be snacks, takeaway or a full meal.  On display in the cake shelves are things like English banoffee and Italian rum choc balls.

Looking out at Crown Street Mall - central portion.

Maybe the coffee needs to be provided hotter.    There is both inside and balcony seating - plus niches for couples who want more privacy.   The cafe grew out of a clothes business and that original outlet - the Quay Supply Company - is still there, in an adjoining room.    Hey, perhaps shades of Lee & Me in lower Crown Street!   The staff wear black, the plates have black linings and even the coffee cups are black.   I have yet to try the classic Vietnam staples like the Bahn Mi, rice paper wrap rolls and steamed buns -  but aim to.

The Quay Canteen is located upstairs above the Square Cafe in the middle portion of Wollongong city centre's Crown Street Mall.
Address: Shop 5, 157 Crown Street, Wollongong NSW.
You climb up a stairs and then navigate through an area with small shop outlets, subconciously aiming for a corner of the building with two balconies over looking Crown Street Mall.
Orders are taken over the counter and help yourself to tap drinking water.

Opening Hours: Breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Bau Truong Marrickville NSW

Char grilled pork with sugar cane, a Vietnamese classic.  8 out of 10.

It is more of a fusion Vietnamese cuisine, with an upmarket setting, a calming light subdued interior with an upstairs.  Portions are good, service is friendly and bookings are essential on weekends.  Located almost smack in the middle of Marrickville's main strip,  Bau Troung here, with a distinctive blue coloured logo, offers a different dining experience from the stereotyped Vietnamese restaurant, even if its roots are home grown and traditional.

The menu reflects its grass roots, although some offerings have been tweaked to a modern and more Australian audience.   They take pains with presentation at Bau Troung Marrickville, recognise the Aussie need for meats and tone down the spice and chili.  Having said that, I was delighted they served anchovies, but to a palatable degree, in a salad.  The other Bau Truong restaurants in Cabramatta and Canley Heights respectively in the greater Sydney region perhaps are of a different set up and even wider menu options.

Bean sprout omelette.  5 out of 10.  Taste was under whelming and perhaps did not have the more crispy bite I was hoping for.

Viet styled salads are less confronting than Thai versions and there in lies the challenge of subtlety and taste.   The utilisation of fresh ingredients sliced or cut in the most taste inducing manner, to give texture and bite, is critical.  Then comes the inter play of sauces, condiments and garnishing.  The resulting level of harmony from all these factors decide the outcome on the palate of diners.  Salads are always companions to the main meals or act as starters for the course.  Bau Truong has several types of salads for diners.

Pawpaw Salad with anchovies and prawns.  7 of of 10.

Charcoal char grilled meats are key in Vietnamese, Korean, Laotian and Thai cooking.   The braised marinades that apply combine to affect the taste. In this respect, I enjoyed the chicken and pork dished out by Bau Truong - with crispy bites, yummy sensations and accompanying sauces.  We are fortunate to have the owner of Bau Truong already having a strong good reputation in making grilled meats and fish sauce vinaigrette when she was based in Saigon.  She has positively reflected her skills and experience here in her meat dishes at Bau Truong.

Do check out the crocodile meat stir fried with lemongrass, leek and chili, if they are in season.

Braised pork ribs. 7 out of 10.  Appreciated flavours but no carving knife offered to help cut it up.

The term "tapas" originate from the Iberian peninsula, but in a world of mobility and multi-culturalism, they just mean small sampling servings eaten by themselves or as a prelude to the main meal.  The number of tapas items at Bau Truong is impressive. The spring rolls here are made with both taro and pork.  There are old school items like chicken feet salad, rare beef in tamarind or lime salad or jellyfish with prawn plus pork salad.

Best eaten together in groups, many dishes at Bau Troung are share plates, large or small.    This echoes the home and family traditions and cooking from the background of Madam Bac Cang Hghieu, who runs the Bau Truong chain with her son and daughter.

Roast chicken with side serves of pickles and sauce. 8 out of 10.

Food:  Pricing is higher than most for this cuisine but there is variety.  Bau Truong tapas styled offerings are the best way to navigate this if you are not sure what to expect.

Staff:  Satisfactory interaction most times.

Ambiance:  Modern setting, but can be busy and noisy.


Dishes I am looking forward to try on the next opportunity are the duck braised with preserved bean sauce and lifted by chili and lemongrass; golden fried soft shell crabs glazed with a tamarind sauce; and the Bau Truong pork knuckle, slow cooked with chestnuts, mushrooms, ginger and shallots.



Bau Truong Marrickville is located at 185 Marrickville Road, in the section between Frampton Avenue and Victoria Road.
Telephone:  612 9569 4938
Opening hours: only every evening, from 5pm. Open till 10pm from Sundays to Thursdays.
Closes at  midnight on Friday and Saturday nights.
Gluten free menu choices are also available on request.
BYO wine with corkage charges.

Bakery Boys Wollongong

My Bakery Boys Breakfast Roll - a twist on the Banh Mi.

There are plenty of Banh Mi outlets around Australian capital cities these days - the quick but wholesome yummy buns have proved to be a good on the run snack, especially at lunch time, with a healthy dose of sweet Aussie produce and Vietnamese flavoured grilled or steamed pork or chicken or in pate forms.  Banh Mi in the Antipodes started life after the arrival of Vietnamese in the early 1980s seeking a safer refuge from the aftermath of the American war in their country of birth.  It is already fusion food when concocted in Vietnam, with French baguettes, Asian sauces, mayo, coriander, chili bits, onion cuts, delightful fresh cucumber and vinegar infused carrot slices all in one bite.

Mural on the wall of the city centre cafe.

In the Wollongong area, there is a variation with southern Chinese styled roast pork slices (instead of the cold meats) at Sam's Crusty Bread along the Princes Highway in Corrimal, a suburb just north of the city centre.  So it was with delight that another Banh Mi outlet is found in the Bakery Boys, sited along lower Crown Street (towards the junction with Corrimal Street).  The Bakery Boys may have roots in Vietnamese food but they have created a variation of the hipster and updated version of the Aussie cafe.  Yes, there is the barista coffee machine, breakky food and brunch choices. So instead of just bacon and ham, sourdough and Western styled meals, the Bakery Boys have a short but simply effective menu that offers a slight changed alternative from most of the cafes in the Illawarra.

I tried the Bakery Boys breakfast roll, with an omelette sitting inside a baguette roll with marinated pork sausage slices.   There are eye catching baguette rolls placed on the counter.  A customer has an intense piccolo ordered.  It does feel like a budding gathering hole, they only opened two months ago. I make a mess of the baguette crumbs on the table.  Oh yes, they also have hot pies.  Schnitzel is one of the selections for Banh Mi here.

The lunch time crowd in mid-winter.

The Vietnamese brewed ice coffee is made with condensed milk but allows the drinker to appreciate the different sensations of coffee blends from Vietnam.  Many lunch time customers walked in from their business offices or tradie assignments  - there is a screen that is dedicated to live sports (Manchester United was playing the San Jose Quakes when we were there).  There is ample seating but also a good turn around of take aways.    One wall has an etching of a street scene and the people behind the counter are enthusiastic and active.  Across the road, one can see the driveway to the Downtown Motel.   The Bakery Boys are not far from Lee and Me, Lower Crown East and the Sugar Cube, long established players in this part of the city.

Iced coffee ala Vietnam - and the Illawarra Mercury!

I found the Bakery Boys an interesting business model on the coffee retail scene - having practical pricing, encouraging a good turnover of their produce and emanating the look and feel to attract the market in the Wollongong area (students, workers, beach visitors, couples and families).   Yes, they have further elevated the popularity of the Banh Mi in the process - you no longer have to travel to a so-called Asian suburb in greater Sydney to get your hands on this interesting French-Asian roll, which can also form part of your catering orders.


The Bakery Boys is located at 69 Crown Street, Wollongong CBD.
Telephone: 61458 700 791
Opening hours are from 7am to 230pm daily.