It can be a little bit like winning the lottery. You have an idea for a restaurant, open the doors and are instantly inundated with customers. Or can it? Too much too soon can kill a place. Service, quality and ultimately reputation suffer.
In December of 2011, Banh Mi Boys opened up and were, lets face it, overwhelmed. Far too popular for them to keep up they shut their doors and regrouped. A complete overhaul of service and space occurred. They reopened a couple months later and were off to the races. As popular again they’ve tidied up the store and tightened up their chops.
The brainchild of David, Peter and Phillip Chau, the brothers come by their abilities honestly. Their parents opened the very successful Nguyen Huong Food Co. back in 1986 and now have multiple locations in the GTA as well as their own bakery. The boys plan was to, for all intents and purposes, serve food truck foods out of a store. Popular mobile kitchen goodies like Korean Tacos and nouveau Vietnamese Subs are selling like hot cakes from curbside vendors south of the boarder. They wanted to bring that same food flair to the Big Smoke. From their little sandwich shop on Queen St. W they’re doing banh mi, tacos and bao along with fries and salad. All with their unique spin on things.
The renovation has given the boys a spiffy, east meets west, old meets new interior. Barn board, mixed with Formica meets Oriental lanterns and technology. Splashy paint on some walls, reclaimend wood on others. Menus on flat screens are there too but the best thing they got out of the reno was tables. Once a grab n go place it now has seating for 20 or so. There’s a main kitchen in the back and an open kitchen/prep station at the back of the long, thin dining room.
Those kitchens are where all the magic happens. Everything is made in house. All sauces, breads, condiments and proteins are made on site. Heck they even have their own little smoker. Slightly bigger than a mini fridge it’s perfect for a college dorm room.
So lets get a look at these goodies.
Perhaps my least favourite thing first on menu is the Jicima/Papaya salad. It’s very good but for me, nothing all that mind blowing. I actually think it would be amazing as a sandwich condiment. It has a lot more going on than do chua. It comes with an Asian salad dressing and I think I probably used too much of it. I really kinda drowned it. I’d order it again but as I said, it’s not my favourite thing here.
The Kimchi Fries were simply fantastic. Fries covered in mayo, pulled pork and kimchi. Garnished with green onion. The whole dish was great and really did scream drunk food. Broken down I found that pulled pork to be among the best smoked pork shoulder anywhere. Also, the fries on their own are some of the best I've had in the city. If not anywhere. They held up very well (both in terms of flavour and crispiness) to the components above and had a great potato taste. The kimchi tasted pretty much exactly like what my friend's Korean wife's family makes. I have 2 small complaints though. First off, the kimchi was cold. By the time I got half way through it had warmed to room temp and I much preferred it then. Perhaps that was because I was there right after they opened it was fresh out of the fridge. Also, I'd like to have seen a touch more pulled pork on them. Not a whole lot more would be needed but the smoky, porky flavour could've used just a bit more punch.
The 5 Spice Pork Belly Banh Mi was nicely packed with all the requisite goodies. Cucumber, cilantro, and do chua. They add sliced pickled radish and a nice helping of the pig tummy. I told the girl to make it (spice level) like she'd have it since she likes hot stuff. She gave me "Hot" and it was perfect. I could handle hotter but this was the right heat level. Enough to light up the taste buds without drowning anything out. On it's own the pig tummy was fabulous. Tender, tasty and not overwhelmed with the 5 Spice. Complimented and allowed the porky goodness to shine.
The Squid Taco is worthy of it’s praise. A friend and fellow food nut is totally in love with this and it’s easy to see why. The squid rings are perfectly cooked. Breaded with panko they’re deep fried to the point of golden brown but not so much that the meat turns into tires. Topped with do chua, cabbage and cilantro, then add some minced Thai chilies it’s incredible. Don’t let the picture fool you. There’s squid rings under that there vegetation. Plenty of it too.
The Grilled Chicken Taco is, so far, definitely my favourtie thing on the menu. Grilled and sauced chicken that’s totally tasty. I think the tortilla was flavourful enough but very nicely grilled and somewhat hearty. The meat was saucy (some say too saucy) which, as I've said before, is right in my wheelhouse. The vegetation on it was a good compliment of taste, temps and textures. I could eat a hundred of these.
The Fried Chicken Bao is often cited as a favourite of people and there’s good reason. It’s awesome. While bao isn’t exactly my favourite bread it’s okay but what they stuff inside is what makes this sandwich. It’s dressed much like the banh mi so you know that’s a huge plus. The big thing is, one of the best pieces of fried chicken stars. A thin piece of breast meat in a fabulous breading is deep fried to perfection. The chicken is nice and juicy while the breading gets a golden brown, crunchiness. Simply fantastic.
So there you have it folks. A great little sandwich shop churning out some cool twists on traditional favourites.
You can find Banh Mi Boys Sandwich Shop at 392 Queen St. W. in Toronto.
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You can also find them on the web, facebook and Twitter.
Well that’s all for now folks. See ya next time in the food court.
Davwud
Soup of the Gods
As I’ve pointed out in the past, the influence of one culture on another helps make exceptional cuisine. I also pointed out the French influence on Vietnamese cooking as well. You need look no further than the national dish of Vietnam, Pho. Born of the French stew Pot au Feu and adapted by Vietnamese people this dish can also be traced back to China. The resulting melting pot of ingredients, Chinese noodles in a French style beef broth with south Asian spices and vegetables makes for a very light yet hearty, simple yet complex dish.
Pronounced F–uh it seems to have been invented in the northern part of Vietnam in the early part of the 20th century. Simply noodles in beef broth with meat if affordable and/or available. The dish migrated south after the partitioning of Vietnam into two countries in the mid 1950’s. Perhaps as a way of distinguishing the dish from ones served in communist North Vietnam the democratic south started garnishing their soup with things like bean sprouts, lime juice, hoisin and various herbs. The introduction of Pho to North America further developed it into the soup we know today by introducing different meats such as chicken and shrimp. Purists scoff at this as traditionally a cook was judged on the delicate balance of the broth.
As with Fight Club, the first rule of Pho is there are no rules. You order a bowl of broth and noodles and whatever protein or combination there of you like with it. A popular choice is slices of rare and well done beef. A plate of bean sprouts, lime wedges, basil and a chili pepper are joined by the hoisin, fish sauce and chili sauce on the table. Mix and match, customize your bowl as you see fit. This may bristle some from the north but it’s up to you how you enjoy something. I always add a healthy squirt of hoisin and as much sriracha (chili sauce) as I feel I can handle. A few bean sprouts for crunch and I’m good to go.Etiquette is also pretty loose. As with most Asian noodle dishes, slurping is allowed if not encouraged. Typically the broth is eaten with a spoon and then the solids are eaten with chop sticks.For us, the best locally is at Pho Saigon.
The small restaurant in the Quaker Hill strip mall is just about as good as it gets. More than just a soup kitchen they offer noodle and rice dishes as well as appetizers. Shakes from different south Asian fruits like durian and jack fruit are joined by bubble teas.
Just about as addictive as the soup are the spring rolls. The shrimp and pork are tasty and very fresh. We ordered a sampler platter that also included pork spring rolls and egg rolls. The pork rolls are also very fresh tasting and as you can see, the egg rolls are deep fried and very full of meat. The fish sauce is good and goes with anything but the peanut sauce is amazing. It’s absolutely fabulous with the two spring rolls.
From the Rice part of the menu they have this incarnation of Pork Chop, Shredded Pork and Steamed Egg. Again, there's few rules there but generally you use the fish sauce (orange kind) the rice and then augment that with any of the other things. I added some of the shredded pork and a bit of egg. It was fantastic. As well, the pork chop was very tasty. A definite hit.
Also from the appetizer department are the Wings. If you’re a wing lover, you could do worse than visit an Asian restaurant to satisfy your craving. Simply put, most Asian restaurants make great wings. Deep fried and generally plain where these things shine is in the sauce. Most offer a sauce that’s a well rounded balance of sweet, sour and spicy. Pho Saigon’s editions are very hot. Medium is not for beginners. At first you may not think so but get a few in you and you’ll find they pack a wallop. They also have a nice deep, sweet, garlicky flavour, are cripsy yet still allow the chicken to shine through. Some of the best wings I’ve had.
We ventured into the noodles section of the menu as well. The noodle dishes are similar to the Pho but without the broth. The Vietnamese style fish sauce that accompanies is supposed to be poured over and eaten. I added some hoisin and sriracha of course.
You’re greeted with a nice pot of green tea which is always nice.
You can find Pho Saigon at 16925 Yonge St. in Newmarket, Ontario.
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Well that’s all for today. Hope to see you again in the food court.
Davwud
As I had mentioned before, conquest is good for the food scene. When one nation occupies another, new foods develop. Indigenous ingredients are introduced to old world recipes and old world ingredients are incorporated into local recipes. One of the best results of this fusion is the Banh Mi.
Also knows as a Vietnamese Sub, Hoagie or Po’ Boy the Banh Mi is just about the perfect sandwich. One part French and one part Vietnamese this South Asian offering is a cheap and tasty treat.
In the middle of the 19th century, the French started colonizing South Asia in what would become French Indochina. The local Viet peoples would be introduced to a variety of French delicacies including pate and the baguette. The addition of local ingredients would give birth to a whole new sandwich based loosely on the French “Salad Sandwich.”
The basic recipe consists of the bread with butter or mayo, a smear of pate, fish or soy sauce, cilantro, cucumber and do chua. A pickled salad of shredded carrots and daikon (a type of radish). That said, any of these ingredients can be omitted. (except the bread of course) The addition of grilled chicken, BBQ pork, sausage or a number of other protein are the variables. You can also get breakfast and veggie options as well.
One of the best I’ve had is the deluxe “Thit Nguoi” (assorted cold cuts) from Rose Cafe in Toronto’s East Chinatown.
Rose’s place is a small cafe/grocery store specializing in Vietnamese fast foods and deserts. Sandwiches, spring rolls and banana leaf wrapped delicacies are interspersed with South Asian dry goods and even DVD’s.
Whenever I’m in the Leslieville/Cabbagetown area it’s my go to snack stop.
But enough about that, on to the sandwich.
My order, “Deluxe Spicy” is just about the perfect sandwich. The heat of the chilies balanced with the cooling of the cucumber. The richness of the pate played off against the cilantro. The sweet and sour of the do chua. The tasty, salty meats in harmony with the bread. It’s a masterpiece.
The components are broken down as follows. Starting from the ground up…..
The bread is a light baguette made from rice and wheat flours. The resulting thin, crispy crust can end up making quite the bread crumb mess if even if you’re careful.
Rose uses butter (not mayo) when making hers and then some pate is added.
Next come the meats. To a certain degree it’s mystery meat. Typically though, ham, chicken breast and pork roll are used but some places add head cheese. Rose does not.
If I were to take one thing that I just couldn’t live without it’s the do chua. This slaw like garnish as just about as tasty as it can be. The sweetness of the carrot with the pungent daikon and the tart pickling is fantastic. The balance in this garnish is a microcosm of the sandwich it’s self.
The cucumber adds a nice coolness and a bit of crunch.
Enough hot peppers are added to liven it up before fresh cilantro provides a fresh taste and some more crunch.
As great as all this is, you just can’t beat the price either. Just $2.50 will secure one of these beauties for you and that’s actually expensive. Somewhere in the $2.00 range is usual but the extra cold cuts jack the price up slightly. More than worth the money.
You can find Rose Cafe at 324 Broadview Ave. Toronto, Ontario.
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Well that’s all for today kids. See ya next time in the food court.
Davwud
It can be a little bit like winning the lottery. You have an idea for a restaurant, open the doors and are instantly inundated with customers. Or can it? Too much too soon can kill a place. Service, quality and ultimately reputation suffer.
The brainchild of David, Peter and Phillip Chau, the brothers come by their abilities honestly. Their parents opened the very successful Nguyen Huong Food Co. back in 1986 and now have multiple locations in the GTA as well as their own bakery. The boys plan was to, for all intents and purposes, serve food truck foods out of a store. Popular mobile kitchen goodies like Korean Tacos and nouveau Vietnamese Subs are selling like hot cakes from curbside vendors south of the boarder. They wanted to bring that same food flair to the Big Smoke. From their little sandwich shop on Queen St. W they’re doing banh mi, tacos and bao along with fries and salad. All with their unique spin on things.
The renovation has given the boys a spiffy, east meets west, old meets new interior. Barn board, mixed with Formica meets Oriental lanterns and technology. Splashy paint on some walls, reclaimend wood on others. Menus on flat screens are there too but the best thing they got out of the reno was tables. Once a grab n go place it now has seating for 20 or so. There’s a main kitchen in the back and an open kitchen/prep station at the back of the long, thin dining room.
Perhaps my least favourite thing first on menu is the Jicima/Papaya salad. It’s very good but for me, nothing all that mind blowing. I actually think it would be amazing as a sandwich condiment. It has a lot more going on than do chua. It comes with an Asian salad dressing and I think I probably used too much of it. I really kinda drowned it. I’d order it again but as I said, it’s not my favourite thing here.
The Kimchi Fries were simply fantastic. Fries covered in mayo, pulled pork and kimchi. Garnished with green onion. The whole dish was great and really did scream drunk food. Broken down I found that pulled pork to be among the best smoked pork shoulder anywhere. Also, the fries on their own are some of the best I've had in the city. If not anywhere. They held up very well (both in terms of flavour and crispiness) to the components above and had a great potato taste. The kimchi tasted pretty much exactly like what my friend's Korean wife's family makes. I have 2 small complaints though. First off, the kimchi was cold. By the time I got half way through it had warmed to room temp and I much preferred it then. Perhaps that was because I was there right after they opened it was fresh out of the fridge. Also, I'd like to have seen a touch more pulled pork on them. Not a whole lot more would be needed but the smoky, porky flavour could've used just a bit more punch.
The 5 Spice Pork Belly Banh Mi was nicely packed with all the requisite goodies. Cucumber, cilantro, and do chua. They add sliced pickled radish and a nice helping of the pig tummy. I told the girl to make it (spice level) like she'd have it since she likes hot stuff. She gave me "Hot" and it was perfect. I could handle hotter but this was the right heat level. Enough to light up the taste buds without drowning anything out. On it's own the pig tummy was fabulous. Tender, tasty and not overwhelmed with the 5 Spice. Complimented and allowed the porky goodness to shine. 
The Squid Taco is worthy of it’s praise. A friend and fellow food nut is totally in love with this and it’s easy to see why. The squid rings are perfectly cooked. Breaded with panko they’re deep fried to the point of golden brown but not so much that the meat turns into tires. Topped with do chua, cabbage and cilantro, then add some minced Thai chilies it’s incredible. Don’t let the picture fool you. There’s squid rings under that there vegetation. Plenty of it too.
The Grilled Chicken Taco is, so far, definitely my favourtie thing on the menu. Grilled and sauced chicken that’s totally tasty. I think the tortilla was flavourful enough but very nicely grilled and somewhat hearty. The meat was saucy (some say too saucy) which, as I've said before, is right in my wheelhouse. The vegetation on it was a good compliment of taste, temps and textures. I could eat a hundred of these.
The Fried Chicken Bao is often cited as a favourite of people and there’s good reason. It’s awesome. While bao isn’t exactly my favourite bread it’s okay but what they stuff inside is what makes this sandwich. It’s dressed much like the banh mi so you know that’s a huge plus. The big thing is, one of the best pieces of fried chicken stars. A thin piece of breast meat in a fabulous breading is deep fried to perfection. The chicken is nice and juicy while the breading gets a golden brown, crunchiness. Simply fantastic.
