Downtown Hamilton’s newest Vietnamese restaurant proving an early hit

Published December 7, 2021 at 10:42 pm

A new Vietnamese eatery is offering a new way to satisfy your sandwich and dumpling cravings in downtown Hamilton.

Bánh Mì Huế, which serves authentic Vietnamese sandwiches, food, desserts and iced coffee, opened late last month at 127 MacNab St., just steps from bustling James Street North. The quick-service establishment, which also offers catering services, is open every day from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.. While it is early, so far it has earned a 5.0 rating from the first 14 reviewers on Google.

“You’ve never had Bánh mì, if you haven’t had it here,” says one review.

“Some of the dumplings can’t be found anywhere else,” adds another, referring to a take-away menu that includes steamed rice cake, sticky rice dumplings and tapioca dumplings.

For those new to Vietnamese cuisine, bánh mì is a bit like a submarine sandwich. Typically, a short baguette with a crisp crust and soft texture is split lengthwise and filled with savory ingredients. Native Vietnamese ingredients are often combined with elements from French cuisine.

For instance, on its Facebook page, the restaurant says its top selling sandwich is its Bánh Mì Thập Cẩm: “It is started off with a delicious savoury pâté spread … packed with three different pork slices, and topped with pickled veggies, cucumber and cilantro.”