Bánh mì is a traditional Vietnamese dish that has always sounded delicious to me. The thought of crispy baguettes stuffed with meat and veggies makes me weak in the knees. Since I’d never tried it before, going to Bánh Mì Saigon checked something off my bucket list. I was skipping from excitement as I made my way through the roads of Ang Mo Kio to find the spot.
You’ll need to walk through a hawker centre and eventually, you’ll spot an evident red aura. Amidst all the red paper lanterns, the words Bánh Mì Saigon peek out. Situated in a secluded spot, it shares space with a Vietnamese mini-mart selling traditional tidbits and snacks.
I first realised that the food is available only for takeaway. I examined the menu which was initially confusing as the items were listed in Vietnamese. I couldn’t immediately spot the faded descriptions in English beneath them. But once I did, it wasn’t hard choosing my first bánh mì.
It was fascinating to watch the assembling process of the sub through the glass box. It also gave me a chance to observe the wide variety of fillings and toppings that go into this Vietnamese dish.
My first choice was the Bánh Mì Thịt (S$7.90) with cold-cut pork ham as its main meat filling. It also had the words “special great bánh mì” underneath it so how could I not go for that? There were 13 bánh mì options to choose from, so I took a while to decide on the second one. I finally landed on the Bánh Mì Gà Xé Phay (S$8.90) which came with salt-baked, hand-pulled chicken.
Although their sign states the waiting time to be between 15-35 minutes, I waited for only about seven. This was perhaps since it was a slow, weekday afternoon. I was still ravenous and dug into it as soon as I got home.
The Bánh Mì Gà Xé Phay had colours popping out, so it caught my eye first. It had red capsicum, finely sliced carrots, cucumbers, hand-pulled chicken, and a whole lot of spring onions.
The chicken was bright red as a result of some marination, almost giving the visual of chicken tikka. There were also a few green chillis scattered within the baguette which was balanced by refreshing cucumbers and parsley. The capsicums and carrots gave the dish a crunchy texture and went well with the soft, spiced chicken. The crispy, buttered baguette brought it all together.
I then pounced on the Bánh Mì Thịt to check if it was worthy of its “special great bánh mì” title. Aside from the carrots, capsicums, cucumbers, parsley and spring onions, there were three different types of cold-cut hams.
The quantity of meat was a lot more, so the veggies didn’t shine as much in comparison to the previous dish. If you take your time to chew on it, you can distinguish between the different types of hams. There was also a peppery and sweet jam slathered on the sides of the baguette which really gave the Bánh Mì Thịt a distinct taste— in a good way. The pork floss on top was a bonus which added to its flavour game.
It was also surprisingly convenient to eat, even for a messy eater like me. The baguettes were sturdy and did not crumble from the weight of the filling which was quite generous. They come in easy-to-carry yellow paper bags so you can have it on-the-go too.
Their menu has some variety. Other sandwiches you can go for are Bánh Mì Xίu Mại (pork meatballs, S$8.90), Bánh Mì Nem Nướng (grilled meat, S$8.90), Bánh Mì Phá Lấu Heo (mixed pork, S$9.90), Bánh Mì Thịt Nướng (BBQ pork, S$8.90) and much more. Their newest item, Bánh Mì Bò Lá Lốp (S$10.90), has sweet, fragrant beef so that might be worth checking out too. Their options for add-on toppings include Ham (S$2.50), Cheese (S$2.50), Egg (S$2), Xiu Mai (S$3), Pork Skin (S$3), Pâté (S$2), and other Meat (S$3.50).
Your taste of Vietnam doesn’t end with just a bánh mì, there are also drinks and sides available! Choose from options like Trà Sữa Thái Đỏ (iced red milk tea, S$3.80), Cà Phê Đen Đá (Vietnamese iced dark coffee, S$4.50), and Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese iced milk coffee, S$4.50). For sides, they offer two items— Xôi Mặn (Vietnamese sticky rice, S$8.90) and Gỏi Cuốn (spring rolls, S$8.90).
I was filled with a warm sense of satisfaction after finishing the meal. The portions are large and will have you feeling full for a good period of time. Interestingly, I favour the Bánh Mì Gà Xé Phay over their signature Bánh Mì Thịt. I usually go for the ones with more spice, so this was no surprise. The marinated chicken also gave this dish a flavour kick that I really enjoyed. But if you’re someone who prefers meatier subs, then I would recommend their Bánh Mì Thịt. It was stacked so full with cold-cut hams that it was hard to ensure they didn’t slip out.
I’m super glad to have finally tasted this Vietnamese street food, and it was exactly how I imagined it to be. Bánh Mì Saigon does live up to the hype of its positive reviews, as many netizens describe it to be their go-to place for bánh mì in the city. I would recommend it to anyone craving a sub sandwich, as the Vietnamese twist packs a good deal of flavour. If you’re in the area, it’s worth taking a detour for, so put this one on your list!
Expected damage: S$3.50 – S$11 per pax
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Armenia and Azerbaijan said Friday that more than 210 people died in border clashes this week, with Yerevan accusing Baku troops of atrocities in the arch foes' worst fighting in two years. US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she will travel to Yerevan on Saturday after this week's escalation has largely undone recent Western efforts to bring Baku and Yerevan closer to a peace agreement. The Caucasus neighbours have fought two wars — in 2020 and in the 1990s — over the contested Nagorno-Karabakh region, Azerbaijan's Armenian-populated enclave. Both sides accuse each other of provoking the clashes, which erupted on Tuesday and ended with international mediation overnight on Thursday. On Friday, Azerbaijan's defence ministry revised the death toll among its troops to 77 from an earlier reported 71. Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said: "For the moment, the number of dead is 135." "Unfortunately, it is not the final figure. There are also many wounded," he told a cabinet meeting. Armenia's rights ombudsperson, Kristina Grigoryan, later said one civilian was also killed and six wounded in shelling by Azerbaijani forces. The chief of staff of Armenia's armed forces, Eduard Asryan, accused Azerbaijani troops of committing "atrocities," saying they mutilated and dismembered the bodies of dead Armenian servicemen. "This is a horrible atrocity, a violation of international humanitarian law," he told foreign diplomats in the city of Jermuk. – 'International mediation' – Grigoryan said the clashes also forced hundreds of Armenian civilians to flee their homes. "Azerbaijan targeted peaceful residents," she said — a claim which Baku flatly denies. It was the worst fighting since the two countries fought a six-week war in 2020 and comes with Armenia's closest ally Moscow distracted by its nearly seven-month war in Ukraine. Armenia's security council said the violence ended late Thursday "thanks to international mediation" after earlier failed attempts by Moscow to broker a truce. A delegation of the Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) — a Moscow-led grouping of ex-Soviet republics — arrived in Yerevan on Thursday evening, Armenia's defence ministry said. Armenia is a member of CSTO but Azerbaijan is not. On Tuesday, Armenia's security council asked for military help from Moscow, which is obliged under the treaty to defend Armenia in the event of a foreign invasion. With Moscow increasingly isolated on the world stage following its February invasion of Ukraine, the European Union had taken a lead role in mediating the Armenia-Azerbaijan normalisation process. – Transport sticking point – During EU-mediated talks in Brussels in April and May, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Pashinyan agreed to "advance discussions" on a future peace treaty. They last met in Brussels on August 31, for talks mediated by the European Council President Charles Michel. The talks also focus on border delimitation and the reopening of transport links. The issue of ensuring a land transport link between Turkic-speaking Azerbaijan and its ally Ankara via Armenian territory has emerged as the primary sticking point. Azerbaijan insists on Yerevan renouncing its jurisdiction over the land corridor that should pass along Armenia's border with Iran — a demand the Armenian government rejects as an affront to the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity. The six weeks of fighting in 2020 claimed the lives of more than 6,500 troops from both sides and ended with a Russian-brokered ceasefire. Under the deal, Armenia ceded swathes of territory it had controlled for decades, and Moscow deployed about 2,000 Russian peacekeepers to oversee the fragile truce. Ethnic Armenian separatists in Nagorno-Karabakh broke away from Azerbaijan when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991. The ensuing conflict claimed around 30,000 lives. mkh-im/kjm