Banh Mi in Sydney

[aussiewonder]

Hi Chowhounders,

I'm visiting Sydney w fam from various places and it's come to light that my mama has never had a banh mi! I've been living on these in Van since early discovery so wondering if anyone can recommend somewhere great locally that'll stand up to Vancouver's best and give her a taste of what she's missing.
We're staying in the burbs but will be downtown in Rozelle and Balmain this week with perhaps a stint over on Oxford Street or Newtown - so suggestions around these parts would be great.
Thanks,

[anarcist]

Depends which 'burbs you're in.

Nothing especially good in CBD, but there is:
- the Taste baguette chain (decent bread if a little gentrified)
- the small bakery on Broadway opposite Victoria Park (nr Sydney Uni)
- Hong Ha bakery (from Mascot and Hurstville), which may still have an outlet at World Square?
- the places in Hunter connection opposite Wynyard
- the juice bar on Elizabeth St nr Albion St

I don't think there's anything near Balmain or Rozelle.

[gemuse]

If you want to stay in town, there's a couple of places in the upstairs food court at the Hunter Connection by Wynyard station that do a pretty acceptable banh mi. I like Phuong. Having said that, I don't think I've yet found a banh mi in Sydney that rivals the quality of those I've had in the US. Seems like the banh mi craze has not yet hit Australia. So don't get your hopes up too high.

[PhilD]

i agree it may not have hit central sydney but i found they where common 14 years ago in the burbs with large asian communities - maybe the trend has passed

[gemuse]

Phil is probably right that there are some much better versions to be found out in the suburbs. I'm only just discovering places like Cabramatta. For me, the real issue is that the bread is never quite what I expect it to be. There's a certain texture you get from a really well-made Vietnamese baguette-- the crispness of the crust and tenderness of the interior provides such an amazing platform for the rest of the sandwich.

[PhilD]

Best I used to yo eat were from nondescript Vietnamese bakeries on Burwood Rd in Burwood. Obviously Cabramatta would be the best but it depends on where in the burbs you are. I suspect the inner suburbs of Rozelle, Balmain and Newtown may now be too gentrified fr Vietnamese bread shops.