Fabulous Baker Boys

Banh Mi

With the recent trend of food breaking out of the ethnic ghetto, Banh Mi Boys at Queen and Spadina offers more upscale versions of Vietnamese subs as well as fusion fares such as Kimchi fries. On Saturday, I headed over for lunch.

Along with pricier food, the small diner (enough seats for about 16 people) aimed for a hipper look. One wall was made of long, untreated wooden planks. Along the other was painted classic Asian imagery done in bold graphics. Asian-American hip-hop pulsed over the speakers.

For my sub, I chose braised beef cheeks ($5.99) from choices that included pulled pork, fried chicken, and duck confit. The sub tasted great, having similar tastes to the original banh mi thanks to the crunchy bun and a generous topping of sweet-and-sour pickled carrots and radishes. The fresh cilantro completed the authentic touch. The meat was rich and flavourful, with the sauce soaking nicely into the soft bread. But for 3 times the price of a typical banh mi, I wished they went totally upscale and use actual french baguettes. This is the traditional bread that is used, though most Vietnamese places don't bother because of the cost.

Steamed Bao

The steamed bao ($3.49) was a deconstructed version of the breakfast dumpling. You get a taco-ish shell instead of a wrapped bun, though made with the same slightly sweet dough, and can pick the same toppings as the sandwich. I opted for the 5 spice pork belly. It was a good couple of bites but didn't work as a bao. The pickled toppings, as well as the sauce, overpowered the dough and the distinctive taste of the bao was missing: steamed pork, boiled egg, and lap xuong (cured sausage).

The service was quick, at least early on when the place isn't quite as busy. You do have to line-up after your order to pick up your food.