Banging banh mi in Vietnam, super sushi in Vancouver – a Chinese Canadian’s global food picks

Michael Yung, general manager of Hong Kong coffee roastery Cupping Room and a regular Vietnam visitor, shares his favourite banh mi places in Ho Chi Minh City

In Vancouver there’s a hole-in-the-wall sushi spot he can’t resist, nor will he miss out on going to what he says is the city’s best modern Canadian restaurant

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A banh mi from Banh Mi Hong Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam – Hong Kong-based Chinese Canadian Michael Yung’s go-to place for the Vietnamese sandwich when he visits the city. Photo: Michael Yung

Published: 3:15pm, 6 Jan 2021Updated: 3:15pm, 6 Jan 2021

Vancouver-raised Michael Yung is the general manager of coffee roastery Cupping Room in Hong Kong, which has opened two new experience shops in Lee Garden One (Causeway Bay on Hong Kong Island) and Harbour City (Tsim Sha Tsui in Kowloon).

I would say that I’m primarily a comfort food eater, generally preferring a reliable burger joint or classic steakhouse over ultra-modern multisensory dining experiences. I’m also interested in authentic expressions of food culture.

Over the last four or five years, I’ve visited Saigon (officially called Ho Chi Minh City) three or four times a year. I ate a lot of Vietnamese growing up. The city has an incredibly rich history of different influences and cultures, reflected in the architecture, the language and the food. Vietnam is also very affordable and ideal for a quick weekend visit.

My favourite banh mi stand in the city is Banh Mi Hong Hoa (54 Nguyen Van Trang, Phuong Pham Ngu Lao, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 90 881 1594). There’s another place nearby, Banh Mi Huynh Hoa (26 Le Thi Rieng, P.BT, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 28 3925 0885), that is more popular with expats, but Banh Mi Hong Hoa has a bigger menu and – for me – better balance between meat and bread.

Michael Yung is the general manager of coffee roastery Cupping Room in Hong Kong. Photo: Michael Yung

I’m also a sucker for freshly steamed rice rolls. Banh Cuon Hai Nam (11A Cao Thang, Phuong 2, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 28 3839 3394) is a contender for the city’s best, with minced pork, wood ear mushrooms, dried shrimp and topped with fried shallots. This is my favourite Saigon breakfast. The plates are small, so order two.

Chi Hoa Vietnamese Cuisine (97 Hai Ba Trung, Ben Nghe, District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, tel: +84 28 3825 1676) offers a comfortable and reliable place to try the best known street foods, along with dishes that most Vietnamese families would eat at home.