Located along Beach Road near Bugis, Co Hai Banh Mi is a long-standing Vietnamese restaurant serving an extensive Vietnamese menu. From their name, you would have probably guessed that the place is known for its Banh Mi.
Beach Road Vietnamese Restaurant
One probably won’t realize that Co Hai Banh Mi has a seating area on the 2nd floor as the ground floor is simply comprised of a Banh Mi cart at the entrance and a kitchen at the back.
If you head up to the second floor, you’ll be greeted by a seating area that reminds you of eateries in Vietnam. The paintings, flowers and colour combination of the restaurant were all too familiar, despite our trip to Hanoi pre-pandemic.
There’s even a separate area decorated with flowers hanging over your head when you sit down.
On the table, you’ll find condiments like Pickled Soyabean Sauce (Tương đen), Hot Chilli Sauce (Tương ớt), fish sauce and a sambal chilli-like sauce.
Menu At Cô Hai Bánh Mì
For a Banh Mi Restaurant in Singapore, Co Hai offers different combinations for your Vietnamese baguette, with options like Roasted Pork & Pate, Stir-Fried Beef & Cheese and even a Beef Stew Banh Mi!
But the Vietnamese joint doesn’t stop at Banh Mi, besides the usual Pho, you can also find Vietnamese food such as Spicy Beef Noodle Soup (Bún bò Huế $10), Ha Noi Bun Cha ($12) and Vietnamese Crepe, also known as Bánh Xèo ($12).
Co Hai Baguette
The very first thing on their menu was the Co Hai Baguette ($10). Consisting of mixed Vietnamese hams, BBQ Roasted Pork, Pork Floss, Pate and assorted vegetables – this is the Banh Mi you’ll want to go for.
Coming in a crispy baguette that’s baked in-house, the portion was quite generous and would probably be enough for lunch. We especially loved the baguette’s texture and how each bite was filled with ingredients. The chilli inside did add a fiery spice, so do ask them to remove it if you’re not someone who likes spice.
Special Noodle Soup
The Special Noodle Soup ($12) was essentially a combination beef pho, or Phở Đặc Biệt in Vietnamese, that came with sliced beef, brisket, tendon and meatballs. The portion was larger than expected, with lots of meat hidden beneath the layer of spring onions and onions. Soup-wise, it was clean and flavourful and depending on how you like your soup, you can add in lime, beansprouts or the herbs and vegetable garnishes that are served on the side.
Minced Pork Balls Noodle Soup
Unlike the Beef Pho, we felt the Minced Pork Balls Noodle Soup or Bun Moc ($10) had a lighter soup. It was also served with vermicelli instead of flat rice noodles.
Vermicelli with BBQ Pork, Minced Pork & Fried Spring Rolls ($10)
The name essentially gave an accurate description of what the dish was, a vermicelli-based dish topped with BBQ pork, minced pork and fried spring rolls. Apart from the fact that the BBQ pork was slightly on the dry side, we loved how this dish reminded us of Vietnam, with its slightly herbaceous flavours.
To wash everything down, we also had the Iced Vietnamese Coffee with Condensed Milk and Iced Tea. The Iced Vietnamese Coffee was just how we liked our Vietnamese coffee, thick, creamy and strong. The iced tea, priced only at $1, on the other hand, was a refreshing beverage that reminded us of Chinese tea.
Vietnamese Restaurants in Singapore
For those who want to experience a slice of Vietnam in Singapore, Co Hai Banh Mi offers a quick taste of authentic Vietnamese food. Don’t expect top-notch service while you’re there – during our visit, there was only 1 staff taking orders, serving and cleaning up the tables.
They have another space along the same stretch that’s branded after their Pho, so don’t be too confused when you visit.
Co Hai Banh Mi
359 Beach Rd, Singapore 199575
Mon-Sun, 11am-9:30pm
*This is an independent review by MiddleClass.sg, article may contain some affiliate links.
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