Customers flock to taste Australian PM’s banh mi

The day after Australian PM Albanese savored banh mi and draft beer in Hanoi’s Old Quarter during his official visit on June 3-4, the owner of Thuy’s banh mi shop revealed that there had been a significant surge in customers at her establishment.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese enjoys banh mi at Thuy’s shop in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

“A female customer phoned in to order 46 banh mi for her office’s lunch. She asked for fillings such as pate, sausage, pork floss, and meat slices, precisely replicating the banh mi that the Australian Prime Minister had enjoyed,” said Vu Thanh Thuy, the 51-year-old owner.

Thuy added that some patrons visited the eatery after hearing about the prime minister’s visit.

On Saturday afternoon, accompanied by Sam Tran, a chef who has worked in Australia and currently runs a restaurant in Hanoi, and Nguyen Hanh, the general director of a travel agency, Albanese enjoyed several dishes he deemed “Vietnamese classics.” The meal included banh mi and beer, served alongside dishes such as fried tofu with scallions, grilled pork belly with pepper, and fried fish balls at a beer shop on Duong Thanh Street.

Vu Thanh Thuy prepares banh mi at her shop in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Mai

Thuy’s banh mi stall is at the intersection of Hang Khoai Street and Hang Giay Street in Hoan Kiem District, near the entrance of Dong Xuan Market. Prior to the PM’s visit, she received a request to bring her cart to Duong Thanh Street for convenience.

While making banh mi for the prime minister, Thuy said she was quite nervous and struggled to decide on the filling. Eventually, she opted for traditional ingredients beloved by many Hanoians.

Thuy’s stall has been operating for 40 years, originally managed by her husband’s family before she took over nearly 20 years ago. The establishment exclusively serves after 2 p.m.

Her banh mi features traditional fillings like liver pate, red sausage, pork floss, and slices of boiled meat, complemented with coriander, cucumber, and chili sauce. The price of each sandwich ranges VND20,000-30,000 (85 cents to $1.30), depending on the filling. Thuy sells around 300 loaves of banh mi daily at her Hang Giay branch.

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese stood outside a bakery in Hanoi on the afternoon of June 3, 2023. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy

“For many laborers, I charge them only VND15,000 (65 cents), enough to sustain them for each meal. They are primarily porters around Dong Xuan market,” she said.

Currently, Thuy’s bakery has two additional branches in Hoang Dao Thanh Street in Thanh Xuan District, and Bach Dang Street in Hai Ba Trung District, as well as mobile carts at four other locations in Hanoi.