Restaurants

Banzi is one of very few places in London to serve that iconic (and hard to find) French-Vietnamese dish, banh mi – a baguette spread with pâté and mayonnaise, filled with pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, chilli and, in this case, slices of Vietnamese pork sausage and grilled pork. Servings are generous and the service is sweet and eager to please.

There’s a familiar roll call of Vietnamese noodles for around £6-£7, alongside staples such as congee (rice porridge) and various fish dishes, while the coffee is sourced from the esteemed Ca Phe VN. But here it’s the sandwich that is king. If you must, the banh tom (turmeric-yellow sweet potato fritters with whole prawns, a Hanoi speciality)
makes a satisfying side dish.

Time Out London Issue 2024: June 4-10 2009