The humble bánh mì is an absolutely sensational Vietnamese breakfast or lunch staple which has risen to popularity here in Perth over the past few years.
If you’re unfamiliar with such things, the bánh mì is a savoury sandwich of sorts, traditionally made up of juicy morsels of cooked meats, or plant-based meats these days, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander, chilli, a layer of buttery mayonnaise and pâté – all stuffed into one crusty baguette.
But tradition has been met with a few left turns for the sensational sangga across the city, with some lunch bars and delis taking innovation to the next level. There are croissant bánh mì, charcoal roll bánh mì, vegan Philly cheesesteak bánh mì, and heck even 60-centimetre bánh mì out there; as seen in our guide to the best bánh mì in Perth. And now, our gluten-intolerant pals can get in on the action too.
Munch Box Lunch Bar in the north-east suburb of Balcatta has finally done it. The thing that a huge chunk of us have been waiting for. Gluten-free bánh mì.
With all the usual toppings, Munch Box Lunch Bar has simply replaced the wheat-heavy bread roll with, well, one that is not. Truly life changing for those who are unable to digest the killer grain.
One gluten-intolerant bánh mì-devotee exclaimed after hearing the news, “This is amazing!!! I’ve had to give up bread and all wheat. I was so devastated about never being able to eat bánh mì ever again. This has made my day!”
And to further matters, their vegan bánh mì can now be made to be both plant-based and gluten-free. That’s a win which is sure to draw in a diverse community of Vietnamese cuisine enthusiasts, if we ever did see one.
Munch Box Lunch Bar itself is an upscale lunch bar of sorts – boasting a renovated space with bright murals and a colour scheme to boot. The vibrant store offers a mixture between Vietnamese meals and a display of Aussie snacks that just can’t be resisted at times, notably, them cheeky potato chippes and chocolate bars.
Their menu provides fillings such as; original cold cuts, honey soy chicken, grilled minced pork, shredded tofu, and so fourth, with the occasional fusion bánh mì gracing their menu, such as the bacon and egg bánh mì.
It’s time to message your wheat-free friends and let them know that there’s still hope when it comes to finger lickin’ bánh mì in Perth.