Bánh Bánh is a special, intimate Vietnamese restaurant on Coldharbour Lane that puts its unique design, boutique atmosphere and thoughtful, homestyle cooking at the heart of everything it does.
A tiny space, Bánh Bánh draws a crowd in part because of its beautiful look. Walls are hued a soft, rose pink and stunning murals are hand-painted for the walls, with playful touches like bright pink tiling and a glitzy shrine. It has been custom designed by artist duo House of Baby, known for their soft, whimsical designs.
As part of its homestyle cooking concept, the team at Bánh Bánh lean into traditional techniques such as using a clay pot to simmer and tenderise meats and fishes, instead of frying or boiling in a pan. Particularly, the Ca Kho To utilises this method to slowly transform fresh fish into a rich, glossy dish combining caramel, garlic, pepper and fish sauce. Other must-try dishes include Cha Ca La Vong, which originates in Hanoi, and brings together monkfish, galangal, turmeric and fermented rice, first flash-grilling over charcoal and finished in a hot pan of scallions and dill.
As for the format of the menu, it is broken up into starters and then sharing dishes, which are priced per person but offer a broad selection from the menu. For main course, look out for the likes of sweet and sour mussel and dill broth, as well as braised pork belly cooked in a fish sauce and coconut stew. And, finally, side dishes hold their own with pickled baby aubergine and pan-fried garlic green beans.