The Vancouver Foodster Banh Mi Challenge was a success featuring banh mi creations from restaurants around Metro Vancouver. Each restaurant featured their banh mi creation from June 9 – July 4, 2021. Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
The Winners are:
1st Place:
{105 points}
DD Mau Yaletown

Hà Nội Meatball Bánh Mì
Price: $12
Created by: the team
Description: Bún chả hà nội: A northern Vietnamese dish enjoyed by Obama and Anthony Bourdain, reinvented into a sandwich. Savoury pork meatballs, grilled pork, garlic pickled papaya, fresh herbs, fish sauce and jalapeños.
Offered: all the time
DD Mau Yaletown
1239 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Tel:(604) 684-4446
Instagram @ddmau
2nd Place:
(97 points)
Obanhmi

Vegetarian / Vegan Banh Mi
Price: $7.75
Created by: the team
Description: Aromatic tofu, avocado, and ‘secret-recipe’ filling, topped with veggies such carrot and daikon, cilantro, and cucumber; a must-try vegetarian take on the classic sandwich (even if you’re a meat-lover); remove house mayo for vegan option.
Offered: All the time
Takeout and delivery details: Order online for pickup obanhmishop.com is best; order in-person OK
Obanhmi
2250 Kingsway, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 451-5812
Obanhmi
4994 Newton Street, Burnaby
Tel:(604) 564-9558
Obanhmi
13048 Old Yale Rd, Surrey
Tel: (604) 589-8998
Obanhmi
20477 Fraser Hwy #2, Langley
Tel: (604) 510-1893
Web: https://www.obanhmishop.com/
Instagram @obanhmishop
3rd Place:
(94 points)
DD Mau Chinatown

Pork Belly Bánh Mì
Price: $11.50
Created by: the team
Description: Soy braised tender pork belly, spicy pickled mustard coleslaw with a fried runny egg
Offered: all the time
DD Mau Chinatown
145 E. Pender Street, Vancouver
Tel:(604) 559-6076
Instagram @ddmau_chinatown
4th Place:
(83 points)
Cold Tea Restaurant

Wake and Bake Sub
Price: $15
Created by: the team
Description: The Wake and Bake banh mi is a blend of different cultures, sandwhiched in between 2 french baugettes.
Offered: All the time
Ingredients list Pate, lap cheong, 2 fried free-range egg, picked carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, sriracha mayo
Takeout and delivery details Available on doordash, Uber Eats, Tock, Fromto and Fantuan daily from 12pm-10pm. Also available for dine in during business hours.
Cold Tea Restaurant
1193 Granville Street, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 423-2653
Web: https://www.coldtearestaurant.com/
Instagram @coldtearestaurant
In the People’s Choice Awards category, the public who tried the Banh Mi Creations were the ones who had the opportunity to cast their vote throughout the challenge.
The Winners are:
1st Place People’s Choice:
DD Mau Yaletown

Hà Nội Meatball Bánh Mì
Price: $12
Created by: the team
Description: Bún chả hà nội: A northern Vietnamese dish enjoyed by Obama and Anthony Bourdain, reinvented into a sandwich. Savoury pork meatballs, grilled pork, garlic pickled papaya, fresh herbs, fish sauce and jalapeños.
Offered: all the time
DD Mau Yaletown
1239 Pacific Blvd, Vancouver
Tel:(604) 684-4446
Instagram @ddmau
2nd Place People’s Choice:
DD Mau Chinatown

Pork Belly Bánh Mì
Price: $11.50
Created by: the team
Description: Soy braised tender pork belly, spicy pickled mustard coleslaw with a fried runny egg
Offered: all the time
DD Mau Chinatown
145 E. Pender Street, Vancouver
Tel:(604) 559-6076
Instagram @ddmau_chinatown
3rd Place People’s Choice:
Obanhmi

Vegetarian / Vegan Banh Mi
Price: $7.75
Created by: the team
Description: Aromatic tofu, avocado, and ‘secret-recipe’ filling, topped with veggies such carrot and daikon, cilantro, and cucumber; a must-try vegetarian take on the classic sandwich (even if you’re a meat-lover); remove house mayo for vegan option.
Offered: All the time
Takeout and delivery details: Order online for pickup obanhmishop.com is best; order in-person OK
Obanhmi
2250 Kingsway, Vancouver
Tel: (604) 451-5812
Obanhmi
4994 Newton Street, Burnaby
Tel:(604) 564-9558
Obanhmi
13048 Old Yale Rd, Surrey
Tel: (604) 589-8998
Obanhmi
20477 Fraser Hwy #2, Langley
Tel: (604) 510-1893
Web: https://www.obanhmishop.com/
Instagram @obanhmishop
Our media judging panel determined the ultimate winners of the challenge, and this was quite the task as each judge who tasted each creation with a rigorous process based on taste, originality/uniqueness and presentation/appearance.
Each media judge scored each creation with a maximum of 40 points as follows: Overall Taste 20 points, Originality and Uniqueness 10 points, Presentation and Appearance 10 points. The highest number of points a challenge creation could have been awarded is 120 points.
Our Media judges for this challenge were: Joyce Lam, Jacqueline Chui and Maggi Mei
Thank you to the restaurants that accepted my invitation and featured the Banh Mi Challenge creations on the menu for the past few weeks during this challenge.
I encourage you to visit the winning restaurants to try their Banh Mi creations! See all the Banh Mi Challenge Entries Here.
By: Richard Wolak