The BBQ and pork roll is loaded with meats and delicious crackling. Photo: Tenele Conway.
If I could add one thing to my already full life, it would be a local bánh mì joint. One I could walk to, chat and laugh with the owners and eat crusty Vietnamese rolls two to three times a week.
Given my rural postcode, it isn’t likely to be on the cards any time soon, so instead, I’m going to steal the local of Canberra’s most prolific food writer and my colleague Lucy Ridge (I won’t tell her if you don’t).
In her quest to keep her pyjama-clad visits to Lynehams VinAus anonymous, Lucy has avoided drawing attention to herself (if that’s even possible wearing pyjamas). So with the door wide open, I’m sliding in to do the job Lucy can’t or won’t.
After three visits, all made in proper street clothes, I have co-opted Lucy’s local, and there’s a lot to love here with its wonderfully friendly service, high-speed bánh mì production and delicious flavours.
VinAus isn’t your standard bánh mì shop, though; it’s a hybrid of the old-school fish-and-chip takeaway that has traditionally stood at this location and a Vietnamese takeaway. It’s a curious combination that embraces the best of both worlds.
The hybrid model, which sees burgers, fried foods and, of course, fish and chips going out alongside Vietnamese rolls, rice paper rolls and vermicelli bowls, represents a transition in our vibrant multicultural city. Spaces across Canberra and the nation, like this large corner tenancy in the inner north, have moved through the hands of Greek families who once ruled the fish and chip scene, Lebanese families with their ever-popular kebabs, Italians with espresso bars, delicatessens, fruit shops and pizza bars, and now the Vietnamese who are feeding the bánh mì obsessed masses.
Vietnamese bakeries aren’t new, of course.
I grew up with the Dalat Bakery in Goulburn, which kept me in a steady supply of Saigon rolls that I used to heat in the oven and slather in butter. But with Vietnamese cuisine only growing in popularity, there’s been space to drop the bakery model and pursue new avenues.
The traditional pork bánh mì is layered with flavours. Photo: Tenele Conway.
This hybrid formula is clearly working for VinAus.
On every visit, there was a steady stream of office workers, tradies, retirees, young couples and now, envious food writers. While plenty were ordering fried food, I had eyes only for bánh mì.
The traditional pork bánh mì looks deceptively simple, but it’s the layering of flavours that makes it memorable. The pâté provides a rich foundation, while coriander, pickled vegetables, lemongrass and chilli add brightness without stealing the spotlight from the pork.
The BBQ chicken and pork version delivers on the same crispy Saigon roll, pâté, coriander and cucumber. Laden with meat, the pork crackling is the standout, adding the right amount of crunch.
The lemongrass beef really hits the spot with its richly marinated meat. Photo: Tenele Conway.
My favourite, though, was the lemongrass beef. Richly marinated and deeply savoury, it combines everything that makes the other rolls work while letting the beautifully seasoned beef become the hero.
Things are kept pretty casual at VinAus. There are a handful of tables inside where people who aren’t taking their food away gather. In the warmer months, the seating doubles as the outside tables come into play. People brush the crumbs off their own table and toss their own rubbish on the way out the door, so don’t expect any fanfare.
If Lucy has proven anything here, it’s that your personal attire is entirely up to you, and UGG boots are acceptable, so come as you are; no one is fussed.
VinAus is located at the Lyneham shops, 84 Wattle Street, and they’re open 6 days a week, Monday to Saturday, from 8 am to 5 pm.
Original Article published by Tenele Conway on Region Canberra.
