Dung Banh Mi

Signature Banh Mi (S$5)

This is a hidden gem

The baguette itself is legit. Which is more than can be said than most places in SG. Filling is mild and soft but there's umami, overall quite enjoyable

Worth a travel if you're into authentic banh mis. Why are the best banh mi places all in the north gdi

Thought that we were pretty much done with establishments serving up Banh Mi for a while after checking out eateries like Tiny’s Cafe and TON Coffee, only to have found another establishment named Dung Banh Mi whilst going around Yishun. It does seem that Dung Banh Mi is a very recent addition to the neighbourhood; while we are not sure exactly when Dung Banh Mi had opened their doors officially, the earliest Google reviews that was left for the establishment dates back to December 2023. The stall is located within the FoodCity coffeeshop that is situated at Blk 101 Yishun Avenue 5 — the neighbourhood is also better known as Chong Pang City. The coffeeshop that Dung Banh Mi is located in a fairly tight space; other notable tenants located at the FoodCity coffee shop includes that of Yu Pan Kway Teow Soup Fish Soup. A stall that is run by Vietnamese ladies behind the counter, Dung Banh Mi is a stall that focuses much on its Banh Mi offerings (duh; considering its namesake); the establishment featuring ten (10) different variations of Banh Mi on their menu. That being said, the stall does serve up Rojak as well if one is looking for something other than Banh Mi to go for.

We are typically the folks whom would usually go straight for the Special Banh Mi (i.e. Banh Mi Dac Biet) if it is being offered at the establishment unless we aren’t quite craving for ham and would like to go for something is meatier. Given how Dung Banh Mi does offer ten different types of Banh Mi for their patrons to choose from, there were other interesting choices such as the Sardine Banh Mi, Omelette Banh Mi, Pork Floss Banh Mi and Fish Cake Banh Mi that one can go for here. We still found ourselves gravitating to the safest bet here; the Special Banh Mi — the version here not being too different from that of the Special Banh Mi that other similar stalls / establishments would serve up; the fillings comprises or the usual suspects with ham being the main meat element here. Watching how they put together the Signature Banh Mi, mayonnaise and pate gets slathered in between before the meats and pork skin gets layered. At this juncture, the Banh Mi gets popped into the oven to get warmed up, while the other elements like the strips of cucumber, pickled vegetable and coriander comes along with a drizzle of fish sauce for flavour.

Taking a bite into the Special Banh Mi, the baguette itself is light and airy, but carries quite a crusty exterior yet having a bit of that tension to pull apart as one chews on it; the baguette still being sufficiently warm as we sunk our teeth into it. The pate doesn’t carry too much of a saltishness here; makes the Banh Mi take easy to have — the addition of pork skin, though not particularly generous, was a good touch considering this is not an element typically found in most Banh Mi around despite being a little more common these days. While it is typical to find different types of ham being served with Special Banh Mi based on what we have had from other establishments, the variation of the Special Banh Mi here comes with various types of ham and an element of meat that is significantly meatier and thicker than ham; not sure if this would have been the fish cake considering how it tastes fairly similar to the Chinese Ngoh Hiang roll that we are familiar with without being too heavy on the flavours of five spice powder. Of course, the cucumbers and provided that usual refreshing crunch, and the pickled radish and carrots give that slightly tangy note with the coriander cutting through the meats and carbs with its distinct flavour. One thing that distinguishes Dung Banh Mi from similar joints serving the same fare is the price point of which their Banh Mi is going for — with most establishments pricing their Banh Mi well above $5, Dung Banh Mi’s Banh Mi offerings are rather wallet-friendly; the listed price being at $5 to $5.50. A decent spot to visit in Yishun if the cravings for Banh Mi hits.