This might make me a bad Edmontonian, but I think green onion cake, for the most part, is just kinda sorta OK. It’s fine to get some from a truck during a festival, but it’s not something that’s life-changing. I get that most of the readers won’t agree with me about this, unless you’re a reader from outside Edmonton and is wondering what a green onion cake is in the first place.
But then there’s the green onion pan cake that you can get as a side at Bánh Mì Day. After having it, I thought maybe green oni0n cake is life-changing, after all. It looks almost like a danish, but the pastry is flaky and buttery, like a croissant. It comes apart in your fingers, and the strands carry a heck of a lot of onion flavour. The hoisin dipping sauce starts off sweet, but has a little bit of bite. It really is a nod to the French influence on Vietnamese cuisine.
Of course, the way to order this is as part of a bánh mì combo; the subs are supposed to be stars, here. So, I went for the Five Spices Pork Belly, with a just a few jalapeños to turn up the heat. The mayonnaise is made in the restaurant, and it’s subtle. The carrots, cucumber and daikon carry the freshness, and the bits of pork are tender with just a kiss of saltiness. It’s a delightful — and damn filling — sandwich.
Bánh Mì Day
Oliver | 11765 Jasper Ave NW, Edmonton | 780.485.2802 | banhmiday.ca
