France and Vietnam’s love child at Co Co Banh Mi
One of my favorite sandwiches is a Vietnamese baguette called the banh mi. During my last visit to Berlin I was on the hunt for one of these bundles of delicious. A very simple dish combining a french baguette with the delicious flavor of Vietnamese lettuce, herbs and meats to a perfect potpourri of tastes.
In Berlin Mitte I found a slick shop fitted out in grey, brass and lime called Co Co Banh Mi. The menu is written on a chalk board over the open self-service kitchen. Bags of vegetables and fruits remind you of markets on a Sunday afternoon which is a nice contrast to the rest of the minimalistic hipster style of the eatery. I particularly appreciated the organized setting. Everything was where it should be, from the homemade sauces to the relish in mason jars lining the wall. Owner Anh Vu Dang has a taste for style.
The menu offers banh mi in every variation you can think of filled with fresh vegetables, chili and – if ordered non-veggie – delicious marinated meats and pâtés. I definitely recommend the banh xeo (vietnamese omelets) and the homemade lemonade.
A classic banh mi can be described it as a fresh, salty, crispy, juicy sandwich with pork liver and fermented anchovy topped of with fresh coriander and stuffed into a baguette. Yes, it’s that good!
I can’t say Co Co is the best banh mi place in Berlin since I haven’t tried any others, but it did measure up to a sandwich I had in Hanoi, Vietnam, so it’s certainly up there. Bravo!
Verdict:
Co Co Banh Mi is a slick hipster food shop offering a variety of Vietnam’s most famous and delicious sandwich. Indulge your taste buds!
Co Co Banh Mi Deli
(sidenote: no, its not a deli)
Rosenthalerstr. 2
10119 Berlin
+49 30 55 47 5188
Mon – Thu 11:00 – 22:00
Fri – Sat 11:00 – 23:00
Sun 12:00 – 22:00
