O Bahn Mi @ Damansara Uptown PJ

Vietnamese? Anytime.

O Bahn Mi

Vietnamese rice paper rolls - I have had cravings, on and off. I used to make a lot of these when I was still a student, with a fusion of vermicelli and kebab chicken to add, but mostly with whatever I can find from the fridge. I think I just really enjoy the texture of rice paper, so it doesn't matter what goes in it. This gradually became a staple in my everyday meal for awhile and is still one of my favorite Vietnamese delicacy to date.

Bahn mi (Vietnamese baguette) on the other hand, is a traditional dish that deviates from my usual Vietnamese feast. There is simply not many Vietnamese cafes in town that serves good Vietnamese bread - until O Bahn Mi that is, located a few doors away from The Ship.

The menu is cleverly and conveniently placed where the queue is - not on top of the cashier like most places, but right next to it. So, you'd get that odd 5-10 minutes to stare straight at the menu and decide what you want to order, while queuing, before it hits your turn.

The menu is simple, straightforward and they know what they're really good at, bahn mi! But of course you'd still get that odd pho in their menu, but I came with a purpose today, to try their signature dish.

O Sunny. Rm10.50.

We shared one half of the two bahnmi that we ordered. This, the must-try original version and the BBQ pork.

A bounteous and mouthwatering bahnmi that worked harmoniously well together. Served with lemongrass chicken, pate, ham and salad. The top tasted sour and sweet, from the use of pickled radish, while the bottom was savory.

O BBQ. Rm10.50.

This bahnmi on the other hand came with similar greens but with BBQ pork instead. A tinge drier than the former, but equally gratifying. If I were to pick between this and the former, O Sunny would have won hands down. 

O In The Bowl. Rm11.

A big bowl of vermicelli, BBQ pork and a spring roll. There was no way my friend could finish this - it was massive, but also because she couldn't take the spicy sauce at the side. An option of a milder sauce perhaps?

Fried Springrolls. 

What I really liked about these deep fried spring rolls - it was not soaked in oil. In fact, it was so crispy and nicely done that I could have easily chow down rolls of these on my own.  

Vietnamese Ice Coffee. Rm6.

A choice between hot and cold and I picked the iced coffee. It was pleasant, not too sweet; not too rich. 

Overall Rating: 8.5/10. There's just something really likable and homey about O Bahn Mi. Probably also because the place was packed with families and brimming with people who seemed to really enjoy their food while I was there. The bahnmi that I had was unexpectedly delectable and so were the fried spring rolls and ice coffee. On that note, do not underestimate the size. I could only finish one halve of the bahnmi and took the other home. For all that, something stood out for me in today's meal - the crisp baguette - easily one of the best I've had. Being one of the few standout Vietnamese cafes in town and also with a new outlet in 1 Utama to boost, I would definitely recommend O Bahn Mi.

O Bahn Mi is located at:

Address: 33, Jalan SS21/56b, Damansara Utama, 47400 Petaling Jaya, Malaysia

Phone: +603-7732 8540

Opening Hours: 8.00am – 8.30pm (Weekday) 10am – 9pm (Weekend) Closed Mondays

Spotting a black signage, the place is located along the same row as The Ship.