Trying a dish made from day-old bread that’s steamed and mixed with various toppings for the first time, Korean guest Choi Jongrak was fascinated by the unique eating style and couldn’t stop praising this familiar street snack, cherished by locals in Ho Chi Minh City, for its soft and flavorful taste.

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Jongrak enjoys the unique steamed bread dish while sitting street-side in Ho Chi Minh City.

Choi Jongrak, a Korean content creator, has lived in Ho Chi Minh City for nearly six years. Alongside his brother Sungrak and his brother’s friend Dongrin, he co-manages a YouTube channel with over 1 million subscribers, regularly sharing insights into Korean and Vietnamese culture and cuisine.

In a recent video exploring unique Vietnamese bread dishes in Ho Chi Minh City, Jongrak visited a small eatery on Co Giang Street, Cau Kieu Ward (formerly Ward 2, Phu Nhuan District), known for serving banh mi hap (steamed bread). The shop has been open for 16 years and is renowned for this specialty.

Locals say banh mi hap originated during the subsidized economy period or post-war years in southern Vietnam. At that time, people made use of leftover or stale baguettes, creating a warm, filling dish that was both economical and satisfying.

Day-old bread is cut into bite-sized pieces, then moistened with bone broth or coconut milk and steamed until soft. It can be eaten plain or with various toppings such as pâté, meatballs, minced pork, pork skin, cracklings, and scallion oil.

At the eatery, Jongrak ordered a small portion priced at approximately USD 2.15 (VND 55,000).

“When I heard steamed bread, I thought only the toppings were steamed, not the bread itself,” Jongrak remarked.

He noted that while the portion seemed small, it was hearty and included a variety of ingredients: steamed bread, shredded pork skin, minced beef, meatballs, shredded cassava, scallion oil, roasted peanuts, and crispy fried shallots.

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Small portion of steamed bread, priced at around USD 2.15, served with sweet-and-sour fish sauce and fresh herbs.

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Korean guest surprised by how good steamed bread tastes when wrapped in herbs and dipped in sweet-and-sour fish sauce.
Steamed bread is a humble dish beloved by both locals and tourists in Ho Chi Minh City.
Photos: HanQuocBros

The dish also comes with side servings of lettuce and aromatic herbs like fish mint, Vietnamese balm, and perilla, as well as a sweet-and-sour fish sauce.

Upon trying his first bite, Jongrak compared the dish to a salad, praising the steamed bread for being soft yet pleasantly chewy. However, he said the flavor transformed when wrapped with fresh herbs and dipped in the accompanying sauce.

“This is how you’re supposed to eat it - just the bread alone feels ordinary and steamed bread sounds unusual. But when wrapped with herbs and dipped in fish sauce, it becomes absolutely perfect. Now I get why steamed bread is delicious,” he exclaimed.

The eatery’s owner, Ms. Thuy (34), told reporters that the dish is made from cooled, day-old bread that has lost its crunch but regains softness and fragrance after steaming. It is typically eaten wrapped in herbs and dipped in fish sauce, similar to how banh xeo (Vietnamese sizzling crepes) is enjoyed.

Each small portion uses the equivalent of one baguette. A large portion, which includes more toppings and uses about one and a half baguettes, costs around USD 2.95 (VND 75,000).

Before steaming, the bread is cut into small pieces and sprayed with water to retain moisture. It’s steamed for 5 to 10 minutes to ensure it’s soft but not soggy.

All toppings are handmade daily by Ms. Thuy using a family recipe and are sold fresh. On average, she sells around 50 servings a day. The menu also includes spring rolls, kumquat iced tea, and banh tam bi (noodle cake with shredded pork and coconut milk).

The shop is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Despite its limited space, it attracts a steady flow of dine-in and takeout customers every day.

Thao Trinh