Holy Bahn Mi! Ms Ba Cô Coming to Civic

Posted on 27 June, 2019

Majura Park’s Ms Ba Cô has garnered a cult following for its authentic bánh mì—and now city-dwellers and workers will be able to get their fix, without the road trip.

HerCanberra staff have been known to travel for food. And we regularly make the midday drive from HC HQ in Woden to join the throngs of Vietnamese street food lovers who flock to Majura Park’s most popular eatery Ms Ba Cô.

By ‘we’, I mean I take the orders and earn the unbridled love of a hungry office when I return with the goods.

Now the trip will be a bit shorter (and certainly more convenient for northsiders) as owners Richard and Elsa Ho set up a second outlet in Garema Place, off Bunda Street. Taking over space next to Oporto, the team is looking to open in early August.

Judging by the phenomenal stream of loyal customers Ms Ba Cô has earned since opening in April of last year, you can expect to see long queues at lunchtime as city-workers discover the delights of this place, which prides itself on generous portions of uber-fresh, home-style Vietnamese street food for very reasonable prices.

In fact, it was the queues of people clutching white paper bags filled with bánh mì, which piqued my curiosity and led to my first bread roll. I’ve never looked back.

There’s actually a lot on the menu, including phở noodle soups, rice vermicelli bowls, spring rolls and broken rice bowls.

But no matter how many times I turn up, I can’t go past the bánh mì, of which hundreds are prepared each day in quick succession and stuffed to overflowing with fresh greenery, vegetables, spicy tofu, pork belly or lemongrass chicken. Look for the long white strip of pickled turnip. Sounds crazy, tastes crazy good.

Richard and Elsa say they have been amazed and humbled by the demand for their food.

Having migrated from Vietnam in 1980, Richard’s family runs a Chinese-Vietnamese restaurant in Melbourne, Thy Thy.

“Our slogan is ‘we make everything fresh’, and it is the first thing you see when you come here. We also work with our heart.”

The piles of freshly-prepped veggies and quick turnover of meats mean that while you may stand in line for ages, the service is incredibly quick.

And at $8 a roll, it would still be cheap to order two. But don’t do that. They are incredibly filling and you’ll end up with indigestion. Or so I’ve heard…

Look out for the hot pink signage in Garema Place come August. And if that doesn’t tip you off then just follow the queue snaking down the street.

the essentials

What: Ms Ba Co’s second shopfront
Where: 4-6, 108 Bunda Street, Civic
When: Opening hours: 7 am-9 pm, due to start trading early August
Website: msbaco.com