Charlie originally applied for the job of cleaner at manager Luc’s Vietnamese takeaway restaurant and has since made it his business to learn the trade. Despite having a GCSE in food, he had never really thought about catering until Luc showed him how to do it the Vietnamese way. Now he preps the food, cooks, serves the customers, and knows every recipe inside out.
Since opening in 2023 the local community have flocked to buy their distinctive soft Bành Mì rolls. ‘On Christmas Day the queue goes out the door!’
The Baguette menu includes BBQ Pork which is grilled fresh on the BBQ out the back. The classic baguette comes with pate which takes about 12 hours to make – ‘it’s a really hard process, but really worth it’. The red pork also has a lengthy process including cutting, seasoning, and hours in the steamer.
Honeyed chicken is there for the locals – ‘it’s not authentic but the local people love chicken, so we wanted to provide it’. Beef is also on offer, as well as a five-spice tofu which is equally popular with veggies and meat eaters.
There is a selection of Vietnamese drinks as well, including roasted milk tea, pearl milk tea, drinking yoghurt, and salted macchiato.
One of their most popular dishes is the eggy sponge cake which comes with a savoury base, a cheesy sauce, dried pork and chicken floss, and salted eggs. The eggs are all salted on the premises and take four to five months to perfect. ‘Orders come for the sponge from all over the country. People want next day shipping, so we’ve sent Ubers up to Birmingham before. People are happy to pay’.
