It’s not every day you stumble upon Vietnamese coffee in Prague, so when an Instagram post from Czech Please brought BAMICO, a new bánh mì spot on Seifertova in Žižkov, to my attention – a spot that also promised Vietnamese coffee – I decided to pay a visit. This was despite the fact I have Mr. Bánh Mì practically on my doorstep, a mere three to four-minute stroll from my flat.
My first impression was certainly positive. The service was genuinely friendly and welcoming; you order at the bar and collect your food there too. The interior, with its vibrant yellow walls and an abundance of lanterns, immediately evoked a Hội An vibe, which can only have been intentional.
There are six varieties of bánh mì on offer. As I sometimes find a single bánh mì can be a touch on the light side for a full lunch, I opted for the Bamico Special – the “everything in it” option – priced at CZK 160.
I also ordered a Cà phê muối, a Vietnamese salted coffee, which is essentially black Robusta coffee combined with lightly salted whipped cream and sugar and/or condensed milk. This set me back CZK 120, which in my opinion, is rather steep. The initial taste of the lightly salted foam was pleasant, but the coffee itself was disappointingly weak. There simply weren’t enough beans used for my liking.
My baguette, however, was almost overwhelming in its generosity. I had initially balked a little at the price, which is at the higher end for Prague, but once I held it, I was genuinely surprised by its weight and sheer abundance. Quite simply, it was the most substantial bánh mì I’ve ever encountered, even surpassing those from Bánh Mì Huynh Hoa in Ho Chi Minh City, renowned for their impressive portions. There was a veritable feast of different meats, all delicious and well-prepared. Furthermore, the pickled vegetables were fresh and crisp, though I did long for more coriander, which was barely detectable, and a complete absence of spice. Likewise, the baguette itself could have done with being warmed through and significantly crispier. But the quantity? For the first time, I struggled to finish a bánh mì, and I could easily have settled for less. Next time, I’ll definitely order a type with only one filling.
Ultimately, I had primarily come to sample the coffee. Therefore, I ordered two more specialities: the straightforward Cà phê sữa đá (CZK 100), black coffee with condensed milk and sometimes regular milk plus ice, and Cà phê trứng (CZK 120), better known as egg coffee. The former was weak and, in my opinion, had far too much regular milk and insufficient condensed milk. The latter, whilst certainly containing egg, lacked the fine, dense egg foam – akin to an eggnog – that one experiences in Vietnam, particularly Hanoi (it collapsed almost instantly). Frankly, I could barely differentiate between the two coffees I ordered together to round off my visit.
My conclusion is that BAMICO is a lovely establishment, and their bánh mì are both filling and fresh. However, their coffee leaves a great deal to be desired, especially considering the price. I’ve never before tasted Vietnamese coffee that so lacked the characteristic strength and richness of Robusta. On the coffee front, they’ll need to seriously buck up their ideas if they want me to become a regular.
One detail that is close to being a dealbreaker for me is that all drinks are served in disposable plastic cups with plastic lids and plastic straws, regardless of whether you drink them on the premises or take them with you. If it isn’t already prohibited, it should be!
BAMICO
Seifertova 11, 130 00 Praha 3-Žižkov
Monday-Saturday 10-20 (or until sold out, watch their Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bamico.prg/)