Gourman: Banhmi

In Quito, on Andalucía and Luis Cordero streets, there is a restaurant with an Asian influence, Banhmiwhich we went to after being recommended by several friends.

Banhmi has an extensive, constantly changing menu that is heavily influenced by Vietnamese, Thai, and of course Chinese.

The atmosphere is very nice and lit, having had a very satisfying experience. The price-quality ratio is very good.

The table decided to order several dishes and share everything, or almost everything. Pho soup was just for me. It is really strong, a Vietnamese root dish, which is eaten both in the afternoon and for breakfast. It’s usually beef, but in Banhmi they used shredded oxtail and ribs. It is also made with fish sauce and meat broth, ginger, garlic and spices, slices of raw beef, liquid marrow, rice noodles, onion and chives. This soup is an experience. Deep, concentrated flavors, with aroma and different textures. Having one of my favorite soups on the menu, the Thai Tom Yum, I fought the urge to ask for it, for a change, and didn’t regret it.

Two Bathrooms: With crispy pork belly, daikon, herbs, chili and scallions, AND Tonkatsuwith fried pork chop, mayonnaise, sauce and purple cabbage, are an excellent appetizer to share with a few drinks. The bread of the bathroom, very good.

Probably the winning dish was the Oxtail with Mussaman Curry. In fact, the table almost asked for another. Of Thai influence, it is a slightly spicy curry and peanut paste, with shredded beef tail, in its juices, candied onion, fish sauce and ground peanuts, accompanied of course by a deep dish with steamed white rice. . The combination of red curry with peanuts, spectacular. It is a very spicy dish, which probably also had brown sugar and cardamom.

We also tried mussels wok in green curry sauce and fish sauce with aromatic herbs. Exquisite mussels, large. However, I am still not convinced by the dish. I don’t think this bivalve will do well in preparation. The Curry and the very strong and intense spices seem to me to overshadow the delicate flavor of the mussel.

The Duck Fried Rice Was delicious. The duck was first made Confit, using the fat also for the rice cooked in a concentrated duck stock, and then mixed with the confit, making it unctuous and palatability of first class, with chives, ginger and garlic, crowned with a fried egg, a comforting dish. Banhmi has a fun menu if you visit Quito, varied, with influences from Asia Pacific and other countries in Continental Asia, such as China and Korea with their kimchi. (EITHER)