This New Richmond Bakery’s “Pho-Wich” Might Be Your Next Favourite Dippable Sanga

Sandwiches with dipping sauce have been found in Melbourne for years. Mexico’s popular quesabirria really took off here in 2021. And, earlier this decade, we saw an obsession with Chicago’s famous Italian beef, largely fueled by the jus-dipped sanga’s prominence on season one of The Bear.

Now, another dippable sandwich is taking off at Richmond’s May Bakes. The pho sandwich – or “pho-wich” as it’s been nicknamed – is a take on the classic French dip, according to Van Son “Steve” Nguyen, who opened the bakery and cafe with his wife, Diep Anh “Cassie” Tran, in December.

Sandwiches dipped in pho, sometimes called “pho-rench” dip, have been floating around online for the past couple of years. But where the online versions tend to use a soft white sandwich roll, May Bakes’s “pho-wich” is done on the bakery’s signature shio pan, or Japanese butter rolls.

The shio pan is made on-site, and has a sturdy crust on the outside and soft strands of dough, subtly sweet from butter and milk powder, on the inside. The roll is similar to a Vietnamese baguette, Nguyen says, “but has more flavour”. It’s spread with pork pâté – made in-house using a recipe passed down from Nguyen’s mum – before being filled with fall-apart tender bo sot vang, a northern-style stew of beef braised in red wine and spices. “Back [in North Vietnam], red wine-braised beef is served with pho,” says Nguyen. 

In place of pho’s typical bounty of herbs, bean shoots, pickles and condiments, the “pho wich” comes with seasonal pickles and a house-made fermented chilli sauce.

Crucially, there’s a cup of northern Vietnamese pho broth, which Nguyen says is slightly richer and more concentrated than that found in other regions. The sandwich is perfectly sized for a clean dunk. But whether the “pho-wich” will reach the same level of popularity as its broth-soaked predecessors is yet to be determined.

May Bakes
24/2–6 New Street, Richmond
0452 461 595

Hours:
Mon 8am to 3.30pm
Wed to Fri 8am–3.30pm
Sat & Sun 8am–3pm

@maybakes.melb