Now Open: North 54, a Modern Banh Mi Shop Led by One of Perth’s Most Promising Young Chefs

In a modest Leederville space – once home to the Vietnamese eatery Three Sisters – a fresh take on Vietnamese cooking is quietly unfolding. One shaped by memory, heritage and some of the city’s most exciting culinary talent. North 54, a dine-in and takeaway banh mi shop from Vietnamese-born chef Bac Pham, opens today.

Pham, who previously worked at Rockpool and Petition, isn’t making traditional banh mi: this is a reimagination. Take the banh mi xiu mại, typically made with pork meatballs. At North 54, it’s made with grilled lamb meatballs in a tomato-based sauce, layered with cumin labneh and mint gremolata. Or the son-in-law egg banh mi, where gooey, deep-fried eggs sit on tamarind mayo with crisp shallots: a vegetarian roll full of bold contrast and crunch.

“I want people to feel like they’re getting their money’s worth,” Pham tells Broadsheet. That extends to the rolls themselves: 10 inches long, his own recipe, baked off-site to ensure the right texture. “A good banh mi should be crisp on top, and pretty airy. Nothing dense or crumbly.”

There are six banh mi on the menu. The fillings can also be ordered as rice or noodle bowls, a thoughtful nod to gluten-free diners. There’s a vegan version featuring eggplant, local mushrooms from The Mushroom Guys and miso tofu; a roll filled with hibachi-grilled gai yang (Thai-marinated chicken) and crisp chicken skin; and a standout roast pork banh mi, marinated in fermented red bean for a funkier, richer flavour profile. “Most places do five spice-roasted pork,” says Pham, “but I want to do something a little different.”

Then there’s the bun cha banh mi: grilled pork meatballs packed with herbs, peanuts, pickles and fermented chilli sauce. “When I went to Northern Vietnam with Drew [Dawson], we had bun cha that was really, really good. I knew right away I wanted to replicate it, and I think putting it in a banh mi does it justice.”

Dawson, a close friend of Pham’s and the chef behind pasta pop-up Off Licence, has been a driving force in encouraging Pham to take the leap into his own business. “He’s one of my really good mates,” Pham says. “We worked together at Peggy’s, and he was always pushing me to do my own thing.” Dawson will also be helping out in the kitchen at North 54.

North 54 began life with a residency at Arrival Hall. Its much-loved pop-ups at Doubleview Bowls Club quickly followed, where diners got to try dishes like bo kho birria tacos and nem nuong scotch eggs. These creative snacks will be back onto the menu next month, when North 54 launches dinner service on Friday and Saturday evenings. For now, the 25-seat eatery is open five days a week for daytime trade, with a smartly pared-back menu as the team finds its feet.

Drinks include Vietnamese-style drip coffees served dine-in or takeaway, as well as coconut water with a pandan “cloud” – a silky whipped topping – and a photogenic matcha “cloud” with clean, defined layers.

Pham’s family story is layered into the business, too. The name North 54 is a reference to 1954, when his grandparents fled North Vietnam for the south. Pham was born in Vietnam but grew up in Perth, learning to cook from his mum. “She taught me about marinating meats, soup bases, braised pork and eggs,” he says. “We still get together every Sunday for a meal.”

Pham is also thoughtful about inclusivity. There are vegetarian and vegan options, halal-friendly chicken liver pâté (custom-made by local charcuterie L’Atelier Gourmet), and gluten-free rice bowls. “I want to cater to the halal community who want to try banh mi,” he says.

And above all, he wants North 54 to feel like a community space: just as it was when it was still a pop-up.

North 54
104 Oxford Street, Leederville
No phone

Hours:
Tues to Sat 9am–3pm
(Dinner on Friday and Saturday nights coming soon.)

@north54_