We're witnessing a welcome surge this year in Vietnamese eateries worth travelling to across the Klang Valley; this week's newbie is Lien Phat, where the sight of freshly baked baguettes whipped up by an all-Vietnamese team will likely lure customers from near & far (it's scarcely a 15-minute drive from Bandar Utama, after all).
Banh mi is the speciality; the good news is that it satisfies. The bread supplies a crisp bite & a pleasant chew to complement the substantial stuffing of reasonably flavoursome pork ham & pate with most of the prerequisite leaves & condiments. We'd be hard-pressed to identify a more fulfilling lunchtime treat for RM7.
We suspect this will prove even more crowd-pleasing: Build a better brunch with this baguette plus a piping-hot plate of tender pork meatballs, chunky pate, fried egg & house-made tomato sauce (RM9). Rip into the bread & heap everything on it for a marvellously messy DIY banh mi. Pretty hearty & positively addictive; this might be what tempts patrons to keep coming back.
The menu is concise, ensuring that nearly everything Lien Phat offers is worth ordering. We like the summer rolls, rice paper wrapped plumply around crunchy veggies, cooked shrimp & pork slices, accompanied by salty-creamy fish sauce topped with crushed peanuts. RM7; no hesitation whatsoever in recommending this.
This selection's conceived by & for pork lovers: Meaty braised trotters with whole boiled egg (RM10), sufficient for two to share.
Pork chop noodles, a chorus of sweet, sour, spicy & savoury flavours, singing harmoniously through a medley of textures.
Takeaway packets of imported Vietnamese instant noodles are also sold here for convenient suppers of home-cooked pho.
Vietnamese black coffee, iced or hot, alongside mango juice & our favourite: tri-colour dessert drink, with beans, jelly & nuts. Total cost for an unexpectedly belly-busting lunch for three: Slightly north of RM50.
Wondering what 'Lien Phat' is supposed to mean? The first word refers its co-owner's name, while the second signifies 'prosperity' - potentially prophetic for a restaurant that seems poised for robust popularity.
Banh Mi Thit: Lien Phat Vietnamese Bread House
23, Jalan Metro Perdana 7, Taman Usahawan Kepong, Kuala Lumpur.
Generally open everyday, 930am-930pm. Will take days off erratically, maybe once or twice a month.
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