Restaurant Q1 BanhMi (Töölö) — Restaurant in Helsinki sub-region

It's becoming more common to find Bánh Mì in Helsinki, the standard has risen alot over the past few years and Q1 is amongst the best I've tried in Helsinki city.

They have a pretty expansive menu for a small place, but this being my first visit I opted to stick to the Bánh Mì. I started with their Roasted Pork Belly variation (Bánh Mì Heo Quay). The pork belly had a good level of fat and the skin was crispy. I'm use to having pâté with this version of the sandwich, but in Q1's version it was absent, but it didn't detract from the sandwich.

I had a big hunger, so I decided to continue on and order a second sandwich. This time I opted for their "Pork Paradise" Bánh Mì (bánh mì thịt nguội?). This sandwich had 3 varieties of pork "cold cuts" (Vietnamese pork-loaf/ham, ham and meetvursti) and pork pâté. The meetvursti I guess was a substitution since there is so many varieties of Vietnamese "cold cuts" that perhaps it's hard sourcing the many variations in Helsinki, but it worked and didn't seem out of place.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed the sandwiches. The bread was fresh and had that crunchy/flakey outer. I liked that they have coriander, chili and pâté as standard ingredients in their sandwich recipe and the proportions of the ingredients were good. I briefly spoke to the owner and he seems quite passionate about serving an authentic product and is proud of what he is serving.

The Bánh...

YES!! Holy hell was I glad I gave Vietnamese cuisine in Helsinki one last chance after having countless disappointing meals. This restaurant ended up serving some of the best banh mi's I've ever had. I couldn't believe I finally found authentic Asian flavor.

I first tried the Pork Paradise and it was so fresh and flavorful, I went back a few days later for more. We ended up trying their Roasted Belly, Grilled Lemonpork, and Charsiu Saigon as well, and our only regret was not being able to taste everything else on their menu.

I'm writing this review more than a month later and still salivating over the memory of those perfectly light and crispy buns bursting with deliciousness! The meats were so tender and seasoned just right. The veggies provided an oh-so-fresh impeccable balance in flavor.

The restaurant was clean and employees friendly. Owner was very kind as well. I hope...

I recently visited for a bowl of pho, and it exceeded my expectations! The broth was rich, flavorful, and had that perfect balance of spices that makes pho so comforting. It was clear they took the time to simmer it properly, as it had depth without being overly salty. I ordered the beef pho, and the brisket was tender, thinly sliced, and cooked to perfection.

Service was fast and friendly, and the portion size was generous. I left feeling satisfied but not overly full. Definitely recommend for anyone craving authentic pho. Can’t wait to go back and try more dishes...