Banh mi is one of those things that everyone loves but everyone has their own favourite store. One of our good friends Mr A had tried to convince me for a while to try out his favourite, Mr Bills for some time now. Unfortunately, they had closed for a brief stint when their premises in Tingalpa closed for redevelopment and it's only recently that they re-opened, in a bowls club of all places. Keen as ever to evangelise Mr Bills, Mr A held his birthday party at the bowls club and we were finally able to try it out for ourselves.
Despite being run out of the kitchen of a bowls club, the menu was surprisingly large and encompassed almost everything you'd find at a Vietnamese restaurant in Inala such as rice, noodles, banh mi and other snacks. I was pretty tempted by the pho, but stayed on track. The owner was especially warm and friendly, making a genuine effort to greet customers and remember their names.
It didn't take too long for our food to arrive. I was unable to choose two banh mi to sample, so Dr L and I ended up with three, conveniently cut up in half so we could try everything.
Starting off with the best of three, this was the Roast Pork banh mi. Although it didn't have as much meat content as the most recent one I've had at Banh Mi Station, I'd say each aspect of this was fairly close to perfection. The bun was extremely fresh with a crispy exterior that we loved and a super light and fluffy interior. There was a generous amount of pate and butter in the bun, offering rich creaminess to the mix. The pork belly was exceptionally tasty, crisp and warm. If I had to critique this I would have said there was a little bit too much chilli and coriander for my liking, but it really added a kick to the bun and didn't overpower the pork.
Our least favourite of the three was the Crispy Chicken. In saying that, it was by no means bad. The salad and bun were still delicious and the chicken was undoubtedly crispy as described but the meat itself wasn't as well seasoned as the pork. When I come back I probably won't order this but try something else instead.
Three little piggies was our last banh mi and it contained a selection of three pork cold cuts to go with their bun and salad. I was expecting to enjoy this one the least but it was really delicious, particularly because the bun itself was warmed up to provide a contrast in temperatures. I would order this again next time I'm back.
We also tried the drinks including an iced coffee and a lychee milk tea. Both were alright given the location but not particularly good. We found both to be too sweet and the coffee could have been a little stronger.
Overall, we had a really enjoyable time at Mr Bills. They're not "the best" in Brisbane but well within the top ten I'd say. I was very surprised at the quality of the banh mi and will definitely be back to try more very soon.
Price Range: $15 - $25pp
Taste: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Service: 9/10
Environment: 6/10
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