The restaurant space is not too large but decorated with a strong Southern style with checkered scarves on the dining table, creating a feeling of closeness for diners right from the moment they step in.
From crispy banh xeo to an experience that captivates diners
According to the manager of Mr Bay Mien Tay banh xeo restaurant, banh xeo is still the "most popular" dish in the menu. On peak days, especially weekends or tourist seasons, the restaurant can sell about 250 - 300 banh xeo.
The cakes are poured right in front of the restaurant so that diners can observe the entire processing process. Large pans are heated, glazed with a thin layer of oil and then add flour, eggs and filling as required such as shrimp, meat, beef or seafood.
The characteristic of the restaurant's Mekong Delta banh xeo is its large size, crispy golden crust, fragrant with coconut milk, full filling but not greasy with oil. When enjoying, the cake is rolled with accompanying vegetables and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce mixed with a harmonious taste.
In addition to banh xeo, diners also have many choices such as vermicelli with fermented fish sauce, hot pot of goby fish with giang leaves, hot pot with fermented fish sauce, grilled goby fish, fermented pork roll and many other typical Mekong Delta dishes.
Michelin helps the restaurant attract a large number of international visitors
Before being honored by Michelin, most of the customers were Vietnamese or people from the Mekong Delta living in Hanoi, but now, the restaurant regularly welcomes delegations from Korea, the US, France, Australia, Israel and many other countries. According to management, the number of foreign customers coming to the restaurant has increased significantly after being honored by the Michelin Guide.
Many tour guides also choose to bring international tourists here to experience Western Banh Xeo as part of their journey to explore Vietnamese cuisine. Mr. Dustin, a tourist from New Zealand, said that he was really impressed with Banh Xeo from the first time he tasted it. "I really like this dish, especially the aroma of basil and accompanying vegetables. Initially, I thought this was just a normal Banh Xeo, but when I was instructed on how to roll the cake with raw vegetables and then dip it in fish sauce, I realized that this is not just a dish but also an experience. Rolling each piece of cake with my own hands makes the meal much more interesting," Mr. Dustin shared.
According to the male tourist, what surprised him the most was the balance between the ingredients. The crispy crust combined with the rich filling, fresh vegetables and the characteristic aroma of basil creates a very harmonious flavor.
At first, I didn't think this dish would be so delicious. Each ingredient has its own flavor, but when combined, it is perfect. I really enjoyed every piece of cake," he said.
Dustin also admitted that he originally did not like fish sauce. However, after enjoying banh xeo, his opinion changed.
Usually I don't like fish sauce, but the dipping sauce here is very special. The sweet and sour taste is balanced, not too smelly and wonderfully combined with banh xeo, raw vegetables and basil. All blend together to create a very attractive flavor. I think this is one of the best Vietnamese dishes I have ever tried and will definitely introduce it to my friends when they come to Hanoi," Dustin said.
Winter is the busiest time of year. The chilly air makes hot dishes such as banh xeo, bun mam or keo fish hotpot chosen by many diners. In the evening or weekend, the restaurant is almost full of tables continuously, many customers have to wait from 10 to 20 minutes to have seats.
To ensure the quality of the dish, the banh xeo portions are all prepared immediately after customers order instead of being pre-made. This is also the reason why the waiting time can be longer in crowded times.
Although the number of customers has increased sharply after 3 consecutive years of being recognized by the Michelin Guide, the restaurant still prioritizes maintaining food quality and stable prices, while continuing to upgrade the space and service to bring better experiences to domestic and international diners.
In 2024, the restaurant was first included in the Michelin Guide's Bib Gourmand category - a list of addresses with quality food at reasonable prices. After that, the restaurant continued to maintain its position in this list in 2025 and 2026, becoming one of the prominent Western culinary addresses in the Capital.
Banh xeo has long been one of the typical dishes of Vietnamese cuisine, famous for its crispy yellow crust, rich filling and interesting ways of enjoying it. Not just a simple dish, banh xeo also reflects the culinary culture of each region when served with many kinds of raw vegetables, rolled with rice paper and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce.
