Vietnamese cuisine has long been readily adapted for plant-based eaters. We have an abundance of naturally animal-free items at the core of the cuisine to thank for that, like rice, rice noodles, and rice wraps, as well as the French baguette on which the banh mi is built, plus all those key veggies and herbs like basil, cilantro, carrot, and cucumber that play roles in many dishes. With small tweaks to the source ingredients for staples like fish sauce, and subbing out chicken, pork, or beef for things like tofu and seitan, Vietnamese dishes can work so well as vegan.
Now Vancouver is home to a new Vietnamese take-out and delivery concept that is centred on "whole plant-based food" called Cham Cham, operating out of commissary kitchen space in Kitsilano.
Cham Cham translates to "slow down" in English, and this echoes the goal of the business, which is the sole enterprise of its Vietnamese-Canadian chef/owner Kim Vo.
Banh mi from Cham Cham in Vancouver. By Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is AwesomeVo, who launched Toronto's pay-what-you-can North Saigon food truck in Toronto in 2017 now calls Vancouver home, though she first came to Canada from Vietnam by way of Malaysia to Manitoba as a little girl in the 1980s. While North Saigon is retired, and Vo has since transitioned to a plant-based diet, she has started up Cham Cham with an aim to showcase her native Vietnam's nutritious and delicious cuisine, while enlivening the range of vegan options in the city.
The menu at Cham Cham is trim and simple and hits the notes for many who find themselves craving some casual Vietnamese eats. You'll find a tofu banh mi, a veggie pho, fresh rolls, and a Hanoi rice noodle bowl topped with fried spring rolls, along with a fresh pomelo salad and Vo's addictive plant-based Saigon "fish sauce chicken wings."
I happened to see Cham Cham on my Instagram and opted to call in a pick-up order, and gave the bahn mi, spring roll and noodle bowl, and the chicken wings a try (though the whole menu was tempting!). The rice noodles were lovely and stayed loose and moist, and the spring roll had a nice crunch without feeling greasy. The veggies and garnishes were all bright and fresh, and the dipping sauce - a plant-based nuoc cham - had a lovely bit of sweet, sour, and heat to it. The star for me were those "wings" though thanks to the depth of flavour on the sauce, with deep notes of caramel. The texture may not be everyone's cup of tea; while you aren't pulling meat off bones there is a bit more a chew to the pieces than boneless chicken morsels would offer, but the trade-off is in the fantastic sauce. Though we did have quite a feast, the meal still felt satisfying but also not heavy.
Saigon Caramelized "fish sauce chicken wings" with sticky rice from Cham Cham. By Lindsay William-Ross/Vancouver Is AwesomeIn addition to pick-up from the kitchen in Kits you can order Cham Cham for delivery through DoorDash, Skip The Dishes, and Uber Eats. Pick-up orders enjoy a small discount as well. Follow @chamvegan on Instagram for updates.
