Mai and Martin knew one thing in life that wouldn’t change after becoming parents would be their appetite for delicious food. So they opened Baomi where they’re now the chefs whipping up delicious Vietnamese food that people are going crazy for, especially parents.
You see, Baomi is a rare breed of cafe/ eatery in Vienna where they don’t just take care of your stomach, but they also take care of entertaining your kid, so you can feel comfortable knowing everybody’s happy while you shove a delicious fresh Vietnamese summer roll in your mouth.
The menu starts off with cakes (even a vegan one!) and coffee, and continues with what Mai prides herself on – the diverse range of Goi Cuon (summer rolls), with fillings like pork, shrimp, egg, pineapple, and avocado – just to name a few.
On the other side of the menu, you’ll find a impressive Banh Mi selection. If you have no idea what this is – it’s the incredibly tasty (thanks to the Vietnamese talent with spices and sauces) baguettes that are trending the world over.
There are also a few creative and exotic Vietnamese salads in the menu, like the papaya salad and a lotus root salad. If you’re a fan of the Vietnamese kitchen, or you’ve traveled to the country, you’ll probably be looking for Vietnamese coffee in the menu, and you’ll be sure to find it. And it’s made just the way you like it – traditionally.
While Vietnamese cuisine lovers should definitely check out Baomi, this is obviously a cafe made for parent and kiddy fun and food. The interior is thoughtfully laid out and full of fun stuff for the kids to play with in a room that is mostly in sight from the restaurant seating area. This allows parents to keep one eye on their children-at-play, and the other eye on their tasty rice noodle soup as they inhale it (It’s been awhile since we sat down for a full meal without the kids physically attached to us – we forget, is it considered polite to inhale rice noodles?)
The playroom has trains, planes, and all the things to keep a kid occupied. Kids can go down the slide, or crawl through little tunnels, play dress up, or “cook” their own meals at the toy kitchen.
The real sign that Mai and Martin are parents themselves is the kid’s highchair in the bathroom so you can, you know, take care of business without having to simultaneously wrangle a child – “Johnny, please don’t lick the public bathroom floor again!”
But, back to the adults. This is the place if you want to have a get-together with friends, but some people in your group have children now and you want a place for the kids to play while the adults drink beer…I mean talk.
This is also the place if you have children yourself, but you still – strangely enough – have needs and cravings for the things you enjoyed regularly and freely before you had kids, like dining on delicious food in a restaurant.
Baomi is also the perfect place for when you’re having one of those stressful, nothing-is-going-right, nasty weather days and all you want is for the kids to play independently while you rub your temples, do that deep breathing you learned from a Youtube meditation tutorial and refuel with some good food that makes you feel like you’re in an exotic, warm place far, far away.
Mai and Martin have put their heart, personal experience, and love for Vietnamese food into this new 9thdistrict gem.
You know you’ve found a winner of a place to go with your kid when it comes time to leave and they start crying, and when they do, you’re easily convinced to stay a little longer.
By the time we really did leave we felt like we were part of Mai and Martin’s family. Their warm smiles and upbeat vibes made our visit as comfortable as hanging out at a friend’s place – a friend who is a freakishly good cook. We’re already looking forward to our next visit to Baomi. And the next visit after that.
While Baomi is not just for parents desperate for a cafe where parents and their kids are accepted for the crazy chaos and mess that they are – Vietnamese cuisine fans should definetely(!) check Baomi out too – it certainly is filling a hole that parents in Vienna have long waited for in the cafe scene.
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