Bánh cam, or sesame doughnuts, has been my beloved snack since childhood.

My mother would occasionally buy bánh cam for me when she came across them at the market; I quickly fell for their crunchy outer layers and sweet, buttery fillings. Typically, bánh cam are sold by street stall vendors who move from place to place, so it’s a snack I usually encounter by chance rather than something I seek out at a specific place. But on a lazy day when I was craving bánh cam but didn’t feel like venturing out, I tried ordering them online. That was how I stumbled upon CAM Coffee, a cozy café that serves bánh cam. The pairing seemed unusual, as cafés usually aim for a relaxing atmosphere, and the sizzling sound of a frying pan making bánh cam doesn’t quite fit. Still, out of curiosity, I decided to check it out.  

Situated in District 1's narrow and quiet Nguyễn Phi Khanh Street, CAM's surroundings are a stark contrast to the crowded, “city center” vibes encountered elsewhere in the district. At first glance, the café seems to embrace a rustic vibe, as it’s a small, boxy two-story building, adorned with wooden furniture and plants. 

Alongside the bánh cam, the menu also offers a wide variety of drinks. But since I came for the bánh cam, I ordered a simple black coffee to stay energized for the rest of the day, along with CAM Coffee’s signature “Mix 4” bánh cam — a set of 9 pieces with four different fillings. The shop only begins frying the bánh cam once you place your order, so you’ll need to wait around 10–15 minutes for them to be ready. While the delay can be a bit of a nuisance, for a snack whose charm comes from its crispness, it’s worth it to enjoy it in its “fresh out of the oven” state. 

When served, each piece is fried to a golden brown. They are smaller than the typical bánh cam found at street stalls and some pieces are sprinkled with extra sesame seeds, which playfully hint at the fillings hiding inside. 

The traditional green bean filling is indicated by a lack of black sesame seeds, making it a miniature version of the usual bánh cam you find at street stalls. It’s gently fried so the crust is crunchy upon biting, yet retains the chewiness of the dough. The filling is seasoned with just the right amount of sugar, offering a velvety texture and not-too-sweet green bean flavor.

The other three variants are distinguished by different amounts of black sesame seeds on the exteriors. A few seeds on the crust signal a pandan or purple potato filling, while a greater amount points to red bean filling. Although these ingredients are new to bánh cam, they are commonly used in other Vietnamese snacks.

Pandan, a green plant typically used for snacks like rau câu and bánh da lợn, usually promises a fresh, cooling sensation. But when used for bánh cam, the flavor remains close to the traditional green bean filling, though each bite is enhanced by a pleasant and refreshing pandan aroma. 

The red bean variant is the opposite of pandan. Its fragrance is subtle, and upon tasting it, the red beans provide a different kind of sweetness compared to the traditional bánh cam. The novel twist on the classic treat is perfect if you're seeking a new take on bánh cam.

The last variant is the purple sweet potato filling, which falls somewhere between the familiar and unfamiliar variants of bánh cam. The taste is a bit different and the purple color is striking. But what I find interesting is it reminds me of a different kind of snack: bánh khoai mỡ (fried purple yam cake). This similarity is probably due to the frying method and the purple color. It's a snack I don't come across often, and the only time I tried it was at a stall in District 8, which is far from my house. It seems I'd forgotten about its existence until I tried this purple potato bánh cam. 

CAM Coffee caught my attention at first because of its unique bánh cam, but I started revisiting it because of its atmosphere. The small size creates a cozy, homey vibe, and it’s not crowded with people most of the time. There’s no music playing, so all you hear is the café’s ambient sounds, and the light noise of the slow traffic outside. The floor is covered with concrete, evoking the feeling of living in an old house.

The overall ambiance makes CAM quite versatile. The peaceful vibes create an ideal spot for me to sit and work, or to conduct interviews as there is not much excessive noise. Then, if I finish working, there’s a front yard that overlooks the street which is perfect for getting some fresh air and relaxing. The green space is particularly good for meditative thinking with plants to gaze at, and most importantly, the slow, steady movement of traffic that allows me to zone out and unwind with my eyes away from screens. 

To sum up, CAM Coffee is a place that draws you in with its unique take on a beloved street snack, offering both familiar flavors and innovative new variants that give common new life inside the teeny bánh cam. But beyond that, it’s a spot you’ll want to return to for its comforting atmosphere and relaxed opportunities to unwind.

CAM Coffee opens from 7AM to 9:30PM every day. 

To sum up:

Taste: 5/5
Price: 3.5/5
Atmosphere: 5/5
Friendliness: 5/5
Location: 5/5