About Miss Mai
It's not About Us
(it's about the food)
Miss Mai is a family-owned, non-franchised business which sells Vietnamese-style takeaway food. We began trading in 2012 in the Adelaide CBD. I could tell you a long story about our journey to get to where we are, but what’s the point ? We don't take ourselves that seriously. I mean, we are all just humans, right ? Our customers are more interested in our food. I could tell you that we are authentic because our chef grew up in Vietnam, cooking for her family from a young age, but whatever. We don’t have photos of street scenes from Vietnam; that’s not authentic because our shop isn’t in Vietnam. We don't need a web page full of 5-star testimonials and we don’t say our food is the best. Our customers can make up their own minds on that point. But you can be sure that we work hard, inspired by our clever chef, to make our food the best that we can. You won't find our garlic pork or our spicy pork in other shops, because these recipes were created by our own chef.
If you want to understand Miss Mai, come to our shop, taste our food and meet our staff and customers, then you’ll understand who we are.
Info
Seating is limited indoors, but we also have outdoor seating.
Busy period: between midday and 1:30pm we are usually busy, so you will probably need to wait in a queue to be served.
Payments: we accept cash, Mastercard, Visa, American Express and mobile phone payments.
Special requirements: You can phone early in the day to order packs of cold rolls, to make sure these are available; in this case try to phone by 10am.
Phone ahead: Can I phone ahead to pick up an order ? There is no need to phone ahead for less than five servings. For fifteen or more servings, see the Catering page on this website.
General information
Miss Mai employees work part-time and you can work at Miss Mai while studying, if you have a couple of days to spare. If you are a student, we should be able to schedule your work hours around your study timetable and we don't expect you to miss any classes. We will teach you food preparation (no cooking) and customer service. You should be prepared to work hard while you're at Miss Mai, but it's not all hard work ! You can meet new friends and learn new skills.
All staff are paid according to the Fast Food Industry Award and the ATO is notified of all wages. Employees of 21 years or older are paid at the adult rate.
Employment at Miss Mai
FAQ
When did the first Miss Mai shop open ?
Our first shop opened in 2012 in James Place in the Adelaide CBD.
What are the trading hours at Miss Mai ?
Monday to Friday, 11am to 3pm. We are closed on public holidays.
Does Miss Mai offer catering ?
Yes. Go to the Catering page of this website.
Can Miss Mai cater for an after-hours events ?
Contact us and we can discuss the details. Usually you will need to pick up from our shop.
Who is Miss Mai ?
Mai is a female name common to several Southeast Asian countries.
Mai is also the name of yellow flower which grows in Vietnam. We use the Vietnamese pronunciation of this name, which sounds the same as the English word “my”.
Do any Vietnamese staff work at Miss Mai ?
The chef, part-owner and designer of our recipes grew up in Vietnam.
What is a bánh mì ?
A bánh mì (pronounced BUN-mee) is a French style baguette typically filled with a protein such as meat or tofu, salads, pâté and mayonnaise or aioli. It is the result of the fusion and enhancement of a colonial food with local ingredients. The French introduced the baguette to Vietnam at the start of colonial rule (1860s to 1880s). Wheat doesn't grow well in a tropical climate and in World War I, when global supply was short, local bakers started mixing wheat flour with rice flour. This resulted in a loaf with a thin and crispy crust and a lighter centre. In the 1950s, following the partition of Vietnam, North Vietnamese refugees settling in Saigon were credited with inventing the modern bánh mì, stuffed full of delicious ingredients. Butter was replaced with mayonnaise and Vietnamese ingredients added such as coriander, pickled carrot and chilli. It became the convenient, takeaway food that is universally known today. French ingredients can still be found in the bánh mì, such as the pâté and garlic aioli. Across Vietnam there are many regional variations in bánh mì. In Australia, bánh mì ingredients usually follow the style commonly found in Saigon.
Alternative names for bánh mì:
□ Dog roll (Vietnamese dog roll appreciation Adelaide, Facebook group),
□ Saigon sandwich (U.S. military usage).
Is Miss Mai food fresh ?
Is the Pope Catholic ? We slice our own lettuce, pickle our carrots and make our own garlic aioli, meat marinades and fish sauce daily. We marinate and cook all of our meat, pâté and tofu in our shop. We make our own meat and veggie spring rolls. Our tofu is made in Adelaide from Queensland soy beans. Our bread is delivered daily and made by a baker who grew up in Vietnam. All of this takes a lot of work (and the occasional cut finger) but the end result tastes good !
Does Miss Mai use microwave ovens ?
No.
Does this website show customer testimonials ?
Customer testimonials on a business website are unlikely to be an unbiased guide as they are almost certainly selected to portray the business in the best possible light.
Can I apply to work at Miss Mai ?
Click on the button above to see if there are vacancies at Miss Mai.
Does Miss Mai use food delivery services ?
No ! Delivering food by bicycle is about one step more advanced than delivering mail by horse. I wouldn’t like to do this work myself and we don’t ask others to do this for us.
Can I phone ahead to pick up an order ?
There is no need to phone ahead for orders for less than five servings.
For fifteen or more servings, follow the instructions on the Catering page of this website.
What dietary options does Miss Mai provide ?
Follow the link to see our dietary options.
What information regarding allergens does Miss Mai provide ?
Follow the link for information regarding allergens.
How does Miss Mai benefit the community ?
See our Impact certificate.
Miss Mai is a trademark of Miss Mai Pty Ltd.
© Miss Mai Pty Ltd
