Nirvana for the country's best banh mi sandwich
Anthony Bourdain is to blame. He spoiled me. I keep wanting to prove him wrong, but I've not been able to do so after attempting many times. Indeed, the best banh mi sandwich in Vietnam
is in the seaside UNESCO village of Hoi Ann at Banh mi Phuong. Believe me
when I say their rendition of this sandwich is the bomb. I’ve eaten there three times and I’m already
dreaming of my return in 2020 with the next group of Wine-Knows.
Banh mi actually means bread. France controlled Vietnam for nearly 80 years
and settlers brought to the colony their love for baguettes. Although the French were driven out in the
1950’s, the baguette remained. A
baguette is the basis for the banh mi, however, the Vietnamese version is
always a single serving baguette. Rice flour is often used in conjunction with
wheat flour making the Vietnamese adaptation more airy with a thinner crust. It’s super crunchy and crispy.
A sampling of some of the ingredients at Banh mi Phuong
The baguette is a critical component for the Banh mi
but the inside ingredients also can make or break it. The version I order at Banh mi Phuong has
> 10 ingredients, all elements working in totally harmony. First, there’s a thin layer of aioli, then a
splash of the au jus left over from
the roasting of the poultry and meats that will follow later on the sandwich.
Then, a spreadable house-made pate. Last, there are
tomatoes, pickled carrots and daikon, thinly sliced cucumbers, fresh cilantro,
and finally a dab of fish sauce mixed with chili for the perfect kick.
The owner's daughter warms the scrumptious baguettes
At Banh mi Phuong huge baskets of baguettes are
delivered every hour by bicycle from the local bakery. They are warm on arrival, but this sandwich shop warms the baguettes in a small oven briefly before preparation…making
the bread even crunchier. Hundreds of baguettes
are served hourly here as there’s a constant parade of hungry folks night and
day.
Now for the bad news:
there’s always a line. The
coveted ten or so tables inside are always crawling with locals and tourists
jockeying in concert for one of the few spots to sit. Because of this, the small sandwich shop is
surrounded by a swarm of parked motorcycles whose riders devour their banh mi
atop their motorbikes.
Check out the few minute clip from Bourdain’s visit to Banh mi Phuong: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUMlwNHNXp0
