In search of Ho Chi Minh City’s best banh mi – how sandwich is being reinvented by Vietnamese chefs
- Dating back to the 17th century, when French missionaries first arrived, the banh mi has become one of Vietnam’s street food staples
- Priced from less than US$1 to US$100, Saigon’s sandwiches are the most extravagant and come with all kinds of fillings and flavours
At Ho Chi Minh City’s tiny Fix It bar, day-glo tequila-based concoctions are the order of the day, along with a potent whisky-and-rum cocktail called No Pain, No Gain. But I’m here for the Bánh Mi, a gin-based tipple that resembles, at first glance, a mojito.
The greenery isn’t mint, though, but cucumber, and a sprinkling of chilli gives the cocktail a fiery kick that complements the gin – even if my lips will still be tingling an hour later.
A drink based on the banh mi, Vietnam’s meat-stuffed sandwich, may sound like an odd concept, but it makes sense in Ho Chi Minh City, where innovators – whether street food vendors or award-winning chefs – are spearheading the evolution of the snack while paying homage to its past.
“Banh mis have different personalities, which reflect different regions,” explains Peter Cuong Franklin, founder and head chef at Anan Saigon, a restaurant famous for its US$100 banh mi. (Yes, US$100! For a sandwich!)
“Hanoi’s [banh mi] is similar to Cantonese cuisine – it’s just bread and meat,” says the former investment banker. “The Hoi An one is smaller. Hoi An used to be very poor, so there’s less of everything.”
