Street sarnies

Sink your gnashers into a Banh my pate and experience a crust cracking crunch alien to any Brie, tomato & basil muncher down at Pret a Manger. Banh my pate (pronounced 'ban me' Saigon-side, 'bang me' in Hanoi) is a breakfast, lunch or dinner - 'anytime's-a-banh-my-goodtime' - kinda snack. You'll find stalls, run exclusively by women in my experience, flogging these brimful baguettes at every other pavement stall in Saigon. This sarnie has no sell-by-date and comes sans cellophane, but is wrapped in the cut out advertising section of the local rag. The raw baguette goes for 1000VD a throw, the meat in the proverbial bumps the price up to 5,000VD.

There are options on what to put in and what not to, but normally I go for 'the works' which means a smattering of: chicken liver pate, cucumber slivers, sliced red & yellow chilis, a sprig of coriander, spring onion, shredded carrot, mortadella luncheon meat, thin strings of dried, shredded pork and a splash of hot sauce. As you take a bite, the breadcrumbs scatter - you might need a bib if you're a messy eater - the veggies crunch and meats meld into one magic mouthfull. Be careful, the chilies the baguette babes throw in are among the hottest you'll find in Vietnam. There are baguette boffins  bangin' out the banh my in the Seattle Deli in the US, but I'll wager whatever snazzy American twists are added stateside they don't match the Saigon street original. A bumper baguette will set you back $3.50 at the Seattle Deli. That's a budget bustin' 55,000VD or 11 - count them - ELEVEN - times the Saigon price.

Comments

[Linda]

Vietnamese banh mi (hoagie) are my all time favorite... they're delicious & healthy & very convenient to eat.. your site is the best!!!

[Nguyen]

When I was in VN, these were the best snacks around. Although some of the stalls that are around seem very sketchy (looks like the meat has been there all day in the sun), it is still the best bang for your buck (or the few dongs that it actually costs). This along with a Mango shake in Vietnam is simply unbeatable.

[dan]

just passing info :)

http://www.roadfood.com/Forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4516

[Midge]

Ooooooh! Banh mi! It's been ages since I've scoffed any. (boo-hoo-hoo! haven't been to Vietnam in years!) There are a couple of fairly good Vietnamese restaurants here in Manila that serve right proper banh mi - but they don't have the zing of the ones sold in the streets of Saigon! Best enjoyed with iced Vietnamese super-slow-drip-brewed coffee I always say...

[cb/CityRag]

hi - I posted a Guide to Banh Mi in New York City today, and linked to your great site at the end!

[kan.duke]

Seattle Deli

[kathryn]

LOO KING FOR LONG LOST FRIEND NAMED LINDA BAUGETTE FROM YONKERS SORRY

[andy]

Seattle has dozens of Banh mi places, most of which charge $1.50 to $2.00 the works. Saigon Deli just past 12th on Jackson is my personal favorite.

[Stephen]

As a child of Vietnamese parents, I grew up eating these sandwiches. They still remain one of my favorite 'meals-on-the-go' as a college student.

In California, there's an excellent food chain that specializes in the sandwiches: Lee's Sandwiches (http://www.leesandwiches.com).

[Bob]

Lee's Sandwiches in California is the McDonald's version of Banh Mi; A hyped-up chain that offer so so quality. For the real treats of Banh Mi in So Cal, the only places to go are the small shops along the main street of Little Saigon

[Danielle]

I have to agree with Bob. Lee Sandwiches are really not that authentic when it comes to really good banh mi sandwiches. I mean, the bread is made fresh daily and is fairly good, but the sandwiches themselves are skimpy on the meats and condiments. They wanetd to charge me extra for pate in the sandwich, and pate should be included in the sandwich anyway! So many small shops serve far more delectable versions of the sandwich. However, one thing I don't care for is the head cheese, or lo tai...LOL! Thanks for the awesome site, Mr. Noodlepie. I was born in Vietnam, but came to the US when I was all of 4 years old. I have yet to return, but your site inspires me to travel back to my homeland ASAP!

[kyle]

are their any shops in the midwest?

[hong]

i loved me some Banh Mi

[Nicholas]

I'm currently making the rounds of Banh Mi stands in Binh Thanh and D.3, have yet to find one that really stands out from the rest.

The best Banh Mi I've ever had is at Saigon Sandwiches in the civic center of San Francisco.