Top 5 best places to enjoy a banh mi, the Vietnamese sandwich

If there is a subtle marriage of Western and Vietnamese flavours that delights both Vietnamese and travellers, it’s undoubtedly the banh mi or the Vietnamese sandwich. It was honoured by Traveler magazine for making its place in the list of the 10 best sandwiches in the world.

It's no wonder that Vietnamese banh mi are among the top 10 Vietnamese dishes you should not miss. Here is a tour of 5 addresses, from north to south, to savour the banh mi most favoured by the international media.

Popular and affordable, banh mi is present all over the S-shaped country.

Banh mi 118 A, Hue Street, Hanoi

A BBC reporter was quick to praise Hanoi's banh mi by pointing out that it is the best food in the world when he stopped on Hue Street in the heart of a trendy part of the capital. It is stuffed with slices of pork, char siu pork, pemmican, liver pate, five spices and sometimes butter. Everything is drizzled with a spicy sauce and decorated with aromatic herbs. Its garnish is not too complicated, the banh mi shines there with the help of all the ingredients, each of which has a role to play. The pemmican, for example, helps to incorporate the sauce well, the traditional pate makes it tender and the bread is crusty. A real treat!

Banh mi Phuong, Hoi An

The little wonder cooked at Phuong was able to convince the famous chefs Anthony Bourdain and Cameron Stach as they passed through the charming town of Hoi An. Renowned as the sanctuary of the best banh mi in Vietnam, the canteen has succeeded in creating a symphony in one banh mi, the American chef said. A baguette at Phuong consists of strips of grilled lean pork, Vietnamese pork pate or sausage, liver pate, delicious sauce and raw vegetables like coriander, sweet and sour cucumber, carrot, civet, and basil. The bread used by this canteen is harder and crunchier compared to those served elsewhere. It lends itself perfectly to an alluring mix of scents and flavours to awaken all taste buds.

Banh mi Madam Khanh, Hoi An

The diva of Hoi An's stalls, and popular with guests from other continents is Banh mi Madam Khanh, also known as “The Banh my Queen”. Located on a corner a little away from the main tourist spots, this shop is not too crowded. It offers no less than ten ingredients to delight the most varied palates. Mrs Khanh who is over 80 years old herself prepares tasty baguettes for each of the customers. Homemade pate, sauce, special butter made from egg whites, fried egg, sautéed pork, char siu pork, mushroom, spicy sauce, and coriander… simple foods are combined here to make the old cook of Hoi An shine. Family members have been getting up early every day, for over 30 years, to whip up a whole range of toppings to tastefully decorate this iconic sandwich from Hoi An, but also the rest of Vietnam.

Banh mi in the street of Nha Trang

Anonymous this time, National Geographic magazine revealed to us in 2013 that the banh mi served in the street in Nha Trang, the resort in the centre, is one of the 11 best street foods in the world. The baguette is firm with a mouth-watering crust. The filling consists of the Vietnamese pork pate, slices of belly meat, chilli sauce made from tomato, chilli, fish sauce, pork fat and spring onion. It's the special sauce that sets the street sandwich in Nha Trang apart, and this one has nothing to envy to those in other places. The bread alone soaked in this sauce is enough to make you salivate quickly. Take advantage of your getaway in this beautiful coastal city to find lots of good addresses for delicious Vietnamese sandwiches.

Banh mi in Nguyen Trai Street, Saigon

It is while strolling through the sidewalks in Nguyen Trai Street in Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) that you will nibble on one of the 12 best street food dishes in the world, according to Condé Nast Traveler magazine. The street food chefs are fabulous. Just with a traveling canteen, a wood-fired oven, a pan of oil, they have enough to make you succumb to a formidable banh mi. The neighbourhood Vietnamese sandwich is distinguished by a garnish comprising roast pork, cucumber, coriander, raw vegetables and soy sauce, which is emblematic of southern cuisine. Delicious meat marinated in lemongrass, a balanced mixture of ingredients thanks to the salty and sweet sauce. This is a real treat not to be missed in one of Vietnam's best gastronomic destinations.

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