PROVIDENCE — In some cities, including New Orleans, Houston, and along the West Coast, bánh mì holds the same level of importance as French dips, po’ boys, shawarma, and hot chicken. It’s easy to understand why: The Vietnamese sandwiches are built on a short, crispy baguette with a heavy smear of condiments (if that’s how you like it) and customizable fillings.
Sometimes referred to as a “Saigon roll,” bánh can mean “bread” or “cake” in Vietnamese, and refers to a variety of dough-based foods that are steamed, baked, deep-fried, fried, or boiled. Mì means “wheat.”
To appreciate its significance, you need to understand its history: In the early 1830s French colonists brought baguettes to Vietnam, which unsurprisingly became a food staple over the next several decades. During World War I, Vietnamese chefs began experimenting with making baguettes using rice flour, an affordable ingredient, when it became difficult to import wheat, which was more expensive.
By the 1950s, this creative sandwich was moving away from its French-influenced fillings like ham with liver pâté or mayonnaise, and was revised for Vietnamese locals. After the Vietnam War, these sandwiches slowly started growing in popularity in Canada and Australia. During that time, Vietnamese immigrants began bringing these sandwiches to cities in the United States, mostly selling them from food trucks and Asian bakeries or markets.
In recent years, chefs have embraced the idea of experimenting with novel iterations of this once traditional meal. I wouldn’t say there is a “perfect” version of bánh mì, and in Rhode Island, they are still a bit hard to come by. But here are a few places to try.
ASIAN BAKERY & FAST FOOD: Grab some cash and head to Broad Street in Providence. Asian Bakery is one of the most well-known (and for good reason) spots to grab a bánh mì. Yawalux Phenglee took over the business around 2008, and her son and the bakery’s chef, Thanadron Phenglee, likes to tinker in the kitchen using different meats.
Yawalux Phenglee (left), the owner of Asian Bakery & Fast Food on Broad Street in Providence, R.I., with her son chef Thanadron (right).CARLOS DE LA ROSA
For one of his most well-known specialties, he moistens a baguette with sweet mayonnaise and barbecue sauce and stuffs it with a hearty cut of brisket, cucumbers, pickled carrots, daikon, and red onions with sprigs of cilantro to finish. “Unfortunately, [these] are kind of like one-day specials for a couple hours because they usually sell out,” he told me. 310 Broad St., Providence, R.I.
LOTUS PEPPER: Here’s another legendary mom-and-son duo. In 2013 Young Nguyen realized that, despite the many Asian restaurants around the College Hill neighborhood in Providence, there was a scarcity of Vietnamese dining options. For years, she and her son, Thang Huynh, served the Vietnamese food she grew up with — like dumplings and vermicelli bowls — out of their food truck, Lotus Pepper. In 2023, they opened their first brick-and-mortar location, a sunny spot with some tables and stools on Hope Street, where they are most known for their bánh mì. Their tofu bánh mì (which does not include mayo unless you ask for it) is pure gold. My tip: Grab some of their hot sauce (for free) by the water dispenser before leaving. 752 Hope St., Providence, R.I.
BANH MI & BUBBLE TEA: If you’re a bubble tea person, head to Cranston for brown sugar bobba and bánh mì with meatballs at Banh Mi & Bubble Tea. They bake their bread daily, and have several other iterations of this grinder. Try it meatless, or with pork skins (that’s bánh mì bì). If you’re with bánh mì haters, never fear: They also sell items like fried rice, pad Thai, pad kee mow, and delicious mango and sticky rice rolls. 935 Park Ave., Cranston, R.I.
Banh mi from Purslane, a restaurant in Wakefield, Rhode Island, which uses chili crisp for heat. Purslane
PURSLANE: Most of these suggestions are great takeout or quick lunch spots, but go to Wakefield if you want to pair your bánh mì with oysters and crudo. Purslane sells two iterations of this sandwich: one with garlic pork sausage, and one with sesame tofu. The usual suspects, like daikon, carrots, and cilantro are already included, but they slather their bread with garlic aioli and sriracha. I recommend adding some chili crisp for some heat and nuoc cham (a Vietnamese fish sauce) for an extra $1. 318 Main St., Wakefield, R.I.
This story first appeared in The Food Club, a free weekly email newsletter about Rhode Island food and dining. Already a member of the club? Check your inbox for more news, recipes, and features in the latest newsletter. Not a member yet? If you’d like to receive it via e-mail each Thursday, you can sign up here.
Alexa Gagosz can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her @alexagagosz and on Instagram @AlexaGagosz.
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Publish date : 2024-09-16 13:00:00
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