Bánh mì from Latté Express in San Francisco.

Whether you call it a Vietnamese Po’ Boy, a Saigon Sub, or a Vietnamese sandwich, Bánh mì is a delicious holdover from the otherwise bitter French colonization of Indochina. Politics aside, these little sandwiches with pâté, cilantro and hot peppers combine Old World French flavors with the spicy punch of Vietnamese vegetables. Here in the San Francisco Bay Area and there are plenty of Vietnamese and South East Asian restaurants, trucks and carts that serve Bánh mì, so when you get the urge to “Go bamboo” as Tony Bourdain puts it, there’s always a place around the corner.

The essence of this sandwich is the bread which is actually called Bánh mì – though the name also applies to the sandwiches made with it. Bánh mì is based on the French baguette although some authentic versions actually use rice and wheat flour. Typical preprarations start with the bread, pâté, and mayo along with Vietnamese products like hot peppers, cilantro and fish sauce. The one pictured has the above ingredients plus ham (with aspic).  I’ve also tried the fried pork version of this as well.

Have a favorite Bánh mì joint? Let us know!