There are the well-kept secrets, the obligatory stops and those that are worth the detour. There are above all essentials of all kinds that it is good to make known. For the pleasure of your palates, The duty therefore imagined an appointment in the form of a gourmet notebook, one theme at a time. Emblem of the history of Indochina colonized by France, bánh mì is the Asian interpretation of ham and butter; a clever blend of tasty, marinated and crunchy ingredients. It has become a delicacy of popular culture, and it is declined or bowed to the traditional version. Here are 10 places that deserve our attention. By Sophie Grenier-Heroux.
MONTREAL
Sue Sandwich Shop
For six years, this place has been like a great declaration of love for bánh mì! Halfway between traditional and fusion, the hearty sandwiches are made with the traditional toppings of carrots, daikons and cilantro, but are packed with grilled and steaming protein. Beef, pork, chicken and tofu kick this dish up several notches. The original with pork liver pate and Vietnamese sausage is offered, as are great vegan options with Szechuan grilled eggplant or shiitake. The place, recently moved, now has an Asian grocery corner.
2524 Beaubien Street East
HA
Recommended place to taste the best dishes from Southeast Asia in a pleasant atmosphere, HÀ offers an immersion in the universe of a Bia Hoi, this unpretentious Vietnamese neighborhood restaurant where you eat simple and delicious dishes. Here, the bánh mì is prepared in two versions: the classic with grilled chicken and marinated vegetables and the other with salmon gravlax with beets and dill. On the side, we could not give you a better boost on Mr. Hà’s tasty pork imperial roll.
243 Mount Royal Avenue West
600 William Street
Bánh Mì Bánh Yiu
A Mile-End address with joyfully retro accents, Bánh Mì Bánh Yiu offers the Vietnamese sandwich as a colorful and affordable offering, as the owner knew it when he lived in New York. He declines it in several versions, including chicken char xiu (Chinese barbecue), tofu chermoula (a marinade with Moroccan accents) and the avocado pâté. Jarritos Mexican soft drinks, Vietnamese coffee and home-baked chocolate cookies also set the tone!
255-a Saint-Viateur Street West
Little Sao
With three addresses, we understand that this family business charms many palates with its bánh mì. Prepared according to traditional flavors with a more modern touch, such as shallot confit or pieces of avocado, they remind us that there is nothing like a slightly jazzed-up classic. But still ? The secret at Le Petit Sao is… in the sauce! The hoisin-soya and the aioli that garnish each sandwich – very strong, by the way – make the taste buds dance.
Three restaurants, including the most recent in Pointe-Saint-Charles, 1870, rue Center
Tran Canteen
The rumor whets the appetite even before we put the big toe on it! First address in the Saint-Henri district to display the bánh mì on the menu, they soon had the intention of celebrating! Grilled beef, pork or chicken sandwiches can be topped with a fried egg — the place’s signature. And the vegan option of pan-fried tofu in banana leaves even outshines the meat versions. Great news: a second address, called Tran L’Épicerie, will open shortly.
4690 Notre Dame Street West
Hung Phat Market
In the microcosm of flavors that is the Jean-Talon market, hides this classic destination for bánh mì. If you can’t find it, follow the line which gets longer a little before noon. In fact, the most difficult will be to make a choice among the ten options. The original version with pork liver paté and ham is never a bad choice. The lemongrass beef one either. The essential pickled vegetables are fresh and the bread chosen is very crusty – not surprising when you know that the owner is from Paris, of Sino-Vietnamese parents, and that bánh mì means “wheat bread”. Everything is in everything!
7099 St. Denis Street
QUEBEC
The bread box
Of the dozen sandwiches offered at La Boîte à pain, the bánh mì steals the show. With its perfectly crusty baguette, its generous pieces of chicken and its sesame mayonnaise, it is one of a kind in the capital. Its charm also lies in the fresh garnish where lettuce, carrot, red cabbage, coriander and red onion mingle nicely. At the stroke of noon, it flies away in less than two. You have been warned!
Four addresses, including 396, 3and Avenue in Limoilou
Chanhda, Asian grocery store
Maxime Chanhda and Olivier Parent recently bought the Lao-Indochine Asian grocery store, which belonged to Mr. Chanhda’s aunt and uncle for 27 years. Closing their beloved Chanhda restaurant in Sainte-Foy, they quickly reassured customers by offering a few prepared meals. Among them, a bánh mì without worms and “imported” from Montreal is carving out a place alongside the homemade dishes. In its traditional version with Vietnamese pâté and ham, garnished with classic vegetables and coriander, the sandwich is prepared in a soft but not soft bread – important nuance! The result does not leave us indifferent as the umami awakens our senses. Soon, a bánh mì will also be prepared on site, we are told.
538 Oblate Avenue
Cafe Pekoe
This café in the Saint-Roch district was one of the first addresses in the city center to offer the famous Vietnamese stuffed baguette. The owner, François Côté-Philibert, found that the offer was lacking – he who was justly fond of it. Six years later, the “bánh mì du Pékoe” is often cited as one of the most popular. No doubt the generosity of the food and the spicy mayo have something to do with it! Want a total change of scenery? We even decline it with tuna!
433 St. Joseph Street East
At Tao!
The bánh mì of the Tao is the one that deviates the furthest from the classic among all those listed here, but it is no less interesting, quite the contrary. The one with braised jackfruit and fried tofu is delicious. Married with red cabbage, cilantro and peanuts, we find the tasty and the crunch that make the sandwich famous. The baguette — almost a string —, also smaller than the classic, offers the best balance between bread and filling.
104 Saint-Vallier Street West