Uncover the truth of Banh Mi Phuong - The world's best sandwich
If you consider yourself the biggest foodie, we assume you would not want to miss the chance to try out “the world’s best sandwich” quoted by world-class chef Anthony Bourdain. To help you determine if Banh Mi Phuong truly lives up to its fame, this blog will provide you everything you need to know before your departure.
The Ancient Town isn’t called “Home of street food” for nothing, just look at Hoi An Review blogs every tourist go through before their trip you would wish to have a bigger stomach to be able to digest all the mouth-watering feast recommended. Among hundreds of delicacies of cuisine, one of the most famous side-walk dishes is probably Hoi An’s banh mi or more specifically, Banh mi Phuong located at 2B Phan Chau Trinh Street. If you are interested now, please read on for a deep dive into the so-called world’s best sandwich.
Before anything, it is only pertinent we head for the meaning first. Little did many know, “banh mi” simply means the bread part that is more like a French baguette. So be careful to specify your desired filling inside the banh mi if you don’t want to munch on an emptied crispy loaf of baked flour.
At Banh mi Phuong in Hoi An, the choice for inside ingredients is yours. There are so many options for you to choose on: pâté, omellete, ham, grilled-pork, barbecue, chicken, tuna, ... for meaty part and a lot of veggies adding texture and freshness such as: papaya, carrot, cucumber, etc. Of course, the roll isn’t complete without the magic dressing that is cheese and some Vietnamese sauces. All coming in around 25.000 VND (a little over $1), now that is what we call a street food!
Ever since celebrity chef Anthony visited Banh mi Phuong and sung his praises, from bloggers to tourists have been jumping on the bandwagon making it a must-visit destination in Hoi An Ancient Town. It’s a everyday sight to see a giant crowd gathered at the entrance and a queue lining up to the other side of the street, trying to snap pictures of the most sought after restaurant in Hoi An and grab a bite for breakfast (maybe lunch and dinner too since it’s always busy from early morning to late night). But to say it’s the most delicious sandwich is likely…a stretch!
Sure, there must be something accountable for all the praise and the bread part be it may. The crust outside is thin but crispy you can literally hear the sweet crunching sound when biting into it, the inward crumb of the bread in contrast is soft and floating fluffy. The addition of varied freshness to cut through the fat and spice from meat and sauces also helps balance out the flavour. Honest speaking, it is still a good sandwich but in the end, it is also a typical recipe for every sandwich, nothing mysterious or exceptional! Hit it any local roadside banh mi stall in Hoi An and you could still find a loaf as much good.
If asked, we would still recommend you to try banh mi Phuong for its Hoi An’s instagrammable hype or if you’re hungry and nearby but the effort to go out of your ways is doubtedly worth it!
- Practical information -
BANH MI PHUONG HOI AN
Adress: 2B Phan Chu Trinh street, Hoi An city, Quang Nam province
Opening time: 6AM – 9PM
Price: ~$1
