Banh mi: A Submarine Sandwich With An Exotic Twist (1/2)

Operators across the country are exploring ways to upgrade the traditional American sandwich. But some are predicting that the next sandwich craze is waiting in the wings in Vietnamese neighborhoods across the country. What Is Banh mi? Banh mi sandwiches a classic Vietnamese combination of paté, ham, sausages or headcheese, topped with pickled carrots, cucumbers , daik on , fresh cilantro and jalape?os on a French baguette have been common in cities with large Asian populations for the past two decades. But as more non-Asian diners discover the inexpensive and tasty treat, operators are seeing crossover potential to appeal to a broader audience. Banh mi specifically was mentioned by a study released in April by PackagedFacts, a New York-based market research firm specializing in consumer goods, as one of several Asian dishes with "potential for mainstream appeal." According to PackagedFacts, the total U.S. retail sales of Asian foods increased by 27.3 percent from 2000 to 2004, driven in part by a growing Asian-American population. The sandwich is a classic example of cultural fusion, a vestige of the French colonial era in Vietnam. The bread is French, of course, as is the smear of paté, ham and mayonnaise. The rest is Vietnamese, offering a refreshing spice and crunch. A banh mi is essentially a submarine sandwich with an exotic twist. Some use Asian-style barbecued pork, lemongrass chicken and other hot options as well, and most banh mi shops allow guests to customize their orders. Banh mi Is Having Increasing Appeal To The Mainstream While the sandwiches have been found traditionally in restaurants with names like Pho & Banh Mi Saigon in Seattle or Ba Xuyen in Brooklyn, N.Y., banh mis increasingly are found in restaurants with more Westernized names, such as Mr. Baguette, Baguette Express and Top Baguette, all of which have a presence in Southern California. The Lee's Sandwiches Bakery-cafe Chain: "Hot Baguettes Now." The Lee's Sandwiches bakery-cafe chain in California has offered banh mi to an ethnically mixed audience since 1985, when the first unit opened in San Jose, Calif. But the family-run operation ramped up growth in 2001 when a more Westernized prototype was developed. The chain now has 15 units in California, with another 15 expected to open by the end of 2005. Among the latter will be three franchised units, including the first to open outside California, in Chandler, Ariz. It is scheduled to open this month. Another franchised unit is expected to open in Houston later this year. Owner Chieu Le expects to do about $20 million in sales this year, with banh mi representing about 75 percent of sales. Borrowing some marketing ideas from Krispy Kreme, Lee's baguettes are freshly baked in each store every 30 minutes, and a neon sign flashes "Hot Baguettes Now." Newer units also have a display baking system that allows customers to watch the baguette-making process. All of Lee's 10-inch banh mis are priced under $4, making them one of the best meal deals to be found. All over the country banh mi shops keep prices low and aim for higher volume. Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches Offers Less-traditional Options At Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches in Manhattan's East Village, for example, all banh mi options are $3.95, says Billy Dang, whose family opened the shop about seven months ago. Dang's father, Ninh Van Dang, operated a banh mi sandwich shop in Brooklyn for seven years, but the family decided to aim for a more mainstream audience in Manhattan. Dang notes that the shop uses a higher-quality paté than is found at most banh mi shops in Chinatown, where the paté used is a more coarsely textured country version. Nicky's also offers less-traditional options, such as the portobello-mushroom banh mi for vegetarians. East West Sandwich: A More Modern Version Of A Banh mi