So as you can tell, I’m usually way behind the curve when it comes to most things. Which is the only explanation for why this is the first time I’ve ever had a banh mi from @banhmisaigon505, and god DAMN I’ve been missing out. There are FOURTEEN banh mi options on the menu, but the Roasted Pork Banh Mi (Bánh mi heo quay, $9.90 nett) appealed the most to my carnivorous sensibilities.⠀
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As you can see, this soft Vietnamese baguette is absolutely stuffed with roast pork. The crispy crackling has mostly gone soft as the pork belly has been left out for a while, but the few spots of crunchy rind did satisfy. The roast pork is decently seasoned & savoury, but Banh Mi Saigon’s treatment of it elevated it from a decent albeit unremarkable roast pork sandwich into an unforgettably unctuous one.⠀
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The fragrant & herbaceous scallion oil that’s been drizzled liberally all over the banh mi adds fresh, vegetal notes to the salty & rich roast pork. The oil soaked scallions strewn throughout the banh mi provide flashes of vegetal freshness to break up the meaty monotony of the pork, and when combined with the chunky cucumbers & julienned carrots, the bursts of freshness were able to coexist in harmony with the salty, sumptuous roast pork.⠀
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The baguette is a little crusty on the exterior, but it’s still soft enough to avoid destroying the roof of your mouth when chewing. The mildly gamey (chicken liver, I believe) pâté added richness & lubrication to the soft baguette, while the unknown spicy spread that was like a spicy mayonnaise was the perfect foil to rein in the richness of the pâté, and light up the banh mi with its spiciness.⠀
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When it comes to Banh Mi Saigon’s roast pork banh mi, I gotta tell you, it was perfect. Perfect. Everything, down to the last minute details.