Anatomy of a good bánh mì
A cross-section, drawn the only way a teletext page knows how:
Top to bottom: crust, crumb, pâté, chả lụa, đồ chua, herbs and chili, crumb, crust. In words, in case block characters aren't rendering the way they should:
- Bread
- Rice-flour baguette: shattering crust, mostly-air crumb.
- Pâté
- A thin spread — a little goes further than you'd think.
- Chả lụa / cold cuts
- Vietnamese pork sausage, or a mix of sliced cold cuts.
- Đồ chua
- Quick-pickled carrot and daikon — the acidity that cuts the fat.
- Herbs & chili
- Cilantro, sliced chili, sometimes cucumber. Never optional.
Get the ratio wrong — too much pâté, not enough đồ chua — and it's just a pork sandwich. Get it right and every bite tastes different.