Bánh mì: Vietnamese street food with a French and SoCal twist

A baguette, still warm from the oven, its golden crust trellised with cracks. Sandwiched inside, a bright green thatch of cilantro and jalapeños, a tangle of pickled carrots and daikon, a smear of pâté. Loaded between that, maybe a layer of rich barbecued pork or zesty meatballs, even spicy sardines. This is bánh mì, an addictive Vietnamese street food and the culinary pay dirt of French colonialism.

By Amy Scattergood

November 5, 2008