Banh Mi in Ottawa

The story of banh mi begins in the mid-1800s when France colonized Vietnam and brought the baguette to Southeast Asia. Initially, bread was an expensive luxury eaten only by French colonizers and wealthy Vietnamese. Vietnamese bakers soon adapted the recipe, substituting some wheat flour with rice flour to reduce cost and improve the bread's texture in Vietnam's humid climate. The result was a baguette unlike anything in France — thinner crust, lighter interior, and a more delicate crunch.

By the 1950s, after Vietnam gained independence, street vendors in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) began filling these adapted baguettes with distinctly Vietnamese ingredients. The French charcuterie tradition — pâté, cold cuts, butter — merged with Vietnamese flavours: pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, chili, fish sauce, and soy sauce. This fusion happened naturally, born from necessity and creativity on the streets of southern Vietnam.

After the fall of Saigon in 1975, millions of Vietnamese refugees resettled around the world — in California, Paris, Sydney, Toronto, and Ottawa. They brought their culinary traditions with them, and banh mi shops opened in Vietnamese communities everywhere. What was once humble Saigon street food became a global phenomenon, recognized by food critics, travel writers, and home cooks as one of the most perfect sandwiches ever created.

If the baguette is the body of a banh mi, đồ chua is its soul. This simple combination of julienned daikon radish and carrots, quick-pickled in rice vinegar, sugar, and salt, is the single most important element that distinguishes banh mi from every other sandwich in the world.

The pickled vegetables serve multiple functions. They provide a bright, tangy acidity that cuts through the richness of the pâté and meat. They add a satisfying crunch that contrasts with the tender protein. Their slightly sweet, slightly sour flavour creates the complex taste profile that keeps you reaching for the next bite. And their vibrant orange and white colours make the sandwich visually stunning.

At Pho By Night, our đồ chua is made fresh in small batches. The vegetables are sliced thin and pickled for the optimal amount of time — long enough to develop flavour and soften slightly, but not so long that they lose their crunch. Getting the balance right is one of the small details that separates a good banh mi from a great one.