The Banh Mi Queen.
There is a possibility you have heard of the famous Madam Khanh's, The Banh Mi queen from Hoi An, and if not well it's well worth a visit if you should find yourself in this stunning little ancient town.
This 80-year-old grandmother, made famous as Madam Khanh, queen of the Banh Mi, has been mentioned by many foreign newspapers and culinary shows around the world. With a life span of more than 30 years, serving thousands of customers from her humble little food cart on the corner in Hoi An. Madam Khanh's, Loc is her name, and her husband Khanh have mastered it! The unique flavors come from a variety of Banh Mi fillings. The menu is that of only five dishes but that doesn't stop locals and foreigners alike from lining up from down the street to get one of these gourmet rolls. The Banh Mi has a solid Vietnamese culture and is a specialty dish in Vietnam. That and Pho are two of the most recognized dishes in Vietnam. Banh Mi means Bread or sandwich. and it is one of the safest street food choices to make. The filling is cooked and is not made with water.
The five menu choices are chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian, or a combination of all. Either way, you cannot go wrong, they are all winners. The Banh Mi will cost you about $2-3 and they are big. I've been lucky enough to have taste tested so many Banh Mi's from all over the country, but none compared to that of Madam Khanh's
Situated down a more unsuspecting street of Hoi An, I am certain she has set the tourist load for this area with her popularity.
Photo by Wix
The Construction of the Banh Mi. The Banh me consists of a selection of different cold cuts of meat. Chicken, pork and beef. A Fresh Banh Mi, (bun) is then finished off with pate, egg, egg sauce, sprouts, chilies, papaya, coriander, cucumber, Special spice, and sauces.
Banh Mi Pate
Debs Photos
On my first visit to Madame Khanh's years ago, they introduced me to a tea that I just loved and still continue to enjoy today, it is a combination of dried little red apples, licorice root and goji berry. You can get it in many restaurants and cafes that have herbal teas or purchase it yourself from the Vietnamese herbs and medicines shop just off to the side of the Hoi an market.
After enjoying your Banh Mi and experiencing her signature dish .. look directly across the road and enjoy a visit to one of my favorite little stores of second-hand collectible ceramics and pottery items from Vietnam, Japan and China. I have collected over the years many little unique pieces from here, the Last being a vintage gold-plated sake set from Japan which set me back about $20). The shop is an old Vietnamese house of three stories and trust me there is a lot crammed into one little house. It is Definity worth a browse and I could almost be sure you will leave with at least one treasured item from Hoi an.
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