Edmonton Banh Mi: What to Order and How to Compare

Edmonton banh mi means a Vietnamese sandwich on a crisp baguette, filled with pâté, meats, pickled vegetables and herbs, sold from small shops in and around Chinatown. Buy one at two different counters on the same day, eat them side by side and decide for yourself.

A good banh mi is cheap, fast and built from contrasts: crunch and soft, rich and sharp, hot chilli and cool herbs.

What is Edmonton banh mi?

A sandwich with a baguette at its centre. The standard version is filled with sliced and pâté meats, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander, chilli and a spread, and shops vary the proportions. Edmonton banh mi is sold by the counter at lunchtime, often from small shops with short menus. The assorted-meat sandwich is usually the most popular, and many shops also offer a pâté-only or grilled-meat version. The bread is the foundation: a good baguette is light, with a thin crackling crust, so the sandwich can be pressed in the hand without squashing. Prices are modest, which makes it easy to buy two and compare.

How do you choose a banh mi shop in Edmonton Chinatown?

Look for a short menu, a busy counter at lunchtime and a baguette that crackles when it is squeezed. The best Edmonton Chinatown banh mi comes from shops that fill the bread to order, and a shop with a queue is usually a good sign. Ownership and fillings change from time to time, so a sandwich may taste different from older reviews. The honest approach is to try two shops, and a banh mi shop rivalry in a neighbourhood is mostly a reason to taste both.

What fillings should you try?

Start with the assorted-meat sandwich, the standard that every shop makes its own way, and ask what the shop's most popular sandwich is. Grilled pork, chicken and meatball fillings are common, and a pâté-only sandwich is a good test of the spread. Order it with everything on the first visit, and ask for less chilli if you are cautious. Keep your expectations modest and curious.

How do you run a banh mi comparison?

Like a taster, in five steps. Buy one sandwich from each shop on the same day, ideally within an hour. Eat a small piece plain to taste the bread, then a bite with everything. Note bread, filling, pickles, herbs and heat. Wait ten minutes and taste again, because a good baguette should still have some crunch. A banh mi comparison is more fun with a friend, so you can swap halves and argue gently.

Which Vietnamese sandwich Edmonton shop suits a vegetarian?

Ask, because vegetarian options are not on every menu. A Vietnamese sandwich in Edmonton made for vegetarians usually swaps the meat for tofu or egg, with the pickles and herbs staying the same. Ask whether the spread or sauce contains fish sauce or animal products. If you cannot get a straight answer, look for a different shop or choose a rice dish, or ask for extra pickles, cucumber and herbs to fill out a plainer sandwich.

What do you drink with banh mi?

Something cold and not too sweet. Many shops sell iced coffee, soy milk or sugarcane drinks, so ask what is in the fridge. If you want a longer meal, pair the sandwich with a bowl of noodle soup from one of the Vietnamese kitchens in Chinatown, and share. A walk along 97 Street and 98 Street between bites aids digestion and the people-watching.

When is the best time to buy a banh mi?

Just before the lunch rush, when the bread is fresh and the counter is calm. Shops of this kind often sell out of their best fillings by early afternoon, and a queue at noon can be long. If you are buying two sandwiches to compare, order them at one shop, walk to the next and eat on a bench or back at the car so they stay crisp. A sandwich left in a bag for an hour loses its crunch, which is the very thing you came to judge. Take napkins, since a good one is messy.

How do you rate and remember your favourite?

By naming the sandwich. In the Mosey app only the place and stars are required, and you can name the dish, such as the assorted-meat sandwich or the pâté-only one, give it stars and add a note about the bread. Add tags such as Quick Service or Great Value and keep your rankings on a list called Edmonton banh mi so friends can compare. Follow friends to see what they rated and saved. Because fillings change when a shop changes hands, a fresh rating of the sandwich you ate this month is worth more than an old review.

Where does this fit with the rest of Edmonton?

The Chinatown food guide places the sandwich counters in the district, the Whyte Avenue guide covers the south side and the Canadian food guides cover the rest of the country. You can also learn how to rate dishes on the ratings page.

When you have decided which sandwich wins, open the Mosey app, rate each one by the dish and add your verdict to a list.