Customers line up to buy Huynh Hoa bread - one of the well-known bread brands in Ho Chi Minh City - Photo: FBHH
As a baker myself, I sincerely hope that next year, any bakery, not just Nguyen Sinh, will be included in the Michelin Guide.
Thach Nguyen
Immediately after the Michelin Guide published its list of restaurants in various categories, many big fans of banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) voiced their opinions.
Vietnamese banh mi is famous all over the world . In fact, "banh mi" has even entered the Oxford Dictionary as a proper noun, referring to Vietnamese banh mi; foreigners who want to enjoy it must ask in Vietnamese.
Bread is being "neglected".
A food-related fan page posted a question about why there wasn't a single bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) shop listed. According to the page owner, if you were to talk about the diversity of Vietnamese bánh mì, you'd probably need a whole dictionary.
Each region has its own type of bread with a variety of fillings. Ho Chi Minh City has the most, due to the fusion of regional culinary cultures.
The Michelin Guide has published a list of 42 establishments in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in the Bib Gourmand category for 2024, and 13 of them are pho restaurants. Many people have complained that Michelin's assessors seem to "only know about pho."
"Why isn't bread on the list?", "Where's the bread? It's so delicious, why isn't it included?", "Is bread being neglected?"... - many people expressed disappointment that their favorite dish wasn't in the top rankings.
Someone said, "There are plenty of noodle shops, vermicelli with grilled pork, pho, broken rice shops... but why are there no banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) shops at all?"
On the Saigon Dining Guide group with 138,000 members, the fact that no bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) shops are listed in the Michelin Guide has also been discussed.
Huynh Tu believes this dish is a combination of all kinds of sausages, with sandwich shops importing sausages and reselling them. Unlike restaurants, which have their own recipes for each dish.
Tuan Anh thought, "The main problem lies in the bread; the filling is quite good, but the crust is terrible." However, Tan Nhan immediately countered, "The thin crust that creates a hot, crispy texture is characteristic of Vietnamese bread and is what sets it apart from the rest of the world's baguettes."
Referring to the fact that Vietnamese banh mi is famous worldwide, Tu Hoa commented that the special thing about Vietnamese banh mi lies in the "overall combination of the bread and the filling inside," adding, "if you separate the ingredients, it won't impress or amaze people."
Hoi An bread has a richer flavor than bread from other regions - Photo: DAU DUNG
Titles for bread - are they necessary?
Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, vice president of the Vietnam Tourism Association, the organization that successfully held the Bread Festival in Ho Chi Minh City in 2023 and 2024, believes that if a bakery is recognized and named by Michelin, it has its own value.
Mr. Thach Nguyen - owner of Nguyen Sinh Bistro in Ho Chi Minh City - told Tuoi Tre newspaper: "This is the second year the Michelin Guide has been published in Vietnam, but not a single banh mi shop has made it on the list, which is a bit disappointing."
According to Mr. Thach, "bread is on par with pho, it's not inferior at all; therefore, I'm not sure what criteria the Michelin Guide assessors used for their evaluation." He said that he is not alone in wondering about this, as many bread vendors do.
"The list selected by Michelin Guide may not necessarily represent all the best of Vietnamese cuisine. Is an award for banh mi (Vietnamese baguette) really necessary?", Tuoi Tre newspaper asked.
Thach Nguyen believes it is "necessary." Because, from a business perspective, social media platforms have significantly changed business practices.
The Michelin Guide remains a prestigious resource for travelers, and is frequently searched for online. To say it's unimportant would be to deny its importance, which would be somewhat extreme.
Mr. Thach cited the example of Co Lieng's beef wrapped in betel leaves restaurant on Vo Van Tan Street. Previously, the restaurant was dilapidated, but after being recommended by the Michelin Guide, the number of customers increased dramatically. The restaurant had to be upgraded, becoming cleaner and more beautiful, and the staff became more professional. "I think this helps Vietnamese cuisine develop further," he said.
Ms. Khanh told Tuoi Tre newspaper: "For Vietnamese people, bread is almost an indispensable part of daily life. It's delicious, convenient, and nutritious."
"Nutritionally balanced, with a perfect balance of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors. It's a dish loved by everyone from ordinary people to the elite, and it's affordable."
According to her, Vietnamese bread is very diverse. In Ho Chi Minh City in particular, bread has been famous for a long time and continues to evolve.
Each district and county has its own unique and outstanding bánh mì (Vietnamese sandwich) shops. Not to mention that in recent years, the city has added vegetarian bánh mì shops, keeping up with the trend.
Ms. Khanh listed some well-known banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) brands in Saigon such as Hoa Ma, Huynh Hoa, Nguyen Sinh Bistro, Tang, Bay Ho, Nhu Lan, Tuan 7 Keo, Sau Minh...
Source: https://tuoitre.vn/michelin-ngo-lo-banh-mi-viet-20240630094223998.htm
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