Inside the $8 banh mi at Ho Chi Minh City's Michelin-starred restaurant

Overview & Key Highlights

Banh mi created by Michelin-starred chef Peter Cuong Franklin in Ho Chi Minh City costs VND160,000-200,000 (US$6-8), around 10 times higher than the price of a normal banh mi.

Detailed Story & Culinary Insights

After 10 years of researching the baguette, Franklin, owner of Anan Saigon, HCMC’s first Michelin-starred restaurant, at 89 Ton That Dam Street, introduced a new menu specializing in banh mi.

It features three types of banh mi, each half the size of a traditional baguette: Vietnamese mortadella ham banh mi, fish cake banh mi, and wagyu beef banh mi.

The beef banh mi costs VND200,000 and comes with the picanha cut (top sirloin cap), inspired by Italian mortadella sausage, thinly sliced, layered 25 to 30 times, and the wagyu beef short rib, marinated, slow-cooked for 24 hours, and grilled to achieve tenderness.

The other two banh mi cost VND180,000.

The baguettes are served with pate, Hoi An chili sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, and pickles.

Franklin uses Hanoi-style bread for its resemblance to French baguettes, smaller, denser on the inside, and more fragrant than Saigon banh mi.

Franklin had long dreamed of opening a banh mi stall in Saigon. So when he expanded the space next to Anan Saigon, he took the opportunity to set up an outdoor cart serving banh mi alongside fresh Vietnamese coffee.

Nhan Hien Nhi, a Ho Chi Minh City local, said she decided to try Franklin’s banh mi out of curiosity created by the prices.

According to her, although the VND200,000 portion is only half the size of a regular banh mi, it is just as filling because of the generous amount of beef.

Franklin said the prices might surprise people, but they should reflect the quality of the dish.

Both banh mi and hamburgers are sandwiches. If a burger can sell for VND200,000 to 250,000, banh mi easily deserves the same price, its flavor and quality are every bit as great, he said.

He added that he will continue pursuing his goal of elevating familiar Vietnamese dishes to the higher-end segment while preserving their authentic identity.