Battle of the Banh Mi
Hoi An is a beautiful city located in Vietnam’s central coast. It’s best known for its well-preserved charm as an ancient city. When you walk through the streets and through the canals, it truly feels like you’ve taken a step into a movie. The city’s beautiful streets are filled with incredible eats and rows of market vendors waiting to introduce you to the country’s many eats.
Although Hoi An offers many of Vietnam’s delicious cuisines, my husband and I were especially excited to give the banh mi a try. Since we started dating, my husband would rave about the famous banh mi he had in Hoi An. He would go on and on about how the sandwich was stuffed to the brim with delicious meats and veggies. By the time we made it to Hoi An, I was already salivating.
My husband had already tried, loved, and raved about Madam Khanh – “the banh mis queen” so we knew that would be our first stop. But as we were doing our research, we saw that Banh Mi Phuong was also a heavy hitter of a sandwich. To make it fun, we decided on doing a little taste test comparison to see who took the cake once and for all!
Madam Khanh – The Banh Mi Queen
Ambiance & Service
The first thing you’ll notice about Madam Khanh is the scent of the freshly baked baguettes and sizzling meats filling the air. We got there right after opening and there was already a decent line forming ahead of us. Thankfully, the staff moves quickly and we were able to reach the front of the line within 10 minutes. I’ve heard it can take up to 2 hours on their really busy days!
Food Quality
Each Banh Mi is a masterpiece of flavors and textures, starting with a crusty baguette that holds a harmonious blend of ingredients. For those of you who have never had a banh mi, the mix of ingredients may be a bit overwhelming but less is not more in this case! Their signature sandwich features a choice of meats such as grilled pork, chicken, or even tofu for vegetarians, complemented by fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and a dash of pâté or mayo
We ended up trying the pork banh mi and absolutely loved it! The pork was flavorful and juicy while the herbs helped balance out the richness. Something that stood out about Madame Khanh was how generous the portions were. Every bite was filled with delicious ingredients. Alongside all the different flavors and textures, the baguette was the perfect vessel for the sandwich. The outside was crispy but not too hard and the inside was soft without being too mushy.
If you can grab a seat inside, there is also a great chili sauce that you can top your sandwiches with for an extra kick. Add an ice cold drink and you’ve got yourself a great little meal!
Price
At a little over a dollar, this sandwich is an absolute steal.
Banh Mi Phuong
Ambiance & Service
Similar to Madame Khanh, there was a line out the door to grab one of these delicious sandwiches. As you walk up to the food case, you’re greeted by dozens of staff moving their chopsticks at lighting speed to make these banh mi. The bowls of ingredients are vibrant in color and there are almost too many different ingredients to count. When we arrived, we waited for about 10 minutes before getting to the front to order. The wait time was not bad and I appreciated that it gave me time to look over the menu.
Food Quality
The first thing I noticed about this banh mi was that it was not as generously stuffed as the one from Madame Khanh. In order to have a true comparison, we ordered the pork banh mi, as well. The meat was succulent and flavorful and the additional herbs and spices helped bring the sandwich together. I loved how the fresh herbs cut the fat of the sandwich but found myself disappointed when I would get a bite without each of the delicious ingredients.
The banh mi’s bread was reminiscent of the bread from Madame Khanh’s but I found myself enjoying it a bit more. It was a bit thinner which made the ingredients in the sandwich stand out a bit more. All-in all, I thought that each ingredient was super flavorful but found myself wishing there was more of it in each bite!
Price
This sandwich was a fraction more expensive that Madame Khanh but was still only a little over a dollar. For the quality of the sandwich, I could not complain!
Final thoughts
Both sandwiches were delicious but I did find myself enjoying Madame Khanh’s banh mi a tad bit more. It was hard to compare as each sandwich was super flavorful and had incredible ingredients. What it really came down to was how stuffed each banh mi was when we ate it. This may seem like an unfair comparison as it could have been an off day for Banh Mi Phuong.
Regardless, it’s super fun being able to visit a place where there’s so much love put into the craft of food that there are multiple “number one” spots to try. Hoi An is a small, walkable city and it’s a great experience to be able to try both and see for yourself. How often do you get to sample some of the best banh mi, back-to-back, in the world, afterall?
If you have the time and the stomach, I would definitely recommend walking to each spot and trying each banh mi out for yourself. Watching the expert sandwich makers and seeing how excited the crowd gets to take their first bite is an experience in itself.
