Banh Mi! - Lee's Bakery

I recently became obsessed with a delectable Vietnamese street food - banh mi. Literally banh mi means biscuit (banh) flour (mi). It is a sandwich made on a baguette of the same name and made of both wheat and rice flour. The bread is only the beginning. Banh mi traditionally has Vietnamese mayonnaise. Vietnamese mayonnaise is very different from the traditional American version. It is almost like a cross between butter and mayonnaise. I know this sounds gross but it really is not. I wouldn't want to eat it alone, but as a condiment on the sandwich it is perfect. It has a very sweet taste to it. Banh mi also traditionally contains do chua which is pickled daikon radish and carrots. The radish and carrots are pickled in vinegar with ample sugar. The result is a sweet and sour condiment for the sandwich. Then thinly sliced cucumber and jalapeno are added followed by cilantro. Those are the standards. From there the filling varies depending on what type of protein you want in the middle.

I have visited two of Atlanta's banh mi establishments out on Buford Highway. One is Quoc Huong Banh Mi Fast Food and the other is Lee's Bakery. I have only visited Quoc Huong Banh Mi once and while it is good, I prefer Lee's Bakery. I will admit that Lee's Bakery is much closer to my house, accepts credit cards, and is open every day of the week, which gives it an advantage independent of taste over Quoc Huong for me. But I think the taste between the two is fairly similar, and Lee's Bakery may even have the edge on taste.

My favorite banh mi from Lee's Bakery is the special banh mi. It comes with all of the usual fillings plus head cheese, Vietnamese pate which is similar to liverwurst with a little less of the liver taste, and sliced pork.


Special Banh Mi

The sandwich is so good it is unbelievable. The sweet and sour from the pickled radish and carrots, the spiciness of the cilantro, the heat of the jalapeno, the sweet and creamy of the mayo, and the salty flavor and creamy and chewy textures of the different meats with the added richness of the pate combine to make my favorite sandwich. These sandwiches are also unbelievable because they are so cheap. Each sandwich is only $2.50. One can easily be satisfied by eating just one sandwich. I often eat two, but I suppose that I am something of a glutton.

The reason I often eat two is because I also like to order one of the grilled pork banh mi in addition to a special banh mi. The grilled pork banh mi contains little bits of pork grilled with a light addition of some type of sweet sauce. The little pork bits have a nice chewy and crunchy texture to them. However, I was a little disappointed last time I ate one because the pork was a little dry and tough. I believe that Lee's Bakery cooks the pork in advance and then has it sitting waiting to be added to the next sandwich ordered. I am beginning to wonder if the quality of your pork banh mi doesn't entirely depend on when the last time the pork was grilled.

Grilled Pork Banh Mi

Another option is the tofu banh mi.

Tofu Banh Mi

I highly recommend Lee's Bakery. Go out and try a banh mi. The restaurant is nothing fancy. But you are not going there for fine dining.

The fact that every time I visit there are more Vietnamese people in the restaurant than any other group and the television is often tuned in to a Vietnamese station, yet there is also always a smattering of people of other backgrounds should let you know that this is a good place to go. Judging by what others order, they also have decent other dishes. I do not yet have an opinion as to their other dishes because I can't get beyond the banh mi.

Additional important information is that there is a ten dollar minimum on any credit or debit card order but they will let you use your card for a smaller order if you are willing to let them tack on an additional $1.75 to your order. Also, if you order five banh mi you get the sixth banh mi for free.

Lee's Bakery
4005 Buford Highway NE
Atlanta, GA 30345
404-728-1008