Banh Appetit is the newly opened Vietnamese street food restaurant in Dinkytown. Their menu consists of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and sides.
What is a Banh Mi?
At its core, a Banh Mi is a sandwich served in a toasted baguette and filled with grilled meat, pickled vegetables and herbs (usually cilantro). This tasty street food got its start during the French colonial period in Vietnam, when the Vietnamese people were introduced to baguettes by the French. When the colonial period ended, baguettes remained a staple and the banh mi was created. Today, you can find street vendors selling banh mi almost everywhere you go with more variations than you could possibly try.
A taste of the Banh Appetit Menu
The Classic Sandwich
The Classic is one of the traditionally based menu items offered. It includes BBQ grilled pork, pork roll and pâté with pickled carrots and daikon, cucumbers, green onions, cilantro, jalapeños and mayo. The flaky baguette along with the meat, pickled vegetables and toppings have a nice balance and gives a very flavorful and satisfying bite.
Pork Spring Rolls
This side is a Vietnamese classic. It features grilled pork, vermicelli noodles, lettuce, herbs and cucumbers wrapped in rice paper. The dipping sauce it comes with is a fish sauce with garlic. These spring rolls were stuffed to the brim but tasted very light and fresh.
Teriyaki wings
These wings are another side available on the menu. They were perfectly fried and there was a great sauce to wing ratio as well.
Overall thoughts
Banh Appetit gives diners a taste of Vietnamese street food. Every item, traditional or not, embodies the spirit and taste of what Vietnamese street food is. I would highly recommend to this spot to anyone wanting to find new places to eat and likes to try new foods. I know I will definitely will be coming back!