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2008-09-12
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Name a signature of Vietnamese cuisine, most of us will tell you the Pho, or the pho, and more pho. While most can name the typical beef noodle soup, few of them remember that the most recognized Vietnamese signature is really, the Banh Mi, or Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich. Banh Mi is a popular snack/ meal item in Vietnam and also in every other countries where Vietnamese cuisines fluorish. The problem is, why not in Hong Kong. I wondered whether it's the fact that HK-ers do not have a thing for
Aborigine Vietnamese Baguette House is slightly bigger than a juice stand, with four bar stools below a shared counter, a small fridge and two small patio tables seating a total of four. The green floor tiles are the only thing that reminds me of Vietnamese cuisine's freshness. The menu? Nonexistent. Everything is written on the wall and frankly, with less than 10 items to serve, a Vietnamese Baguette Sanwich ($33) is an thin elongated sandwich split like a hotdog bun. On one side lined with Vietnamese sausage, the other side spread with goose liver spread and magarine, packed with freshly cooked pork and homemade pickled carrots and cucumber. A sprinkle of white pepper and special blend of soy sauce (may be unseemly in a sandwich, but the flavor is different, and surprisingly acceptable). Addition of hot pepper is preferred. The entire sandwich is then transferred into an oven to toast and reheat. When being served the sandwich, the crust is so crispy it spells fresh-bread. The combination of flavours build up in layers as each bite you can taste everything fresh in the sandwich. The sausage resembles an Italian salami, with the bits of fat replaced by crunchy aspic, while pickles are slightly tart without losing its natural sweetness. The soy sauce has helped bringing a saltiness to the meal. Not to forget the different taste of goose liver pate, which is homemade from whole goose livers by the owner here. There are three selections on the bread and a choice of four different toppings (including one vegetarian)
The owner here also recommends its Vietnamese salad ($25). Mainly composed of hand-cut juliennes of cabbage, the salad is topped with shrimps and a dressing made of tangy vinegar, shreds of jellyfish and an extra sprinkling of toasted peanuts and pignoli, or pinenuts. The nutty crunch accompanied the crispiness of cabbage make the salad all the more appetizing. The dressing is part tart and part sweet, unlike the usual tongue coating peanut butter dressing you get in other restaurants. The Iced Limeade ($12, but $8 with order of sandwich) is a thirst quencher, but deemed to disappoint with a straightforward lime flavor. A pinch of salt may enhance the drink to a different level. Coffee ($20 for hot, $22 for iced) is the dripping Vietnamese type served with Condensed milk.
Through the quick bite I settled on a barstool talking to Stanley, the owner of Aborigine Vietnamese Baguette. A young fella in his mid-20s hailed all the way from Australia, Stanley insists on quality over quantity in his sandwiches. He sampled different baguettes to find the perfect one; He ordered a Vietnamese sausage with a bite rather than one that resembled soft ham with no particular taste; He makes his own goose liver pate to spread on his sandwiches. Before I gasped in horror standing outside of this sandwich joint thinking who with a straight mind will order a sandwich like this one that costs a whopping $30+ with no drinks to go with...and we're talking about a quick bite? The sandwich made me swallowed big bite after bigger bites, and my own doubts too. It's hard enough to start a business selling sandwiches, but it seems even harder to imagine a fellow this young has developed such depth in breaking down every sandwich ingredient into individual elements and build each one from the ground up. The business is small, and space is limited, but the efforts put in the entire development of the sandwich should not be overlooked, and neither is the sandwich itself.
I intend to go back to Aborigine, and let's hope more people who appreciate good, scrumptious sandwiches and folks who really do care what they bring to the table to share with others the 'wich-craft of the simplicity of Banh Mi.
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