Food Trends Part 1: Banh Mi and Ma Peche

    Food trends are sometimes quite funny. Especially, here in New York where every type of cuisine is prevalent. Suddenly, as if out of the blue, an ingredient, a cooking method, preparation style or product can become all that people are talking or writing about. Jerry Seinfeld even made a joke about it "...but you know, look at the sun-dried tomatoes. Where were they five years ago? It just goes to show you. You never know what could happen to a vegetable. It could just take right off at any time." My next few posts, as we get closer to the end of the year, will be dedicated to just that. This past year saw a fried chicken frenzy, the Italian restaurant boom, and an artisanal pizza craze, among many others. To start off, I'd actually like to go back to a 2008 food trend, the Banh Mi.

    Although the craze has died down significantly, the banh mi has come up in conversation a few times lately and I was surprised to find myself explaining what exactly it was. Truthfully, I wasn't sure what a banh mi was for a long time either. Although I read about this Vietnamese sandwich everywhere, I never paid much attention.

Then at some point over the summer, I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. Hanco's, which has locations in Park Slope and Bourem Hill, seemed to be the right place to start. The menu is small and simple. They have various bubble teas to go with the 5 sandwiches. I went with the classic sandwich which is a toasted french baguette filled with roast ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate, mayonnaise, butter, cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon radish. After only a few bites, I understood the hype: the sandwich was delicious. The crunchy fresh baked bread, the tang of the pickled veggies, the heat from the sriracha and all that pork really come together nicely. Although you won't read about them on every food blog anymore, the banh mi seems to be sticking around. They are readily available in most neighborhoods and on menus throughout the city. I was surprised though to find them on one menu—at the newest Momofuku location, Ma Peche.

    Although the actual restaurant has yet to open, the Momofuku team have taken over room service and are serving a "midtown lunch" in the mezzanine of the Chambers Hotel.  The deal is: your choice of banh mi du maison (three terrine sandwich, daikon, cilantro), banh mi de poulet (chicken, lemongrass, lettuce, mint), bun du riz (rice noodles, pork ragout, saw leaf herb) or gỏi calamare (squid salad, fish sauce, thai basil, greens) and a soda or water for only $10.The bun du riz (below) brings to mind my favorite dish at Ssam Bar, the spicy rice cakes with pork sausage. This certainly felt like Momofuku lite, but until Ma Peche officially opens, you won't hear me complaining.

gỏi calamare (squid salad, fish sauce, thai basil, greens)