14 FEBRUARY 20-26, 2025 westword.com WESTWORD | MUSIC | CAFE | CULTURE | NIGHT+DAY | LETTERS | CONTENTS | balance.’” Lee’s is a franchise founded in 1981 by a Vietnamese immigrant couple who deliberately expanded the menu to appeal to a broader audience. Today, Lee’s is credited with popularizing bánh mì and Viet- namese coffee among mainstream Americans and inspiring other Vietnamese-owned bakery chains. The adoption of “bánh mi as any- thing” occurs in the other, slightly more uncomfortable direction as well. For example, Modern Mar- ket Eatery offers a chicken banh mi made with blackened chicken thigh, pickled carrots, cilantro, basil, jalapeno and lemongrass aioli on ciabatta. Almost apologetically, the product description includes the phrase, “While we do take a few lib- erties with the traditional version…” Perhaps most cringeworthy is the BBQ Banh Mi from the Denver- headquartered chain Tokyo Joe’s. It’s made with barbecue chicken, avocado, Japanese cucumber salad, jalapenos, egg, lettuce, green onion and sriracha over rice. Yes, rice — no bread. The reclamation of the bánh mì Over the past fi ve years, a crop of Vietnamese entrepreneurs have opened new bánh mì shops. Some, like Banh Mi Zone on South Federal and Banh Mi Station near the Uni- versity of Denver, are this generation’s itera- tion of the traditional, modest bánh mì shop. Others, like CôNu’s Corner, upgrade the traditional with techniques of their own and premium ingredients — for which CôNu’s Corner charges a slightly higher price. “I remember having bánh mì everywhere in Vietnam, but it was so hard to fi nd a good one in the U.S. — especially in Denver,” says Hoang. “We saw an opportunity to introduce a fresh take on this classic Vietnamese sand- wich while staying true to its roots.” The popularity of bánh mì has exploded, even in the suburbs. “So when we were thinking about putting the sign on our exterior we kept going back and forth on naming it bánh mì,” recounts Ca Phe’s Tuan. “But surprisingly, Americans are very educated on bánh mì. ... A lot of them ask for extra pâté. I’m like, ‘What?! You know pâté?” And they say, ‘Yeah, yeah, we love pâté.’” Ca Phe is an example of another type of Denver bánh mì shop — the California transplant. Its menu is inspired by the shops Tuan and his friends would visit in Orange County, where fusion is king. “We saw a pho bánh mì, so they take all the ingredi- ents of the pho, like the beef brisket, the steak, cilantro, onion, put it on a bánh mì and you dip it into the pho broth kind of like a French dip,” he describes. “We felt like the pho, there’s not enough fl avor, so we went with the spicy version of pho called bún bò hue on a bánh mì.” At Auora’s Golden Banh Mi, which is owned by the same family that runs Golden Saigon next door, you’ll fi nd fusion options such as Steak & Kimcheese, katsu chicken and curry chicken. Even the stalwarts have tried their hand at experimenting. At Vinh Xuong, “We’ve made a pho-rench dip bánh mì, a ceviche-inspired bánh mì, and even a smoked barbecue beef bánh mì — just to explore how far the bánh mì can go,” recounts Duc. However, you’ll mostly fi nd the old favorites on offer. “After years in the business, though, we’ve realized that sticking with what we know and can consistently execute is what keeps us grounded and keeps our customers coming back.” What’s coming next? My predictions: California trends will continue to infl uence new bánh mì shop owners in Denver. At least one location of California fusion chains such as Bun Mee or Banh Mi Boys will move into the local market (Lee’s and Paris are already here). With a low barrier for entry, growing demand and the decline of boba tea shops, younger Asian entre- preneurs will gravitate to bánh mì, each trying to outdo the other with bold fusion fl avors and unexpected ingredients. We may even see the birth of a fast-casual chain — Chi- potle, but make it bánh mì. An upscale bánh mì spot is only a matter of time, too. “I’ve already seen it on menus at American res- taurants that are a little bit more upscale so it’s already on that route, but I’m excited to see a Vietnamese person really take it to that next level,” says Thoa. Tuan has three words to offer: “$100 bánh mì!” Bánh mì has always been a sand- wich in motion. What started as a collision of cultures shaped by circumstance has never stopped evolving — crossing bor- ders, changing hands, shifting with taste and time. In Denver, bánh mì is both fi ercely tra- ditional and endlessly reinvented, found in no-frills shops on Federal, fusion cafés and high-end kitchens alike. Some stay true to their roots, others push the boundaries. But in the end — it’s still one damn good sandwich. Ba Le Sandwiches, 1044 South Federal Boulevard Baker’s Palace, 550 South Federal Boulevard Bánh & Butter Bakery Cafe, 9935 East Colfax Avenue, Aurora, banhandbutter.com Ca Phe, 3911 East 120th Avenue, Thornton, caphedenver.com CôNu’s Corner, 4400 West 29th Avenue, conus- corner.com Golden Banh Mi, 2648 South Parker Road, Aurora, goldenbanhmi.com New Saigon Bakery and Deli, 640 South Federal Boulevard, newsaigonbakery.com Vinh Xuong Bakery, 2370 West Alameda Avenue, vinhxuong.square.site Cafe continued from page 13 Two classic bánh mì favorites: pork and the combination with pâté. VALERIA MOONCH Denver’s bánh mì options have been stacking up. Lee’s Sandwiches is one of the banh mi chains that has moved into the metro area. VALERIA MOONCH MOLLY MARTIN
