6-meter banh mi holds national record for highest number of fillings and toppings

150 fillings and toppings were displayed in the banh mi model at the second edition of Vietnam’s banh mi festival held between Friday and Sunday at Le Van Tam Park in HCMC's District 1.

A representative of the organization said that one of the factors that allow Vietnamese banh mi to make its mark on the world culinary map was the richness and diversity of fillings and side dishes.

Among the 150 dishes displayed on the giant bread model, were unique fillings such as pha lau (offal stew), scampi, grilled beef with lolot leaves, and salmon with lemon sauce.

Nguyen Thi Khanh, chairwoman of HCMC Tourism Association, said this year's banh mi festival featured over 130 pavilions showcasing the best Vietnamese baguette sandwiches that the nation’s top restaurants, bakeries and domestic and foreign suppliers have to offer.

The three-day festival was estimated to attract around 100,000 visitors. Last year the festival attracted over 50,000 visitors.

Banh mi has been voted as the world’s most delicious street food by international travel magazines on several occasions.

Despite being a culinary remnant of French colonialism, the Vietnamese added ingredients such as cilantro, chili, and pickles has resulted in a snack that has been in the global spotlight for a long time.

In the beginning, most banh mi consisted of bread, meat, and seasonings, with no added vegetables but now they are stuffed with cold cuts, butter, mayonnaise, pate, cucumbers, cilantro, pickles, oyster sauce, garlic and more.