Toronto has no shortage of good Jamaican restaurants. What it lacks is high-end and upper mid-range restaurants. Most Jamaican establishments are cheap takeout joints or family restaurants. Chubby’s Jamaican Kitchen is a refreshing, fledgling step towards a different market: the hipster crowd of the King West neighbourhood. They put a modern spin on Jamaican foods and create some of the most flavoursome Jamaican dishes in the city.
Banh Mi Boys burst into the Toronto food scene in December 2011 and quickly became a food sensation. They had the elusive formula of creativity, price, and taste. Firstly, they were a step up from traditional bánh mì sold a few blocks away in Chinatown. No more mystery meats and cuts. Banh Mi Boys put in recognizable chunks of proteins and jazzed it up with breaded squid rings and duck confit. Secondly, although they were more than twice the price of Chinatown bánh mì, it was still a basement bargain starting at $5.64 (2012 price including tax). Most importantly, as with any restaurant, taste is king. It was sinfully good and a harbinger of how the culinary scene in Toronto was taking off.
Fast forward to 2020 and Banh Mi Boys have opened several outlets across the city. As with any long-running establishment, there are the usual complaints of dropping standards and higher prices. There is some truth to that. But it is still a lifesaver for students on a budget and people looking for fast food that is not burger and fries.
Quick crash course on bánh mì. Like how to pronounce the weird squiggly lines. It’s ok to say it in a neutral tone: “ban mi”. If you want to attempt Vietnamese tones, bánh has the same rising tone as someone exclaiming “huh?”. Mì has the same falling tone as someone dismissively saying “meh”.
Bánh mì is just a medium-length baguette sandwich. The crusty bread is sliced lengthwise and stuffed with mystery meats and đồ chua (pickles, almost always julienned carrots and daikon). Vietnamese love deli meats like chả lụa (pale pork sausage) and pâté (liver paste). These make an appearance in the house specials (bánh mì đặc biệt) of most stalls. Another popular variation uses grilled meats, like lemongrass pork in bánh mì thịt nướng.
The sandwich is finished in typical Vietnamese fashion with lots of fresh herbs and cucumbers. Well, at least for the ones in Saigon. Bánh mì originated from Southern Vietnam and is in top form there. Street vendors might slather on chilli sauce and drops of Maggi seasoning. Delish.
