by Bruce

The French left more than an air of snooty cuisine in the kitchens of many four and five-star Vietnamese restaurants.  One item in particular found its way into the kitchens and appetites of  both the wealthy and working class – the baguette.  For all intents and purposes, it has become the cornerstone of the poor man’s hoagie, the economical and immensely popular Vietnamese sandwich.  The ingredients are always the same, a selection of deli meats layered into a sliced french baguette accompanied by carrots, aioli, radish, cucumber and parsley or cilantro.  In Hanoi, we found our benchmark. The Nguyen Sinh sandwich  spot was just a few blocks from where we were staying in Hanoi’s Old Quarter.   With over a dozen meats including pate on display in their front window, this place makes a terrific Vietnamese sandwich with a rich creamy aioli made in house.  We ordered the sampler platter with the bread on the side.  It was so good I can’t believe we didn’t go back for another.  If only we had more time and more room in our stomaches.  Ah, Hanoi…