Introducing Banh Mi at Lead Out: History wrapped up in the world’s most incredible Sandwich

Aside from cycling, there are few things that Lead Out Coffee & Bikes founder Dan enjoys more than travelling, discovering new places to eat and learning about a countries history while exploring its streets. From Copenhagen's cobbled squares to Indonesia's hidden beaches, finding unique locations is often entwined with discovering fantastic local food. None, however, captivate a sense of adventure quite as much as Vietnam’s mythical Banh Mi, the sandwich that tells of a countries history, whilst captivating tastebuds from its first bite.

The Banh Mi's legend comes from its colourful history of influences, combining its French colonial past with, dynamic South-East Asian flavours. The baguette was brought to Vietnam in 1830 by the French, who used it to make their traditional jambon beurre often with pate and mayonnaise. An innovative Vietnamese couple took these French components and combined them with their own spiced pork, cha lua (sausage), pickled carrots and daikons, chillis, cucumber and a pile of fresh herbs to create the first-ever Banh Mi, and served it at their bakery Hoa Ma. History again guided Banh Mi to international fame as following the Vietnam War (or the American War as it is called in Vietnam) Vietnamese migrants who fled to North America brought with them the Banh Mi, a simple yet delicious dish enjoyed worldwide.

While travelling around Vietnam, Dan and Jenny made discovering the best Banh Mi the country had to offer a priority. With recommendations for little back alley bakeries serving the top sandwiches from legendary chefs like Anthony Bourdain and Matty Matheson and a fistful of Vietnamese Dong, they learnt what it took to make an exceptional Banh Mi.

Since their trip, Dan has been working closely with Velo Domestique's head chef Sarah to bring Banh Mi to Lead Out Coffee & Bikes, aiming to do this tasty sandwich justice. Lockdown 3.0 was the perfect excuse to introduce the world's greatest sandwich to Bournemouth, in its ideal handheld takeaway form. We want you to enjoy the delicious combination of textures, freshness, spice and flavour.

If you're ever heading to Vietnam and would like Dan and Jenny's map of their favourite Banh Mi bakeries, please get in touch.