On March 24, for the first time, the image of a banh mi appeared as a Google Doodle in 12 countries around the world . On this occasion, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also launched the campaign "I love Saigon banh mi" to promote this familiar dish of Vietnamese people but no less attractive to international tourists.
Saigon bread is very typical with fillings including meat, sausage, butter, pate and vegetables, spices... Photo: HOANG TRIEU
Unique "Symphony"
Every afternoon, Mrs. Ngoc Nga’s grandchild (living in Thu Duc District, Ho Chi Minh City) goes down to the apartment gate to wait for the bread cart to pass by. She has kept this habit for the past 2 years, since she came from the countryside to Ho Chi Minh City to take care of her grandchild.
"Hot bread here, hot crispy bread here...", the familiar sound of the speaker coming from the bread cart selling bread for only 5,000 VND/loaf, hot, blowing on it while eating makes not only me but also many grandparents who look after their grandchildren in this apartment building addicted. To the point that eating it has become a habit, every afternoon when my daughter comes home and doesn't see bread on the table, she asks "Mom didn't buy bread today?" - Mrs. Nga said.
Bread is a dish that was introduced to Vietnam several centuries ago, but today it has become one of the iconic dishes, reminiscent of Vietnam in general and Saigon - Ho Chi Minh City in particular.
From its original form as a sandwich served with sauce, butter, pate, etc., banh mi has been Vietnamized into a dish with all kinds of fillings and many spices and herbs, creating a unique culinary feature imbued with local character. As Mr. Nguyen Quoc Ky, Chairman of the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association, said, enjoying banh mi is like enjoying a symphony in which the maker, with creativity, like a conductor, has created banh mi with many different flavors. That is art!
From cheap restaurant to 5 star hotel
And that art has conquered almost everyone, from ordinary workers to intellectuals and domestic tourists and friends from all over the world. Mr. Nguyen Huy Tung (living in Hanoi) said that every time he comes to Ho Chi Minh City for tourism or business, he has to eat a loaf of Hong Hoa bread (Nguyen Van Trang Street, District 1). Mr. Tung said that he is addicted to the pate here, sweet and rich, combined with pickles, vegetables, chili and meats to create a feeling of fullness and satiety. "Saigon bread brings me a completely different Southern flavor compared to Hanoi. Although it is still the same bread crust, the taste of meatballs, roast pork, pate... but it is encapsulated in the culinary culture, the love and sincerity of the people of Saigon" - Mr. Tung expressed.
Mr. Dang Hai Van, owner of Hong Hoa bakery, said that not only the city's residents but also tourists, especially foreigners, love to eat bread here. They often prefer mixed bread with butter, pate, cold cuts, ham, char siu... During the peak tourist season, the shop is always crowded with customers waiting. During this time, due to the tourism industry being affected by the Covid-19 epidemic, the number of foreign visitors has decreased. However, the amount of bread sold daily is still stable thanks to the development of online sales and home delivery.
Responding to the campaign "I love Saigon bread", Hong Hoa shop launched a giant bread weighing 1 kg with the size of 70 cm x 40 cm. With the selling price of 40,000 VND/piece, Mr. Van said that every day the shop produces 10-20 loaves of bread, mainly for customers to order in advance. "Many people find the bread big, strange, and eye-catching so they buy it to try. However, because the bread is large, it is only suitable for large families, so we only make it when someone orders it. Not only responding to the campaign "I love Saigon bread", in the future, if customers have a need for giant bread, we will still make it normally" - Mr. Van said.
Famous bakeries in Ho Chi Minh City such as Bay Ho, Sau Minh, Nhu Lan, Tuan Map… also joined hands to promote Saigon bread with many attractive promotions. ABC Bakery brand alone gave away a meat sandwich to customers who had drinks at Ong Bau coffee chain.
Not only a street food, many 3-5 star hotels in Ho Chi Minh City also responded to the "I love Saigon bread" campaign by adding it to their menus, such as: Rex, Grand Hotel Saigon, Pullman, Caravelle, Continental...
Encourage online ordering and pick up
With the recommendation to avoid gatherings and crowds, ordering bread online or taking it home has become the top choice for those who love this popular and convenient dish, contributing to simplifying lifestyles to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic. Many bakeries have collaborated with GoViet, Now.vn and Foody to implement promotional programs, encouraging customers to order bread through online applications and have it delivered to their homes.
According to statistics related to the consumption habits of bread on GoFood recently announced by GoViet, from November 2018 to now, nearly 4.5 million loaves of bread have been sold through the GoFood platform in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Of which, baguettes, mixed bread, and roast pork bread are the most ordered. Bread is also among the most ordered dishes during the recent Tet holiday. On average, GoFood helps bring nearly 9,000 loaves of bread to users every day. The amount of bread consumed in Ho Chi Minh City is twice as much as in Hanoi.
Mr. Le Xuan Tuong, owner of Nha Trang fish cake sandwich shop, currently operating on GoFood, said that since joining GoFood in November 2019, the shop's sales have increased 5 times compared to before and orders from GoFood account for more than 50% of total orders. Loyal customers of fish cake sandwich are mainly students.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/diem-den-hap-dan/banh-mi-sai-gon-thang-hoa-20200326202445338.htm
Comment (0)