A Saigon Special
With a thick deck of foie gras pâté, Chef Carol Nguyen of Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen isn't cashing in on her labor-intensive bánh mì.
When Carol Nguyen decided to open Ngon Vietnamese Kitchen in Dallas’s Lower Greenville neighborhood, she felt that the restaurant needed to act as an introduction to Vietnamese cuisine. 13 years after moving from Hanoi, Nguyen opened her first concept, The Crazee Crab. But while the casual Viet-Cajun seafood restaurant offers a menu inspired by her family in New Orleans, Ngon is a love letter to her home-country. “I want to bring a piece of Vietnamese [cuisine] to Dallas so people know more about our Vietnamese community,” says Nguyen. “I’m proud of my homeland and I’m proud of my roots.”
Saigon Special Banh Mi: Vietnamese Ham, Shredded Chicken, Jambon, French Cognac Foie Gras Pâté, Pickled Carrot and Daikon, Cucumber, Cilantro, Buttered Mayo, Baguette. |. photos: will blunt
Although most items on her menu come from Northern Vietnam, Nguyen couldn’t resist serving a Saigon-style bánh mì. Her version, though classic, is anything but simple. Every component is house-made, even crusty, french-style baguette. This labor-intensive process—and a thick layer of her decadent Cognac-infused foie gras pâté—means Nguyen isn’t cashing in on the $9 sandwich. But she isn’t phased. She knows the sandwich is essential to the Vietnamese food experience. “I don’t care how much profit I can make, because I treat my customers as my friends and family,” she explains. She also makes up any lost profit by cross-utilizing the bánh mì ingredients. Char siu is added to bánh canh. Pickled carrots and daikon top the broken rice alongside a sunny-side up egg. But the foie gras pâté—that is exclusive to the fresh, umami-packed Saigon Special Bánh Mì (full recipe here).
Foie Gras Pâté
After soaking duck liver and cubed bread in milk overnight, Nguyen sautés it in butter with onion, white pepper, and chicken bouillon. It gets a splash of Hennessy, it’s blended up until smooth and creamy, and then it’s smeared on one side of a freshly-baked and split baguette.
Mayonnaise
Egg yolks are whisked with salt, lime, and sugar, then emulsified with avocado oil. The soft, bright yellow mayo is spread on the other side of the baguette.
Char Siu
Nguyen marinates pork belly in the consistently reliable Lobo roast red pork seasoning mix. It’s roasted for three hours before being wrapped, refrigerated, sliced, then placed atop the pâté.
Pickled Vegetables
Carrots and daikon are treated to a mild pickling mixture of vinegar, sugar, and salt. They’re refrigerated overnight then packed into the sandwich.
Garnishes
The Saigon Special Bánh Mì is finished with fresh cucumber and jalapeño, a bit of shredded chicken, and a sprinkle of Maggi seasoning. And, of course, it wouldn’t be a bánh mì without a heap of cilantro leaves.
