I stopped by just a little before they opened

I recently made a return trip to one of my favourite sandwich shops in town, Ba Le Sandwiches.  Located in Chinatown, on Dundas Street just west of Spadina, this little shop boasts of a true “French style”.  The setting is of a typical Vietnamese operation: small space, few tables and chairs, moderately decorated interior,  and an assembly line of Vietnamese ladies working robotically away behind the counters.  But the expertise behind this mom and pop operation is of French background and influence.  I spoke with the owner, Christine, who told me that her inspirations have roots in France, where she was a former resident and restauranteur.  The occasional Francophone customer enjoys a small chit chat with this delightful lady.

If you are curious, ask them about choices number 2, 9, and 10

What makes this place special?  Everything here is made fresh and from scratch every morning!  Evertything from the baguette, to all the ingredients, including bbq pork, chicken, shredded pork, veggies and herbs.  The baguette here has a thinner and crispier crust, and less chewy filling than most Vietnamese breads.  They even toast it for you if you wish.

tofu, shredded chicken, bbq pork, cold cut meats

I was told that the runaway favourites are the cold cut combo, bbq pork, and tofu sandwiches.  My personal favourite is the tofu in tomato sauce.  Being used to the firmer texture of pork and chicken, I was amazed at how well the soft texture of tofu mixed with the crispy baguette and crunchy vegetables.  Also, the coolness of the tomato sauce allows the tofu to be readily detected, and its flavours isolated and savoured!

For $2.25, this is a great choice!  In addition to the sandwiches, Ba Le also offers a moderate selection of desserts and prepacked heat-and-eat foods.  Stop by on the weekend and you’ll find even a larger range of choices!

Ba Le Sandwiches
538 Dundas St West
Toronto, ON M5T 1H3
(416) 977-2168

Banh mi (a.k.a. the Vietnamese baguette sandwich)

Despite being infamously known as the Vietnamese baguette, the history behind the delectable sandwich actually lies in the name: Banh mi tay literally translates to ‘French bread’. But this bun’s Parisian roots should come as no surprise, since French colonials imported both culture and cuisine during their occupation of Vietnam. During this time, French deli’s offered gourmet sandwiches made with baguettes baked from imported wheat and filled with seasoned butter spreads, expensive goose or duck liver pâté, cured sausages, onions, radishes, and cornichons (which is French for gherkin pickles).

The foreign nature and elitism associated with the French sandwich caused the Vietnamese to create their own cheaper imitations using local ingredients. Rice flour was substituted for part or all of the imported wheat flour used in baking, creating a baguette with a lighter and thinner crust than the French. An egg yolk and oil based spread that resembled mayonnaise was used in place of butter and inexpensive chicken and pig liver spreads replaced the pâté. Vietnamese barbecued meats were used instead of the cured meats and pickled carrots, cucumbers and daikon radishes replaced the onions, radishes and cornichons. Finally, spicy hot peppers and fresh coriander were added for flavour yielding a tasty sandwich superior to the original.

pickled daikon and carrot, fresh coriander and cucumber, meatball and tofu

In modern days, these sandwiches are typically found in small Vietnamese deli shops or restaurants. Variations upon this basic recipe have been made to include meats such as grilled pork, chicken, beef, shrimp, Vietnamese meat balls and seasoned tofu in order to satisfy contemporary taste buds. Luckily for diners, the price of the Banh mi remains affordable at half the cost of a meal at McDonalds: a typical sandwich will set you back a trivial $2 to $3 in most Chinatowns across the country, lending no excuse for those who haven’t had the chance to give one a try. Do it! Try it! You will love it.