The House of Bánh Mì (The HOB) — Restaurant in Portland

PSU THEORY CLASS ASSIGNMENT. CONNECT THEORY TO A WORK OF ART IN A PUBLIC REVIEW:

I like to look at bánh mì as the art of my Người Việt ancestors fighting off French & US imperialism. Wheat can’t be grown in Việt Nam. When the French tried to colonize and convert people to Catholicism in the 17th century, they brought over their euro diet including shipping wheat for baguettes – too expensive for Người Việt to buy. The French vacated after their defeat in the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954 – Wheat, baguettes, and loads of European supplies flooded the market, being affordable for even the poor in Việt Năm. Immediately the creativity of Người Việt flowed to create bánh mì.

During France's attempts to colonize Việt Nam (with US funds and support), they used many tactics to "other" Người Việt as “inferior”. They demeaned Người Việt food saying, “Bread and meat make us strong, rice and fish keep them weak.”

Người Việt took the differences between cultures and peoples (French with the bread and Người Việt obviously with the working taste buds) to create a tasty nourishing, diverse in texture and customizable, all-encompassing sandwich.

I think Audre Lorde would agree, this is an act of resistance and creativity. As she once said,

“Survival is not an academic skill. It is learning how to stand alone, unpopular and sometimes reviled, and how to make common cause with those others identified as outside the structures in order to define and seek a world in which we can all flourish. It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths. For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.”

Rather than burn euro food, Người Việt saw the potential of their bland bread and upgraded it. Now people all over the world enjoy this delicious dish. I especially enjoy bánh mì at House of Bánh Mì. It’s my favorite place in all of Portland. It's the most affordable. It has the best bread too. I loved it so much that I ordered 20 sandwiches to fly to...

The House of Banh Mi is hands down one of the best spots for authentic Vietnamese sandwiches in town. I always go for the #3 thịt nướng (grilled pork)—it’s my go-to every time, and I highly recommend it. The pork is perfectly grilled, flavorful, and pairs so well with their fresh, crispy baguette. They don’t skimp on the fillings either—plenty of pickled veggies, fresh cilantro, and just the right amount of sauce to tie everything together.

Beyond the food, the service is what really sets this place apart. The staff is always friendly and welcoming, making you feel like a valued customer. Chris, in particular, goes above and beyond—if you're a regular, he greets you by name, which adds a nice personal touch that you don’t get at a lot of places.

Whether you're a first-timer or a regular, The HOB delivers consistent quality, great portions, and a warm atmosphere. If you love bánh mì, this spot should be at the top...

Updating since it’s been a few years since I wrote up that this was one—if not THE best—Bahn Mi in Portland. For the record, I recently and inadvertently taste tested HOB against both Best Baguette, and An Xuyên Bakery recently because evidently I continue to get the Bahn Mi craving on days that HOB is closed. Anyways, cut to the chase, nothing against the other establishments, but HOB is by far and away the tastiest sandwich. The bread has a great crunch, the veggies are fresh and crunchy with the perfect amount of jalapeño, cilantro, and pickled carrots. I also add spicy mayo to mine which is right for my palate. I felt compelled to write this since I finally got there when they were open today and the unparalleled deliciousness had me going back to update and confirm that it is still the best tasting Bahn Mi—and a great lunch for $7! Keep at it HOB! ...