Vietnamese bánh mì is celebrated in a Google Doodle on March 24. — Photo google.com

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam’s famous street-food sandwich bánh mì was celebrated in March 24’s ‘Google Doodle’ in over ten countries worldwide, commemorating the 9th anniversary since the bánh mì was admitted into the Oxford English Dictionary.

The Google logo, or Google Doodle, showcases the stages of creating Vietnamese-style bánh mì, which are sketched in a lively and eye-catching coloured animation.

This is also the first time a particular Vietnamese dish has been honoured by Google.

According to Google’s introduction, bánh mì is “a smorgasbord of flavours that represents a true melting pot of cultures and ingredients alike”.

“A traditional bánh mì consists of crispy and airy bread packed with a meat of choice (such as pork pâté, giò lụa, Vietnamese cold cuts, or meatballs), sweet, crunchy veggies and herbs (pickled radishes, carrots, and cilantro), a spread of mayonnaise or margarine, and savoury soy sauce, finally topped with chili sauce or peppers. Voilà! By replacing European flavours with Vietnamese ingredients, a tangy and sweet while simultaneously spicy and salty takeaway food was born,” it wrote.

Bánh mì was originally inspired by the famous French baguette. The sandwich is assumed to have first appeared in Sài Gòn’s alleys in the late 1950s before spreading to the centre, the north of the country and then to the world. Today, one can easily find bánh mì in street stands, markets and restaurants all over the world, from New York, to Seoul or Australia.

Together with phở, bánh mì is one of the prominent representatives in the rich cuisine of Việt Nam, conquering a large number of diners globally. Vietnamese consider the sandwich a convenient take-away food, as a main meal or a supplement providing full nutritional values.

In response to the day that Google Doodle celebrating bánh mì, Hồ Chí Minh City’s Department of Tourism have launched various activities promoting the sandwich with the participation of many culinary experts and celebrities such as Miss Universe Vietnam 2017, the president of Việt Nam’s Cuisine Culture Association Nguyễn Quốc Kỳ and Vietnamese culinary artisan Bùi Thị Sương.

In addition, the citizens can order bánh mì from home during the Covid-19 epidemic and receive promotions through delivery applications.

Vietnamese sandwich has been repeatedly recognised by international culinary experts and media. The Guardian ranked Vietnamese bánh mì at the second position in the list of the best street food in the world.

David Farley, BBC travel and culinary writer, praised the dish as "the best sandwich in the world".

The late chef Anthony Bourdain, one of the most influential culinary experts in the world, praised bánh mì on CNN’s No Reservations. — VNS