What's a Banh Mi? At Ba Le Bakery and Restaurant, located on 6th and Washington Streets, it’s a Vietnamese hoagie that’s cheaper than a Philly cheese steak and arguably healthier. The sandwich itself has a few variations—pork, chicken, kebab, ham, or vegetarian. But all sandwiches have a healthy mix of pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, and chili peppers.
"On our busiest day, we sell 1,000 sandwiches," said My Tran, an employee for three years. Ba Le opened ten years ago and has become one of the most popular banh mi shops in South Philadelphia. "There are other shops around, but we sell the most. Our hoagies are the best," said Tran.
What makes Ba Le unique is that they continue to make their own baguette every day on the premises. The business also serves as a small grocery store for the local Vietnamese, Cambodian and Chinese community.
So the next time you're in South Philadelphia, instead of ordering that cheese steak, try a banh mi instead. You can't beat the price. Each sandwich is less than $4, which makes it more affordable than Pat's or Geno's.
By Emily Clymer
Team 14: South Philadelphia
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