Paris Bakery, and everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, right?

Our frig is a bit over-loaded with left-overs, so what to do??? Well, I'd been told that, "anything is good in Banh Mi..." So I decided to Banh Mi-size my left-overs..... Being in the neighborhood quite early in the morning, I stopped by Paris Bakery on El Cajon Boulevard.

I dodged several women carrying paper sacks full of bread out to their cars left running on El Cajon  Boulevard......I don't know why they were in such a rush; but perhaps they felt a sense of urgency that only hot, steaming, Vietnamese Baguettes can exercise.....

I went in grabbed a bag of 4 Banh Mi($1), which I opened and let breath once I got home. The bread at Paris is pretty good, with a good bit of crackle without being crumbly, and there is some bread in the Banh Mi, it is not "all crust", the bread is a bit chewy, which I enjoy in a Banh Mi.

Paris Bakery also makes sandwiches, which I'll post on a bit later on. I'm not quite sure what time they open, but getting their the earlier, the better.

Paris Bakery
4481 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

So what did I do with the Banh Mi?

Glad you asked....well, unless you're really interested in the left-overs in our frig, perhaps you should leave now. So let's see if you can figure this out....

Its......Fuqi Feipian from Ba Ren, along with some shredded cucumber, and cilantro leaves. (If you've read my posts on Banh Mi, you know that one of my pet peeves are the stringy stems of cilantro, so I guess I can't be a hypocrite, can I?) This tasted pretty good, the flavor of the Fuqi Feipian stood up well to the bread.

Next one:

This is an easy one.....it's the left over Cumin Lamb from Dede's, along with thinly sliced red onion, and cilantro leaves. This sandwich tasted fairly good, but was missing something...... The solution was quite simple, just as some people believe everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, most people know that everything will taste better with Maggi Seasoning Sauce. The savory "umami" that the Maggi brought to the sandwich was discernible.

So, does everything really taste better in a Banh Mi?

Its story time; at one of my first jobs back in High School, one of the Security Guards used to bring his own "special" sandwich to lunch several times a week. This guy loved this sandwich...the aroma rising from the sandwich was quite unusual, I thought that I could make out the individual ingredients, but didn't believe anyone would eat that combination.... So one day I asked, and yes indeed, it was.... A peanut butter and Kimchi sandwich! With mayo! Elvis had nothing on this guy. Apparently, he acquired a taste for this while stationed in Korea. Over the years, I've mentioned this unique sandwich to many....and beyond the "ewwwws", wrinkled noses, and gagging noises, I couldn't find anyone who'd ever heard of such a combination. Earlier his year, for reasons still unknown to me, I did a search on "Peanut Butter Kimchi Sandwich" and did find an actual article that mentioned it, though only in passing.

So to finally see if everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, I decided to make a:

Peanut Butter and Kimchi Sandwich, sans the mayo! But with Maggi of course...in hopes that it would make anything taste better..... As per instructions I received several decades back, I used "Chunky" peanut butter......

So what's the verdict? Not as bad as I thought, the kimchi overwhelmed the peanut butter....sort of kimchi upfront, with a peanut finish. The Maggi actually brought out the savory fishiness(in a good way). The Missus could not sit in the same room, with me while I ate this, and while I don't think I'll have it again soon, it wasn't too bad at all.

So maybe everything does taste better on a Banh Mi? What do you think?

You can find Guilty Carnivore's Kimchi Banh Mi(albeit a bit more conventional) here, along with a BBQ Pork Banh Mi here.

Fellow San Diego Food Blogger mscinda, has a home made Banh Mi post here.

And of course Wandering Chopsticks has home made Banh Mi posts here and here.

And if you really want a silly sandwich, this was seen walking along Clairemont Drive this afternoon:

I guess I was destined to do a sandwich post today!

Comments

[Alex]

Kimchi & Peanut butter...wow! I must try! Can I thank you now Kirk for this bizarre sandwich that you are forcing me to make?

Do you think Cafe Dore is sourcing their bread from Paris Bakery?

Did you notice any other interesting baked goods beyond banh mi? I cant believe the price - almost better than boillos!

Fantastic post!

[Wandering Chopsticks]

Haha! My mom liked peanut butter in her banh mi, but without the kimchi. I've been known to stick my leftovers in banh mi myself, but these days, they seem to end up thrown out. :( And Maggi does make everything taste better!

[ed (from Yuma)]

Funny post. When will a banh mi place open out here in Yuma?

[janfrederick]

The last time I bought the bread, I had some left over. I put it in the fridge, and found that after a couple of days, let it come to room temp and pop it in the oven for a few seconds for a revival that ain't half bad.

Anyhowayhoo, I'm planning to try an Italian Meatball Banh Mi in a few days, I'll keep you posted. (nothing weird planned, just meatballs, marinara, parm, lechuga triturado, and possibly some maters).

[Mscinda]

Great post! Your sandwiches look great. (Not so sure about the peanut butter-kimchi, but I do love kimchi). As you know I'm a banh mi fanatic. I'll have to go to Paris Bakery and get some bread now. (As for the cilantro stems, my mom always told me that's where all the flavor comes from. I don't like them either and prefer just the leaves.)

[Erin]

I love kimchi, and I love peanut butter, so I would totally try that sandwich. Probably only the once, though. :)

[Kirk]

Hi Alex - I really don't know why I made....and made myself eat that sandwich. I had always thought that one day I'd try it out. It's really not that strange tasting...at least to me. Paris, really only makes bread, and sandwiches...they do have various snack products. I've never asked the folks at Dore where they get their bread from.....I think I'll have the Missus sweet talk them next time.

Hi WC - Maggi, the elixir of flavor! We try not to throw out leftovers.....but sometimes it just can't be helped.

Hi Ed - I wtill think it is just a matter of time. Banh Mi Vampiros, anyone?????

Hi Jan - That Banh Mi should taste really good!

Hi Mscinda - I just don't like the stems....they are really inedible. When I use them in soups I tie them into a knot, or cheesecloth and discard. Check out Paris for the bread....early in the morning, I think you'll like it.

Hi Erin - I think once will be more than enough! ;o)

[penny]

AHHHRRRGGG! Peanut butter and kimchee? Whhyyyyyy? Uh, the other two looked good tho' Kirk.

[Jenn]

You're a brave man. I'm going to ask my co-workers what they think about your sandwich!
I used to throw some peanut butter in this instant cup of spicy soup with glass noodles they have here, and then I'd eat kimchi with it. Yummy. I don't know if I'll try making that sandwich, though!

[Sandy]

LOL that PBK looks like a crazy combination. I thought I was bad with PB and yellow mustard... and then saw someone eat PB with sliced pimento stuffed olives on a layer of mayonnaise. I think this wins the prize for out there!

[elmomonster]

Kimchi's one thing...but the peanut butter...that's like getting kicked in the nuts after you're already unconscious!

[Kirk]

Hi Penny - Sorry to cause you so much pain and anguish......but it felt good to finally make that sandwich and file away that memory...call it closure if you will.

Hi Jenn - Peanut butter on instant noodles....oh no....please stop before I will just have to make it! ;o)

Hi Sandy - For some reason I find peanut butter and mayo to be just wrong....but who am I to cast stones, right?

Hi Elmo - LOL! That's a double ouch! You really cracked up the Missus with your comment. Thanks!

[nhbilly]

WoW now I've really got to try this crazy sandwich idea.

[Kirk]

Hi Billy - You're really going to try this??? Don't forget the Maggi, ok? ;o)

[kat]

I've had tuna and kim chee but never pb and kim chee. Kinda leery about the combo....

[Kirk]

Hi Kat - You have every reason to be leary about it.

[nhbilly]

Why not it all gets mixed in the stomach. I have kimchi and peanut butter - I need bread though. LOL

[Kirk]

Hi Billy - I'd like to know how you enjoyed it!

[jeffrey c]

Kirk, I thought this was a joke sandwich until I thought about the flavor provile of peanuts and how its not so different than sesame paste. These are used in pasta and bread combinations all the time. Think cold noodles with sesame and black vinegar with a whole lot of hot chili oil. I do a variation with this cold noodle dish by using chunky peanut butter. I find I like this flavor with the cold noodles. I will even do a similar thing with the yakisoba pan by putting the sesame cold noodles between two slices of white bread. Carb heaven! I tried putting this into the Sandwich Project website but they rejected it. I don't know why. Its mighty tasty.

[Kirk]

Hi Jeffrey - That sandwich does sound weirder than it is....but didn't taste too bad.