Country: Vietnam
Dish: Bánh Mì
Location: Midtown Atlanta
Stop: #4
It was a passion for Vietnamese food that called Sang Ho from the world of corporate America to open his own restaurant.
“I grew up with a love for Vietnamese food, cooking Vietnamese food, and Vietnamese taste,” Ho told At the Table ATL, during a visit to Bún Mì' Grill on Peachtree Road.
A native of Vietnam, Ho found asylum in the U.S. after the Vietnam War
“I was born in Vietnam,” Ho said. “We escaped Vietnam when I was three years old,’ Ho said. “We escaped on a small fishing boat.”
But the flavors of Vietnam never escaped Ho’s memory. Bún Mì' Grill aims to mix the old worlds and the new, according to Ho, blending the authentic flavors of Vietnamese-French Indochine cuisine with the modern consumer.
“My love for food has always been in the back of my mind,” Ho said.
“How does this dish represent Vietnam?”
“This sandwich here, it’s a melting pot of cultures,” Ho said of Bánh Mì. “This is a street food, but we dress it up to make it a little more elegant.”
“It has fish sauce in it,” Ho said. “No matter how elegant a food is, if you have fish sauce? You know it’s Vietnamese.”
“How does this dish represent Atlanta?”
Such authenticity is reflected in Atlanta, according to Ho, who features such in his cooking.
“I love cooking for people, creating new dishes,” Ho said. “Creating updates on dishes that you know. I just love to see people eat my food and see their reaction. That is my high.”