545 Degrees Banh Mi

545 Degrees Banh Mi

The banh mi sandwich is the best kind of culinary mash-up, combining Vietnamese flavors with French finesse, incorporating savory spiciness, freshness, tartness and saltiness. There is, generally, meat – pâté, cold cuts, head cheese, Vietnamese meatballs or grilled meat. There could be tofu. You will find mayo; pickled vegetables, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeño, plus Maggi seasoning. This is a mélange of texture: the baguette, crusty on the outside but soft inside, creamy pâté and mayo; chewy bits of head cheese, crunchy shreds of carrot and daikon, soft cilantro leaves.

545 Degrees is located in a suburban Broward strip mall of Asian cafes, anchored by the always entertaining Food Town. Their bread, made fresh every day, uses rice flour in addition to wheat flour, a recipe the family-owned business came up with after visiting villages in Vietnam. They make their fillings in-house, too: head cheese, itself a textural coup, where pig parts (snout, jowls, head meat) simmer for a long time before being chilled in their broth. Silky pate is made with chicken livers. The quick-pickled veggies are crisp and colorful.