Photo by TheDeliciousLife.

Dish of the Week: Banh mi

Where: Rebel Heroes, Pho 14, Eden Center

Banh mi is the quintessential fusion food, a Vietnamese sandwich melding the best of French and Asian flavors to create a dish that is better than the sum of its parts. The typical anatomy of banh mi is a crusty baguette slathered with mayonnaise and pâté, and filled with cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots, daikon, and grilled meat or sausage. The average sandwich can be a pretty ho-hum affair, but a bite of banh mi is an explosion of unexpected flavors and contrasting textures.

One of the newest places to grab banh mi is on the mean streets of Arlington. Rebel Heroes, the latest addition to the metro area’s tweeting mobile food carts, debuted their own brand of fusion hoagies on Monday. Rebel Heroes’ banh mi have a Latin twist, with the option of chipotle or lime mayo and either Vietnamese or Cuban roast pork. Other fillings include chicken, tofu, meatballs, and eggs. If you’re a traditionalist, you can also order a regular banh mi or Cuban sandwich.

Where’s your favorite place to eat banh mi? Let us know in the comments.