Today in surprisingly interesting time-wasting activities: finding out the “food capitals” of the world.

As a connoisseur of fried-egg sandwiches like Spike’s Sunnyside and Paila‘s Chemilico, I recently took on a new contender in this unfairly maligned category: the Godzilla at recently-shuttered Nouveau Vietnamese joint Ba Bay.

Started by a collective of military officers, new Vietnamese sandwich shop BONMi is set to open near International Square on Monday, October 24.

Last night, Ba Bay played host to a pre-Taste of the Nation banh mi smackdown to raise money for Share Our Strength, an organization that fights childhood hunger. The competition pitted chefs from Ba Bay, Dino, Lyon Hall, Proof, PS7’s and The Source against each other to see who could create the best banh mi.

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…

It’s not every day that a tiny mom-and-pop ethnic restaurant is so hotly anticipated. But ever since Prince of Petworth posted a picture of the maroon awning and “Coming Soon” banner, local blogs have been buzzing about the prospect of more Vietnamese food in the city. Pho 14 in Columbia Heights finally opened on Wednesday, and judging by the lines out the door this weekend, D.C. can’t get enough pho. Pho 14 offers 19 different…