The restaurant: Approaching Le’s bánh mì shop can be an exercise in expert driving. Situated in the back of a well-worn Asian strip mall near the intersection of North Tryon Street and East Sugar Creek Road, people may be put off by the parking lot outside. Relax, drive slowly, know that the bánh mì that awaits you is more than worth it. The vast majority of Le’s business is take-out, but there’s a couple of tables in the immaculately-clean, brightly-lit, and well-organized cafe. Watching Le and his team work with laser precision is a rewarding reminder that people’s passion for food and cooking can even elevate the humble sandwich to something close to a work of art.

The cuisine: Compared to the British, the French were never quick to relocate to one of their colonial holdings in significant numbers. One of the rare exceptions was French Indochina, what is now modern day Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Hanoi and Saigon were interchangeably known as the Paris of the east for their French-inspired architecture and the imported bon vivant spirit of the homeland. Such a food obsessed people as the French were loath to leave behind their precious bread, and so the baguette was introduced to the people of Vietnam, who took it and made it their own, giving birth to the bánh mì, which became the breakfast of choice for the Vietnamese and eventually a favorite street stall snack in Hanoi, Huế, and Saigon. The crusty, thin baguette is cut in half, slathered in a spiced-mayo, padded with charcuterie, topped with slivers of jalapeños, pickled carrots and onions, and a handful of fresh cilantro. While most bánh mì fillings are porcine in nature, sardine, tofu, and grilled chicken sandwiches are on offer at Le’s for the pig-averse.

Our must-order: With twelve sandwiches to choose from, Le’s has something for everyone. Your best introduction to bánh mì, and the sandwich I return to the most, is the #6, bánh mì thịt nướng. Thin cuts of tender pork are marinated in chilis and spices, and then grilled until crispy before being nestled in a bed of Vietnamese remoulade and topped with the aforementioned pickled veggies and cilantro. Other noteworthy options are the #4, bánh mì bì, shredded pork and crispy pork skins, which offers a nice variety of textures, and the #11, their version of bánh mì chay, or vegetarian bánh mì. Thinly sliced tofu gets the same marinade as the pork and still packs all theVietnamese flavors of the other sandwiches without the animal-based protein. To balance out the savory wallop of your bánh mì, order a bubble tea for a burst of fruity, sugary flavor, or a Vietnamese coffee for a caffeine rush that will help keep your food-induced coma at bay. If they have them, grab a sunflower cookie from the table near the cash register for a subtle yet flavorful dessert.

Why we go: It was years ago now when I first introduced many of my coworkers to the marvels of the bánh mì. Some were skeptical of its wonders as I came to collect their cash before I placed the group order. Most were more excited, and once they had eaten their first bánh mì, skeptical or not, they were instantly hooked. It became a sort of quarterly ritual, one or another of my hungry coworkers dropped the hint that they sure would love a bánh mì, and not needing much persuasion, I agreed to place and pick up the order. Sometimes I’d be placing orders for more than 40 sandwiches. Never once, over dozens of trips, were any of the orders wrong. I would arrive about 30 minutes after placing the order, and there would be Mr. Le waiting for me with a smile and my small hillock of bánh mì ready to go. So, the next time you’re craving a good sandwich, pick up your phone and call in an order. Better yet, place your order in person, and watch Le’s Sandwiches & Cafe in action, running like a well-oiled machine. —Travis Mullis

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