Seattle Bánh Mi

Seattle’s food scene is really known for three things: the first one is obviously coffee, the second one is teriyaki, and the third, and, in my opinion, the greatest culinary innovation of my generation, the Seattle hot dog! If you’ve never had a Seattle Dog, you’re missing out—if you don’t like Seattle dogs, you’ve probably got bad taste! I’m just kidding, but I’m probably still being serious.

Back in the early 2010s, when I used to go out to clubs and bars like 95 Slide, Rhino Room, Barca, and Grimm’s in Capitol Hill and get way too drunk to remember most of the night; the highlight of my outing would always be the Seattle dog at the end of the night. Javi then ran the best Seattle dog stand in front of the Shell gas station on the corner of Pike and Broadway. He hasn’t been there for many years, but I still fantasize about this man’s weiners. LOL.

This Seattle bánh mi is an homage to my Vietnamese background and upbringing here in Seattle. It combines the best of both worlds into one phenomenal sandwich!

What is a Seattle Dog?

In my opinion, the humble Seattle dog is better than a Chicago, Coney, Sanoran, or really any other regional variation of the hot dog.
What makes a Seattle hot dog unique is the inclusion of the perfectly carmelized onions and a schmear of cream cheese. Sounds weird at first, but it’s really a perfect harmony. The smokiness of the onions paired with creaminess makes for an elite hot dog.

How to make the Seattle Bánh Mi:

The elements that I’m taking from Vietnamese culture/Bánh Mi are the usage of a French baguette and toppings like pickled vegetables, cucumbers, and cilantro.

For the Seattle Hot Dog, we’re using a snappy wiener and caramelized onions, and I’m swapping out the standard Philadelphia cream cheese in favor of Laughing Cow cheese. The creaminess and flavor of it works magically in this recipe.