Bánh mì The French colonial period in Vietnam left two great remnants in the country - the French colonial architecture of Hanoi and the eclectic palette of flavours found in Vietnamese food. Bánh mì is the ultimate in cultural fusion cuisine, and incidentally means bread in Vietnamese. Bánh mì is a baguette filled with all kinds of meats - mostly cold, salads and mouthwatering Vietnamese pickled carrots. The baguettes themselves are much less crispy than those found in Europe - which suits the lighter, more delicate flavours of a typical Bánh mì exceptionally well.