Boston’s Banh Mi Scene Is Growing

A new banh mi shop recently opened in the space formerly occupied by New Saigon Sandwich — a much beloved banh mi shop that closed in June 2020 — on Washington Street in Chinatown. Bánh Mì Hu’o’ng Quê is owned and operated by Cuong Tran, a longtime restaurateur who also owns a pair of Beach Street restaurants: My Thai Vegan Cafe and Pin Ming bubble tea shop.

Don’t let Tran’s history operating vegan restaurants fool you though — Bánh Mì Hu’o’ng Quê’s menu is full of various meats and pork products, including pork bologna, pork skin, and meatballs. Boston Globe restaurant critic Devra First recommends trying the banh mi dac biet, which comes with pate, cold cuts, jalapeños, cilantro, cucumber, and pickled vegetables.

Boston’s banh mi scene continues to grow.

And in other news…

• Dorchester is getting a seafood restaurant with a raw bar. The Pearl Seafood Grill and Raw Bar plans to open in the South Bay Center on April 1.
• 219 restaurants in Massachusetts received grant money from the state’s COVID-19 relief fund this week. The state has awarded $280 million in relief aid to more than 5,800 businesses to date.
• Hotel restaurants are using empty rooms to stage private dining experiences, including Back Bay izakaya Uni, which is situated on the ground floor of the Eliot Hotel on Commonwealth Avenue.