New restaurant with Vietnamese sandwiches, New Orleans po’ boys plans Columbia opening
A restaurant that offers Vietnamese flavors and a taste of New Orleans has set its sights on Columbia.
Banh Mi Boys, a small restaurant chain that started in Louisiana, is planning a shop in the capital city. While the exact location hasn’t yet been released, restaurant officials said in a message that it would be in the Granby area just south of downtown Columbia. The restaurant is aiming for an opening in May.
Banh Mi Boys recently touted the upcoming Columbia location in a Facebook post, one in which it also promoted a developing unit in Texas.
“This is going to be a BIG year for Banh Mi Boys,” the company posted on Jan. 4. “Not only will there be another franchise in Killeen, TX, but we’ve also officially made it to Columbia, SC. ... We can’t wait for these cities to get a taste of our Vietnamese x New Orleans cuisine.”
The first two Banh Mi Boys locations are in New Orleans and Metairie in Louisiana.
Banh mi is a type of Vietnamese sandwich typically built on a baguette. The sandwiches have continued to gain popularity in the U.S. in recent years.
The Banh Mi Boys menu features a number of different twists on the sandwich, including a grilled pork banh mi, which has chargrilled lemongrass pork and is dressed out with pickled carrots, daikon (a type of radish), jalapenos, cilantro, cucumber and a house spread.
The restaurant also has, among other things, New Orleans po’ boys, a staple of the Crescent City’s culinary scene. That includes, of course, the classic fried shrimp po’ boy, served on French bread and dressed with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles and mayo.
