Cute shop, better bánh mì and creative boba in Tacoma’s Proctor District

It’s impossible to miss the nearly floor-to-ceiling mural of a giant basket of baguettes.

Liam Nguyen and Nikki Nguyen enlisted graphic designer Kylie Owen to create this accent wall, something they knew their new bánh mì shop in Tacoma’s Proctor District would need.

The duo aren’t related, but they have been friends for more than a decade, after meeting in a Vietnamese language class at the University of Washington. Upon bonding over bowls of pho and several adventures through Vietnam, they committed to opening a business together.

“We want the space to be inviting,” said Liam, one where they can introduce customers to the flavors and traditions of Vietnam.

Under the basket of baguettes sits a vintage Tourister bicycle that Nikki found online from a fellow in Fife. It resembles the ubiquitous flurry of cyclists in Vietnamese towns and villages delivering baguettes every morning, shouting “Bánh mì nóng giòn!” meaning simply, hot crispy bread.

“That’s what we think of when we think of being in Vietnam,” said Nikki.

BANH MI FOR EVERYONE

The wall opposite the baguette mural features images of Vietnamese destinations. Toast Mi’s sandwiches are named accordingly.

Mekong, for instance, is the barbecue pork; Sapa (home to ingenious terraced rice fields) is sauteed tofu; and Notre Dame (a cathedral in Ho Chi Minh City modeled after the Paris original) is pulled chicken. Dragon Bridge (a “fire-breathing” structure in Da Nang) is a version of xiu mai, pork meatballs doused in a fish-sauce-speckled tomato sauce.

It “melts in your mouth,” said Liam, flattening under the pressure of the “crunchy on the outside but still moist inside” baguette, which, for the record, Nikki prefers not too crumbly.

The menu is short and sweet but with room to satisfy dietary restrictions or carb abstainers. They serve seven sandwiches, including tofu as a vegetarian option, and offer any protein atop salad, white or brown rice.

In addition to the essential ingredients — meat, sliced jalapeno and cucumber, pickled daikon and carrot, cilantro sprigs, a slather of mayonnaise — Toast Mi pats each crusty baguette, soft on the inside and baked by a regional Vietnamese bakery, with a house sauce of cilantro, basil and secret spices, as well as homemade pâté.

The boba tea menu, brief compared to the dozens of flavors available elsewhere, features refreshing creations such as Matcha Mango and Taro Oreo.

The shop also brews dark, strong coffee in true Vietnamese style — slowly through a phin filter, a Venn diagram of drip coffee, French press and percolator — and fresh Thai tea using leaves, not powder.

Toast Mi soft-opened over Fourth of July weekend, selling through nearly 150 sandwiches each day.

Liam, 27, works in product development for a suite of beverage and lifestyle brands in Seattle, but Nikki, 29, knows her way around a restaurant, having worked for her parents’ Linh Son Restaurant in Federal Way. She is also the niece of Vincent Chu, the co-owner of VK Viet Kitchen, which opened in the Lincoln District last September.

Her mother’s recipes have inspired the dishes at Toast Mi.

“We wouldn’t have been able to do this without her,” said Liam.

‘THIS LOCATION IS PERFECT FOR US’

Immediately upon hearing the former Viva Tacoma space would become available, Liam and Nikki knew that Proctor was an ideal location for their fast-casual, grab-and-go concept.

They started construction in late February, only a couple of weeks before COVID-19 halted their progress.

Undeterred, they enlisted the helping hands of family and YouTube for do-it-yourself alternatives for everything from blinds to the wooden bar, which Liam hand-sanded and stained. The resulting space feels bright and airy, with white walls and Einstein light bulbs inside geometric fixtures.

Anchoring the space is the sandwich bar, adorned with tiles that resemble the intricate cement squares brought to Vietnam by the French in the 1800s.

During that time, the French also imported their culinary tastes and techniques. The bánh mì likely started as a simple schmear of pate on baguette, served with cheese and cured meat. It wasn’t until the late 1950s that it morphed into the sandwich we know, complete with the kick of jalapeno, coolness of cucumber and the bite of cilantro, that zing of pickled veggies and mayo’s sweet tang.

Finding this perfect amalgamation of flavor and culture in Pierce County usually requires a trip to a full-service Vietnamese restaurant. Here, they bag them for convenient and mess-free eating on the go.

“With this concept, we’re the first one — it’s just dedicated to bánh mì,” said Liam.

Prices are reasonable on purpose. In Vietnam, you can find ones on the street for under a dollar, and now, the coronavirus has left millions unemployed or otherwise tight on cash.

Added Nikki, “We don’t want them to think too much about getting a bánh mì.”

TOAST MI TACOMA

▪ 2602 N. Proctor St., Suite D, Tacoma, 253-245-2246, clover.com/online-ordering/toast-mi-tacoma

▪ Daily, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.; check social media for specials

This story was originally published July 8, 2020 at 11:08 AM.