Banh mi began with Vietnam's lighter, fluffier take on the baguette—the name roughly translates to “wheat bread”—and are arguably the most prominent example in a history of innovative takes on French cuisine. Crumbs get pulled out to make room for the filling—meat, pickles, mayonnaise, maybe some cilantro—a signature mix of savory, sweet, crunchy and herbal. We take banh mi to the grill, lightly charring skirt steak for crunch and flavor. Use a supermarket baguette or French rolls with an airy crumb and thin, brittle crust, for this sandwich, not a chewy, rustic bread. You'll need four 7- to 8-inch pieces of bread; cut one or two baguettes into sections or use individual rolls. Pâté is a classic filling—it adds richness—but the sandwiches are perfectly delicious without it. Other possible additions include thinly sliced cucumber, thin rounds of jalapeño and Sriracha.