How Vietnamese pop star Lynda stays in the banh mi game

Tim Bui scanned the sandwich shop's menu, took a screenshot, and FaceTimed his crew back to the graphic design shop. “Do you want the special or the shrimp cake?” he asked his buddies.

The special refers to the “Lynda Special,” named after the Vietnamese pop singer who owns this local banh mi institution at the Westminster Super Center on Beach Boulevard.

Lynda Trang Đài, nicknamed the “Vietnamese Madonna,” is known for 80s synth-pop hits such as “Supermarket Love Affair,” “Jump in My Car” and “Mercedes Boy.” And since she opened Lynda Sandwich 15 years ago, she's also been known for banh mi.

This afternoon, Anaheim Bui creative director traveled to Lynda Sandwich for the third time in two months. He says he's excited about the sandwich options — chicken sausage, pork meatballs, fried egg — which cost between $9 and $10. The bestselling “Lynda Special” includes pork cold cuts, Chả Lụa sausage, chicken with pate and Đài's Secret Sauce.

Fueled by name recognition, online reviews and prices, Lynda Sandwich has outlasted many others in Westminster's highly competitive banh mi market, where as many as 10 sandwich shops populate a two-block stretch of Bolsa Avenue.

Orange County is home to the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, which has created an ecosystem where deep cultural ties meet aggressive pricing and rapid culinary innovation.

In Đài's quirky restaurant there is a mural of the Beatles, Michael Jackson, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor, her entertainer heroes, painted on a background of orange and brown, her favorite colors. American flags decorate the entrance and checkout counter, and over 100 pictures of Vietnamese crooners line the wall.

The singer vacillates between running the sandwich shop and flying to perform at numerous concerts across the country.

Đài, who grew up in central Vietnam, fled her communist homeland with her family by boat in 1979. They eventually found their way to Southern California, where she began singing in high school. A fellow refugee spotted her and a coveted invitation followed—leading to her first appearance on “Paris by Night,” the hugely popular Vietnamese-language variety show, similar to MTV, packaged as a video series.

The fame exploded. She could sing in both English and Vietnamese, and fans flocked to see the artist for her wild, dynamic stage presence and bold, provocative style.

These days, between shows, she whips up her secret sauce, which she spreads on each sliced ​​baguette before filling it with chili slices, pickled carrots and daikon, paper-thin cucumbers and chicken, pork, beef, seafood or cold cuts.

“That’s why customers come back,” she said. “There's nothing frozen. People tell me Lynda sauce is addictive.”

Created by Vietnamese street vendors more than a century ago, banh mi is inspired by the French snack of pate, butter and bread. It evolved into an achievement of textural contrast, eventually permeating the richness of pies and cold cuts, layered with crisp herbs, fresh chilies, crunchy vegetables and tangy pickles – and mayonnaise as a butter substitute.

Guests play guessing games to find out the ingredients in Đài's sauce. Still she doesn't eat. “It may or may not be mayonnaise-based,” she whispered, her eyes twinkling.

Because Southern California's local customer base is very knowledgeable, even “mediocre” shops must maintain a high standard for the sandwich's non-negotiable ingredients: fluffy, crunchy baguettes; rich homemade pies, cold cuts or roasts; light pickled Do Chua; the freshest herbs; and a savory sauce to tie it all together.

Đài's Banh Mi consists of a low dough baguette with an extra light interior.

In conversations, she emphasizes how practical Banh Mi is. “To treat yourself to pho, you have to sit for a while. With banh mi, you can take it with you on the plane, take it camping, or take it on a backpacking trip,” said Đài, with a wispy hairdo, as she greeted the arrivals, gliding toward them in high heels and a white minidress as bags ready for GrubHub piled up on her counter and locals called to place more orders for pickup.

Consumers have been experiencing price wars for years: Due to the sheer level of competition, many stores are forced to keep prices low – sometimes significantly lower than for other types of sandwiches. When a seller raises prices, customers can often find a sandwich of similar quality at a cheaper price just around the corner.

“Remember when we were teenagers in the '80s when banh mi was $1.50 – or if you bought three, you got one free?” said Andrea Nguyen, author of “The Banh Mi Handbook.” “Of course times have changed.”

But to attract diners to restaurants now, “you have to offer convenience, good taste and a great deal,” Nguyen said, “with all the food you can imagine available in Little Saigon.”

Đài said she doesn't use ingredients as gimmicks, but instead focuses on taste and fair prices. Their sandwiches start at $8 to under $10, including the best-selling Chicken Rotisserie Banh Mi for $8.50.

The price is right “for a banh mi because it's the most reliable meal,” said Hao Nguyen, a student at Golden West College who traveled from Huntington Beach. He said he stops by Lynda's three times a month to eat the grilled chicken sandwich.

When Lynda Sandwich first opened, banh mi was still a novelty, Đài said, adding, “Now it's dominant — available everywhere.”

“I looked at what type of banh mi was served around the world, and in some cases people first discovered it in Southern California and replicated it wherever they live,” Nguyen said. “It's an ongoing trend,” she added, noting that with a business like Lynda Sandwich, older Vietnamese Americans may be more familiar with their music and greatest hits and feel nostalgic, which draws younger generations to their affordable food.

“Everywhere I go, I try to eat banh mi or look for the tastiest Vietnamese food as it is one of the best dishes,” Đài said. “That's why I want to continue to offer it. It's my purpose. I love feeding everyone.”