HiYaaa! Truck's Banh Mi Hit San Mateo Tonight

Albert Law

The HiYaaa! banh mi truck on its inaugural run.

​Last Thursday, HiYaaa! (Twitter: @hiyaaaroll) kicked off its run, serving hot sandwiches to staff and friends at Ah Sam Florist in San Mateo. Influenced by their Korean, Chinese, and Vietnamese heritage, owners Van Truong, Phillip Pagan, and Sun Chang offer bánh mì-like rolls stuffed with lemongrass chicken, ginger-stewed pork belly, beef, and spicy Korean pork.

The food truck is truly a family-inspired business: Sun and Van's son named it in honor of his favorite movie, Kung Fu Panda, and they told SFoodie the recipes have been passed down through the family. When we took our first bite of the pork-belly roll, the intense, gingery marinade combined with the housemade chile sauce to give us a punch. You can taste their sandwiches tonight, July 1, at Movable Feast, San Mateo's first food truck festival. And look for the big yellow truck in San Francisco soon.

Albert Law

​ HiYaaa! owners Van Truong (l.), Phillip Pagan (back turned), and Sun Chang hustle to fill their first rush.