Serving those who serve

Cafe donates meals to first responders

If you ask Minh Do what brings the community together after a hurricane, he’ll tell you very simply — sandwiches.

Following Hurricane Irma destructive pass through South Florida, the employees at 545 Degrees Banh Mi Cafe in Davie got right down to cooking.

On Sept. 12, while many restaurants were still without power, the crew started assembling their signature banh mi sandwiches — a Vietnamese version of a hoagie. The staff made more than 400 sandwiches, which were then donated to first responders in Davie and Hollywood.

As a result of being good friends with a local police officer, Do said he was able to see firs thand the work the first responders were putting in, including double shifts and various safety risks.

“I was greatly humbled he said.

“As a refugee from Vietnam coming to this, we always appreciate every little thing,” Do continued. “Our Vietnamese culture is deeply rooted in helping your neighbors. Our family has always been grateful to call this country home. It’s our way of paying it forward.”

The cafe opened at 3 p.m. with a long table outside its storefront, which was filled with stacked boxes of prepared meals stuffed with marinated chicken, Korean beef and lemongrass marinated pork, rice and salads.

Staff members, including Do, later hand-delivered some of the boxes to first responders who couldn’t make the trip out to Davie.

More and more businesses throughout the city are beginning to reopen as power is restored to areas every day.

City services are also returning to normal, as the community at large begins the storm recovery process.

“It was a very rewarding experience for us,” Do said. “It was very tiring to get all 400-plus meals out within four hours.”

“But somehow we did it and everyone was in such a great mood,” he said.

545 Degrees Banh Mi Cafe is located at 6461 Stirling Road in Davie.

ebloch@sun-sentinel.com and appreciative,”