I was driving on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard when I noticed a Grand Opening sign. It was on the shop that was Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe. Heck, I didn't even know that Phuong Nga had closed. So I headed into the parking lot to take a look.
The sign read "Banh Mi Express". Well it was nearly lunch time, so I decided to walk in and get me a Banh Mi.
They had taken out all of the tables from one side of the place, but the interior looks basically the same.
I just decided to get the Dac Biet….which well….it's the "Banh Mi Special" on the menu. It $7.59, which is sixty cents more than what it cost during my last visit to Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe.
I recognized the young man working and had a brief chat. He told me that yes, the shop has new owners, they still bake their own bread fresh, and that the place is not associated with another "express"; Banh Mi Paris Express.
Here's the Banh Mi Dac Biet.
Well, this is about the same as Phuong Nga. The bread is very crusty which I like, though a bit more chewy than I prefer. These days, many banh mi shops don't even include cucumber in their sandwiches; but it's present here. The jalapeno was pretty mellow on this sandwich. Of course, one of my pet peeves; the cilantro was mostly stems….I already floss daily; I don't need to have my sandwich doing it as well. The proteins are sliced on the thicker side and there are less pickled veggies than before. What I really liked about this sandwich was the amount of pate. Upon biting, the pate basically oozed out…a funky, earthy, creamy, savory "puss" of the most delicious sort.
In terms of proportion and bread, I do prefer Paris Sandwiches, but Banh Mi Express is my favorite in the area. So, it looks like things are about the same as Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe. And that'll do just fine for me. And I'm glad they are open on Saturdays as well. 
Banh Mi Express
9353 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92123
Current Hours:
Mon – Fri 7am – 5pm
Saturday 10am – 3pm
Closed Sundays
I guess I haven’t been here in awhile to see the sign change in the window (I guess they’ll get to the wall sign at some point). Thanks for the reminder to stop by soon.
I was just passing by and saw that Sandy. I hadn’t heard anything about Phuong Nga closing.
glad you found something you like
I’m glad it’s still a decent Banh Mi Kat!
I will have to send my son down to grab some sandwiches there this weekend. His 95% certain lunch on Saturday is bahn mi from the counter at Lucky Seafood, which I like, but don’t love.
Hope you enjoy it Dereck!
Looks good
I tried to visit Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe during my winter break, but they had an extended closure. I tried again recently on another holiday, but didn’t realize it was a different shop until after I ordered haha. Thanks for confirming! I’m glad the food is still the same. I felt like I would have missed out. I’m glad they’re open on Sat too!
It was pretty good ST!
That’s funny Elle! I was just passing by and noticed that different sign in the window….it was just of a random thing.
I finally got there today. I had the Dac Biet, and while I loved the amount of protein and pate as well as the bread, there was some warm spice in there somewhere that I didn’t like at all. I added a ton of salt to try and rectify, but still can’t get over it. Not sure what the spice was, but I will have to pass in the future.
I’m wondering if it was the spices in the pate Dereck?
Kirk – Not sure. I kind of felt like the entire sandwich needed more acid, so maybe it was something in the veg pickle. I might try a bbq pork or something from there and see if that fits my palate better.
I’ll probably drop by and check on it Dereck!