Banh Mi – Page 9

Paris Bakery, and everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, right?

March 16, 2008 mmm-yoso Bakery, Banh Mi, Sandwiches

Our frig is a bit over-loaded with left-overs, so what to do??? Well, I’d been told that, "anything is good in Banh Mi…" So I decided to Banh Mi-size my left-overs….. Being in the neighborhood quite early in the morning, I stopped by Paris Bakery on El Cajon Boulevard.

I dodged several women carrying paper sacks full of bread out to their cars left running on El Cajon Boulevard……I don’t know why they were in such a rush; but perhaps they felt a sense of urgency that only hot, steaming, Vietnamese Baguettes can exercise…..

I went in grabbed a bag of 4 Banh Mi($1), which I opened and let breath once I got home. The bread at Paris is pretty good, with a good bit of crackle without being crumbly, and there is some bread in the Banh Mi, it is not "all crust", the bread is a bit chewy, which I enjoy in a Banh Mi.

Paris Bakery also makes sandwiches, which I’ll post on a bit later on. I’m not quite sure what time they open, but getting their the earlier, the better.

Paris Bakery
4481 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

So what did I do with the Banh Mi?

Glad you asked….well, unless you’re really interested in the left-overs in our frig, perhaps you should leave now. So let’s see if you can figure this out….

Its……Fuqi Feipian from Ba Ren, along with some shredded cucumber, and cilantro leaves. (If you’ve read my posts on Banh Mi, you know that one of my pet peeves are the stringy stems of cilantro, so I guess I can’t be a hypocrite, can I?) This tasted pretty good, the flavor of the Fuqi Feipian stood up well to the bread.

Next one:

This is an easy one…..it’s the left over Cumin Lamb from Dede’s, along with thinly sliced red onion, and cilantro leaves. This sandwich tasted fairly good, but was missing something…… The solution was quite simple, just as some people believe everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, most people know that everything will taste better with Maggi Seasoning Sauce. The savory "umami" that the Maggi brought to the sandwich was discernible.

So, does everything really taste better in a Banh Mi?

Its story time; at one of my first jobs back in High School, one of the Security Guards used to bring his own "special" sandwich to lunch several times a week. This guy loved this sandwich…the aroma rising from the sandwich was quite unusual, I thought that I could make out the individual ingredients, but didn’t believe anyone would eat that combination…. So one day I asked, and yes indeed, it was…. A peanut butter and Kimchi sandwich! With mayo! Elvis had nothing on this guy. Apparently, he acquired a taste for this while stationed in Korea. Over the years, I’ve mentioned this unique sandwich to many….and beyond the "ewwwws", wrinkled noses, and gagging noises, I couldn’t find anyone who’d ever heard of such a combination. Earlier his year, for reasons still unknown to me, I did a search on "Peanut Butter Kimchi Sandwich" and did find an actual article that mentioned it, though only in passing.

So to finally see if everything tastes better on a Banh Mi, I decided to make a:

Peanut Butter and Kimchi Sandwich, sans the mayo! But with Maggi of course…in hopes that it would make anything taste better….. As per instructions I received several decades back, I used "Chunky" peanut butter……

So what’s the verdict? Not as bad as I thought, the kimchi overwhelmed the peanut butter….sort of kimchi upfront, with a peanut finish. The Maggi actually brought out the savory fishiness(in a good way). The Missus could not sit in the same room, with me while I ate this, and while I don’t think I’ll have it again soon, it wasn’t too bad at all.

So maybe everything does taste better on a Banh Mi? What do you think?

You can find Guilty Carnivore’s Kimchi Banh Mi(albeit a bit more conventional) here, along with a BBQ Pork Banh Mi here.

Fellow San Diego Food Blogger mscinda, has a home made Banh Mi post here.

And of course Wandering Chopsticks has home made Banh Mi posts here and here.

And if you really want a silly sandwich, this was seen walking along Clairemont Drive this afternoon:

I guess I was destined to do a sandwich post today!

To Bi or not to Bi – A Banh Mi Bi Comparison – Cafe Dore, Saigon Sandwiches & Deli, Kim Chan

February 24, 2008 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

Want to meet the Missus's latest obsession? Here it is:

Yes, it's Banh Mi. Banh Mi Bi…..the version with shredded pork skin as the filling. I don't quite know how this one came about, but 2 weeks ago, it became "all about the Bi!" So after eating Banh Mi Bi just about everyday for the last 2 weeks(that's a lot of Bi!), the Missus came up with Her 3 favorites. So I decided to see, if the Missus knew Her Bi(that kinda rhymes, doesn't it?).

In a blind tasting of Her 3 favorites, She identified each sandwich and where it came from, based on taste, texture, bread, and of course Bi.

So here they are:

**** Cafe Dore has closed

Bi – 1: Cafe Dore($2.75):

The Missus says: "it's all about the Bi, great ratio of meat to skin(meatiest Bi), nice condensed pork flavor, Bi is always moist, with hints of sweetness. The bread is okay, on any given day Cafe Dore or Saigon will have better bread. The cilantro is a lost cause, too stringy, and the pickles are just average. Best flavor and texture overall."

Cafe Dore
4135 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Bi – 2: Saigon Sandwiches and Deli($2.75):

Amazingly, Saigon Sandwiches and Deli, right next door took second place. Even though they reside next to each other, Cafe Dore and Saigon have distinct personalities. Cafe Dore being a Viet Coffee shop, is overwhelmingly male; the Missus was the only female in the place during a recent meal(post is forthcoming). Saigon, is a combination convenience store/snack shop, and the clientele is about two-thirds women and children.

So what about the Banh Mi? The Missus says:"Too much skin to meat, meat is on the dry side, the amount of roasted rice powder makes this sandwich stand out. It adds nice texture. The pickles are usually very good, refreshing sour with some spiciness. Too much pickles relative to Bi. Bread is usually good. Larger sandwich that Cafe Dore"

Saigon Sandwiches & Deli
4133 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Bi – 3: Kim Chan Sandwich Shop($2.50):

**** Kim Chan has closed

The Missus says:"Bread is sometimes soggy, too much mayo kills the flavor. This place has the spiciest peppers that overwhelms the mild flavor of the Bi. Too little Bi relative to veggies, pickles, and bread."

I noticed something interesting when waiting for the sandwich. The gentleman first made the sandwich, wrapped it up, than proceeded to heat the sandwich…..

Kim Chan Sandwich Shop
4712 El Cajon Blvd Suite N
San Diego, CA 92115

Others that didn't make the cut include Bale…..

So there you have it…….it's all about the Bi.

Another short lived obsession:

After enjoying the Nem Chua I brought home from the Tet Festival, the Missus started seeking out different versions of this tasty sour pork sausage. So here we have a rarity……parallel obsessions!

The winner? The version from Kim Chan, though the smallest, and most expensive($6) was the favorite. It had the best texture(even though it had the least amount of pork skin), and flavor(hints of garlic, chilies, peppercorns).

The version from Bale in Mira Mesa was okay, but had too many peppercorns, and was too sour. In third was bought from Saigon Sandwiches & Deli, very tough, and bland.

Did I mention why this was a short lived obsession? When it was explained to the Missus that this was not a "cooked" sausage, in fact it is a fermented sausage….for some reason this ended the Missus's obsession.

A bunch of revisits… A Chau, Latin Chef, and Kayaba

December 21, 2007 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Japanese Restaurants, Peruvian Restaurants, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

I’m pretty sure many are(ahem, yours truly included) feeling the “Christmas Crunch” right about now. Of course there are those you, the uber-organized, who have this Christmas shopping thing down pat…..you know who you are, smug and relaxed during the Holidays, your Christmas blitz starts on December 28th….no never the 26th or 27th, on those days, the mall is crawling with unhappy campers returning unwanted gifts. But on the 28th, when all us shoppers are lying in exhaustion…tongues lolling from our gasping, foaming mouths, you’re ready to gear up for NEXT CHRISTMAS! And you’re usually done by the end of February, except for a few items, cherry-picked during the year. I salute you, super-shopper, well, it’s a double salute of sorts, my right hand held flat and brought to my brow in respect, the other hand is raised…well, better to not go there.

Because of the time crunch, I find myself revisiting a bunch of places this time of year…here are a few:

A Chau

I haven’t been to A Chau in a bit, and though I’m fully aware of the spiraling price increases of Banh Mi, it was still a shock when I paid $3 for my sandwich. I had ordered a simple BBQ Pork Banh Mi, but got this:

It was a meatball (Xiu Mai) Banh Mi, which would have been fine, except this was the type that uses a weak tomato sauce, that when combined with pickled vegetables, and fish sauce, is not a flavor that I’m fond of. The bread at A Chau remains the same as always, more on the doughy-chewy side, than the crusty baguette.

Still, I was, and am always pleased with the Cha Gio at A Chau. Made with rice paper, always crisp, and quite filling. The egg rolls are still 3 for a buck.

A Chau
4644 El Cajon Blvd Ste 111
San Diego, CA 92115

Latin Chef

**** Latin Chef has closed

Ed from Yuma rolled into town for a few days this week, and we managed to grab a few meals, one of which was at Latin Chef. It was nice to see Freddy, the Owner of Latin Chef, it was also nice to see that business has been good, and Latin Chef has been able to expand into the space next door. Still, even though the restaurant has doubled in size, it is still quite small.

Ed had the Cebiche, and I started with the Tiradito.

I found todays version to be really, really good, mildy tart and creamy, with some nice heat provided by the Aji Amarillo peppers. Freddy told me the spice was supplemented and raised with the help of ginger.

We also shared some Anticuchos:

And though this is a bit different from the grilled versions we got from street vendors in Cusco, it is still very good, with the flavor of cumin coming on strong. In fact, if you didn’t know what it was……..you’d be hard pressed to guess.

Latin Chef
1142 Garnet Ave
San Diego, CA 92109

Kayaba

**** Kayaba has closed

During one of my shopping “blitzes”, I was able to rest my weary butt at Kayaba. Desiring rice and something fried, I decided to order the Tonkatsu($7.50). In fact, I decided to retry the “Rosu” (pork loin) that I found to be very tough and dry on one of my previous visits.

And to my surprise it was nice and tender, if a bit on the dry side. And combined with a nice dose of tonaktsu sauce, the nice oniony potato salad, and rice, made for a rather nice meal.

Too bad the miso soup here is still terrible.

Kayaba
4240 Kearny Mesa Rd Ste 119
San Diego, CA 92111

Okay…back to shopping!!!!

Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant Part 2

December 6, 2007 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Pho, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Van Hoa has closed

I hadn't had much more than the breakfast Banh Mi at Van Hoa for the longest time, but recently, I was able to grab a couple more sandwiches from Van Hoa. And what's more fun is I now have a fellow Banh Mi lover in the office. Mr 'B', originally from Jersey, first had Banh Mi a few months ago when I made a short drive to Saigon Sandwiches & Deli. Since that time Mr B has become quite the connoisseur…with observations like, "man, it's about the ratio of bread to fillings, right?" and "it needs to be nice and toasted, it ain't nothin' without the bread done right…" Though he is often the unwitting victim of hot pepper roulette, he remains undeterred…. I gotta give him some props. Mr B has also allowed me to purchase 3 Banh Mi at a time, which I split between us, so now I get to sample a wider range of sandwiches. Lucky me…….

So here are a few more sandwiches from Van Hoa, starting with the BBQ Pork($2.75):

The pork was nicely marinated with good flavor, though on the tough side. The bread was nicely toasted, and crusty. There was a nice amount of pickles, which a bit on the mild side. I don't care for overly stringy cilantro stems….it's just a pet peeve of mine, I'd rather use dental floss, thank you very much….. Not a bad sandwich…even with the recent price increase from $2.25 to the now unheard of price of (gasp!)$2.75.

The Banh Mi Xiu Mai(Meatball – $2.75):

This was the standard issue meatball Banh Mi. And it was fine, except for one thing, the fishy tomato sauce that is used for the meatball really doesn't do anything for this sandwich. When I recently mentioned the addition of tomato sauce to the Miu Mai Banh Mi to FOY Beach, he wrinkled up his face in disapproval. I wrinkled up my face too, the flavor was like a tomato fish sauce, with sour tones from the pickles thrown in.

As is my general rule, I'll usually try the Dac Biet(special – $3.50) whenever I have a chance. Just to see what a particular restaurant has to offer.

As with most versions of Banh Mi Dac Biet, this one had Cha Lua(lean pork sausage), which in this case had some flavor, and the Thit Nguoi in this case was more like BBQ pork belly, and had a nice porky-sweet flavor. Mr B didn't even mind the smear of pate, which was rich, but mild. And even though I saw mayo being smeared on the sandwich, it was done with a light touch, and didn't over power all the other ingredients. While eating, I heard Mr B exclaim, "Holy…….." (fill in the blanks), sounds like he's discovered another hot pepper land mine! he-he-he…..

Recently, we've been having Pho weather…..cool , with some precipitation. So I dropped by Van Hoa with Pho on my mind. As I was seated in the rear dining area, I realized I had never seen this part of the restaurant. It is pretty clean, compared to the rest of the strip mall.

Can you guess what I ordered? I'm sure I'm really predictable…..if I've never had the Pho at a particular restaurant before, I'll get the Dac Biet(special), just to see which cuts of meat they do best. In this case it was the Extra Large Bowl($5.25)

This was indeed an extra large bowl….probably the most broth I've ever had. The broth itself was low oil, and on the salty side, pretty generic as a whole. The herbs provided were very fresh, and sufficient in quantity. The Ngo Gai(saw leaf herb) was really fresh, and added a nice peppery flavor to the Pho. The noodles was the usual clump in the bottom of the bowl.

As for the meats, the rare steak was tough and dry, even when served on the side. The tripe had a soapy flavor, and the tendon was hard and crunchy. The winner here was the brisket, soft and moist, with a mild beefy punch.

The folks at Van Hoa are very low-key, and once they recognize you, very nice. The menu is comprised of the standard Com Tam, Bun, and such. The parking lot can be an adventure….

I'm kinda craving an scrambled egg banh mi right now…….

Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant
4016 54th Street
San Diego, CA

Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant Part 1

November 6, 2007 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

**** Van Hoa has closed

Were you the same kind of kid I was? My Mom would have fits trying to wake me on most school mornings. I should have trademarked the phrase "just 5 more minutes" since I used it so much…..our alarm clocks didn't have "snooze buttons" in those days, otherwise I'd have worn that out. Once up, I'd dilly-dally, even volunteering to do chores (gasp), in order to avoid school. Finally, worn down by the irresistible force that most Mothers are, I'd be on my way. Lucky for me, I lived only a half-block from my Elementary school….

Unfortunately, there's still some residual "dilly dailiness" left in me. Some mornings, I'll be up very early, but am not very motivated at the prospect of work. I'm trudging around, trying not to wake the Missus up, wondering how I can justify taking my own sweet time (make te-de te-de…). Reluctantly dragging my procrastinating self out of the house and to the car, I eventually find myself on the freeway. But wait, I don't need the freeway to get to work! Taken over by some other-worldly force, I get out on El Cajon Boulevard, and end up at a destination like Van Hoa Restaurant.

There are a few Vietnamese restaurants like Van Hoa, which resides in the shopping complex on the corner of 54th and University, that open early…I mean early, as in 6am early. At 630 am the sometimes psychotic parking lot of the shopping center(which houses a location of Vien Dong Market) is empty, and you need not worry about having to park next to the last demolition derby Ford Fairmont in existence in North America. At 635 in the morning, I'm not sure you can get Pho at Van Hoa, but as you enter the restaurant, everyone is hard at work, making Goi Cuon(Spring Rolls) and various packaged snacks that you see at places like 99 Ranch Market. There are sacks labeled with "La Chef Bakery" lining the tables, and I place my order for the Egg McMuffin of the Banh Mi world, the Banh Mi Trung(scrambled egg banh mi – $2.75):

For some reason the bread feels more crusty in the morning, and the scrambled egg is lightly doused with a soy sauce concoction, that is both salty and sweet. I readily admit, that for some, the combination of pickled veggies, cilantro, and scrambled egg is a bit odd, but I enjoy it. I sometimes just have the sandwich in the car, at the risk of strewing crumbs everywhere…..

But there is one thing that never changes, sustenance puts me in a much better mood, and the world is a much nicer place. I also feel guilty for not being fired up for work after watching everyone in the restaurant working so hard. Maybe I'll be able to face the world today…………

A word of caution; like all other versions of Banh Mi, this one has Jalapenos, so if you do not tolerate hot peppers for breakfast, or not at all, please proceed at a careful cadence.

Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant
4016 54th Street
San Diego, CA

Open at 6am Mon-Sat
Open at 7am on Sundays

In part 2, we'll check out the Pho at Van Hoa, along with several of the other Banh Mi.

Saigon Sandwiches & Deli

September 10, 2007 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

Not to be confused with Saigon Restaurant, this little Snack Shop-Convenience Store-Sandwich Shop resides in the same strip mall as Cam Ky, and right next to, of all things Cafe Dore(which I need to update). So you have two shops serving Banh Mi, right next to each other….and both shops do a pretty brisk business.

This little shop also stocks various Vietnamese snack items, serves Boba and other drinks…and from what I noticed does a good business in Vietnamese Phone Cards and Vietnamese Cigarettes. Who needs 7-11????

A little old lady occupies the area behind the cash register, taking orders, and ringing up purchases. One dozen variations of Banh Mi are offered, any one of which would be a nice remedy for the heat.

On this day I ordered the Banh Mi Dac Biet($3.25):

Thin slices of Lean Pork Sausage and Vietnamese Ham on a medium sized (7-8") baguette. I thought the ratio of meats to pickled vegetables, cucumber, etc, was very good. The baguette had a nice bit of "crackle" but was a tad too doughy. Some richness was provided by the nice "smear" of Pate, which when I tasted had a very pronounced cinnamon flavor. The sliced jalapenos weren’t as searingly hot as what I’m used too. Even the cilantro consisted of more leaves than tough sinewy stems. This was pretty good.

The Banh Mi Thit Nuong (BBQ Pork – $2.75):

As with the Banh Mi Dac Biet, the ratio of ingredients was good. But the BBQ Pork, though very nicely caramelized, really fell short in flavor. Very bland.

Did you notice these sandwiches are nearly sliced in half? You can halve the sandwich with little effort. This gave me an idea….

One of the Guys in the office had never had Banh Mi, so one day, I asked him if he’d like to try some of these sandwiches. Which meant that I could purchase several different sandwiches, and half them with him. Why didn’t I think of this sooner?

The Banh Mi Xiu Mai (Meatball – $2.75):

This Banh Mi featured chopped, moist, "porky" meatballs. The crust of the bread was nice and crusty, if a bit on the dry side. I noticed that the Jalapenos in this bunch of Banh Mi were on the mild side as well.

Banh Mi Ba Chi (Pork Belly aka Vietnamese Bacon – $2.75):

Thin slices of roasted pork belly made this a a slightly chewy sandwich. I didn’t think that there was enough pork belly, the overall flavor was on the mild side.

Banh Mi Cha Lua (Lean Pork Sausage – $2.75):

I described this as being sort of like Bologna to my eating companion….he really didn’t care much for it. I think it was more of a texture thing. I thought the portion size of the sausage was too small to really make much of an impact on the sandwich. This was the one sandwich where the flavor of black pepper and mayo came through. Not bad, but I’ve had better.

I think the sandwiches at Saigon Sandwiches and Deli are pretty good. The bread is always crusty, and they are generous with their pickled vegetables. The prices seem high, but I’ve noticed that the prices for Banh Mi are rising in the area (A Chau’s Banh Mi now top $3). The Little old Lady gets more friendly as she gets to know you. On my last visit, as I was waiting for my order she handed me the shop’s business card, and told me, "next time call ahead, and you won’t have to wait". I’ve also noticed that the shop has a table right outside that is always full of people drinking coffee and other drinks having a good time. so next time you need some Vietnamese Phone Cards….or maybe some Vietnamese Cigarettes, give Saigon Sandwiches and Deli a try.

Saigon Sandwiches & Deli
4133 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

Open Tues-Sun 7am – 5pm

Vinh Long Food to Go

July 8, 2007 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

Early one weekend morning, while taking one of my now all too rare excursions checking for new restaurants, I noticed a little shop in an alleyway, on El Cajon Boulevard, between Chamoune avenue and 46th street.

Now how the heck did I miss this place? So I made a mental note to remember the name, and reinforced that by constantly repeating the mantra, "Vinh Long Food to Go, Vinh Long Food to Go….." Can you imagine if I got into an accident and had to be questioned? I’d be lying on the ground, being questioned:

"What’s your name?"
"Vinh Long Food to Go…."
"Where do you live?"
"Vinh Long Food to Go…."
"Do you know where you are?"
"Vinh Long Food to Go…."

Am I a food dork, or what? Of course, I subsequently went home and forgot all about Vinh Long. For some reason, two of my surviving brain cells managed to rub against each other in my deteriorating gray matter….and what did I remember? "Vinh Long Food to Go…." of course! I managed to snag a parking slot(of the 6 available) in front of the tiny 2 table shop. The customers waiting to be served were a combination of older Vietnamese Men and Hispanic Young Men. The steam table was doing bang-up business.

But since the weather recently has been on the warm side, I decided to get some Banh Mi. The prices were pretty much in line, at $2.50.

So here we go. The Banh Mi Thit Nguoi(combination meat):

Here, the combination meat consisted of thinly sliced "Char Siu" like pork, which was freshly sliced for my sandwich, and Gio Lua(lean pork sausage – sometimes called Vietnamese Bologna). Not much meat, but lots of pickled radish and carrot, which really didn’t have much taste. Enjoyed the cross slice of cucumber, but some caution should be exercised with those hidden Jalapenos! The bread was slightly toasted but still too doughy for my tastes. The length of these sandwiches were the usual Banh Mi length of about 6-8 inches.

The BBQ Pork Banh Mi.

This was by far my favorite Banh Mi. Thinly sliced marinated and grilled pork(think sweet-salty) along with the usual suspects from above. Oh yes, and those who know me understand that I’m not a big fan of tough stringy cilantro stems…..short stems with leaves are fine, but I don’t eat Banh Mi with the intent purpose of flossing my teeth.

The Banh Mi Cha Lua (Lean Pork Sausage)

Though I thought this sandwich was a bit short on the meat side, what made this sandwich really tasty was the nice "smear" of pate. Again the bread was a bit too doughy for my tastes, and not crusty enough. There was a bit of the jalapeno roulette going on with this sandwich as well. But, that pate was very good!

The service I received was friendly, and prompt. This is not fast food, and it takes a while to toast the baguette. The steam table food goes for $4.50 for 3 and a starch, and seemed to be quite popular.

Vinh Long Food to Go
4575 El Cajon Blvd Ste B
San Diego, CA 92115

Oh yes, parking is limited, and the alleyway is pretty much a single lane job. Which led to an interesting confrontation as I was waiting to back out of my parking stall. An older Vietnamese woman driving a early 90’s Toyota Corolla turns into the alley. A huge dual axel pick-up is coming down the alley. And yes ladies and gentleman, we have a stand-off! Guy in the pick-up pops his horn and waves for the little old lady to back-up…….."Ba Noi"(Grandma) does nothing. Guy, sticks his head out the window and screams something I can’t write here to Ba Noi, nothing happens. About ten seconds later, Ba Noi, apparently fed up with the situation, sticks a closed fist out the window and starts driving toward the pick-up. White Guy in pick-up’s eyes almost pops out of his head, he quickly shifts his truck into reverse and quickly backs down the alley! He-he-he, you don’t mess with Grandma!!!!

Cali Cafe Sandwiches

September 17, 2006 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

*** Cali Cafe has closed, and is now an outlet of Bale.

With the slightly warm weather we had today, it only made sense for us to grab a few Banh Mi for lunch. And since we were in the Mira Mesa area, we decided to give Cali Cafe a try.

Both Renee and Rob have mentioned this little shop to me in the past. Because Lucky Seafood, Lucky Pho, and Tan Ky Mi Gia are all located in the same strip mall, I really hadn’t paid much attention to this small, but well lit, and clean restaurant.

The Banh Mi here are priced at $2.75, and other Deli type sandwiches at $6.

As is my MO I ordered the Dac Biet:

First off, this is the "long type" of Banh Mi, much like those at K Sandwiches. The baguette is also thin, minimizing the amount of bread, and maximizing crust. this "Special"(Dac Biet), was simply single layers of Ham and Lean Pork Sausage, nothing special. I enjoyed the addition of thin slices of red onion to the standard pickled veggies. In addition to the standard wedge of cucumber were 2-3 slices of Jalapeno. Since these were cross slices, you never really knew where they were in your sandwich. This creates and interesting Jalapeno Roulette of sorts. I really didn’t care for the mayo in the sandwich either, here’s wishing for a smear of pate’. Overall, a decent though not outstanding Banh Mi, very pedestrian flavors.

The Missus ordered a BBQ Chicken Banh Mi:

The Missus enjoyed Her sandwich, and I found that the BBQ chicken was very nicely flavored. The rest of the sandwich was the same. I felt that the BBQ Chicken fared much better than the Dac Biet.

The sandwiches at Cafe Cali aren’t too bad, though a half buck more than those at Lucky Seafood several doors down, the sandwiches here are bigger. I’d say I enjoy the bread and BBQ Chicken here, and the Dac Biet and more exotic flavors at Lucky Seafood.

Some Notes: Seems like many people place take-out orders and come back for them after shopping. I saw several very large orders picked up while waiting for my 2 sandwiches, probably due to the "Buy 5 and get 1 Free" promotion. As with many of these type of places, there is a nice selection of drinks, and other items for purchase.

Cali Cafe Sandwiches
9330 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Open 8am-7pm Sun-Thurs
8am-5pm Fri-Sat

Song Huong Food to Go

July 18, 2006 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Bun Bo Hue, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!

Song Huong Food to Go is another little Mom-and-Pop hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese Diner/Snack Shop located on the corner of Menlo Avenue and El Cajon Boulevard.

This intersection of ECB, must feed a heck of alot of people. A Chau and Minh Ky, are right across the street, and Song Huong shares the strip mall with Thien Thanh Restaurant. Which is how we came to eat at Song Huong. After a recent visit to Thien Thanh, the Missus walked on over to Song Huong to order an Avocado Shake(which she thought was good, BTW). She noticed the Young Lady working there, who turned out to be the Owner’s Sister eating a pretty large bowl of Bun Rieu. So a few days later we dropped by for a quick meal.

The interior of Song Huong is small, and spartan, with a mere six tables, and boxes of supplies, and a cooler, along with the requisite high bar counter taking up most of the space.

The large middle table is usually occupied by family and friends, either reading, eating, or on one occasion participating in a very lively game of cards.

Song Huong also boasts an interesting variety of Banh Mi, all priced at $1.99:

I’m still waiting for Ed from Yuma’s opinion on the Sardine Banh Mi!

One quick look at the menu, and you’ll make an interesting observation. Most items are under $4.99!

In the mood for something spicy I ordered the Bun Bo Hue, the Spicy Noodle soup($4.50) without blood. A plate of "garnishes" soon arrived at the table.

The plate of herbs and veggies varies for Bun Bo Hue varies from restaurant to restaurant, and this version included mint, tiet to(purple perilla), shredded cabbage, bean sprouts, basil, and lettuce. Pretty much a little bit of everything.

A few minutes later the noodle soup arrived.

Like the garnishes, Bun Bo Hue varies from restaurant to restaurant. For example, many restaurants will serve the Bun Bo Hue, as an almost clear broth with chili oil added for heat, and a bowl of fermented shrimp paste and chili paste on the side. Pho Hoa Hiep, and Convoy Noodle House serve their Bun Bo Hue in this manner. I prefer having all the flavorings already added and mixed into the broth, like Pho Ca Dao does. This was the latter version. The broth for this Bun Bo Hue was very straightforward and to the point, nice and spicy, but not very complex. The shrimp paste flavor was also quite muted. In what I found to be a unique touch, Lean Pork Sausage(Gio Lua) was added to the various cuts of meat in the soup. The meats(Thick cut beef, tendon, and some inedible pork parts) were not the best, most were tough and dry, but there was a heck of alot of noodles. The Bun Bo Hue succeeded in filling me up, and then some.

The Missus ordered the Bun Cha Gio Tom Nuong(Vermicelli with Egg Rolls and Shrimp – $4.50):

Like the Bun Bo Hue, this dish accomplished what it should. It really filled you up. The Cha Gio were stuffed with alot of pork, and the Missus poured two little bowls of Nuoc Mam Cham over the generous portion of noodles, and chowed it down. And left quite satisfied. Not quite the level of the Bun at Thien Thanh, but $1.50 cheaper.

A few days later, I decided to grab a Banh Mi, so I headed over to Song Huong, looked at the photos and placed my order for the Dac Biet(special). Now this is where I ran into a little miscommunication. This is the Banh Mi I received.

The bread was nicely toasted and had a combination of a crusty exterior, combined with doughy bread. I didn’t care for the tough cilantro twigs, but there was a good balance of pickled vegetables and cucumber. Beware the stealthy jalapeno, just when you don’t expect it, you’ll munch on a huge piece of jalapeno, hot enough to stop your heart. Of course, if you’re like Ed from Yuma, and driving while eating your Banh Mi……

What I thought was strange were the meats, which basically consisted of Char Siu, though there two types of Char Siu in the sandwich, pieces that were fatty, and looked like pork belly, and slices that were lean. I loved the thick "smear" of pate’, but didn’t care for the amount of mayo on my sandwich. But still, for $1.99, who’s going to complain.

Also, the Gentleman who took my order was neither the person who I believe is the Owner, nor the tiny Young Lady who speaks perfect English. Or maybe it was just the "Dac Biet" du jour?

Undeterred, I arrived back at Song Huong a few days later, and ordered the Banh Mi Dac Biet again($1.99). And this is what I got on this occasion.

So it was basically the same sandwich as before, but without the mayo, and this time with Gio Lua? Damn good sandwich, whatever it is. One thing I did notice; you should eat these ASAP, the bread goes downhill very quickly. Also, these are not the super long K Sandwiches style Banh Mi, but I think they have much more flavor.

One last thing, when ordering, grab one of the plastic menus, you’ll find that the numbers on the display, do not correspond with the numbers on the menu. Recently, I ordered some Buon Cuon($4.99) to go, using the numbers off the board, when I got to my destination I was shocked to find Bun Thit Nuong(Vermicelli with BBQ Pork)! Sorry no camera, but it wasn’t too bad, just not what I intended to order.

Song Huong opens at 6am in the morning for coffee and drinks, but the kitchen doesn’t get going until 730 or so. I think I’ll drop by one morning for the Scrambled Egg Banh Mi.

The folks are quite nice, though as mentioned above the are some communication issues, and other "quirks". Of course, if you speak Vietnamese, you’ll have no trouble. Song Huong is a well priced, take-out joint, so if you’re a bit low on cash…….and in the area, you can always grab a Sardine Banh Mi for two bucks!

One quick note: As with many parking lots in the area; it can be hell! I’ve been blocked in twice in this particular lot, and had to go from shop to shop to find the driver of the car that blocked me in.

Song Huong Food to Go
4650 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92115

A Banh Mi Retrospective

May 4, 2006 mmm-yoso Banh Mi, Sandwiches, Vietnamese Restaurants

A while back I promised Joseph E, a listing of the various Banh Mi’s I’ve had the pleasure of eating in San Diego. So finally, I’ve gotten my act together and here it is. First off, I need to apologize for taking so darn long. I only recently purchased some removable storage, and finally started copying all my back-up photos from CD to storage.

One of the really fun things I noticed as I dug up all these photos, and looking over my posts, is how much my taste in Banh Mi has changed since I did my first Banh Mi post back in June of 2005. I used to be strictly a BBQ Chicken/Pork Guy, and now I say “bring on the head cheese/sausage/pate!” Anyhow, I’m including links to the original posts, a short note on the visit(s), notes on follow-up visits, and such. I hope you all enjoy, and for those expecting a brand new restaurant/food post, please excuse…..I’ll have something new tomorrow!(Note all prices reflect the cost at the time of the original post.)

June 13, 2005 – A Chau

Impressions: Alot of filling, though I never did get the Dac Biet(special). The bread was too soft and doughy. Nice amount of chilies and pickles. Very filling sandwich.($2.50)

Notes: I need to revisit A-Chau soon. I used to grab a sandwich there all the time, but when I started doing the food blog, I got caught up in trying new restaurants all the time. I haven’t revisited since this post….my bad!

A-Chau
4644 El Cajon Blvd Ste 111
San Diego, CA 92115

June 28, 2005 – Cafe Dore

**** Cafe Dore has closed

Impressions: At the time I had this sandwich, I thought it was the best I’d had in San Diego. The bread was toasted and crusty, and there was a great balance of vegetables, cilantro, chilies, and fillings. Well maybe a little light on the chilies….. I loved that the cilantro was mostly leaves and not tough, chewy, stuck between your teeth cilantro.($2.50)

Notes: Follow-up visits(last one in December of last year) were not quite as good. There is a tendency to “over-toast” the bread making it disintergrate into a crumbs when you bite into the sandwich. I still enjoy the fillings at Cafe Dore.

Cafe Dore
4135 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105

June 29, 2005 – Bale French Sandwich Shop

**** This location of BaLe has closed

Impressions: Before K Sandwich, the most “accessible” Banh Mi. Mild flavors, crusty bread, and very consistent. I’ve always thought that Bale “hollowed out” their bread a bit to increase the crust to bread ratio, but it’s probably the product of a too active imagination.($2.75)

Notes: Still very consistent, I’ve found Bale to be doing very brisk business on my last visit(December 2005).

Bale French Sandwich Shop
6937 Linda Vista Rd
San Diego, CA 92111

July 15, 2005 – Sorrento European Bakery

**** Sorrento European Bakery has closed

Impressions: Sorry, probably one of the worst photos I’ve taken thus far…. Actually, this visit was a mistake, I didn’t follow instructions, and thought that this was the Banh Mi place. Very light, low on vegetables, I felt this sandwich was missing a certain “something”. The fillings were very tasty, but I could eat 3 of these. I did think the bread was nice and crusty.($2.50)

Notes: I was soon corrected on the location of the correct Banh Mi purveyor, I’ve never returned.

Sorrento European Bakery
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd #117 – in the Sorrento Plaza Shopping Center
San Diego, CA 92121

July 19, 2005 – Linda Vista Food to Go

**** Linda Vista Food to Go has closed

Impressions: Hidden away from most of the traffic on Linda Vista Road, this sandwich was on the small side, and had too much cucumber, and not enough cilantro. Very little meat in the “Dac Biet”, and to add insult to injury, the sign at the time said $2.25, but they charged me $2.50.

Notes: I’ve been back for the pretty good spring rolls. Needless to say, I haven’t had another sandwich at this little shop. Nice people though!

Linda Vista Food to Go
2405 Ulric Street
San Diego, CA 92111

August 23, 2005 – Fusion Food & Boba Cafe

**** Fusion Food & Boba Cafe has closed

Impressions: Don’t know what to make of it; lot’s of meat filling, but the ham tastes like the packaged stuff from the supermarket, sometimes the bread is toasted, sometimes not; the rolls differ from time to time too. Alot of people like this place, so it must be me…… The BBQ pork did taste good.($2.50 – $3.50)

Notes: Haven’t been back.

Fusion Food & Boba Cafe
8038 Clairemont Mesa Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92111

November 2, 2005 – K Sandwiches

Impressions: If you’ve never had a Banh Mi before, this is a good place to start. Safe enough even for my co-workers who enjoy them. The sandwiches are also quite large:

And very inexpensive($1.99 – $2.99). Do ask for extra “pickles”(I’ve never had to pay for them), because they can be really stingy with them. The bread is baked on the premises which can be a plus.

Notes: Think of it as San Diego’s version of Lee’s Sandwich’s.

December 28, 2005 – Kim Chan Sandwich Shop

**** Kim Chan has closed

Impressions: A favorite of Ed from Yuma, the BBQ pork was terrible, but the meat in the combination (Dac Biet) is excellent. I’ve had both stale bread, and perfectly toasted bread here, but portions(for the combination) are always well balanced, and flavorful.($2.50)

Notes: When this place is “on” the “combination” is very good. Only a few items in English, but they must have about twenty or so in Vietnamese. A real Mom-and-Pop operation.

Kim Chan Sandwich Shop
4712 El Cajon Blvd Suite N
San Diego, CA 92115

March 19, 2006 – Pho’ Viet Cali

**** Pho Viet Cali has closed

Impressions: This was the sandwich I was supposed to get when I mistakenly went to Sorrento Europena Bakery. A decent sandwich, though on the expensive side($2.95). I enjoyed the pate, though there was way too much mayo all over the bottom of the sandwich. Also, not enough pickled vegetables, though good meat. No hot chilies either!

Notes: I haven’t been back.

Pho’ Viet Cali
6755 Mira Mesa Blvd. #113
San Diego, CA 92121

March 27, 2006 – Express Deli in Lucky Seafood Supermarket

Impressions: Kind of skimpy on the meat, but lots of pickled vegetables. I really didn’t enjoy the bread that much, not crusty enough. Worth the $2.25 price for sandwich, but not much more.

Lucky Seafood Supermarket
9326 Mira Mesa Blvd
San Diego, CA 92126

Whew, so there it is. Only ten different shops, I’m a bit disappointed. Well hopefully, I’ll do better in the future!