Banh Mi Saigon

Tomorrow I'm leaving NY and going to sunny California where I will feast on Vietnamese and Mexican food galore. In anticipation I went to Bahn Mi Saigon in Chinatown. I read raves about this place from bloggers all around. And let me tell you they are all true, their Banh mi sandwiches are deeeelicious. Banh mi sandwiches always remind me of my dad and the day he kicked me out and sent me to china,. Alone. With no friends. Or family. Or a place to stay. He armed me with a one way ticket, a pocket full of U.S. dollars, and a foot long banh mi sandwich and off I went. Good thing because airplane food sucks. This banh mi was filled with a lot of good stuff! The browned ground pork was delicious and had a nice caramel flavor and plentiful. There was a lot of pickled radish and carrots. I asked for hot peppers and extra cilantro. I think next time I'll ask for extra hot peppers too. The bread however could be a little softer on the inside and crunchier on the outside but now I'm just being a brat. Banh Mi Saigon packs their sandwiches nicely so the innards don't fall out and each half is packed in its own paper baggie which makes it easier to eat while walking because yes, you will want to tear into it right away. I must have walked down Grand street with crumbs on my face today but who cares. I used to go to Banh Mi So 1 but they are really cheap with their filling and their ground pork taste like the fake meat in chef boyardee ravioli. Go to Banh Mi Saigon!


Banh Mi Saigon
138 Mott Street
(btwn Grand & Hester)