Summer of Lunch: Banh Mi at Saigonese Restaurant

Although I’ve lived in Wheaton for a year, I’ve fallen back into familiar eating patterns and haven’t scratched the surface of the wide world of food options in town. This summer, at lunchtime, I’ll be seeking out a place that I haven’t stepped into at all, and trying their signature items.

is a staple at the , and the Vietnamese restaurant specializes in a range of entrees, especially for vegetarians.

But I had banh mi on my mind.

Several friends who know the cuisine of Southeast Asia suggested banh mi sandwiches as a good way “in” to Vietnamese food and a possible make-it-yourself item.

When I first walked by, and read their outside menu, though, I was confused. There was lunch specials, good deals on entrees, but I didn’t see the sandwiches. Disappointed but determined, I decided on curried chicken and headed in.

Fortunately, the banh mi selections took up a good portion of the restaurant’s above counter menu space. The sandwiches are buy five, get one free and only $3 each. I decided to get two, thinking price related to size.

With one exception, the choices are labeled in English. I asked the man behind the counter what Xiu Mai, the exception, was. He described Xiu Mai as pork with “red sauce”.

Hey, if I’m going to try something new, I thought, I might as well go all the way with it. I ordered a Xiu Mai and a vegetarian (what seemed to be veggies and a tofu-looking substance).

I was a bit wary, though. The yellow light behind the menu didn't make any of the choices look appetizing, especially not the ham sandwich.

My total cost was $7.95, but as the man handed me the bag, I knew I’d ordered too much food. 

At a picnic table in the triangle area, I tore into the paper on the end of the Xiu Mai and hoped for the best.

The meat itself is pretty uniform, but a bit salty and creamy. Wait, I thought, are those cucumbers? And onions? Oh my, is that cilantro?

Another happy surprise was that while the meat of the sandwich was moist and consistent in terms of texture, the bread, a long roll, was crispy-crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. It’s not baguette-quality, but I most certainly got a very fresh batch of bread.

I could only take a few bites of the veggie sandwich before I was completely full. What stayed the same (bread, veggies, sauce) was excellent, but the tofu made me want to sneeze there was so much pepper.

Verdict: Success - Banh mi sandwiches are definitely going into my lunch rotation, and I’d definitely try their entrees.