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Categories: Bakeries, Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
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Eating here reminded me of eating in the shacks in Hong Kong. The lady running the joint is nice and seemed like a seasoned veteran at pumping out these Viet subs.
Very small, hole-in-the-wall type place that you would barely notice. Not exactly the most sanitary and pleasant environment but you get great tasting food for an absurdly low price. $3 for a freshly made Vietnamese sandwich certainly gets the job done. Roast pork sandwich is the way to go.
It's late at night and I'm standing in front of the fridge gripping the cold metallic handle. Having felt the all too familiar hunger pains, it had beckoned me to step away from the TV and zombie over. As I pull it open, a burst of cold air hits me in the face and the beaming light turns on to reveal... condiments and beer. I let out a short exhale and start sifting through all the drawers convinced that I might find a magical stash of food somewhere. Suddenly I come across a ziploc bag of chicken. I'm saved! But wait... I don't remember cooking chicken this week. I hold up my trusty fingers and start counting off the days. Then I hold up the chicken, poke it, examine it, give it a pep talk. I start having wild thoughts - like maybe if I microwave it extra long it'll be okay.
This is what I call marginal chicken. It's been around so long you've started calling it George. And only the truly desperate would consume something with a name. Unfortunately, I was served this chicken at Baguette Express last week. I ordered a BBQ chicken and BBQ pork Vietnamese sandwich (banh mi). The pork was decent but the chicken was... questionable, even the sauce couldn't hide the marginal-ness. I'm now very suspicious of what happens behind that strangely tall counter. Most banh mi places let you see the area where the food is prepped, Baguette Express does not.
It doesn't help that a coworker tells me she went the day after and saw a roach. Then she looked around for a health score posting but couldn't find one. I can't vouch for what she's saying since I wasn't there but thinking about that chicken in my mouth is enough to keep me away.
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YEAH!!! now we're talking
I work in d.town Oakland, near Chinatown, and i've had a solid experience when it comes to Vietnamese sandwiches, so i was hoping that i could find one on THIS side of the bay, since i live in SF
I walked towards Lee's and remembered how 1/2@$$ it was, i saw a tiny lil sandwich shop across the street, and thought i'd give it a try.
its one tiny asian lady that runs it, and she makes it for you fresh as you order it. nice crisp baugette, and the meat inside was tender and delicious!! can't ask for anything else!
horrayy B.E. - its become my local sandwich spot that its officially recieved a nickname!!!
I like to pretend that if I can't see something, that means it doesn't exist. Ghosts, for example. Or roaches at a banh mi shop.
I came here today because I was too lazy to walk across the street to Lee's. I had been here before & I liked their sandwiches. But this time was different. I ordered my sammie & as I was waiting, I saw a roach running down the wall. OK, don't freak out, it could be a fluke. So I looked at everything more closely & saw more roach evidence. Ug, now I was starting to feel queasy. I debated whether to cancel my order & walk out, but this is a family run business & I just couldn't do it. I paid my 3 bucks & then went across to Lee's.
The more I thought about it I knew in my heart that all my beloved banh mi shops in the TL must all have roach problems. I just have to wait a while until I can pretend they don't exist again.
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I stopped here for lunch with a group of 6. We were originally looking for Saigon Sandwiches, but took a wrong turn on our walk and saw Baguette Express first. We heard that there was no seating at SS, so we decided to settle for BE.
I ordered the grilled pork and I was thinking it'd be that juicy lemongrass porkchop sliced up that I dream of. Instead, they were strips of pork that seemed more like they were sauteed in a pepper sauce. It lacked that grilled taste and was way too peppery. I got the bread toasted and the bread was definitely an A+. I also give the pickled veggies an A. But the meat filling was disappointing. Maybe I just got the wrong sandwich? I tried my friend's shredded chicken sandwich and it was dry. :(
The price can't be beat - $3! The neighborhood is not good - definitely make sure you go with a pal!
I couldn't go to Saigon Sandwiches for the first time without comparing it to Baguette Express. I grew up in San Jose and know what Lee's across the street tastes like since it's got that mass-produced taste nowadays. I'm being overly critical with my bánh mì right now having just come from Vietnam, so neither of the sandwich shops excited me too much.
Baguette Express' ham and pate sandwich did have headcheese, but was skimpy on the meat with one slice each (there was way too much pickled carrots, daikon too). But reasons I may go to Baguette Express over SS the next time I'm in the area: they use actual baguettes; they have more fillings like shredded chicken and pork, fried fish, and ba roi (Vietnamese bacon); they had a few other dishes like chicken curry and bò kho (beef stew); they don't have the long line SS can have.
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I'm always a fan of supporting the little mom and pop stands so we decided to give this place a try after a lovely walk around the neighborhood. It's in the alley of all the small Vietnamese shops and if you took a couple weeks to try each one, you'd pretty much be up to your eyeballs in carrots, jalapenos, and cilantro.
This particular store does a great job luring you in with it's amazing photos. It answers any questions you have without having to even walk in the store. It's true what they say about eating with your eyes because looking at the sandwich board outside, my eyes told my stomach it was time for lunch.
The interior of the cafe is wonderfully quaint and clean. There is a daily newspaper on their bar stool area and they keep Ms. Vickies chips and a selection of candy bars which is very much unlike any Vietnamese sandwich shop I've ever seen. It's bright, organized and has over 20 different drink selections! 20! And they have sugar cane juice! I'm so excited.
I giggle about the fact that the juices cost more than the sandwiches themselves. For a small sandwich, it costs about $3 for most of the varieties. I felt that it was a reasonable price. The sandwiches are far smaller than the ones at Saigon Sandwiches and less imaginative than the ones at Lee's but it definitely is such a cute little mom and pop shop, I can't help but be drawn to it.
The nice lady that works the counter will toast your bread, come to your table to serve the sandwiches and clean up the entire area. I was lucky enough to peek behind her wall to see how she made her specialties and I'm impressed by how clean her meat slicer and sandwich area is.
My only gripe is that the toppings in the sandwiches seem a bit meager, compared to other sandwich shops. There is no sauce on these sandwiches and without some condiments or more vegetables, the meat seems to taste a little dry. I was also disappointed there was no hot sauce available like the shops on Irving but I'm still keeping this place in my rotation of shops.
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After the blazing hot and spicy lunch we just had at Red Crawfish, BF and I was in desperate need of something to cool us down. What's icy, cold, chilling and refreshing after a spicy meal on a scorching hot day?!? SUGARCANE DRINK!!!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
Their sugarcane drinks ( $3.50) are always freshly made to order. You will NEVER find it pre-made, sitting on the counter or fridge, bottled or canned. This is why there's always a wait of 10 minutes or so for them. They use a couple of long sugarcane sticks and run them through the presser, once, twice, three times, maybe four (if they are in season and packed with more juice). Added during the middle pressing process is a tiny kumquat. A small, tiny citrus fruit, which tangs up the sugarcane drink by far! I've had sugarcane drinks made without kumquat, and I find it too intense in flavor and lacked the hint of freshness.
They also serve Bahn Mi, (Vietnamese Sandwiches) and they offer more varieties of banh mi versus the renowned "SAIGON SANDWICHES" a block away, but I'd skip on their sammies. So go cool yourself down with this heat-relief sugarcane remedy. Then walk down the block and wait in line for your banh mi at SAIGON SANDWICHES and grab a couple of combos to go while you're in the neighborhood!
Cute Business Card!
http://www.yelp.com/bi...
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I like the place. Simple, clean, colorful.
I try many Vietnamese sandwich places but this is the only one that let's me call in my order beforehand.
Lee's deli is all good but lets support the little guy. Their Dac Biet (#1) is great. Warm filling, just enough pickled veggies, crunchy but not hard bread, and just a bit spicy.
For the days im not lazy and can jump on my bike to get to the TL and grub. I like Lees too. But these guys are tasty too.
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Prices went up ($3-$3.50):
The #1 - combination is now $3.50, the #13 - fish cake is $3.25, and everything else is $3. They continue to use their own bread which looks larger but it's mostly air because it compresses easily when u bite into it, as well as a bit dry (lots of crumbs). At least they're consistent, on the other hand the bread at Saigon Sandwiches is not as consistent (sometimes it's too hard).
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The place looks like one of the Subway chain shops, but their menu is shorter (they have pictures of… Read more »
This joint was rockin' years ago, what happened to this place. I guess you got Lee's across the street and saigon sandwhiches down the block. I was craving for a banh mi here since they were close to the ones that i grew up with in San Diego. While I was waiting for my banh mi to be made, along came some company......roaches. Oh man haven't seen these guys in a long time. Kinda lost my appetite after that so I kindly told the lady that i can't eat here after witnessing her little friends crawling around. Too bad this place was pretty damn good.
Not sure why I ever went here - the good banh mi joint is just down the street.
The baguettes here aren't that good to me, and the fillings aren't either.
The place itself is so much nicer than Saigon Sandwiches. The service is so much better, more friendly, faster. The price is the same. There are clean chairs to sit down. The bread is crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and nice and warm...
Why only 3 stars?
Because the sandwich does not measure up to the ones down the street. The meat was tasty but the whole thing was too dry. They need more sauce, more carrots, more spice, more cilantro, more taste. I was hoping for a little drip out of the sandwich but no luck...dry as a bone. I wish the owner would walk a block down, get a Saigon Sandwich and then try to copy that sandwich and charge an extra dollar...I would pay it to avoid the lines and have a place to sit and eat the sandwich. But as of right now, I think I will have to stand in line and brave the abrupt manner of the Saigon ladies and the grungy piles of weird snacks that look like they have been there for years next time I am in need of a delicious bahn mi.
People thought this was:
Excellent sandwiches with the perfect flavor. Four of us who'd never picked up Vietnamese sandwiches in San Francisco (I live in San Jose) ordered chicken sandwiches (bánh mì gà) from here, Saigon Sandwiches and Little Vietnam Café (in the Richmond). With three of us tasting blindly, we unaminously voted for Baguette Express for its balanced, just-creamy-enough flavor and tender chicken. This is definitely going to be our must-visit place whenever we spend time in the City.
My "grilled pork" tasted more like jerky. They put jalapenos on my sandwich even though I asked them not to. And the workers at the counter had trouble understanding that we were ordering together - same bill, same bag.
Believe me, I was pushing for Saigon Sandwiches but I got overruled.
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4.75 Stars
Wow, just wow. Before I explain why the "Wow". Let me tell you how I heard about Baguette Express. I was watching TV one day and saw CBS 5's Eye on the Bay feature Baguette Express and I have been wanting to try it for awhile now. Months pass by and I forget about the place. Kron 4's Bay Area Backroads airs 2 weeks ago and then the show features Baguette Express and I was reminded that I should try this place out.
So I made the trek to Little Saigon SF which is pretty scary most of the time with really sketchy people on every corner. So it was about 5:59pm and my friend and I just finished eating at Turtle Tower and noticed Baguette Express. We were still hungry after eating at Turtle Tower, (small portions) and trekked over. The cashier at Baguette Express said they were closing but she will take our orders and make our sandwiches. But she was so nice, she took 3 more people after us when they close at 6pm. We had ordered grilled chicken baguette sandwiches and we rushed to my car so we can be safe lol...I'm telling you, the area has really sketchy people roaming around...opened the sandwich and took one bite. With my braces and sensitive teeth, the typical football sized bread with hard crust at other Vietnamese sandwich shops were non-existent at Baguette Express.
The sandwich was soft yet it had a great toasty texture. It was the perfect size and the taste was incredible. I would say, one of the best Vietnamese sandwiches I ever had and I have had hundreds of them. Plenty of meats and filling. Their motto is spot on, the prices pull you in, but the taste makes you come back for more.
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Meh. I'd rather eat a sammich from here than any of the "Vietnamese" baguette places on Clement. But that would involve sinking down into the Tenderloin. That would also involve me forgetting about the far superior Lee's Sandwiches across the street.
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I thought this place is the Saigon Sandwich.
But, It wasn't too bad at all.
I like the combination of cilantro and pickled thin sliced carrot.
$3.25 for One sandwich.
Pretty good.
But I was kind of over killed by the pictures, the Subway lookin' sample photos of the sandwiches.
Subway photos are alright, nothing curious to know what's inside of the Subway sandwich, it's clear what they are.
But the photos for Vietnamese Sandwiches are not really attractive.
It gross me out just lookin' at.
I think Vietnamese Sandwiches are good but not photogenic.
But I don't mind lookin' at after 9 PM because there are few ladies standing right front of the store with such a tight bright color dress.
My GF told me that they are there almost every night.
So, .........
Baguette Express becomes Hookers Express at night.
P.S.
Ken k just mentioned, " Haha, or BANGuette Express :-)"
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word,
Whats that Lassie? Timmy fell down the well? And you in the Tenderloin, low on cash and want a good lunch?
Well why didnt you say so, girl. Head over to Baguette Express. They have good Vietnamese sandwiches for about $3.50. Vietnamese sandwiches are sandwiches that use French bread and a mix of French/East Asian foods including pate, bbq pork, and fish cakes.
After spending time in Vietnam I grew addicted to Vietnamese sandwiches. Baguette Express is the best place I've found in SF for that authentic taste. And being able to be full off a $3.50 meal in SF is quite an accomplishment for any restaurant, so my hats to them.
yups
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In comparison to Saigon -
1) the buns here are better - less mouth-scratchingly crunchy but fresher-tasting, with superior texture
2) there are a ton of yummy pickled carrots in the sandwiches
3) the overall taste was almost too sweet - probably due to the overpowering sauce/marinade on the meats
4) the sandwiches are significantly less filling, although they do happen to be 50c cheaper.
I personally prefer Saigon sandwiches, which I feel have a taste that emphasizes the ingredients in a more complementary way. Here, I taste more bun and sugar.
But whatever! Both are good, and I like looking at nubile asian chicks as I eat vietnamese sandwiches. Thank you, my friend Larkin.
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bahn mi starts at 3. sampled a meatball sandwich. it came out on a huge warmed baguette that was sliced into two. the fillings weren't more plentiful than other delis. just the bun was bigger.
i didn't like the bright red color of the smashed meatball. they may have used red dye for this effect. red dye #2 and #40 are known carcinogents so the use of red dye makes me cautious. the meat was bland, tasteless and had an msg aftertaste.
btw, the service was friendly and quick.
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Oh, I liked it while I was there. Good sandwich for the money... it's hard to beat $2.50, after all. I was ready to give it four stars--decent place.
Then I pooped green.
And this isn't just "hmm, I paid only $2.50 for a sandwich earlier today and then I had some questionable fecum." This is "oh my god, it doesn't smell like poop, it smells like sandwich... it looks like FOREST GREEN sandwich innards... I just crapped sandwich."
The novelty-seeking part of me wants to give 'em a 5 simply for that color. Amazing, really. Every other part of me... doesn't.
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I decided to pop my banh mi cherry today because I had an hour to kill before going home (parking in my hood is whacked on Saturday). I went to Saigon Sandwich, but only one woman was working and there were 10+ people in line. I parked illegaly so I needed to grab my sandwich and haul ass. Enter Baguette Express. I'd read good things, so I thought I'd opt for second best and try for Saigon another day.
All I can say is WOW. No line, clean as a whistle, friendly staff, and the sandwich rocks. Three bucks for this much freshness. Count me in. I'll probably be back again this weekend. Yum.
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Ya, still 3 stars. This place is good enough when the line at Saigon is too long, but if there's no line at Saigon, go here.
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This review will most definitely change as soon as I find the time to visit Saigon Sandwich.
I have…
Read more »
Big tasty warm bread awesomeness!! Last weekend, I performed (oohh so clinically, w/ a control group and stuff) a head-to-head taste test between Saigon Sandwich and Baguette Express. For the roast pork sandwiches from each place, Baguette Express won handily 6-3, 6-4. haha! largely 'cos of the great baguette!
My only minor quibble is that while the service was awesome it was slower than Saigon sandwich considering that it was also less busy. Then again she was the only one holding down the fort! Still 5 stars!!
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I haven't tried their banh mi only because I had already hit Wrap Delight a block away for one and how many banh mi sandwiches can a girl eat in one sitting?
As tempting as the lineup of sandwiches was, my stomach wouldn't have forgiven me, so, instead I purchased my new obsession, Vietnamese iced coffee.
It was strong and syrupy sweet, just how I like it. I'm not sure if it was traditionally dripped or not because they made it in the back.
I can't wait to come back on an empty stomach and try the banh mi.
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I came here because a friend of mine from Dallas told me they had the best BBQ pork and Vietnamese cured meat sandwiches . So I decided to give it a try and of course a welcome addition to my growing banh mi list.
So this review is specifically for their BBQ pork sandwich. I like that they strive to make their sandwiches hot and not warm (perhaps an answer to the busier Lee's sandwich shop across the street). The ingredients were indeed fresh and the sandwich was loaded with meat as well. I was not impressed by the grilled pork taste- it was too sweet and they also microwaved it (I have seen this grilled and kept in a warmer to be cut into pieces)- so their rendition was not to my personal liking.
PS- This Mom and Pop place is a tiny space but worth a visit if you're into Banh Mi's.
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Long overdue 5 star review of Baguette Express. I was reminded today that you should not take a good thing for granted and ain't that the truth about this place. I was speeding up Larkin Street 2 days ago and saw a line (really, like 15 people) out the door at Saigon Sandwiches - passing BE, there was only 1 customer : ( so I slammed on the brakes, made a no-signal left turn, wrapped around the block, parked illegally at the motel and RAN (not walked) into BE for my sandwich. I just wanted the nice lady to know that she's appreciated and how tragic it would be if they let Lee's (yuck) and Saigon (dirty) kick them to the curb.
Clearly there are mix reviews here but it's just a sandwich people and in the end, I like my food clean, with a smile and cheap - all things you can say about BE. As for the people rushing to Saigon, my last visit was 2005 when I found a critter in the sandwich, showed it to the lady, and got it snatched out of my hand and then asked to "just go away". Lovely and memorable, especially when I can see her dirty finger nails to this day touching my hand during the snatch. With my head down, I ventured to the car but wait, what's this ? A sandwich place? Okay I'll try it on the account of hunger and anger - well the rest is history. LOVE the shredded pork and pate and love the #1 sandwich. And I love that they have a sign saying you need to wait b/c they are toasting the bread, can't bet it. I always tip and you should too.
Baguette Express ! We're here for you.
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Larkin is 'banh-mi' alley. The competition is fierce now than McViet (I mean Lee's) has opened directly across the street. No worries, Baguette Express holds its own with friendly, quick service in a space cleaner than Saigon Sandwiches, with a few tables, and a window counter to boot. I must subtract 1 star because the vegetarian sandwich (bi chay) was a little too salty (fried onion paste?).
Tip: They are the only shop that has fresh squeezed oj (nuoc cam vat) AND fresh squeezed sugar cane juice (nuoc mia nguyen chat)
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Sorry baguette express. The $.50 savings isn't enough to make me pass over Saigon sandwiches. The bread was too dry and cut up the roof of my mouth, the chicken didn't taste real, and the peppers weren't well balanced throughout the sandwich. It may look bigger, but Saigon sandwiches are more filling.
You are definitely better than Lee's though!
Delicious, fresh-tasting Vietnamese sandwiches on big puffy baguettes, in a clean, efficient setting. All for $2.50 plus a dime for the parking meter (street parking always available on Larkin). And you can get all the grass jelly, white gourd, fresh made cane juice, and other random drinks you want.
Who needs Burger King when you can fill your tummy and make a mess of the car with food twice as nice for half the price?
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"The Sandwich are Worth Risking Your Life!"
Explains the nicely printed Engrish banner out front (see photos).
I agree, although, I don't think you'll REALLY be risking your life walking down this stretch of Larkin Street. It's not too bad before dark.
It's an all around great Vietnamese Sandwich at an oh-so-nice price. Trust me, at $2.50 a sandwich, this isn't high-grade pork and you'll likely run into some grizzle. But if you can deal with that brand of "authenticity", you'll do just fine at B. E.
I've been there four or five times, and this is my favorite Viet-Sandwich place. I say it's better than the famous Saigon Sandwich.
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Wow! Their Vietnamese sandwiches are just as good as Saigon Sandwiches! I originally went to Saigon, but they were all sold out! So I decided to come here instead. These were delicious! The baguette bread was so warm, toasty and fresh! I got the chicken bbq and it was sandwiched in with fresh julienned carrots, cucumber, and cilantro. So good! Only $2.50!!! Great cheap eats.
In additional to sandwiches, they also have fresh shrimp rolls and fried imperial rolls. These are not made to order, so they might now always be there.
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Yum Yum!!
My first and definitely not my last time eating Bahn Mi. The meat was of surprising quality (not fatty), and the veggies were crisp and refreshing. The thing that sealed the deal was the excellent bread! Oh my gosh crunchy outside squishy inside. The only drawback was that I asked for jalapeno and received two little slivers. It was total racial profiling! Oh well my white butt will be back anyways, for $2.50 I'll put up with it!
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I think that I may technically be one third Vietnamese now. Having worked in "Little Saigon" now for two and a half years I have eaten as much Vietnamese food as any of the actual Vietnamese in this city.
OK maybe not, but I consider myself a devotee, go ahead ask James at Pagolac, and a connoisseur.
As such Baguette express is one of my favorite Bahn Mi.
It is a little fancier than Wrap Delight, so when I am feeling more like the Hermes bag toting beautiful wife of a Saigon business man and less like the street trash I really am I go here.
Also they put cucumbers on their sandwiches and I really like that. If you go now there are some cool photos up of people transporting massive quantities of things, like dead chickens and truck tires, on mopeds that are pretty bad ass.
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$3 sandwiches. it's not saigon, but it has seating and the guy there is so sweet! the spring rolls are eh though.
please check out my food blog for a full review with photos!
For a place having Baqgette in it's name I expected the Bun mi sandwich to be good. Well it was just blah to me. Not very tasty. There are much better tasting Vietnamese sandwiches in the area and they cost less. Saigon Sandwich on Larkin is my favorite $2.75. And Lee's across the street is ok if Saigon is too crowded.
$5.00 bought me two tasty sandwiches for our journey back to Washington, DC. I'd been craving banh mi for several days and decided it would make the perfect plane food. As he tucked into his baguette I could tell my favorite Washingtonian agreed.
It'll be hard to fly without banh mi in tow going forward!
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Two fitty, das right just two fitty for a Vietnamese Sandwich! Each your heart out Witchcraft with your boogie ten smack froufrou sammys.
With over 10 different options, we decided to order 4 different sandwiches: shredded pork, meatball, chicken and beef, all spicy on a warm toasted baguette.
Such a deal. Oh and if you are looking for a quick pick me up, order the iced coffee, that shit will keep ya wired for days!
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Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Sandwiches
Neighborhood: Civic Center/Tenderloin
Category: Sandwiches
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