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Category: Vietnamese
Neighborhood: Williamsburg - South SideMarcy Ave (J, M, Z)
Metropolitan Ave-Lorimer St (G, L)
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I really like the Banh Mi here although its a little different than some of the other places that I also like. Today I got the shredded pork with pork skin and it hit the spot! Good bread, nice crunchy vegetables inside, kind of wilted just how I like them--similar to a slaw, not just totally raw. Not much of a cilantro (if any.. shoot I wish I deconstructed it now) flavor which I kind of missed, but a nice garlicky savory (fish sauce?) depth. The pork had a nice mix of lean and fat and a light meaty taste and chew. Theres a slightly higher bread to filling ratio here than at other places but I like that (I'll eat a good loaf by itself). I also like how the chile is separate, although it makes the sandwich less convenient to eat. You just have to nip off little pieces and mix it in your mouth. Not much mayo if any.. not sure. Maybe thats why some other reviewers found it too dry?
My friend complained about one of the offerings (I forget which) having a whole lot of fat in it, but that sounds really tasty to me. For me this is maybe my favorite banh mi spot! I'm not crazy about the sugary bbq pork filling that is popular at other banh mi spots, at which the other alternative is usually super processed tasting reshaped ham type stuff. I think he told me once that he makes the pate himself here.
They recently changed the place around to accommodate more tables and are now serving pho which I am excited to try. I like the camping stool type seats which seem authentic to me. The manager guy is really friendly which I suppose can be overbearing in some situations, but never for me. I remember in the past having to wait a little while for my sandwich but today it was lickedy split! I hear the summer rolls are good, although the mango goat cheese thing mentioned in another review sounds a little silly indeed.
Came here excited to try the banh mi - they were just finished braising some beef and suggested that I give it at a go. I like taking food suggestions, especially at new places so I went with it. I also ordered some typical summer rolls, but the owner, Fred, insisted that he made the special roll of the day for me instead.
A few minutes later I was biting into my sandwich and it was quite possiblly the worst, most bland banh mi I've ever had. It was so dry that I downed my drink within the first few bites. Let me also point out the fact that the owner was pretty much watching my every move and bite. I felt obligated to continue eating it. He kept trying to engage me in conversation while I was eating but I was a) trying to eat and b) wasn't really interested in chatting. Apparently he didn't catch on.
What was worse than the beef banh mi? The MANGO and GOAT CHEESE summer roll. Just give it a moment to soak in. Mango + goat cheese + vermicelli noodles and mint. It was so nasty, I wanted to spit it out, but again, Fred was watching me.
At one point he even uttered, "I love how you're going after that sandwich." I almost died.
Was it because of the dry, bland banh mi? Summer roll? Or was it from the creepiness of the owner who was hitting on me like a teenager at prom?
STAY AWAY. Trust me.
Tried this place last night to see how it would rate against the Banh Mi place on Bedford. Very disappointing. My husband and I were so thirsty after eating the Banh Mi and some spring rolls, lots of sodium. Very bland.
Delivery was prompt but I wish the food had tasted better. When I first opened the sandwich I found a cute tiny pepper on the side, I thought this was a sign for spicyness but it turned out that the sandwich had no spice in it at all. If I am ordering out I want someone to slice that for me and put it inside the sandwich, very odd that they just throw it in the side not even slice it, makes me wonder if it was even washed. The ham tasted like it came from a can. Sorry Nha Toi, won't be coming back.
loooooooooooove this place!! i eat there at least once a week. Fred is the nicest guy and i love supporting small local businesses! their Bahn Mi is the bEST!!!
This is my FAVORITE new cheap eats spot in the Burg.
All of the sandwiches that I have tried are delicious, especially the BASA FISH!!!
There is a small 2 person table out front, and maybe room for another 4 or so inside. I usually go and take the sandwich to go, maybe to the park, maybe to my home.
DO IT!
Maybe not the best banh mi in New York, but worlds better than the one on Bedford.
Tried a couple of sandwiches. The pho was very good. The braised beef was ok. The bread was great.
Also, tried a couple of the summer rolls. The braised beef was great. The pork and skin was a little dry.
The place is small. Fred is a pretty chill dude and there is always some movie playing. Last time we watched the end of Training Day. There a couple of seats in front for good weather days.
This place is fantastic! I eat there at least once a week and any other time I am craving banh mi or summer rolls. His specials are usually pretty good and last I heard he will be unveiling some new menu items very soon. The Xiu Mai banh mi was my favorite by far, but I haven't seen it in quite some time. Be sure to check out the Lap Chong summer roll and the Pho Banh Mi.
Good place if you're looking for Banh Mi Couture, but not a lot of flavor. They have arty pieces of work like the Banh Mi Pho and Banh Mi Hue. Pho is interesting, all of the ingredient that go in pho (minus the tripe) but placed in bread instead.
But for those lookin for the traditional Banh Mi, look elsewhere, the sandwhiches at Nha Toi are a tad bland. Also overpriced. The Chinatown banh mi places are $4.50.
If you're willing to shell out the cash and are determined to eat at Nha Toi (your options are limited after all, at least round the burg), my favorite is the Banh Mi Hue, which has a fatty piece of pork belly.
Also, the guy behind the counter is pretty cool and funny, and I got to watch CB4 while waiting for my 'whiches. Shit, I forgot Chris Rock was in that, and he was mad skinny back then, even skinner than he is now, and seeing him in curls...cray-zee
One suggestion to help your sandwich should you choose to order here: put sciracha on it, or alternately, ask Frank (or is it Fred?) to have the pepper cut up and placed in the sandwhich rather than on the side as they normally serve it. The sandwhich could use the kick. I would not normally put sciracha on a Banh Mi, but it seemed to work here. Also, to his credit, Frank did not get upset when I asked for the hot sauce like some other places would have.
He also told me bout a party that sounded like it would have been pretty cool. Damn, I shoulda gone. Didn't do shit all weekend.
For better (& cheaper) traditional banh mi:
Banh Mi So 1 on Mott & Broome.
The vendor in the back of the jewelry store on Mott St.
Pho Tu Do on Bowery also has decent ones. The other two are superior tho.
Great sandwiches - but make sure you know what you're getting. Also, great and creative specials I can only describe as fusion.
Cash only. Probably best for takeout because there are only about 8 seats in the house.
mmm love this place. My favorite is the classic. Get 'em while you can, this place is blowing up. I was in there today and the owner was absolutely slammed. He is going to need some more help. Veggie summer rolls are not be missed. Fresh, delicious and minty!
It's super tiny and really no where to sit, although if you had to, you could sit on the tiny stools in the front (there are 5 or 6). More of a take out spot though.
Awesome banh mi joint!
I walk in the small sandwich shop and immediately salivate. The chef/ owner , Fred is one awesome guy. He totally sold me on the banh mi pho!
The banh mi pho consisted of thinly sliced beef, Thai basil, bean sprouts, cilantro and a surprise Thai Chili pepper (served separately). It was so good! It was $7. A bit pricey for banh mi, but so worth it!
The restaurant is real tiny. But there is bench and a table with 2 chairs inside. You can order your banh mi, sit down and watch TV.
I highly recommend this Vietnamese joint to anyone who's looking for good food in Brooklyn... or New York for that matter.
I was extremely excited to find, on the way home, that there was a brand new Banh Mi shop that had opened not two blocks from my apartment. Regardless of the fact that I'd already eaten dinner, I decided to step inside and get a sandwich to check things out.
The shop had been open for about five days and the owner was still visibly excited about having his own place. I ordered a classic banh mi with pork and pate and took it home; it was reasonably priced and pretty tasty. I would have preferred a little bit more spice and maybe a little less mayo (which, regardless of amount, had a delicious tang), but it was still a very good sandwich. It's not quite as good as some of my favorite banh places, but it's filling a sorely needed niche in Williamsburg and is a great and tasty place to eat.
I understand that the owner has plans to offer other sorts of food other than banh mi, and that he'll be starting delivery service soon.
Who would have thought that you could not only have Vietnamese sandwiches in NY, but really REALLY good ones too! This little eclectic sandwich shop in Williamsburg touts not just the classic banh mi with all the traditional fixings, but some really innovative varieties.
My mouth waters thinking about it.
I had "the pho" banh mi, which combines the flavors of pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) within the banh mi purely out of curiosity. I was quite surprised and happy with the result.
I also had the vegetable medley summer rolls which have pickled cucumber, kimchee, and daikon. DELICIOUS! I was still so hungry afterwards that I had to try the shrimp and bacon summer roll. And yes, it is as good as it sounds.
The food is simple, yet innovative. Light, yet satisfying. Definitely worth a trip across the country.
I had pretty much given up on Vietnamese food in New York City. Most of the time it is bland, just tastes off or the Pho broth tastes like canned soup. My mom lives in San Jose so I wouldn't eat Vietnamese food until I visited her or my husband's parents in DC.
Today however, I decided to try Nha Toi. I walked by last week but had tried Bep and was really disappointed so I had to give myself another week to recover and try another Vietnamese place.
I don't eat pork so I am not the most authentic judge of banh mi, but the seared fish banh mi at Nha Toi was really great. The fish was seared perfectly, the french roll was toasted to a light crisp, there were fresh shredded carrots and radish along with cilantro and it was served with two small peppers which I noshed on little by little while I ate the banh mi which gave it a delicious slight burn.
I also had the summer rolls with shrimp which were very fresh. They are made to order instead of being pre-wrapped and left sitting on a counter top. The rice paper was chewy not hard like most places, the noodles weren't overcooked and it had the right amount of mint. The summer rolls were served with the standard hoisin sauce but also with a different mint/cilantro vinegar sauce that the chef is trying out. It went well with the summer rolls and gave them a light, herbal but bright flavor which complemented the shrimp.
I want to know what the people think of the classic pork and pate banh mi so definitely post your thoughts here if you get a chance to try it.
Nha Toi has only been open for two weeks so they don't have a grill yet but they are working on getting one. For the moment they are searing their meats and fish which seems to work well because there were three other people in there today who were excited about their banh mi.
This place will be great to grab banh mi and eat outside when it gets warmer. There are sandwiches for everyone - people looking for the classic banh mi with pork and pate, fish eaters like me, and vegetarians - they have a tofu banh mi and a shitake banh mi on the menu.
...and you can buy SHRIMP CHIPS there!!!!
I haven't written a lot of reviews. But every once in a while something is so worthy of a good or bad review that I am eager to put in my 2 cents. Nha Toi is worth more than just 2 of my cents!
The ingredients are fresh and yummy. I have had 3 bahn mi sandwiches and all were delicious. The owner is a very pleasant guy. My only concern is that I live so close and can see this becoming a really bad/good habit.
I'm a Bay Area resident and have very fond and specific memories of classic banh mi but was determined to try NYC style banh mi on my latest NYC excursion, after a recent reading a NYTimes article highlighting the cuisine's growing NY influence.
As noted in the article, Nha Toi attempts not your everyday Vietnamese sandwich... and while purists might cringe, I fully embrace this change! The banh mi pho, genius. I am shocked that they haven't brought this West side, given the popularity and prolific number of banh mi vendors, one would think that by now banh mi pho--with fatty pieces of beef, tasty plum and mayo sauce, bean sprouts and leafy cilantro--would have sprung itself at one vendor to differentiate it from all the rest.
I am a little put off by the price; here in the Bay Area a decked out banh mi works to be $3, maybe max $5. But, ours was about $7+ each. Not even pho is that much, at an average $5 to $6 in the city, so combined... I can't reason for $7 a sandwich. Still, very good, and I strongly recommend supporting this burgeoning restaurant and it's attempts to make a firm print on America's banh mi culture.
I am no expert on Vietnamese food, so I cannot speak to the authenticity of the bahn mi I ate, but I will say it was one tasty sandwich. Fresh, crisp baguette, hot meat, a delight. I had the braised beef sandwich (bo kho) and a portobello summer roll, also very fresh and tasty. I went on a Wednesday evening and things were slow, so I ate in, but I imagine this isn't very practical when it gets busy. Your best bet is getting your food to go. The decor is lovely. There are a bunch of Vietnamese and Thai products for sale, housed in big old wooden cabinets instead of conventional store shelves. I took the opportunity to pick up a bottle of Mae Ploy Thai sweet chili sauce, since you can never have enough on hand. The owner/cook was very friendly.
vegetarian bahn mi? yes, please!
This place is fantastic. I walk down this street everyday, and one day I noticed it, got a menu, and ordered a take out fish banh mi and pickled vegetable summer roll. Both exceeded my expectations and were better than any Vietnamese food I've ever had: aromatic, fragrant, acidic in the right ways, yet savory too. Totally delicious. The chef (and maybe owner?) had his back turned when I arrived, and was making sandwiches for a couple while engaging them in conversation. And he knew I was there to pick up my order without even turning around: he seems to be very engaged in running this place, and doing it well. I think I'm going to have difficulty avoiding constantly wanting one of these sandwiches.
I've given this place 3 shots, and will never return again. I'm all about authentic, homestyle food (and supporting local businesses!), but this place isn't all that. It's cramped and not very clean. The shredded pork with skin was the absolute pits. Bad bad bad. I'm not sure if Fred and his peeps were having an off day, but my sandwich was ALL slimy skin and a few scattered bits of dry pork. The chicken breast was even nastier...the friend I split it with said it smelled like tuna. It reminded me of chicken breast from a can. Briny, water-logged, and just plain inedible. The bread couldn't be of lower quality...typical, bland, bodega "Italian bread" that's toasted in a standard kitchen toaster oven? Huh? On top of that, I don't find the owner all that nice or polite. Yes, he's chatty and definitely loves hearing his own voice...but in the typical "Yo yo yo, I'm too cool for school!" sort of way. Just yelling at your customers (the others seated there also looked like they wanted to be left alone, but Fred seemed clueless to this point) that your food is awesome, great, authentic doesn't make it a truth. And badmouthing your competition in front of your customers isn't very nice or professional, either. Sorry, but I'm not recommending this place to anyone unless Fred and his shop shape up and more importantly...clean up!
Mmm, the Basa Fish Banh Mi wasn't bad at all--the fish its self was moist and plentiful, crispy fresh cucumber, and they put lots of mayo sauce. The bread seems really cheap--soft and chewy--not substantial and crackly (even though they toast it first), but it isnt a deal-breaker. More pickle-y carrots and a bit more cilantro could bump it up to 4 stars. Its a yummy sandwich, even if there are much better banh mi else where. I'll have to try out the rest of their menu. Other perks? The owners are very friendly and they have started delivery service.
