Food Lover's Pick

If you are fimilar with this sandwich then it's probably already on your list of top 5 favorite sandwiches of all time. A Banh Mi is everything a sandwich should be, it's a sensory overload. It's sweet, savory, sour, salty, crunchy, and beautiful. The first thing that gets your attention is the beautiful medley of crunchy pickled carrots and radishes. It's complimented with cilantro, jalapenos, mayo, cucumber, and sarracha. Then it all lays on a bed of deliciously baked roast pork and terine. All for $3.50. If I haven't sold you yet, the slightly toast baguette will make your knees buckle.  

For me Banh Mi is nostalgia, it brings me back to the years when me mom bought them home in a brown paper bag from a little shop under the Manhattan Bridge. Years later little has changed, and now Banh Mi Saigon Bakery is located at a secret spot behind a jewelry store on Mott Street. I can guarantee your mom and pop knows exactly where to get these babies after picking up some mustard greens across the street. Banh Mi Saigon Bakery is a must try for anyone visiting New York. Recently there has been an influx of Banh Mi stores, Banh Mi carts to Baoguette Cafes popping up everywhere. Though I am happy that they're finally getting their much deserved attention, I am disgusted by the quality that is being served to the virgins of this delectable sandwich. It's a poor reprensentation of what a Banh Mi should look and taste like. I congratulate Thao Nguyen the chef/owner of Baoguette for getting lots of press nods. But Mrs. Nguyen if your going to sell your sandwiches for $5-$8 a pop please make sure it is filling and comparable to the sandwiches I grew up eating. I know I could be bias at times. But recently I was sent Zagat: New York Food Lover's Guide (a must buy for all foodies),  and I was flipping through the pages and landed on the catagory of Sandwich Shops. Guess who was #1? Banh Mi Saigon Bakery.