Banh MANIA! ~ Discovering the Best Banh Mi in Austin ~

Many, MANY years ago, I had a conversation with fellow food blogger Peter about putting together a banh mi taste-off. Fast forward a few years, and an Instagram post by another fellow food blogger, Dave, gelled the guest list and we were off to the races! We had seven families participating, so we collectively chose seven restaurants to try and to standardize things, we ordered both combination and grilled pork banh mi from each spot (except for Lulu B's, which doesn't offer a combination sandwich - there, we instead got lemongrass chicken). On the appointed date, we converged in one spot with 33 sandwiches, a bag of mini cream puffs, a massive tin of Julie's love letter cookies, a couple of amazing homemade bagels, the ingredients for Vietnamese coffee, and a diverse set of palates for a real life Banh Mi Throwdown.

The restaurants:
• Tam Deli
• Thanh Nhi
• Ng BMT
• Saigon Le Vendeur
• Baguette House
• Lily's
• Lulu B's

The tasters:
Kristin & Chris
Peter & MJ
Linda & Mitch
Suzanna
David & Laura
Jimmy & Amber
...and me!

Preparing for the inevitable photo shoot

The lineup

From left to right: Lulu B's, Saigon Le Vendeur, Baguette House

(combo on the bottom, grilled pork on top)

From left to right: Thanh Nhi, Ng BMT, Lily's

(combo on the bottom, grilled pork on top)

Trying to choose favorites - particularly based on 1/6th of a sandwich whose ingredients weren't likely spread evenly throughout - was pretty difficult. There was much tasting and re-tasting before we finally sat down and compared notes. Here were my favorites & the group winners:

Combination Sandwich - My Favorite: Saigon Le Vendeur

This sandwich was fantastic. I had eaten SLV's combination sandwich before and remembered it being pretty good, but this time they really wowed me. This one had LOTS of pâté, which I love, and it was bursting with pickled veggies that still tasted super fresh and crunchy.

Two restaurants tied for my second place favorite: Tam and Lily's.

Combination Sandwich - Group Favorite: Baguette House

I was a little surprised that this one was the popular favorite; I had only given it a 7/10 (and my lowest-rated combination sandwich was a 6/10). I thought the meat tasted too...lunch meat-y and there wasn't nearly enough pâté (which may very well be the reason it was the crowd favorite - turns out pâté is sort of polarizing). I did, however, like their crusty bread and they had a higher meat-to-bread ratio than some of the others, which I appreciated.

Grilled Pork Sandwich - My Favorite: Saigon Le Vendeur

and

Grilled Pork Sandwich - Group Favorite: Saigon Le Vendeur

Again, Saigon Le Vendeur impressed me with their grilled pork sandwich - and this time, the group average agreed. The seasoning on the pork was outstanding and the meat itself was super tender. The uber fresh tasting pickled veggies helped elevate the sandwich to winning status. Tied for second place on my list were Lulu B's and Ng BMT.

In case you're a data nerd, here are the group average ratings for each sandwich:

Combination:
• Baguette House - 7.6
• Tam Deli - 6.83
• Ng BMT - 6.55
• Saigon Le Vendeur - 6.45
• Lily's - 6.25
• Thanh Nhi - 5.88
(Lulu B's scored lowest with a 5.5, but it was their lemongrass chicken, so not an apples-to-apples comparison.)

Grilled Pork:
• Saigon Le Vendeur - 7.4
• Tam Deli - 6.8
• Lulu B's - 6.6
• Ng BMT - 6.55
• TIE - Thanh Nhi & Lily's - 5.6
• Baguette House - 5.0

Banh Mania made Violet happy, too!

This was a really fun afternoon and I loved the opportunity to bahn-d with blogger friends. The side-by-side comparisons really highlighted the differences amongst the various options. The good news is that there wasn't a single sandwich here that I wouldn't eat again. We're lucky to live in a city with such a bahn-anza of Vietnamese sandwich options.

Read more...

Food Photo Friday: Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink

I find it hard to resist the siren song of a banh mi, even when I'm dining somewhere that isn't likely to serve up real banh mi (my screen name is Optimista for a reason). And if it's authentic banh mi you're looking for, you may want to pass on this one from Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink - honestly, this is more like a cheesesteak with an assortment of Asian-esque toppings than anything approaching what you'd find in a Vietnamese restaurant.

That said, it's a pretty tasty sandwich - the meat was tender, the baguette crusty but not too crusty, if you know what I mean, and it went down just fine with an ice cold Topo Chico on yet another unseasonably-warm "fall" day. I didn't have room left over for the s'mores doughnut I was eyeing on Snarky's menu, but here's hoping that I'm able to rally next time.

Pork Banh Mi from Snarky's Moo Bawk Oink ($5.49)

Read more...

Un-Pho-Gettable: Best Vietnamese Food in Austin

My third and final post for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance City Guide is on Vietnamese food. I'll be honest; I did not grow up eating Vietnamese food and am not really sure I'm qualified to write this post, but I've eaten a whole lot of it since I moved to Austin, so I can tell you what I like.


Pho
When it's cold out or I'm getting sick, few things make me feel better than a big bowl of pho. Thin rice noodles swimming in warm broth that you flavor yourself with the fixings they bring you (basil, cilantro, bean sprouts, and lime are the accompaniments I've commonly seen) has a way of warming your soul.


A version from Pho Thaison

While I've had a fair number of bowls of pho, they've been few and far between enough that I didn't have very developed opinions about where to find the best. So I turned to my delight-pho friend Linda from Girl Eats World and asked her to weigh in on her pho-vorites. Here's what she said:

"I judge a good bowl of pho by the texture of noodles, the clarity and flavor of the broth, and most importantly, how tender the meat is. (I’m partial to brisket.) These places pass on all three of these metrics. Since its opening, Pho Dan (previously named Pho Danh) has been my favorite place for pho and spring rolls. They have the best spring rolls I’ve had and are the closest thing to my mom’s spring rolls I’ve managed to find in Austin. Other notable places for pho are Pho Saigon, which is a hop and skip away from Pho Dan, and the new PhoNatics. PhoNatics has big portions and I recommend the Banh Mi Sliders. Pho ThaiSon also delivers when it comes to perfect bowls of pho and they do it in such a darling space. If you are in town for SXSW and find yourself out late into the night, might I suggest you indulge in a bowl of pho the next day? They’re the perfect antidote to a late night out on Sixth St."

Thanks, Linda! I've yet to visit two of these spots, and they are now high on my list.

Bun (Vermicelli)
Although it probably violates some sort of Asian code, I always think of bun (a/k/a vermicelli) as the soup-less version of pho. The versions I've had have typically been layered - a hidden mound of lettuce (usually shredded iceberg) is covered by a pile of rice noodles, which in turn is topped with your choice of protein and often garnished with chopped peanuts and cilantro. It's also usually accompanied by a side of fish sauce.


Vermicelli from YaYa's Cafe

My favorite spots in town for vermicelli are currently YaYa's Cafe and Shaved Ice (full blog post here) and - I know this will probably be controversial - my nostalgic favorite, Kim Phung. Kim Phung was the first place I ever ate vermicelli (around nineteen years ago, now!), and as a graduate student, it was a rare treat to splurge on their delicious shrimp, garlic, hot pepper vermicelli (which cost less than $6 back then). I'm also fond of Kim Phung's combination spring rolls, and sometimes make a meal out of an order of those.


Kim Phung's spring rolls


Banh Mi
It's too bad I never discovered banh mi while in graduate school, because these tasty Vietnamese sandwiches are the ultimate way to fill up on the cheap. My favorites are at Thanh Nhi, where the large banh mi will set you back a mere $3.50. I'm pretty sure that's less than it would cost me to make these at home! Baguette House and Tam Deli also have excellent versions. Unfortunately for those of you who live in the southern parts of Austin, all three of these spots are pretty far north - but you can get a banh mi fix closer to home at YaYa's, LuLu B's, Elizabeth Street Café, or T&N Café.


Banh mi at Thanh Nhi. Say that five times fast.

Family Style
Although pho, bun and banh mi seem to have made it into mainstream eating, family-style meals still seem to be an unjustifiably rare way to enjoy Vietnamese food. The best places for this in Austin are, hands down, Le Soleil and Sunflower. These two competing restaurants are owned by former spouses who divorced; she kept Sunflower, he moved up the road and opened Le Soleil. Both have very similar menus, but Le Soleil's is somewhat expanded. I have a slight preference for Le Soleil because they have a larger space (which means it tends to be less crowded/claustrophobic), but both deliver solid food on a consistent basis. And it is worthy of note that Sunflower garnered top honors in the Vietnamese category of the Austin Food Blogger Alliance restaurant poll. At both places, I love the sizzling seafood platter, the shaken beef, the green beans with tofu, and the sea bass (either preparation).


Sizzling seafood platter at Le Soleil

Did I miss your favorite Vietnamese place? Leave me a comment!

Read more...

La Dolce Vita

Ah, fall. The departure of summer in Austin always has us all breathing a sigh of relief - particularly this year, when the relentless parade of 100+ degree temps coupled with one of the worst droughts Central Texas has ever seen had us all wondering whether summer would ever leave again. But sure enough, the temperatures have magically dropped (to the mid-80s, mind you), which means it was time for another round of one of my favorite fundraisers in Austin, La Dolce Vita.

I have previously blogged about this fantastic event, so I won't go into all the gory details, but it is for sure one of the best food events in Austin. Hats off to the amazing folks who put together the staggering list of fabulous restaurants and wine & spirits purveyors who participate every year.

I didn't take a lot of photos this year; juggling a plate, a wine glass, a camera, and my nerd lights in the midst of what is always a pressing crowd is a little harrowing, to say the least. But I did at least manage to snap a pic of my favorite bite of the evening, a stunning pork belly and foie paté banh mi from a restaurant that has yet to open, Swift's Attic. They are currently under construction in the space that formerly housed Kyoto, and hope to open in December of this year. If this bite of utter decadence was any indication, it should be well worth a visit.

I also loved these salmon rolls from Imperia - nori pastry cones filled with miso salmon tartare and topped with cured salmon skin and ikura (salmon roe).



Other favorite bites: duck two ways over a wonderful quinoa from Paggi House (their panna cotta was also to die for); and braised short ribs over pumpkin puree from Moonshine.

Here's my Instagrammed photo of the band, which was excellent - does anybody know who they were?



I ate and drank myself silly. This performance artist from last year's La Dolce Vita perfectly summarized how I felt by the end of the evening.

Read more...

Ya? Ya! YaYa Cafe and Shaved Ice

Open a solid Asian restaurant in Austin, and I will appreciate you.

Open a solid Asian restaurant in Central Austin within a few miles of my house that is open until 10:00 p.m., and I will kiss your feet and throw rose petals on the path before you.

OK, maybe not. But I will eat there. Often. And I will be deeply grateful.

It was with high hopes that I darkened the doors of YaYa Cafe and Shaved Ice for the first time a few weeks ago. I sampled their spring rolls, a pork vermicelli bowl, and the wonton soup.

The spring rolls were a little on the soft side, which made them a little difficult to eat - they didn't hold together as well as I would've liked. But they were still a nice treat, and the accompanying peanut sauce laced with chili had just the right measures of both sweet and heat to keep things interesting.



The vermicelli was fresh and well-made. The pork had a nice char on it, and wonderful flavor. There was a fair amount of lettuce filler on the bottom, but the serving bowl was huge, so the portion was still plenty for me.



This wonton soup wasn't mine, but of course I tasted it anyway. The soup could've used a little bit more oomph, but the wonton skins were happily quite delicate, and avoided the coarseness often found in restaurant wonton. I was impressed.

A second visit ensued within the week. This time, I was there for lunch, and tried their iced tea. Jasmine in just the right measure mixed with a quality green tea had me swooning; I asked where they acquired it, and was told they import it from Hong Kong. I guess I'll have to come here to get my fix.



This time, I sampled my friend's cabbage salad. At first I thought it was too bland, but later bites revealed that it was just a little unevenly dressed, and the well-dressed bites were fresh and delicious.



I was pleased to discover that their banh mi also hold their own; clearly my favorites in the Central Austin banh mi landscape, although that field is admittedly painfully small.



YaYa's may not be a deeply authentic Vietnamese food experience, but the flavors I encountered here suggested to me that there is someone in the kitchen with a keen palate who cares about what's landing on the table in front of you. I feel quite sure that I'll be back frequently, and I'm thrilled that they've brought quality Vietnamese food to Central Austin.

Read more...

Food Photo Friday - Thanh Nhi

In general, I'm not a sandwich lover. I mean, they're fine, but given the choice, I'd rather have an entrée that didn't involve such a high proportion of bread. I make an exception for banh mi, though, and the ones at Thanh Nhi are my favorites in town. For just $3.50, you get this huge, fresh thing of beauty stuffed with Vietnamese lunch meat, spread with paté and a thin layer of mayo, drizzled with just a smidgen of what I think is balsamic vinegar, and garnished with fresh cucumber and jalapeno, cilantro, and pickled carrots and daikon. So. Good.

Despite the size of these babies, I usually have to start out with an order of grilled pork paste spring rolls ($3). I'm honestly entirely unclear what exactly "grilled pork paste" is. There's a slab of pork substance inside these that, texture-wise, lands somewhere between sausage and spam (but it is much, much tastier and less salty than the latter). And then there are some strange little crunchy things inside that are clearly grain-based and deep-fried, but beyond that, I can't really tell you much. Does anyone know? I've been operating on blind faith and the acquired conviction that these are wonderful enough to eat in ignorance.



What's your favorite sandwich?

Read more...

Gorging on a Gorgeous Day - Gourdough's, Bite Mi, and Chen's Noodle House

Ah, Saturday.

I had blissfully NOTHING planned today - I can't even remember the last time I had a day with a completely empty agenda. With all the free time on my hands - not to mention perfect weather, it seemed like a great day to check out some of the eateries on my rapidly-growing "to try" list.

We started at Gourdough's, a little airstream trailer on South Lamar that's been getting lots of buzz for their made-to-order doughnuts in all sorts of wacky combinations. Whether you want Canadian bacon or gummy rattlesnakes on your doughnut, Gourdough's has it all, and they'll gladly pile it on for you.

A freshly-made Gourdough's doughnut, in its purest form.

Three of us tried two doughnuts - the Sara's Joy (coconut flavored filling with fresh coconut and fudge icing) and the Funky Monkey (grilled bananas with cream cheese icing and a brown sugar baste).


Sara's Joy - like a candy bar in doughnut form.


Funky Monkey

The Funky Monkey was by far the crowd favorite - the grilled bananas were beautifully caramelized, and the flavor combination was just excellent. The Sara's Joy was good, too, but so sweet as to be almost too too much. And the coconut "filling," if you could call it that, appeared to be just a sauce on the bottom, rendering the entire thing a gooey, drippy mess.

'Course, we ate it all...so there IS that.

Full Yelp review of Gourdough's here. (4/5 stars.)

* * *

Next up, we decided to try Bite Mi, a new banh mi place on the Drag. Yes, we ate dessert first. Don't try to understand; just follow along.

Full Yelp review of Bite Mi here (3/5 stars), but the short version is that it's OK, not great. Too much bread, too skimpy on the fillings, making for an unbalanced, overly carby meal (unlike those doughnuts, right? Like I said, don't ask too many questions).

Still, not a bad place to tide over those banh mi cravings until you can drive up north to Thanh Nhi and get my favorite banh mi in Austin.




Pretty tasty spring rolls - three for $3.25


#1 Combination Banh Mi - three kinds of ham, liver paste, Vietnamese mayo, a carrot/daikon mix, cilantro, and jalapenos.

After this, a nap was in order.

* * *

For dinner, we drove out to Chen's Noodle House, which I've been meaning to try forever but never seemed to be able to get to. Wow - I was SO glad we finally made it.

Again, full Yelp review here (5/5 stars). This unassuming place and its owners turn out amazing, totally authentic Chinese noodle dishes. I was utterly charmed.


Store front - in an old run down strip mall (same mall as Asia Market/Asia Café).


Order here - in Mandarin if you can!


The owner/chef, expertly hand cutting the noodles and flinging them into the boiling water.


A ton of won ton soup.


Lamb noodle soup.


Extreme noodle close-up!

From the hole-in-the-wall surroundings to the wonderful, authentic food, Chen's made me feel as if I'd been transported to China (without the onerous commute). We are so lucky to have a specialty eatery like Chen's; I hope Austin foodies give them the support they deserve.

Now, has anyone seen my muumuu?

Read more...