There are foods that become benchmarks for comparing restaurants as you travel, or explore new eateries in your own city. BBQ, phad Thai, French fries, apple fritters - it can be almost anything. And virtually everyone has their list - unless you are one of those that view McDonalds as 'good hamburgers', and see Dominos or Chipotle as 'haute cuisine'.
One of my favorite sandwiches is the Vietnamese Banh Mi. For those who don't know, there are basically two kinds - hot and cold. Both start out with a French baguette, and both usually contain vegetables like Daikon radishes, cucumber strips, shredded carrots, cilantro and jalapeno pepper. Cold - to many, traditional - is a 'working man sandwich', with the veggies supplemented by ham, 'mystery meat' (like a pork loaf), and a smear of paté. Hot versions substitue grilled meat (most often pork for the lunch meat. Figuring out what you like is the key. My preference is (no surprise here) grilled pork, and I use that much like ordering Phad Thai to try out a new Thai place.
Unlike twenty years ago, the greater Minneapolis area is fortunate to have a number of excellent choices in this regard. I won't pretend to be an expert, I certainly won't pretend to know all the top spots. I will update this list as I try new places!
The list is somewhat ranked, but pay attention to the words. What may be tops on my list may not make opening day! Also, my personal ranking system does not include places I didn't like unless they somehow deserve special mention. I generally assume they had a bad day, and just don't go back.
Pho 400 - New Brighton
Generally pretty good food there. but it can be a little hit or miss. It's nice having a place here in the 'burbs, and the Banh mi is consistently inconsistent, but acceptable. Nothing special, but I go back fairly often, hoping they will hit it out of the park for me. Flavors are good, but - and they aren't the only ones I call out on this - the meat can be a bit fatty at times and in large/chewy pieces. Food - B, Service - friendly
iPho by Saigon - St Paul
Pretty OK. iPho is in the heart of a whole string of ethnic restaurants and groceries on University. You can get hot or cold Banh mi, with a range of proteins. The grilled pork was tender, pretty tasty. The veggies were a little soggy, but overall tasty. Food - B, Service - busy friendly
Trung Nam Bakery - St Paul
Right across the street from iPho, (and my mechanic), Trung Nam is an institution. You can stand in line with people from all walks of life, ages and incomes. They are in what I would guess at one point was a Rax - drive-up window, greenhouse dining area, tile floor, and make the best baguettes and croissants in town! Their almond croissants are legend, and the coconut ones are superb. Oh yeah, banh mi. These are traditional - wrapped in butcher paper on a demi-baguette, with the right balance of meat, pate and veggies. Hands down, my favorite traditional Banh mi. Food - A+. Service - consistently friendly, even chatty.
Lu's - Nordeast Minneapolis
In a word - good. Fresh bread, freshly cooked meat, good veggies, good flavor and balance. And darn near a weekly stop for me. I do wish they paid a little more attention to the prep on their meat (again, sometimes a bit large on the chunks), and they can have a sometimes heavy hand on the mayo spreader. The latter is *such* a Minnesota thing, where mayo is almost like an extra topping instead of a condiment to provide a flavorful barrier between the bread and the juicier parts of the sandwich. My repeat online order has the instruction "more jalapeno, less mayo'' accompanied by a decent tip! Food - B+, Service - electronic.
Mi Sant - Brooklyn Park and Roseville
Two locations, and I really, really wanted to like this family owned business, but I just can't. The food is OK, just ok, the service is inconsistent, and I thought the prices were a bit high for what I got. But I found that in addition to the other two sins pointed out above, the meat was simply devoid of flavor. Disappointing. Other palates may find them great, as there is truly nothing wrong with the food. But in a world where taste and quality matter to me, I'll take my taste buds elsewhere. Food - C+, Service - inconsistent.
Vellee Deli - skyway - Minneapolis
I miss being downtown for lunch. I especially miss Vellee Deli... They bill themselves as 'Asian Fusion', whatever that means. I think the BBQ pork is more Korean than Vietnamese, but the rest is traditional Banh mi. They top my chart for consistently excellent meat, a great sauce, and the ability to add 'kicks' to up the spice level. Friendly service, they remember their regulars, which is a trick since they serve hundreds a day. Food - A+, Service - consistently excellent.
Stone Pho - Blaine
Another of the 'mayo is a food group' stops. The jury is still out on Stone Pho. It's tasty, but there was so much mayo that it hides the other flavors. A little more attention to the meat prep would also be nice, but it's pretty OK, and I'll give them another go. Very much a family run business. Food - B-, Service - friendly
