A sandwich by any other name . . .
By KENJI ALT | August 22, 2007
Your meal consists of a soft, crusty baguette, spread with a rich pâté, some cured meats, and pickled vegetables, and, finally, some tender slices of roast pork dripping with succulent juices, all garnished with fresh herbs and a sweet, salty, and savory sauce. Where are you, and how much did you just pay for that? Try less than five bucks at Pho Viet, inside the Super 88 in Allston.
So what makes a bánh mì different from your standard grinder? Let’s start with the fixin’s bar: cilantro and cucumber add a cooling freshness to balance out the heat of the sliced jalapeños. The carrots and daikon (all ingeniously sliced lengthwise so they don’t spill out the back mid-meal) stuffed on top maintain a crisp bite despite their pickled tang. On to the meat: the sliced ham and headcheese in their cold-cut versions — which also feature a lavish spread of indulgently rich pâté — actually have the texture and flavor of real pork, unlike the mystery meats you find in the bánh mì at lesser joints (not to mention the national sandwich chains). In the mood for something hot? Try the grilled beef, pork, chicken, or tofu version. The tender meat (or non-meat) of your choice is doused in a lemongrass marinade, sliced thin, and grilled. The sharp and sugary marinade caramelizes deeply on the grill, offering a depth of flavor that cuts through the soy- and fish-sauce-based dressing that finishes off every sandwich.
For the most authentic experience, make sure you use those three magic words, which let any Vietnamese restaurant know that you mean business: “Extra-spicy, please.”
Available for $3 at Pho Viet in the 88 Food Connection, 1095 Comm Ave, in Allston. Call 617.523.8820.
Related:
Phở #1, Phở Viet, Slurping sounds, More 
- Phở #1
The Vietnamese noodle soup phở is a cheap-eats wonder.
- Phở Viet
Let’s be clear up front: Phở Viet, a counter-service Vietnamese joint in the Allston Super 88 supermarket’s slightly seedy food court, serves a smashing bánh mì.
- Slurping sounds
The downtown Arts District has recently become a hot spot for Asian noodle soup.
- Foodie fest
Bourdain’s lifestyle as a gleeful gourmand may be taking its toll on his health, but it’s entertaining for the rest of us.
- Noir comedy
As in Casablanca , whose transient denizens are waiting for visas, most of Macao is just waiting — as if for Godot.
- Monopoly Man
A conversation with one of Boston’s most prolific — and under-the-radar — restaurateurs
- Arunothai
Establishing a neighborhood boîte amid several first-rate competitors sounds downright suicidal.
- Bengal Café
If a whiff of the head chef — in this case a round woman who perfumes the air with hints of toasted spices — is any indication of the meal to come, great expectations are not unwarranted.
- Sumi
No one can accuse Allston of lacking a variety of affordable ethnic foods.
- Chinese Laundry
Very Hong Kong street stall, kind of Blade Runner without the rain.
- Shabu Village
Considering the resurgence of fondue as a chic, tasty means of social dining, it’s no wonder some of us have jumped at the chance to have our meals cooked tableside.
- Less
Topics:
Hot Plate
, Culture and Lifestyle, Food and Cooking, Foods, More
, Culture and Lifestyle, Food and Cooking, Foods, Fruits and Vegetables, Ethnic Cuisines, Meat, Asian Food and Cooking, Vietnamese Food and Cooking, Less
