Saigon Express – catching up with the sandwich
Another day, another banh mi.
And another. And another. I couldn’t decide whether I wanted thịt nguội (Vietnamese cold cut, also called “ham”), chả lụa, or pâté, and I didn’t want to settle for the special ($3.20) which has all three, because that means there is less of each. Like a good girl I got all three ($2.75 each), then mixed and matched. Cha lua is nothing beyond expectation, smooth and pure, sliced as thin as chicken skin. To its left is the firm rosy thit nguoi, made from cured pork and fat strips, similar to pork belly. To its right is pork liver pate banh mi. The brown spread looks like nutella with pepper, feels grainy and silky on the tongue, and tastes magnificent. In one bite of oozing goodness, you can find something nutty, something sweet, a bit fatty and rich, a lot of salt, no sign of bitterness, all tempered by the mildly sour pickled carrots. Pork liver pate is my favorite.
Although most scoffers stay at Saigon Express for no more than 10 minutes, just enough time to grab a quick sandwich or a phở to-go, I dined in just to sample more food. Seemingly everyone comes here knowing what they want, I wonder if some of the dishes are forever hidden in the multipaged menu. I dug one out from the clay pot section: tofu and prawn claypot, served on white rice. For only $7.75, I can’t complain that its quality isn’t up to par with Le Regal’s ca kho to. There’s plenty of thin, almost broth-like sauce to soak your soft fried bean curd and wet your rice. The shrimps are plump. Mushy onion slivers encase tiny, juicy, salty outbursts.
Having stationed here for fifteen years, Saigon Express weathers the ebbs and flows of the competitive eatery market by setting its price low. The most expensive items are $7.75, easily portioned into two meals unless you’re preparing for football practice or something of sort. It also takes credit card.
Address: Saigon Express
2045 Shattuck Avenue (at the corner with Addison St, and in the same block as Biryani House)
Berkeley, CA 94704
Older posts on banh mi:
– banh mi ba chi pate (pate pork belly sandwich)
– banh mi thit nuong (grilled pork sandwich): from Lee’s Sandwiches and Huong Sandwiches
What a data of un-ambiguity and preserveness of valuable familiarity on the topic of unexpected emotions.
1xnxx
Greetings from Florida! I’m bored to tears at work so I decided to check out your website on my iphone during lunch break. I really like the knowledge you present here and can’t wait to take a look when I get home. I’m surprised at how quick your blog loaded on my phone .. I’m not even using WIFI, just 3G .. Anyhow, excellent blog!
2You are a very intelligent individual!
3You can definitely see your enthusiasm in the work you write. The arena hopes for more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to mention how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
4This blog is definitely rather handy since I’m at the moment creating an internet floral website – although I am only starting out therefore it’s really fairly small, nothing like this site. Can link to a few of the posts here as they are quite. Thanks much. Zoey Olsen
5F*ckin’ awesome things here. I’m very satisfied to look your article. Thanks so much and i’m looking ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
6Hello there! Do you use Twitter? I’d like to follow you if that would be okay. I’m absolutely enjoying your blog and look forward to new updates.
7Hello! I just would like to give a huge thumbs up for the great info you have here on this post. I will be coming back to your blog for more soon.
8It’s actually a great and useful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this helpful info with us. Please keep us informed like this. Thanks for sharing.
9Enjoyed reading through this, very good stuff, regards. “Whenever you want to marry someone, go have lunch with his ex-wife.” by Francis William Bourdillon.
10I got what you intend,saved to bookmarks, very decent website .
11Hi my friend! I wish to say that this article is awesome, nice written and include almost all vital infos. I’d like to see more posts like this.
12Hi , I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbled upon it on Yahoo , i will come back once again. Money and freedom is the best way to change, may you be rich and help other people.
13I have been absent for a while, but now I remember why I used to love this blog. Thank you, I will try and check back more frequently. How frequently you update your site?
14Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this site before but after checking through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely delighted I found it and I’ll be bookmarking and checking back frequently!
15Thanks for one’s marvelous posting! I seriously enjoyed reading it, you could be a great author.I will make certain to bookmark your blog and will eventually come back later in life. I want to encourage one to continue your great job, have a nice evening!
16I think other web site proprietors should take this web site as an model, very clean and magnificent user friendly style and design, let alone the content. You are an expert in this topic!
17I like this site very much, Its a real nice spot to read and get information. “‘Taint’t worthwhile to wear a day all out before it comes.” by Sarah Orne Jewett.
18Interesting blog! Is your theme custom made or did you download it from somewhere? A design like yours with a few simple tweeks would really make my blog shine. Please let me know where you got your theme. Many thanks
19I really appreciate you for providing such interesting information. I truly enjoy your web page. Thank you for letting me share my thoughts on your article. I would love to see more useful content from you in the near future.
20