In Which My Wildest Dreams Come True

I finally found a really great, cheap Vietnamese place over here! It smells like pho. There are giant bottles of sriracha and hoisin sauce on each table. The decor and even the lighting remind me of hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurants I used to frequent in San José. Best of all, they have giant $5 banh mi, which are my favorite sandwiches of all time.

Devin works in SoHo on the cusp of the East Village, and I made the three-subway-transfer odyssey downtown to meet him for a movie. But beforehand, we ate. Oh, how we ate.

Devin's shrimp and pork spring rolls, and a hearty pile of pickled daikon radish and carrots. That pickled veg may be my absolute favorite part of Vietnamese cuisine. Sweet, salty, sour, yum.

My pre-banh mi face.

AND MY SANDWICH. Seriously you guys, it was gigantic. The bread was also crispy and chewy and fresh out of the oven, the roasted chicken was moist and flavorful, the mayo was tangy and smooth, the pickled veg (as I previously) stated was amazing, and the cilantro and cucumber were fresh and yummy. V-Nam Cafe, which is at 20 1st Ave, has three options for your sandwich: Mild (with sriracha), medium (sriracha and jalapeños) and hot (take all that and add on thai chiles). I got the medium, and it was absolutely perfect. Now if only this place was near our apartment and not a two hour round trip away. Then again, maybe it's for the best, because I'd end up eating there for breakfast, second breakfast, elevensies, luncheon, tea, dinner, and supper.