bahn mi vegetarian sandwiches in SF Bay Guardian

[Guest guest]

Bahn idée

 

WHEN LARGE NUMBERS of non-Vietnamese people started talking about bahn mi a few

years ago, I didn't pay much attention. They rhapsodized about the

barbecued-pork or paté sandwiches, and that didn't sound like good vegetarian

eating to me. Then one day I was walking down outer Clement Street perusing

menus (everyone has their hobbies) when I noticed that Thanh Thanh (2205

Clement, SF. 415-387-1759), a Vietnamese breakfast and lunch spot across from

the Four Star movie theater, was offering vegetarian sandwiches. I bought one

immediately (they were $2.50 at the time, so even though I'd just had lunch, I

justified it because of the insane cheapness). The sandwich was amazing: fat

cubes of tofu deep fried but relatively greaseless, pickled carrots, onion,

cucumber, cilantro, and slices of fresh jalapeno on a crusty-outside,

cottony-inside French roll. The flavors and textures were amazing: unctuous

fried tofu cut with fiery crisp peppers. Vinegary vegetables against the crunchy

bread.

 

Since then the whole family has been hooked on them. We eat them at Mime Troupe

performances, take them on hikes, sneak them into movies, scarf them at home,

and even eat them in the restaurant itself. " Do you want me to get you a

sandwich? " is the question that's always asked anytime anyone ventures west of

Park Presidio. But recently I've begun to wonder if Thanh Thanh has the ultimate

vegetarian bahn mi in San Francisco. So I collected a few veggie sandwiches from

Larkin Street's Little Saigon and the Clement Street environs and pitted them

against each other.

 

All of them were tasty and fresh. I discovered that there are two distinct

styles of tofu bahn mi – large squares of tofu that retain their essential

tofu-ishness, and small shreds of tofu mixed with vermicelli and deep-fried to a

crispy mass. Sort of like having a sandwich filled with Zuni's addictive

shoestring fries. Here, in reverse order of preference, are the results of the

first Meatless bahn mi derby.

 

At Baguette Express (668 Larkin, SF. 415-345-8999), the vegetarian bahn mi is

the shredded kind. It's the largest of the bunch – a good value for $2.75. But

the baguette was not quite up to snuff: It had a disturbingly cakelike quality.

A brown, sweet sauce lent a nice note, but the unpeeled cukes made the balance a

little bitter. A little counter, café tables, and a pastel décor do make

Baguette Express a more cheerful place to chow in than some of the other Larkin

Street bahn mi places, though.

 

When Little Paris on Clement closed up shop a few months ago, I did not mourn

its loss. The place seemed resolutely nonvegetarian, not only eschewing a

vegetarian bahn mi, but all other veggie options as well. Lo and behold, a

couple of weeks after Little Paris folded, Pho Hoa Clement (239 Clement, SF.

415-379-9008), the noodle shop just down the street, put a hand-lettered sign in

its window offering a slate of bahn mi, including vegetarian versions. The $2.75

sandwich here is also of the shredded variety. The filling includes little bits

of taro along with the tofu and noodles. Pho Hoa is primarily a sit-down

restaurant, so sometimes it can take a while to be served.

 

I discovered Le Café (2960 Clement, SF. 415-831-8018) while doing a Web search

for Saigon Sandwiches (somehow this place's address popped up). At $3.79 its

sandwich is the most expensive on the list, but it's also one of the most

overstuffed. Filled with shreds of tofu and taro and a sweet-sour sauce, this

sandwich was our favorite in this style. Le Café also has a friendly and

welcoming counter staff. That, combined with its cheerful yellow décor, makes

it a nice place to have your sandwich " for here " instead of " to go. " Side note:

I saw the biggest apple fritter I've ever seen in my life in Le Café's doughnut

display.

 

At Wrap Delight (426 Larkin, SF. 415-71-3388), $2.25 will get you a sandwich

filled with squares of slightly spongy fried tofu, along with some of the

freshest veggies we tried. The baguette was perfectly crusty too. For another

$2.99 we got three fat summer rolls, with more of that tofu, along with mint,

rice noodles, and a light and vinegary (as opposed to thick and sweet) dipping

sauce. Often crowded, Wrap Delight, with its lunch-counter-cum-merchandise

shelf, isn't the most comfortable spot to eat at.

 

Still the winner: It's nice to find out that Thanh Thanh's vegetarian sandwich

(now $2.75) is indeed state-of-the-art. Its big cubes of creamy-firm fried tofu

give it the leg up on its competition. Thanh Thanh's décor could best be

described as utilitarian, but with five or six tables for four, it's no hole in

the wall, so you can stretch out and enjoy your sandwich.

 

I know there will be people who will be shocked, shocked that I didn't include

their own bahn mi favorites, so if you have a special place for veggie

sandwiches, drop me an e-mail.

 

Go to Miriam Wolf's Meatless archives.

 

E-mail Miriam Wolf at miriam

http://www.sfbg.com/39/49/x_meatless.html

 

 

 

 

 

War doesn't determine who's right. War determines who's left.