Siagon Sandwhich

The greatest thing about food are the multidimensional flavors that you experience within every culture. The same cut of meat might be prepared a thousand different ways according to a culture history. To me sandwich has always been--bread, meat, some garnishes, and maybe grilled. Pretty Americanized in my eyes. 

But that perception of what classifies a good sandwich in my eyes soon changed when I took a bite of that delicious and crunchy Saigon Sandwich. I have never experience a Vietnamese sandwich until I moved too San Francisco. Living in LA, there isn't a large scale Asian community centered in one area. Not to the extent like in a town like San Francisco. 

Saigon Sandwich is located in one of those Asians cluster in the middle of Tenderloin/Civic center district. I stumbled upon this little place when I was riding my bike through Little Saigon and saw a large line of people outside an armpit of a building. I stopped and asked a man in line, why this place was so popular? He had one of the best responses ever, "just get in line and thank me later." Thats all I needed to hear.

So I got in line quickly as possible. The line was growing extremely long due to the lunch crowd from the surrounding civic center buildings. Surprisingly the line moved pretty quick and I was soon inside the den of flavor. The colors and items inside were so overwheliming once you got in. There were numerous types of munchies that looked like they came from another planet, I didnt attempt to look thru them because I couldnt undestand half the labels languages. Besides I was here to try the sandwich.

When it was finally my turn to order, I noticed a four foot nothing women behind the counter with a temper that cannot be matched. The best way to describe her is to reference the Soup Nazi in the television show Seinfeld. Here is a tip people, BE READY WITH YOUR ORDER! 

The menu is short and simple and extremely cheap, every sandwich is priced at three dollars! They have a variety of sandwich's that includes-- grilled pork, roasted pork, meatball pork, grilled chicken and vegitarian. I decided on the roasted pork.

All the sandwichs are made the same way. They use traditional Vietnamese sandwich toppings like-- onions, carrots, cilantro, jalapenos, spicy garlic mayonnaise and the choice of meat. By far the best thing about the sandwich is the bread. I have no idea where they found this amazing dutch crutch bread, but its so crunchy and fresh. They heat the bread up so that the garlic mayonnaise melts into that warm pocket of happiness. All the ingredients are brought in fresh and they do a great job of balancing the flavors with the spiciness of the meat.

I would recommend getting the roasted pork or meatball pork, so tasty. A great thing to do is get your sandwich and head over to the city hall plaza to enjoy those munchies-- its only four blocks away. So the next time your in the the mood for some cultural munchies. Head on over to the Civic Center/Tenderloin area and walk over too Eddy and Larkin. Look for a long line of salvating costumers with their money already in hand and follow suit.