Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Sandwiches) are well known as one of the cheapest lunch options in Seattle's International District, but I was surprised by how many different Bahn Mi shops are in such a small area, how varied the prices are, and how similar the names are.
After extensive research, I finally decided to grab a couple sandwiches at what seems to be the most loved of all the Bánh Mì lunchspots - Saigon Deli. For $4.00 (after tax) I was able to get two sandwiches, one tofu and one shredded pork. And perhaps most interesting of all, I was able to pick them up before 8am, on my way in to work. Saigon Deli opens at 7:30am to hungry patrons already hankering for warm rolls loaded with cucumber, cilantro, jalapeno, mayo, meat and other goodies. Amazingly, this wasn't the cheapest place I could've grabbed a tofu Bánh Mì, but I'll get to that later.
Which Saigon Deli would be a very legitimate question to ask... and not that easy to answer. On the same corner - 12th and Jackson - live not one, not two, but three Bánh Mì shops. One is named Saigon Deli, one elaborates with Saigon Vietnam Deli', and the third is precociously named New Saigon Deli. Rumor has it that the two 'old' Saigon Delis are owned by the same people, and given the similar pricing and options, I believe it. My lunch today was courtesy of the Saigon Deli on the SE Corner of the intersection.
I considered spending even more time taste testing and comparing all the sandwiches at the various spots, but discovered that other Seattle bloggers have done just that, with a wonderful amount of detail I couldn't hope to compete with. The first I discovered is Banh Mi Chronicles: In search of the perfect Vietnamese sandwich..., who spent half a year in 2006 eating a lot of sandwiches. More recently, I was made aware of an ongoing project to document every lunch spot in the International District - including, but not limited to, Bánh Mì shops. The courageous diners undertaking that adventure share what they learn on MSG150.
So in the spirit of Frugal Fridays, here are the many places in the ID (and one Downtown) where you can grab a Bánh Mì for under $5, sorted by price (lowest to highest). I've heard good things about some, but not all of the spots, and encourage you to leave a comment if you have strong feelings about any of them - or if I missed a spot:
New Saigon Deli on NW Corner of 12th & Jackson
$1.75 for Veggie Ham, Ham Combo, Red Ham, White Ham, Meatball, Chicken, or Shredded Pork
$2.00 for the 'Special', Teriyaki Chicken, BBQ Pork, or Sardine
Saigon Deli on SE Corner of 12th & Jackson, between 12th and 14th
$2.00 for Tofu, Meatball, Shredded Pork, BBQ Ham, or their Three Ham
$2.25 for Chicken
$2.50 for Grilled Pork, or Three Ham + BBQ Ham (which would seem to be Four Ham)
(Prices after tax)
Saigon Vietnam Deli on NE Corner of 12th & Jackson, in Jackson Square
$2.00 for Vegetarian, Meatball, Shredded Pork, Steamed Red Pork, or their Three Ham
$2.25 for Chicken, or 'Combo'
$2.50 for BBQ Pork
Sun Bakery & Cafe at 658 S. Jackson
$2.25 for Ham or Tofu
$2.50 for Shredded Chicken, BBQ Pork, or Ham & Shredded Chicken
Saigon Bistro, inside Uwajimaya
$2.50 for Beef, Chicken, Pork, Ham Special, Shredded Tofu
$1.00 for Broth (to dip it in)
Pho Zuang, between 10th & 12th on S. Jackson
$2.50 for Ham, Julienne Pork, Tofu
$3.00 for Grilled Pork, BBQ Pork, Grilled Chicken, Julienne Pork & Egg Cake, Xiu Mai
Hoven Foods Co., on King St. Between 5th & 6th
$3.00 for Tofu, Egg, Vegetarian
$3.50 for Ham, Turkey, Chicken
Sub Sand, at 419 6th Ave S
(Though not strictly Bánh Mì, given the type of bread they use)
$3.99 for BBQ Pork, Asian Ham, Honey Ham, Turkey, Shredded Chicken, BBQ Chicken, Teriyaki Chicken, Lemon-grass Chicken, Curry Chicken, Egg, Salt & Pepper Tofu
$4.25 for Honey Ham & Cheese, Turkey & Cheese, Hamburger Steak, BBQ Beef, Teriyaki Beef, Sate Beef, Cold Roast Beef, Shrimp Cake, Fish Cake, Tuna & Cheese
$4.50 for Honey Ham w/ Cheese & Egg, Pork Chop, Cold Roast Beef & Cheese,
Bambuza, 820 Pike St, near the Convention Center
$4.50 for Tofu, Grilled Chicken, Grilled Pork, Cold-Cut Pork
$4.90 for Lemongrass Beef
(Special Thanks to my coworkers, David & Jason, for their suggestions of where to source my sandwiches, and my friend Jon for his tip about Bambuza.)
(Frugal Fridays is a weekly series dedicated to finding Seattle lunch spots where you can walk in with a $5 bill and walk out with a fulfilling, preferably healthy, lunch. If you have suggestions of places in the Seattle area with a great lunch for under $5 after tax, post a comment - I'd love the help.)
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