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Saigon Bánh Mì So 1

Here’s another bit of a taste test. I previously reviewed Saigon Bakery’s bánh mì and figured it would be a good idea to review Saigon Bánh Mì So 1, which is a block away around the corner on Broome St. I ordered their #1 House Special, which is pretty much your standard bánh mì with pork roll, grilled pork and ‘vietnamese salami,’ and their Vietnamese Meatball sandwich.

I have been coming to Saigon Bánh Mì So 1 for about a year and have always found their sandwiches to be quite delicious, but I think recently the quality is starting to suffer a little. The tiny storefront has recently expanded and with it comes a price increase from $3.50 to $4.25. A bit of a steep hike if I do say so…

The House Special is pretty tasty, but I found the sandwich to be a little less bulging than Saigon Bakery’s. The baguette was also a little bit dry and harder to eat. I like my bánh mìs overflowing with pork! Either way, the sandwich is still great but a little dry overall. Saigon Bakery’s sandwich comes with much more mayonnaise which significantly alters the texture. That being said, Saigon Bánh Mì So’s sandwich is still very deliciously spiced and maybe it was just an off-day, I know for certain that I’ve had some great sandwiches from here.

I usually find something I like and repeatedly get the same thing, but attempting to be adventurous I also got their Vietnamese meatball sandwich. I think this sandwich had a larger helping of meat and was definitely more moist (a little moist actually). The meatball was tasty and I enjoyed that the sandwich wasn’t as dry, but I still think the House Special is a superior sandwich, quite simply because the combination of pork is more interesting. The meatball had a bit of a boring flavor. I will have to see how Saigon Bakery’s meatball bánh mì compares.

So, at the moment I’d have to hand it to Saigon Bakery for consistency on sandwich quality. I have had great experiences at Saigon Bánh Mì So 1 but I have found that recently, the sandwiches are a little too dry and not as jam-packed as they once were, and with the recent price hike I’d probably hit up Saigon Bakery because it’s only a block away. Regardless, I’ll keep coming back.