Ba Xuyên
JJ Goode, writing for New York magazine, has a hard time choosing his favorite bánh mì in NYC, but he admits that Vietnamese sandwich shop Ba Xuyên "gets the elements exactly right: the thin, incredibly crunchy crust; the rich and salty pork products (from meatballs to pâté to spongy cold cuts), and the bracingly sweet-tart shredded pickled daikon and carrots with cilantro liberally applied. Add a squirt of sweet chili sauce, a cooling spear of cucumber, and a smear of what tastes like a cross between mayo and garlic butter, and you have a kingly bánh mì for Kings County."
Food blogging duo Blondie and Brownie snapped a helpful photo of the sandwich menu, and recommend the #8 (thit nuong — that is, grilled pork). The Porkchop Express, however, suggests sticking with the classic #1 (paté thit nguoi — paté, ham, BBQ pork and pork roll): "I’m hard-pressed to remember 3 bucks spent better in Brooklyn in a very long time." All of these bloggers recommend washing your bánh mì down with some coffee, which is made with sweetened condensed milk and can be served hot or iced.
Gothamist's Hungry Cabbie Dave Freedenberg enjoys the sandwiches, too, but he is more interested in a particularly adventurous beverage: "The durian shake gave me one of those rare spiritual experiences during which my eyes open wide with joy and wonderment the moment the flavor lights up my tongue... Ba Xuyen have managed to highlight the intense flavor of the durian while minimizing that stinky aspect of the fruit that usually takes some getting used to." We agree that this place is worth checking out, but be sure to go early — their hours are 7am to 6:30pm daily.
Reviews (9)
Santa wrote a review on February 2, 2009 12:10 PM
i love this place. Everything about it is great.
11201 wrote a review on February 2, 2009 12:46 PM
The #8 is the reason why I trek to Sunset Park for bahn mi even though I live within throwing distance from Hanco's and Nicky's. A sandwich from Ba Xuyen puts into clear relief just how mediocre and overpriced my neighborhood options are.
The people who run Ba Xuyen are great too. The older woman who mans the register remembered my face and order from my third visit onward. The space itself has a friendly vibe but zero ambiance. You won't really notice or care though because you'll be too busy enjoying your warm, toasty, delicious sandwich.
lambretta76 wrote a review on February 2, 2009 2:01 PM
The gold standard in NYC for banh mi dac biet (or whatever they call the "#1"). Saigon on Mott St. in Chinatown and, surprisingly, Baoguette in Curry Hill are my 2 and 3. Avocado shakes are good, too.
Prodigal_Son wrote a review on February 2, 2009 2:14 PM
lambretta76- I'll agree on Saigon in thecity. But for Brooklyn, this is the best in thr borough. I like Gia Lam and Gia Lam 2 for an all around Brooklyn Viet dinner but these sandwiches at Ba are the bast!
Santa wrote a review on February 2, 2009 5:32 PM
why is this stretch of sunset park so depressing when a few blocks down 8th ave is filled with people?
kind of a pointless question.
werner wrote a review on February 2, 2009 8:15 PM
Power. Power. Power. and Power.
KHuebbe wrote a review on February 3, 2009 9:17 AM
This place is great. Last time I went in, I told them their restaurant was very popular with people all over the city. The woman blushed and told all the other workers, who smiled. Meatball is the way to go.
goldie wrote a review on February 3, 2009 9:42 AM
its just about the food and price here. ive made it a point to stop by on my weekend bike rides, on the way back home.
genya wrote a review on February 11, 2009 7:21 PM
Their #1 is the best tasting sandwich (or a dose of cholesterol ) that $3.50 can buy. You can't get much better even for $10.
Post a Review and Rating
Please be patient while your comment is published. It may take a moment.