Cheap Food Critic

14705 Aurora Ave N
Shoreline, WA 98133

Mon-Fri 9:30 am – 7:00 pm
Sat 10:30 am – 7:00 pm

Hidden in a strip mall on Aurora site a little Vietnamese deli/restaurant that has really redeemed itself. I first came here when they just opened and was so disappointed. But recently I came back here on a whim craving some banh mis but didn’t want to drive all the way to Edmonds or Chinatown. My initial gripe about this place was that they used way way too much onions in the sandwiches and not enough meat. But since coming back they seem to have perfected the ratio of meat to toppings (especially the onions).

I had their signature sandwich, the iSandwich for under $4.00. It came with all the normal banh mi fixings (jalapenos, pickled carrots and daikons, and cilantro) on a roll with curry chicken. That’s right…curry chicken. No complaints about this sandwich at all. Everything was perfect: the chicken was infused with the curry, the bread kept all the juicy goodness inside (similar bread as Yeh Yeh’s, and the fixings were all flavorful.

One other great thing these guys did was add other traditional Vietnamese dishes, like vermicelli bowls and a beef stews dish. I have not had the vermicelli dish yet but the beef stew (with bread) was awesome. I think it was actually better than the sit down restaurant next door’s, Pho Tic Tac’s. The beef stew was about $7.50 and came with carrots, pineapples, and beef along a french roll for dipping into the stew. The pineapples was something I was not expecting. I’ve had my fair share of Vietnamese beef stews but never have I had it with pineapple. Really, the only complaint I had was there was not enough beef.

The restaurant, although small is normally empty. Most people get their food to go so if you need to dine-in there’s five tables to chose from.

Note 1 – These guys make this stuff fresh so be prepared to really wait. If there’s a lunch rush it could take up to 20 mins. If you are really in a hurry make sure you call ahead to get your order in first.

Note 2 – you can add a fried egg for $1 more to your sandwich. A must try for next time. Also, there is also teriyaki here? Doesn’t seem to fit but I’ve been looking for a place that serves teriyaki on a Sunday. For some reason all the teriyaki places in North Seattle close on Sundays.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 (34 Ratings)

19915 64th Ave W, Ste 101
Lynnwood, WA 98036

Mon-Fri 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am – 6:00 pm

Hidden behind a little strip mall on Aurora you can find some truly unique and delicious Banh Mis. Located a little North of the city in Lynnwood, Yeh Yeh’s has created quite a following despite only being in business for a few years. I guess that’s what happens when you make great food…if you make it, they will come.

The first time I came here was before all the foodie hype about this place. I though I was just going to any old cheap Vietnamese deli. This was dispelled very quickly as I was surprised to find out how how much more in price the sandwiches were compared to other place in the Seattle area. I just assumed it was a premium for not being in the International District. However, after getting my food I realized the price difference was actually because you get a much larger sandwich filled to rim with meat and veggies. Although still cheap I can still remember the good old days when you could get banh mis for $1 each and if you bought 5 you would get one free.

As I stated, the banh mis themselves are a little different from other places in Seattle, don’t come here expecting the same sandwiches like Seattle Deli or Saigon Deli. Some of the the more noticeable differences include the use of a different bread than most of the other local Vietnamese delis, the much larger sandwiches, as well as a different ratio of fillers for their sandwiches. Overall its a nice little twist to the Vietnamese sandwich without sacrificing its authenticity.

My most recent trip here I ordered the Grilled Chicken and the Grilled Pork Sandwiches.
My order did take a little longer because of the lunch rush. Next time I will definitely call it in first. For both my sandwiches it was $8.42 after tax. The sandwiches were both filled with meat, cilantro, jalapenos (optional), onion, as well as pickled daikons and carrots. Also, the bread was fresh, soft in the inside, and crunchy on the outside if eaten right away. But the bread may get a little soggy if you wait a little bit to eat it.

If these guys were not unique enough they also have a Pastrami and Philly sandwich…I am intrigued. I can’t wait to come back and see what type of Vietnamese twist they added to these classic sandwiches.

Note – Parking maybe a little tight; the tiny parking lot is shared with the Asian grocery store next door.

Yelp – 4.5/5.0 Stars (166 Ratings)

3103 Graham Rd, Ste C
Falls Church, VA 22044

Mon-Sun: 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

Well this place really isn’t in DC but in the NoVa (North Virginia) area. A little out of the way if you are in DC but if you are in this area it is definitely worth a try. I’ve had Vietnamese sandwiches all over the place and most of the good ones I’ve had so far are in the West coast. I was excited to find a spot in the East coast that lives up to my high standards for Banh Mis. I tried the Grilled Pork and the Combination. The pork was super juicy but the bread is what really won me over. The bread is baked fresh daily on location. The Combination sandwich was also really good. It comes with ham of mixed bits of pork along with the normal pickled veggies, pate, and cilantro. I grew up eating this weird ham but it definitely is not for everyone but if you are adventurous it is worth a try. I also had the Spring rolls. I’ve definitely had better but it will do if you are craving spring rolls.

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (133 Ratings)

1237 S Jackson St
Seattle, WA 98144

Mon-Sun 7:00 am – 6:00 pm

It’s always a struggle for me whether Saigon Deli or Seattle Deli makes the better Vietnamese deli food. So I am taking the easy way out and just declaring a draw. I enjoy both of these places and both are really really cheap. The deciding factor for which deli I get food from normally depends on which one is closer to where I am or whichever I had most recently (I like to switch it up). Despite the similarities, I really enjoy each of these places for different reasons. My favorite sandwich at Saigon Deli is the BBQ Pork (compared to the chicken sandwich at Seattle Deli). I also enjoy the lunch/dinner items here better than Seattle Deli. But it really depends on what is on the menu that day. For under $10 you can pick up two banh mis and a coffee or a banh mi and a combo rice plate.

When ordering here be prepared for a line no matter what time you show up. No worries though the lines move very quick. There is a small parking lot on the east side of the building…a huge plus considering meter maids are no joke in this area.

Yelp – 4.5/5 (248 Ratings)

6400 Martin Luther King Jr Way S
Seattle, WA 98118

Mon-Tue, Thu 11:00 am – 11:00 pm
Wed 3:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am – 12:00 am
Sat 10:00 am – 12:00 am
Sun 10:00 am – 11:00 pm

If you are looking for good Vietnamese food in Seattle people are probably to tell you go to Green Leaf or Tamarind Tree in the International District.  Both are pretty good but are also pretty pricey for Vietnamese food.  I guess you have to pay a premium for the fancy decor.   Rainier Restaurant and BBQ on the other hand is a no frills restaurant on MLK Jr. Way. Rainier BBQ has a large selections of Vietnamese and Chinese food. I normally go for the number 11 – Com Rainier or the Beef Stew with a baguette along with a Vietnamese coffee. The Com Rainier consists of a mix of BBQ shrimp, short ribs, and pork along sides of rice, fish sauce, and a sunny side-up egg. The beef stew comes huge chunks of beef in stew (duh) with cilantro, bean sprouts, and a french baguette to dip into the stew. Either the BBQ plate or the beef soup with a coffee will set you back less than $10 at Rainier BBQ, compared to $10 for just the entrees at Green Leaf or Tamarind Tree.

Update (06/25/12) – I forgot to mention in my initial post that you should expect pretty bad service here. Mostly because they are always busy and there are normally only one or two waitresses.

Yelp – 3.5/5 Stars (44 Ratings)

15551 Brookhurst St
Westminster, CA 92683

Mon-Sun 9:00 am – 9:00 pm

It seems like I have been eating a lot of banh mis lately but three banh mis for $5 how can you go wrong?  I guess you can go wrong if you get spoiled food that will make you sick.  This was not definitely not the case here at Banh Mi Che Cali.  I ordered the BBQ Pork, the chicken, and the ham.  By far my favorite was the ham.  I love how they loaded up on the pate and pickled veggies. Also, the bread is fresh baked in-house everyday!

If you are in the Westminster/Garden Grove, CA area bring your $5 (cash) to this former Taco Bell location to get your three Vietnamese sandwiches.  All the seats have been removed from the location so don’t count on eating in…there are a few seats outside if you really need to eat right away.  But you are in SoCal, enjoy the beautiful weather

Yelp – 4/5 Stars (197 Ratings)

Cheap Food Near You

225 12th Ave South
Seattle, WA 98144
Mon-Sun 7:00 am – 7:00 pm

And

22618 Hwy 99
Edmonds, WA 98026
Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 8:00 pm

In Seattle we are lucky to have some really good Vietnamese deli spots.  One of my favorites is Seattle Deli.  My normal order here consists of the vermicelli noodle salad and a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich).  The vermicelli comes with grilled pork and meat balls or egg roll atop a bed of rice noodles which is atop a bed of vegetables.  Fish sauce and pickled daikon radish and carrots are also provided on the side.  As for the banh mi the chicken is my favorite but the bbq pork is also pretty damn good.  The sandwiches come with your ordered meat along with jalapenos, pickled daikon radishes and carrots, cilantro, and fresh daily baked bread.  For way under $10 you can get a banh mi, vermicelli noodle salad, and a Vietnamese coffee (dark French roast drip coffee with condensed milk).

Notes – Both locations are to go only and only accept cash.  Also, check out Saigon Deli around the corner and compare for yourself.  A review of Saigon Deli will come soon.

Update 08/10/12 – I just got one of the new items, a shrimp tempura spring roll. It was fricking awesome. It’s probably my new favorite items here. Get it if you can. They normally only make 6 of these a day and once they are out that’s it.

Seattle Location:
Yelp – 4/5 Stars (191 Ratings)

Edmonds Location:
Yelp – 4/5 Stars (62 Ratings)