“No giggling. We’re on a mission.” Christine made it clear that the four of us still had plenty of work to do before we could crown the best banh mi in Little Saigon. We were only on Stop Three, with three more Vietnamese sandwich shops to invade. We based our Little Saigon banh mi bender on Amy Scattergood’s November round-up in the LA Times. Overall, we consumed ten sandwiches, three pate chaud, three pastries, six drinks and one meatball skewer. This post is the product of our “research.”

#1: Tip Top Sandwiches, 14094 Brookhurst Street, Garden Grove, 714 530 9239

We arrived at this sprawling café at 10 AM to find a packed patio, a line that never shortened and a dinging Keno screen. We split two sandwiches constructed with supple, crackly house-made baguettes. BBQ Pork (Thit Heo Nuong - $3.45) was scintillating, with caramelized strips of pork, julienned daikon and carrot. Pate Meatball (Pate Xiu Mei - $3.25) hosted crumbly pork meatball, aioli, cucumber, cilantro, carrot and onion. The meat could have been warmer and the mayo was too creamy, but the overall effect was good. Two of us downed Vietnamese iced coffees. After all, banh mi is often considered breakfast food.

In back, Tip Top featured a case of flaky pastries known as pate chaud ($1 each), filled with either pork or chicken. We ordered the version filled with a juicy patty of onion-studded pork.

Behind the pate chaud case, we spotted a rack of fresh-baked baquettes, which move quickly due to the high volume. Overall, it was easy to see why Tip Top was packed. Scattergood reported that Tip Top’s owners are planning a branch for Rosemead, and it will instantly become the best banh mi emporium in the San Gabriel Valley.

#2: Boulangerie Pierre & Patisserie, 14352 Brookhurst Street, Garden Grove, 714 418 9098

This strip mall bakery featured music and vibe befitting Paris. Unfortunately, the food held little charm. Our banh mi contained flimsy fillings and came on thick, hard bread that shredded the roofs or our mouths. Grilled pork ($3.25) amounted to fatty, chewy pork and misshapen clumps of carrot and daikon. Special Pork (pate, ham meatloaf - $2.95) offered little flavor, even with jalapeno and aioli. After ordering, we spotted a rotisserie cooking small chickens, which probably would have improved the sandwich, but no filling has the power to overcome that bread.

Thankfully, we found some redemption near the register in the form of Chouquette (3 for $1), airy puffs of hollow pastry lined with oversized sugar granules.

After we left Boulangerie Pierre, Christine said, “We need to raise our spirits…That place scared me, literally, with the bread.”

#3: Gala Bakery, 14570 Brookhurst Street, Westminster, 714 775 7327

Tiny Gala Bakery didn’t have a single seat, but it did deliver a decent baguette and some of the day’s best fillings. Special Sandwich ($2.75) contained slices of Pate and Pork Paste, plus market-fresh aioli, carrot and daikon. Gala’s triangular pate chaud wasn’t as greasy or peppery as Tip Top’s version. Therefore, it didn’t have as much flavor.

To drink, I enjoyed a delicious Green Bean Shake ($2) that probably glowed in the dark, but featured a pleasantly gritty texture and a syrupy sweetness.

#4: Top Baguette, 9062 Bolsa Avenue, Westminster, 714 379 7726

Top Baguette’s small storefront in the Hanoi Plaza strip mall led to one of our better banh mi experiences. The bread was firm and didn’t have enough give, but the fillings were plentiful and excellent. BBQ Beef Sauteed with Lemon Grass (Bo Nuong Xa - $2.75) was outstanding, with a nice char and an aromatic marinade that seeped into the bread. BBQ Pork (Heo Nuong - $2.50) could have used more pronounced flavor, but the meat was lean and tender. The vegetables were thick cut but fresh.

The Avocado Shake (Giai Khat - $2.75) was too mild, and the ratio of dairy to avocado was out of whack.

#5: Banh Mi Cho Cu, 14520 Magnolia Street Westminster, CA 714 891 3718

Every square inch of counter space was lined with prepared food or groceries. The 10-year-old grocery produces exemplary sandwiches on crusty bread. Well, one exemplary sandwich. The incredible Spicy Meatball (Xiu Mai - $2.25) featured luscious pork meatball that oozed spicy orange oil. The spice was pretty ferocious, especially when paired with julienned jalapeno. BBQ Pork (Thit Nuong - $2.25) could have been better and hotter.

Cho Cu produced an excellent pate chaud with juicy pork and nearly caramelized onions. The pork meatballs were juicy, but too firm. However, they get style points for appearing on a stick.

#6: Banh Mi Saigon, 8940 Westminster Avenue, Westminster, 714 896 8782

Our final stop yielded a buttery baguette. Unfortunately the accompanying slab of casing-free beef sausage was cold and the sauce was sickly sweet. Slathered mayo didn’t help matters.

#7: Tastea

It wasn’t banh mi, but “Peach Me Sweetea” was a terrific iced black tea loaded with chunks of fresh peach and strawberry. Matthew “Mattatouille” Kang ordered a slushy freeze with similar ingredients and apparently rave-worthy boba.

By the end, it seemed reductive to appoint a single banh mi champion, since there are so many variables when it comes to producing a great sandwich. After our final stop, I took a poll of favorite baguettes, fillings, portion sizes, vegetables. We also added a category for pate chaud, since the savory pastry had a surprisingly large impact on our day.

BAGUETTE
Two people (myself included) voted for Tip Top for best baguette, while two people favored Banh Mi Saigon.

FILLING
Two people voted for Cho Cu’s meatball (myself included). One person voted for Tip Top’s pork. One person voted for Top Baguette’s beef.

PORTION SIZE
Everybody was happiest with Top Baguette’s portions.

VEGETABLES
Everybody voted for Tip Top’s vegetables.

PATE CHAUD
Everybody voted for Tip Top’s version.

Related Posts

1. Dose of Vitamin P: Banh Mi My Tho Steamed Meatball Sandwich
2. Saigon Sandwich – San Francisco, CA – Friday, July 4, 2008
3. Tip Top Sandwiches Sets the Bar for Banh Mi in SGV
4. Bunk Sandwiches – Portland, OR – March 4, 2009
5. San Fernando Valley Sandwich Crawl

1. TonyC, January 22, 2009:

   nice round up! sounds like a huge brunch/lunch.

2. Joshua Lurie, January 22, 2009:

   Thanks. By the fifth stop, I was in pain, and by Tastea, I was ready to curl up into the fetal position. Still, it was a great learning opportunity to have sandwiches from six straight places.

3. Liz, May 25, 2009:

   Oh my gorsh….so tasty. My only regret is that I am so rarely in Garden Grove for work this year.

4. Joshua Lurie, May 25, 2009:

   It’s worth driving to Little Saigon at least once a month, whether you have business there or not. That’s one of the most exciting eating areas in the country, and there are always new options.

This entry is filed under Los Angeles, Orange County, Sandwich Shop, Vietnamese.