Tip Top Sandwiches, the famed Little Saigon banh mi emporium, opened a second branch in the San Gabriel Valley on January 30, in the former Rosemead home of New Century Auto Mall. Owner Loc Lee’s Garden Grove original dates to 1988 and considering the continuous lines, he pretty much duplicated the concept, with an identical menu and a similar look.

Order at the counter from a series of overhead panels. Dozens of tables line the windows, and patio tables ring the restaurant.

Tip Top sells 11 varieties of “Asian Sandwiches” (aka banh mi), including BBQ Pork (pictured), Pate Meatball, BBQ Chicken and shredded pork skin, all topping out at $3.45.

If you’re feeling like a “Euro,” expect options like Pastrami & Cheese, Ham & Cheese and Eggs & Mayonnaise.

Sandwiches are available on house-baked croissants, but you might as well stick with the supple, torpedo-shaped baguettes. After all, Tip Top’s motto is “the bread you will love.”

Tip Top houses a number of baked options, including muffins, croissants and a signature loaf flavored with mocha, rum, apple and pineapple (pictured). An incubator near the register houses savory pate chaud.

You’ll also find a complement of fresh juices and smoothies. There’s a bin behind the counter, fueling options like Recovery Juice with apple, beetroot, carrot and honeydew; or Honey Juice with rock melon, honeydew and watermelon. If “Gourmet Coffee” is more your speed, consider Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Vienna Café or Cappuccino.

There’s even a section of the sprawling L-shaped café devoted to Frozen Yogurt, weigh-and-pay for $0.39 an ounce, with a number of fresh fruits and toppings. An overhead menu claims the magical yogurt will help boost the immune system, “stop acne and create clear skin” and make your bones stronger.

Open daily from 5 AM – Midnight

Related Posts

1. Dose of Vitamin P: Banh Mi My Tho Steamed Meatball Sandwich: Filling Sandwiches with Saigon Style
2. Dose of Vitamin P: Red Medicine Banh Mi: Delivering Deluxe Vietnamese Sandwiches to a Beverly Hills Bar
3. Saigon Sandwich: Grabbing Brilliant Banh Mi to Go in the Tenderloin
4. Andrew’s Cheese Shop Introduces Sandwiches
5. Little Saigon Banh Mi Bender – Saturday, January 10, 2009

This entry is filed under LA Culinary Compass.