* Vietnamese Food!

Recent e-mail from reader T. James.

Jeff,

Do you have any good Vietnamese joints that you can turn me onto?

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T. James:

To be honest with you, Jeff Eats’ “knowledge ” of the South Florida-Vietnamese food scene is kinda limited…

In addition, my knowledge about-Vietnam is sort of limited too (too-to)…
1. Lyndon B. Johnson,
2. Richard M. Nixon,
3. General William Westmoreland,
4. Agent Orange,
5. That on 11/30/1969 Ontario, Canada’s border was 136.7 miles from Jeff Eats’ Ithaca College dorm-room in Ithaca, New York,
6. That the First Vietnam War Draft Lottery was held on 12/1/1969,
7. That Jeff Eats received #229 in the First Vietnam War Draft Lottery- thus negating Jeff Eats’ possible- plans to visit Ontario, Canada.

Anyway, in 2015 I’m gonna broaden my horizons and I promise you, I’ll have- South Florida Vietnamese joints to tell you about.

In the meantime, take a look at Jeff Eats’ 5/30/14 review of-Vietnamese fast-food/sub joint, Banh Mi Nha Trang…its food was off the chart.

Finally, for those of you who might take offense at some of Jeff Eats’ Vietnam remembrances (1-7) -just kidding…Ontario’s border was really 138.6 miles from my dorm room!
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*Fast FoodSubs/SaladsBanh Mi Nha Trang (Orlando)
Posted on May 30th, 2014 · Fast Food Orlando Subs/Salads

***** Banh Mi Nha Trang, 1216 East Colonial Drive, Orlando, Florida 32803, (407) 346-4549.

Me neither…can’t pronounce the joint’s name for love nor money.

Before we “discuss” this takeout-only “hole in the wall” “mom & pop” Vietnamese “sub” joint that gets $3.50 cash-only per sub–Jeff Eats thought you might appreciate a “tutorial” on what BANH MI is-so courtesy of Wise Greek www.wisegreek.com take a look at the following “definition.” I’ll catch you guys at the end of the page…

“Bánh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich which is famous for being extremely hearty and relatively inexpensive. In its native Vietnam, bánh mi is a common offering at many restaurants and street stalls, and in regions of the world with a large Vietnamese community, the sandwich is also extremely common. In both cases, there are a number of configurations to choose from, with ingredients which range from shredded barbecued pork to tofu, and seasoning which can be mild to intensely spicy.
The development of the bánh mi did not begin until the French colonized Vietnam, introducing people to the baguette, a type of long, thin, crusty French bread. The French colonists developed a sort of salad sandwich, taking advantage of locally available Vietnamese ingredients like fresh greens, pickled vegetables, and spicy chiles, and the early form of bánh mi was born. While the French have left Vietnam, the taste for bánh mi has stayed on.
This sandwich is analogous to the submarine sandwich in the United States, which is also known as a hoagie, po’ boy, hero, grinder, wedge, or Italian, among many other alternate names. However, bánh mi has a few distinctive traits which set it aside from this well known American sandwich. The first is the inclusion of classically Asian ingredients like daikon radish, coriander, pickled carrots, sriracha chili sauce, tofu, and spring onions. The second is the seasoning used on the meats, when meat is included; the meat typically has a distinctively Vietnamese feel.
Pork, beef, and chicken are all used in bánh mi, sometimes even together. The sandwich can also include ingredients like eggs for a breakfast sandwich, and ingredients like seitan, tempeh, and textured vegetable protein are not unknown in vegetarian versions. In all cases, bánh mi typically has a healthy balance of fresh greens and vegetables blended with meats.
Some people call the bánh mi a sort of kitchen sink sandwich, meaning that cooks throw in whatever they have lying around the house. Whether bánh mi is assembled from leftovers or from ingredients which are specifically purposed, it tends to be very filling, with the ingredients typically attempting to explode from the baguette. Most people are accustomed to very inexpensive bánh mi, making it a popular street food and quick meal.”

Anyway,

Jeff Eats and Mrs. Jeff Eats were recently “up” in Orlando…

To make a long story short, I was telling a guy in the Hard Rock Hotel’s lobby about Jeff Eats’ blog-and he recommended that we give Banh Mi Nha Trang a try. Just that simple!

Take a look at Banh Mi Nha Trang’s website www.nhatrangsubs.com. Real simple menu-18 subs/$3.50 a piece.

First- let me tell you, that the joint bakes its own sub rolls–crispy outside/soft inside. No if or buts about it, right up there with the best sub rolls that Jeff Eats has eaten

The Eats’ outing “netted” us a #6 (grilled pork)- a #9 (fried pork roll)- a #15 (meatballs simmered in tomato sauce)- and I gotta tell you these subs are amazing-delicious.

Like I said before- takeout only, cash only–

Jeff Eats loved Banh Mi Nha Trang.

This joint is an absolute must try.

Banh Mi Nha Trang is open Monday-Wednesday, Friday 10am-7pm, closed Thursday, Saturday-Sunday 10am-8pm.