One Great Sandwich: Tank Restaurant’s Bánh Mì

By L. Stolpman in Food on Mar 12, 2008 3:45PM

Tank Restaurant’s bánh mì is damn near a perfect sandwich. Tank's open air restaurant with community seating is a welcome, busy place to sample Vietnamese fare while sitting next to a friendly stranger. This traditional street food is a Vietnamese baguette / French roll filled with meat, cucumber, cilantro, jalapeño, picked daikon radish and carrots, and a touch of soy sauce. You can choose from marinated beef, pork, or chicken – each slightly sweet and spicy.

The beauty of this sandwich is the balance it achieves in both flavors and textures. The lightly crisped outside of the roll is just enough to add some crunch but not so much that the roof of your mouth suffers. The warm, savory meat is perfectly complimented with the crunch of a cool cucumber spear. The picked daikon radish and carrots add a slightly sour flavor that balances out the subtle sweetness in the marinated meat and the fresh cilantro adds a fresh aroma and flavor. The slices of jalapeño add enough heat to make sure you come back for more.

If you have never had Vietnamese food and want to start slow, head to Tank Restaurant and pony up for a sandwich (from $2.95 to $3.95, depending upon your choice of meat). You know how great this sandwich is?

White people love ‘em. Almost as much as they love P.F. Chang’s.

Tank Restaurant is located at 4953 N. Broadway.