Banh Mi Nguyen Huong — Restaurant in Toronto

2nd edit: I went back again, and thankfully, I was treated nicely but served by a different lady. The rude lady was there but was busy doing something else, lucky for me! My tofu sandwich was made as I requested, spicy! Thankfully, it was a great experience, which means I'll be back, and my rating will go back up to a 5 star. The lemongrass tofu Bahn Mi is the best I've ever had.

Edited: I dropped my rating from a 5 🌟 to a 4 🌟 because of the service I received today. I went back again a week after my initial review and asked for two lemongrass tofu sandwiches spicy, and one assorted bahn ni not spicy. The lady grabbed three pre-made sandwiches and threw them into a bag. When I asked her if the tofu sandwiches were spicy, she said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah." I knew she was lying to me, but I didn't want to argue as they were busy. Guess what? She fluffed me off with her. "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah," and I didn't get spicy sandwiches like I requested. The customer service sucks. Don't treat the non-asians badly. We also keep your business going. I'll give them one more try. If I'm treated badly and lied to it again, it will, unfortunately, be my last. I might even drop my rating to a 3 🌟 this bugged me so much.

I stopped in for a vegan lemongrass Bahn mi sandwich while out and about in Chinatown. It was absolutely fantastic!!! It was chock-full of lemongrass tofu, julienne carrots, cilantro, topped off with chilies, and all stuffed into a super fresh and crusty sandwich bun. I'm salivating just thinking about it! The lady serving me was fast and efficient, not the friendliest, but that was fine with me, I wasn't looking to make any friends. The best part?? The sandwich cost only $4.00!! Will I be back? Absolutely, I will be, but next time, I'll be ordering a second lemongrass tofu sandwich for lunch the next day. The picture I have attached is of the...

This is a local staple. Banh Mi Nguyen Huong has been around for years and I've always enjoyed their banh mi sandwiches. The classic Vietnamese sandwich with your choice of fillings. Located in the heart of the Spadina Chinatown, it's easily accessible by the 510 and 505 streetcars. Honestly, not much has changed in this place. The decor, the layout, the menu has pretty much stayed the same all these years.

Of course, as with many other places, the prices certainly reflect the times. So, do expect that your average banh mi sandwich will run you about $5.50+ depending on the one you get. All sandwiches come in spicy and non-spicy. The sandwich featured here is their average banh mi sandwich (no extra toppings added, non-spicy).

They also have a myriad of other food items that you can pick up to eat as little sides or appetizers or 'walk around town' food. There are rice dishes (sweet and savory), various rice flour rolls and other rice flour based dishes to choose from. You can also get some sweet mixed bean drinks in their fridge section as well a variety of Vietnamese sweets.

We picked up a few spring rolls (not hot, room temperature at best, veggie option) and they did the trick but I would say average at best in terms of ingredients and flavour.

What keeps us coming back to Banh Mi Nguyen Huong is this one rice cake dish. As shown in the images, the rice cake is made in trays and cut into cubes. They're sauteed on the grill with a hint of salty pickled veggies, green onions and eggs. Top this savory dish with the nuoc cham fish dipping sauce (sweet and savory) and let the happy dance begin. If you're in the area, I would strongly recommend giving this...

I've been coming here for over 20 years. Despite all the new banh mi shops etc. This one is my favorite. It is around so long for a reason and it has never changed.

Service: it is a walk in sandwich shop. You order, if you need help they explain. Simple. This is not a five Star restaurant. The people speak Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese and English. French if you're lucky and get the right person (many Vietnamese people speak French). 5/5

Location: right on spadina in the heart of chinatown. Parking is tough but on foot it is fine. Big yellow sign, can't miss it. I think they have multiple locations too. 4/5 to 5/5

Value: I remember when they told their regular sub for $1. Now it is $3 to 5 a sandwich. Cant go wrong. Tax included. All their items are under $10 from what I can recall. I cannot think of a better value. 5/5

Taste: They been around for 20 years plus if not 30. There used to be a few more of these Saigon sub shops nearby but this one stood the test of time. I have tried every sub on the menu over the years. I recommend the spicy if you can handle raw chilis. BBQ chicken or pork are my favorite. They have other items as well. Packaged vietnamese appetizers and set meals. Even fried spring rolls. Bread and veggies are fresh. Sure, they do not have hot meat like some other banh mi joints. My only knock on it. But they do taste good cold...4/5

Overall: I've been coming back over and over again. This is one of my go to quick meal places in Toronto. For the taste and value, there are very few places that can...