Leona (Leona Banh Mi) — Restaurant in Albuquerque

Great find in the west. Most of the Vietnamese restaurants I go to are in the east side of town. It is nice to have an alternative close by, given that gas prices are rising.

We ordered: shrimp and pork spring rolls, lemongrass banh mi, and marinated beef bulgogi.

Shrimp and pork spring rolls is good. The peanut sauce is too thick to dip the roll; you will need a spoon. Banh mi’s bread is really good, crunchy on the outside and soft in the inside. You can really see the lemongrass. I would like to have a little bit more meat to match the huge bread and as far as flavor, there’s not much. It is accompanied with a sauce and it is a must to use. Taste better with, bland without. As for the marinated beef, it is quite the opposite, the sauce with it doesn’t pair well. Same thing though, too little meat for the amount of rice with.

Prices are higher than other Vietnamese places which may be because of lack of competition un the area. However, the amount of meat in our orders does not justify that price. They do offer a 10% discount to military, healthcare, firemen, and police.

Dine in: no one was dining in when we came in. The food came in exactly 15 minutes from the time we ordered. I was expecting the spring rolls sooner as an appetizer but it came the same time as the rest of our order.

I think to-go ordering is better as a lot of people came in to pick up orders.

Giving them 4 stars instead of 3 as I do plan to come back as this location is convenient - no need to cross the river. I will try their other offerings then. Also, they have a sign in sheet for a 10-week Vegan challenge which tells me this is a great...

Leona Banh Mi a Vietnamese fast-casual counter-serve restaurant on Coors. Their specialties are bánh mì, vermicelli bowls, and pho with a few other assorted options, like bao.

Patrons order at the front counter before choosing their own seating. There is both booth and regular table options. There are large signs explaining what bánh mì and pho are for those not familiar or who are trying Vietnamese cuisine for the first time.

I had the bánh mì xìu mai (Vietnamese style meatballs), which was a nice foray into Vietnamese meatballs. I enjoyed them because they were flavorful and savory against the veggies. The cucumbers are fresh and not pickled, though I prefer the veggies pickled. That’s just personal preference, though, since traditionally the cucumbers aren’t pickled in bánh mì.

There are no fish selections for the bánh mì (anchovies, sardines, etc.), so don’t expect those. Patrons will need to ask for fish sauce, which is brought from the back in a to-go ramekin.

As Vietnamese restaurants usually go, it’s a casual, inexpensive pick. We both decided we’d be back and that it would be a good to-go option.

There are no stairs into the venue and wheelchair users will have no issues at this establishment, including...

Pho is my favorite comfort food. It's my go-to during our 8 nonconsecutive weeks of Albuquerque winter. It's my first choice for dinner when I've had a hard week, or I'm under the weather. As such, I expect my Pho experience to be every bit as comforting as the bowl of soup itself.

There are a few places in Albuquerque that have the homey feel and a decent bowl of Pho, but none quite compare to this little unassuming shop.

The neighborhood is kind of rough, and the shopping center where Leo & Ana opened their little restaurant has seen overall better days. There are only 2 tables and 3 counters inside, so I usually grab take-out and eat at work, but even take-out is handled with such care and thoughtfulness that opening the packages and preparing my meal brings back all the warmth and positive energy of Ana's unwavering smile.

I generally avoid hot foods during our sweltering summers, but being under the weather today, I went in for some Pho. Ana greeted me like an old friend and guessed my order from memory. As many people as there were coming in for take-out while I ate my meal, the recognition made me feel super special. It's that care that elevates this spot to a...