Bánh Mì Lê — Restaurant in Quincy

Was sitting in bed contemplating what to eat for lunch and ooh look, a "Hot and New" bánh mì joint in Quincy! It was a quick drive over to the North Quincy T area, and easy to find street parking as it's a Sunday. This place is definitely new, and much more high-techy and clean compared to your typical Vietnamese mom & pop/hole-in-the-wall shops. Think TV screens displaying menu and bright lights. Immediately when I entered I was greeted by multiple people who worked there, no doubt that they were all friendly and genuinely appreciated the business.

Now down to the food. Don't be put off by the prepackaged foods kept in front of the glass display - very typical of Asian restaurants to do so and I saw one worker sifting through them to check for freshness. I got the classic cold cuts bánh mì with extra jalapeños, 2 premade bò biá rolls that were on display, and a cà phê sua dá (iced coffee). The bánh mì was pretty good, and I think well worth the $4.50 price point. They had the typical cold cuts, creamy paté, and I was pleasantly surprised to find pork floss in it! If you've never had it (I know, it sounds odd...), it's basically super dehydrated pork that are then shredded out into thin strings, ie. floss. It's light, airy and salty goodness. And no, it won't get stuck in your teeth. The bread was nice and plump, crispy on the outside (minor cuts on the roof of my mouth, but that's expected lol) and fluffy on the inside - just how a bánh mì vessel is supposed to be. Bò biá is an alternative roll to your typical shrimp and pork goi cuon. Same rice paper, but different ingredients that seriously work so well together with that hoison peanut dipping sauce, I can't even begin to describe the yumminess. Okay fine, that yumminess is filled with Asian sausage, dried shrimp, scrambled egg, some lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, and I think jicama. Try it, you'll thank me later. The iced coffee was premade in a giant pitcher, which is perfectly fine since they're just pouring it over ice into a 20oz to-go cup. Trust me I've worked in a Vietnamese restaurant - waiting for the coffee to slow drip, letting it cool down enough lest you get melted ice water, and then stirring and mixing in the condensed milk takes foreveeeeer. They used the classic coffee in the bright orange metal Cafe du Monde tins, so I knew it'd be good. My total rang up to $11 even.

The chà giò (fried egg rolls) looked a little off colored to me - I didn't try them this round so take it as you will. Egg rolls and spring/summer rolls could also be purchased a la carte. I am definitely excited to try all their other options, specifically the bánh bao (steamed meat buns, the kind you see in Chinese dim sum places with red pork), flan, and their multitude of drinks. Oh gosh the drinks. They have an extensive menu of teas, but also chè which are basically sweet desserts. Think boba tea, but exponentiate the flavors and toppings/ingredients and you have SO MANY OPTIONS. Pictures of their chè are all on the back wall.

Overall I would definitely check this place out if you're in the area. Like I mentioned, I helped open up a family Vietnamese restaurant and know the struggles - I loved how fresh their food is and their friendly/attentive service.

Would love to see them do some types of frequency rewards programs, like order 5 bánh mì at a time & get the 6th free, or your 10th tea/drink is free. This would definitely keep me coming more often!

Notes: -street parking, usually a 2 hr maximum on weekdays and Saturday

very easy walk from North Quincy T

-$10 minimum to...

Was craving for some bahn mi and this location was in the area and fairly new!

First impressions for me was how bright and clean this place was. I'm used to the more dingy "hole in the wall" type establishments and this place was bright and cheery (had some asian music videos in the background too!).

I opted for the A2 and A4 menu items (BBQ pork and Grilled beef). The BBQ pork was pretty good but I couldn't taste too much of the pork. The grilled beef however was a definite winner with tender pieces of marinated beef complimenting the assortment of crunch, crispy vegetables and the toasted bread. Would definitely get the grilled beef again!

Note that because the bread is toasted, if you eat it over your lap be prepared for a shower of crumbs with every bite you take!

Owners were very nice and even gave me a complimentary red tea and additional napkins as I was eating! Love the...

I normally love to get my sandwich here but not anymore. I’m not coming back because one day when I bumped into a male friend, the cashiers made it very awkward between us, because they kept insisting and pressuring him to pay for my food , they even waited for him to pay for my food! Mind you, he has a wife and family. It was so uncalled for and unnecessary; it was embarrassing for the both of us, and also degrading for me because I would never ask anyone to pay for my food. He left embarrassed and so did I, because the atmosphere became very awkward between us. These cashiers may thought it was funny to joke around like that, but it’s not . Grow up and learn how to behave . Men and women can be...