I was in the mood for a good banh mi sandwich and while there are places near my house, I had a hankering for a great experience. One of my favorite banh mi restaurants is Tan Hoang Huong Bakery in Fountain Valley and despite the heat, I drove to the OC.
The obvious question is why would I drive all the way to Fountain Valley for some sandwiches. The answer: quality and taste. If you are into taste and culinary experience, you’ll agree that the OC offers banh mi sandwiches that are superior to those found in LA county.
As I typically do, I purchased a number of items to take home to share with my family.
Spring rolls, pate chaud and the following banh mi sandwiches:
- BBQ Pork
- BBQ Chicken
- Pork Meatball
Cafe Sua Da – Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk
Since I had a long drive home, I also ordered a cafe sua da so that I would be alert on the road. The cafe sua da was bold, smooth and delicious. It happens to be one of my favorite coffee drinks.
Cross section of the pate chaud
The round shaped pate chaud was a mini puff pastry filled with ground pork. The square shaped pate chaud was filled with a ground chicken filling. The exterior is quite flaky and crumbles as you bite into it.
Banh mi is why Tan Hoang Huong Bakery (THH) is so popular. Their banh mi consists of a choice of meat, cilantro, sliced jalapeno peppers, pickled daikon with carrots and sliced cucumbers. Everything is placed in a freshly baked Vietnamese baguette. THH’s banh mi is one of the best in Little Saigon because the exterior of the bread is extremely crispy and the inside is fluffy soft. The meat that THH uses is trimmed and not fatty like some of their competitors.
BBQ Pork banh mi sandwich
The BBQ Pork banh mi is my wife’s favorite; I’m busy trying all of them to see if I can find something I like more. The BBQ chicken was made with dark meat and was flavorful. The meatball banh mi was made with ground pork. Other sandwiches include: sardine, fried egg, cold cut with pate and tofu.
Spring Rolls with a delicious peanut dipping sauce
Another popular item is their spring rolls. They are filled with vermicelli, shrimp, Thai basil, mint and cilantro. It is accompanied by a cup of a thick savory peanut sauce. The combination of flavors is quite tasty.
Tan Hoang Huong Bakery, 15972 Euclid St # A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708
http://thhsandwiches.com/