belly bites a banh mi at mr. baguette

when the banh mi crave hits hard, even if you're in kansas, you try to catch the first twister that will take you to the nearest banh mi shop to break some crusty bread smeared with pate. if you live in silverlake, you get on the 10 east and exit atlantic to head over to mr. baguette. why mr. baguette you might wonder? mr. baguette is quite yummy and touts itself as a "house of quality" so who am i to ignore what people say about themselves.

the shop is engrish friendly with a lot of pictures and descriptions posted (thought i'd mention that especially if you're a banh mi newb). it's a super clean place and i believe they have wi-fi because i always see people there with their laptops. if not, it's still a good place to catch a breather or to use as a study area while you munch. they don't care if you sit there forever...not that i would recommend that since you're probably important and busy.

their banh mis are not THE cheapest by far, but it's still rather cheap hovering around the $3+ mark. i'm also a big fan of their crusty bread which is soft in the middle and super flakey on the outside. you literally hear your bite resonate in your being as little crust pieces cling to the corners of your mouth after the destruction caused by your pearly whites. and if you're a sesame lova as well, then holla, you can get your preferred banh mi fillings in a long crusty sesame bread.

i don't stray too far from the banh mi dac biet which in my opinion is the best banh mi in the universe. the savory harmony of zaw, vietnamese head cheese, and pate creates the most robust bite in your mouth, making it difficult for me to choose anything else. THAT'S WHY you get two, one dac biet and something else and save whatever that's left over for later. the good thing about mr. baguette is the conscious decision to separate the pickled carrots and daikon from the sandwich to prevent soggy bread action. you put the rest of the contents in when you're ready...and baby, shouldn't you always be ready for some banh mi lovin'?

i find it funny that they layer the meats like shingles.

i sometimes pick up a box of their "garlic croustillant" which is tasty if you like snacking on croutons like i do. and i admire their efforts in making a profit with days old bread.

but if you just want to pick up a tasty banh mi, then mr. baguette won't disappoint. it is, after all, made in a house of quality and it will shoot your tastebuds to the moon.

Mr. Baguette

400 S Atlantic Blvd

Monterey Park, CA 91754

(626) 282-9966
http://www.mrbaguettesandwiches.com/

price: $

verdict: tasty, try it!