Central Jersey Banh Mi?

[tautog]

I don't get into the city much anymore and severely miss pork banh mi. Anywhere in Monmouth/Middlesex have a half way decent product?

[athenanike111]

Central NJ really doesn't have good Banh Mi. Some restaurants will serve it, and I guess the Vietnamese restaurant in Sayreville (Pho Thanh Hoai II, I think) on Route 9 South is probably one of the better ones. There's a grocery store on Route 27 Edison that will heat up a pre-made banh mi for you. And I heard Pho Anh Dao makes it on weekends (though I've never found them available). Maybe Fort Lee might have a place?

You can get great Banh Mi in Philly and NYC if you don't mind a little drive. Northeast Philly (Adams Lane) off of Route 1 South has a good place, as is a couple of shops in Chinatown and Washington Street (South Philly). That's a 40 min drive from Princeton. The Manhattan Chowhound board has several links to great banh mi.

Part of the problem is that lots of places don't use pate, or the rich almost mayonnaise like butter, fresh crispy bread (most just toast old baguette loaves), and have good head cheese cold cut. The combo of ingredients sound strange... But when those are all there, you've got an amazing hoagie with bursting with different flavors.....

[Passadumkeg]

Pho Thanh Hoai serves only chicken or beef Banh Mi, not pork, sadly.

[athenanike111]

Passad.,
If you do have a favorite banh mi place, I'd love to know, even if not in NJ....I've been to most in NYC, Philly, and know some of the major places in SF, San Jose, and Falls Church/Fairfax, VA....

[Passadumkeg]

Sorry, Austin Texas! My daughter lives there. Loved it in Vietnam 41 yrs ago.

[athenanike111]

I've been to Texas many times on business trips, but never stepped away long enough to check out some of the great Vietnamese places there. Will have to get back to you for the name the next time I go....

[glutton]

it's the wrong board to post this, but you're asking for it... Bahn Mi Che Cali in Garden Grove, CA. Best one I've had in the US and I've looked far and wide.

[athenanike111]

Oh, I'm writing that down... I AM the type to try to find the best ____ when I'm travelling... Thanks for the tip!! : )

[Carbon60]

Reportedly good banh mi in Bergen County, NJ at:

Mo‘ Pho‘
212 Main St, Fort Lee, NJ
[phone]

Saigon R.
58 W Palisade Ave, Englewood, NJ
[phone]

[Duppie]

Since moving to NJ, I have tried to find decent Banh Mi and really haven't found any so in the city I get it from Paris bakery on Mott or I get the personal French loafs from Trader Joes and make it myself . All the ingredients can be found at Hong Kong supermarket on RT 18 in East Brunswick including several types of the Vietnamese pate and meat cuts. The pickled vegetables I make myself from a recipe I found on The Viet World Kitchen or Rasamalaysia websites.

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Trader Joe's
725 River Road, Edgewater, NJ

[wench31]

There is a pretty good banh mi place called Little Saigon in Howell.

Address is 2954 US 9 in Howell, NJ. It's on the South side in a little strip mall that has a tattoo parlor and a nail salon. :)

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Little Saigon Restaurant
2801 Arctic Ave, Atlantic City, NJ 08401

[dr_softkisser]

Cafe Bua
1353 Stelton Rd.
Piscataway, NJ 08854
[phone]

They serve Banh mi, Noodles and Shave Ice and other Hawaiian and American dishes.

[GraydonCarter]

Cafe Bua, an American-style diner with an Asian/Hawaiian twist, is open daily for breakfast and lunch.

http://www.cafebua.com

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Cafe Bua
1353 Stelton Rd, Piscataway Township, NJ 08854

[kizabrat77]

They do the real deal pate

[dr_softkisser]

Yup, they use the real pate unless requested by those who don't like the pate, there is a choice of spicy mayo.

[kizabrat77]

Indochine in New Brunswick! Very authentic Bahn Mi

[SonicReducer]

Sorry, I see that this thread is ancient history, but I recently ate banh mi at Indochine and Cafe Bua in central NJ. I LOVE Cafe Bua, and really think it's the most legit and well-executed "Asian Fusion" restaurant I've ever been to. Everything I've had there has been awesome, and the banh mi certainly was tasty. BUT, they don't use real baguette. Again, love the place, and even loved the sandwich, but it's not "real deal," as they say.

Indochine skimped on the meat, and also didn't use real baguette. Indochine's food was ok, tasty enough, but more expensive than the better Vietnamese places in the area. Overall dining experience there was not great, and even though I live in New Brunswick, I'd rather drive to Edison for better Vietnamese food.