Bahn Mi Me

What is a bahn mi?  A bahn mi is the Vietnamese version of a po’ boy.   These sandwiches are filled with a choice of meat and tons of goodies.  The french roll is filled with vegetables that include a mixture of pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, and jalapeno peppers.  The most popular bahn mi is probably the pork combo which is cold cuts smeared with pate’.

Living in Oakland with a large Vietnamese population, it’s easy to find a shop that sells bahn mi.  I’ve eaten quite a few in my lifetime and the place I go to for a consistently good one is Cam Huong.  There are actually two Cam Huong shops in Oakland, one is in Chinatown and the other is on International Blvd. in East Oakland.

Why do I enjoy bahn mi sandwiches?  In addition to them being inexpensive, they are tasty.  I enjoy removing the colorful rubber band, unwrapping the paper, and biting into a crusty roll filled with flavorful meat and crispy veggies.  Being that the one in Chinatown is a good walk from work, I can easily pick up one for lunch.  They are also a great choice for taking on a picnic, on a hike, or to the ballpark.

For those that haven’t been to the Cam Huong located on International Blvd., this is my favorite shop.  It is more spacious and lines are much more organized.  The location in Chinatown is typically crowded and makes me feel stressed.

Today I picked up the following:  bbq chicken, pork combo, and grilled pork.  I wanted to do a taste test.  I thought they were all very good, but different.  If I had to choose, I think it would have to be the bbq chicken sandwich.  But when I haven’t had a pork combo for a long time, I can’t think of anything more satisfying.

Where do you get your bahn mi?