I owe Dino’s an apology: I’ve been battling uncontrollable cravings for months now, promoting them to friends as no less than the best banh mi in SF, wishing they had a frequent buyer card because this would be the only place I could actually finish one . . . They deserved to have all of this unbridled praise flung to the far reaches of the interwebs long ago. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t occur to me to stop stuffing my face and turn to the computer mid-meatball to write something up.
So here it is: To soft pork meatballs oozing juices. To succulent marinated chicken chunks mingling with sturdy cucumber sticks. To a heaping nest of tangy pickled carrots and daikon. To impeccably crunchy-crusted, chewy-interiored baguette rolls [fillings are generally decent anywhere — it’s the bread that elevates a tasty banh mi to a spectacular one]. To this explosion of flavor being directly across the street from my apartment.
Verdict: I think you know where I stand. The one teensy drawback is that you’re paying a premium for the goodness — at $4.75 a pop they’re not cheap by banh mi standards. Then again, can I really complain about a sandwich/pea crisps/guava juice dinner for well under $10?