Vietnamese Style Subs....Bánh mì. AAA-mazing.

Jared from Subway needs to reconsider his competition. Lee's Sandwiches is the answer to the bland Subway sandwich. Boycott those annoying $5 footlooooong commercials, and try these treats instead!

For starters, all subs are 10" long and cost anywhere between $2.50 and $3.05. Nothing is pre-made, and all are baked and assembled fresh to order. Each sandwich is a delicious fusion of savory and sweet flavors (they use a sweet Asian mayo), and their crunchy baguettes are baked fresh daily. To top it off, they have several subs featuring thinly spread pâté... Pâté!!! Friends, this is huge. I love pâté.

If you don't know what pâté is, don't google it, because then you'll be disgusted, and never talk to me again.

Bánh mì is the traditional Vietnamese sub sandwich. When the French colonized Indochina, the new style of sandwich combination took shape. They are most commonly made with a baguette full of Asian vegetables (most likely why I love this sandwich so dearly) such as cilantro, onions, pickled carrots, daikon, cucumbers, jalepenos and corriander spices. The meat ingredients vary from scrambled eggs (not a meat, I know...) to pâté (sort of a meat), to BBQ Pork, chicken, shredded pork, or a combination of everything (my favorite!).
If you don't live here in Phoenix, I strongly encourage (demand) you to find your nearest Vietnamese restaurant, friend, store or acquaintance. Ask them where you can find delicious bánh mì. For those of you trying to save on your grocery budget, what can be more financially sound than a $3 lunch?

Cheers to finding ăn uống tốt!!!

p.s. quick funny story about pâté....when I was flying out of Miami, the majority of our time was spent over seas. We spent quite a bit of time in France, which is where I developed my love of foie gras, and pâté. For an upcoming holiday, I decided to bring some fancy schmancy pâté home with me to New York for my parents to try. I figured the vacuumed sealed glass jar would be safer in my carry-on, than in my checked luggage. Of course, the TSA security guard (AKA, the airport's version of mall cops), asked to take a closer look in my bag. As she found the pâté, she wrinkled her nose and asked what was in the jar. I suddenly panicked as I realized this woman was about to make me toss an expensive jar of PERFECTLY GOOD pâté, hand carried from Paris, in the garbage. The no liquids policy had just taken effect, and I hadn't been flying commercially enough to remember the specific size stipulations. So, I proceeded to try and relay what great care had been taken to procure such yummy holiday treats for my family. How it was a rare blend of herbs, vegetables, and the finest French goose liver. Goose liver was all TSA madwoman needed to hear. She looked stunned, then totally grossed out, and told me it needed to be thrown away. It was a "liquid". Pâté is not a liquid. It is more like the consistency of brie. However, I knew this was a battle I would not win. So, out of defiance and anger, I left the security line, went to the nearest Hudson News shop and bought a box of Wheat Thins. I'll be darned if I have to let this pâté go to waste. I brought the box right back to the security line and stood just outside the ropes, next to the TSA crazy lady who had tried to throw away my French treat. I didn't care that people stared. I spread that pâté on as many Wheat Thins as I could stomach. Which, mind you, is not that many... Pâté is pretty rich. So, I ate as much as I could, then threw the half-full container into the trash with as much gusto and dramatic flair as I could manage. I'll admit, it was a pathetic showing of muster. At this point, I believe I've stooped to a new low. I've nauseated myself just to get my point across... Although, in my defense, I had just landed from 2 weeks in Europe, and was jet lagged, alright?! My head was fuzzy. Not the most appropriate way to act, I suppose.... It was all about principle, people. You must stand up for your principles!