Bánh Mì with Meat? Whodathunkit?!

That's right, Philly Bites is back by popular demand of my readers--all five of you.

After living in West Philly for upward of five years, I moved downtown this summer. I'm still not sure if Society Hill is quite my speed but its proximity to the inner South Philly foodie neighborhoods that are Bella Vista and Queens Village is hard to beat.

I shop for produce at the Italian Market semi-weekly and usually get lunch beforehand. There are dozens of Mexican and Vietnamese restaurants and take-out places, many of them good and a few amazing--and all of them amazingly cheap.

Like many longtime West Philly residents and devotees of Fu Wah Market, I came to associate báhn mi with marinated tofu. Until moving downtown this summer, I had never tried a traditional báhn mi with roasted pork.

Don't ask me how it's pronounced but Café Nhuy is a well-known if a bit hard to find mecca of báhn mi. Perhaps it's only fitting that báhn mi would become the new favorite sandwich in South Philly: with Sarcone's Bakery on 9th Street, the best baguette in the city is made fresh daily right around the corner. All of the báhn mi at Café Nhuy are served on Sarcone's baguette with it's crunchy, slightly chewy crust and soft, airy center. The classic roasted pork ($4) is served slightly warm with fresh, crisp cucumber and carrot, thinly sliced, and fresh cilantro and a mayo-based spread. The vegetarian deluxe ($4) adds crispy fried leeks and pickled veggies, giving the sandwich a neat combination of textures.

5 Viet Huong Restaurant at 11th and Washington also has an impressive and well-done selection of báhn mi but the fact that there's actually seating somehow seems inauthentic. I prefer my báhn mi to-go, at my desk or on a park bench.

Café Nhuy

802 Christian Street

Philadelphia, PA 19147