Duc Huong Sandwiches

All sorrows are less with bread. ” ~Miguel de Cervantes, Don Quixote

 

 

6825 Stockton Blvd Ste 200, Sacramento, CA 95823. (916) 428-1188.

Years ago, I got hooked on banh mi at New Paris Bakery on Stockton Blvd. It was cheap, tasty, fresh...and cheap...oh wait, did I already mention that? When New Paris closed, I was devastated. You see, they made the best baguettes in town. Their bread was the perfect amount of crunchy on the outside and was soft as a cloud inside. I gave up banh mi for awhile after they shuttered their doors. Eh, I didn't need all those carbs, right? Eventually though, I began to miss my sandwiches and got talked into going to Huong Lan. Turned out that they serve up a delicious banh mi and the bread there was good (though not great). It satiated my banh mi cravings...that is until recently. Awhile back, I noticed that their sandwiches had got slightly smaller and the bread wasn't quite as tasty (sometimes even stale). So I started looking around and came across Duc Huong across the street. The banh mi there are comparable (fresh veggies and tender meat), the shop is clean and the staff is super nice. There's been a few times that I wished that they could put in a little more meat and slap on a wee bit more mayo...but those thoughts are tossed aside once I bite into the bread. Oh, the bread! The bread is delish and has the most wonderful aroma! It's almost like the bread that I used to get at New Paris Bakery. Light and airy with a delicate glossy, crunchy exterior. Even better news, is that they sell their baguettes as well as these fantastic sandwich rolls. They have sesame and wheat usually up front in the cases but if you order at the counter, they have freshly baked garlic rolls. Buy the garlic rolls! They're quite big (think roughly the size of a mini-Nerf football) and are only 4 for a $1. They're great for making sandwiches at home (which is what I do since I can stuff as much filling as I want in them) or for just noshing on with some soft cheese or pate. If you don't see them on the bread rack right behind the cashier, just ask; they'll bring out some fresh out of the oven ones from the back.

Currently: $1.75 small banh mi, $3.00 full-sized banh mi.
Baguettes $1.00, Rolls 4/$1.
Cash only.

Huong Lan Sandwiches

6930 65th Street Suite 109, Sacramento, CA 95823. (916) 429-9999. (Located around the corner from the SF Market)

There's a certain self-satisfaction and smugness to getting all your Christmas shopping done two weeks early. Yep, that's right folks...you heard me correctly--I'm done TWO WEEKS early. It took me 37 years to get to that point, but this year I'm finished with plenty of time to spare. No sitting in holiday traffic, having to pushing my way through throngs of people at the mall or getting elbowed at the register this year for me. All my shopping is done...barring a few gifts on their way via UPS. It's a great feeling. All I have left to do between now and Christmas is to pour myself a big glass of wine, bake a few cookies and watch "Elf," a half dozen times. (I love it when Will Ferrell hisses, "You stink...you smell like beef and cheese, you don't smell like Santa!") Anyhow, my holiday shopping's done so you know what that means...my pocketbook is e-m-p-t-y...but no worries. That's what Huong Lan Sandwiches is for. For $2.75 you can grab one of their yummy banh mi sandwiches. They're sooooo good. If you've never had a banh mi before, the best way to describe it is that it's kind of like a Vietnamese sub sandwich. Huong Lan uses a fresh crunchy baguette slathered with a house mayo mix which they stuff with your choice of meat, julienned pickled daikon and carrots, some cilantro, onion and top it with a few sliced jalapeños. The meat choices range from bbq grilled pork, steamed pork, chicken, pâté, sardines and there's even a vegetarian choice. The sandwiches are super filling and delicious. A combo of sweet, tangy, salty, crunchy and spicy...perfect for lunch, dinner or anytime in between. The set up at Huong Lan is pretty simple. When you walk in there's tables to the left. If you want table service sit down. If you want takeout, walk to the back right corner and place your order at the counter. There's a giant illuminated picture menu above, for easy reference. Just tell the cashier what number sandwich you'd like to order, pay for your purchase and wait. They'll call your order out when it's ready. Just think- with all the money you save, you'll be rollin' in the green just in time for the new year.

* Tip: Bring cash (there's a minimum purchase amount for credit/debit purchases)