Banh Mi Express

Small hole in the wall place. Ordered the beef banh mi and shrimp spring rolls. Standard toppings for the bahn mi and very delicious. Their bread is probably the best quality I've had in the area. The beef was marinated in lemon grass and delightful. Shrimp spring rolls were basic but abundantly filled with lettuce, rice noodle and green onion. Dipping sauce was a peanut and hoisin mixed together with a hint of fish sauce. They sell coffee, tea, and bun bowls too. I'll be back here when I go in to the office for work. Quick service and friendly staff.

I wanted something light, so I came here for a banh mi. It was on a Tuesday afternoon and there was no one inside. It was quiet with some relaxing musing playing. One of the workers sweeping, but went to the back to wash his hands and help me right away. I ordered the #7 Grilled Beef Banh Mi and it was fire. The bread was fresh, hot and crunchy. The beef was flavorful and the veggies tasted fresh.

This banh mi sandwich shop in Kearny Mesa has changed names multiple times. I don't know if the ownership remains the same as when the original business first debuted several years ago. The suite was fairly small and hasn't experienced any major upgrades with a few tables available for on-site dining. The parking lot at the Ruffin Village can be congested at peak meal times as there are plenty of dining options in this plaza.My visit occurred during the final hour of operation, however I don't think any item was sold out or unavailable. The menu screens displayed eleven varieties of banh mi, egg rolls, five combination specials, five kinds of spring rolls, and beverages (coffee, iced teas, smoothies). I do believe the variety of choices has been slimmed down from its predecessor (e.g. chè and desserts were no longer offered). All of the sandwiches were priced at either $6.99 or $7.59. Back in the day, that would be considered expensive, however it's about the norm in 2024. I chose the #1 Banh Mi Special which was a Dac Biet and the Shrimp Spring Rolls. The sandwich ingredients were cold cut ham, pork, chicken liver pate, mayonnaise, pickled daikon, carrots, cucumber, jalapeno, and cilantro. The bread was crusty on the exterior and soft in the inside. The size was pretty good with a solid amount of meat and pate. Two pieces came with the spring roll order along with a traditional peanut dipping sauce. The rolls were standard in portion size. Overall, I gave a 3.5 star rating for my takeout meal at Banh Mi Express.

The eatery changed hands and menu seems smaller, but still a great place to grab a banh mi. Banh mi with tax is about $8, but full of meat and veggies! I had the special and was surprised at how flavorful and meaty the sandwich tasted.I would go again, but beware parking lot has tight spots and will get busy and full during lunch hour.

Recommend banh mi here. Taste 90% like the one I had in Vietnam. Full fill my belly just with half of it.

Banh Mi Express on Clairemont Mesa: "B- or 3.5 stars" meaning "Not bad, reasonable choice if in the area, and it's difficult to find a better restaurant." One word to describe the sandwiches, "generous!" But taste wise, Paris Sandwiches for the win. The banh mi battle continues! Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe has been on my "to try" list forever, but Yelp indicates that it's closed. I was informed the restaurant is now called "Banh Mi Express" under new ownership but with the same kitchen staff. I happened to be in the area, so off I went! It's a small take out shop with dine-in seating for around 15 people. Ample parking and right next to the highway, so quite convenient.Cafe sua da (B- ): Good coffee intensity, appropriate amount of condensed milk, and no "Nescafe" creamer taste. However, the coffee was missing the distinct smokiness that makes it Vietnamese. Still pretty good, but resembled a local coffee shop attempting a Vietnamese coffee rather than what one would expect from an authentic establishment.I ordered my usual grilled pork banh mi (B- ) and a chicken banh mi (B-), and it was difficult to tell them apart. The good, they give lots of everything! Big loaves of warm, crusty bread, but lacked moistness on the inside. Lots of crunchy pickled vegetables, but lacked the wonderfully intense brightness I expected. And lots of meat too, more than any of the other places I've visited, but again, not as good as some other spots I've tried. I'm guessing the same marinade was used for both meats, but unfortunately, they were both dry and a little light on the flavor. It took careful discernment to distinguish the chicken from the pork and that's not a good thing. Ultimately, I'd only come again if I was in the area because there are better spots.--------------------------------Food Grading Scale:A+: Life changing. You remember these bites for the rest of your life. Occurs very infrequently and when it does, you'll know it. You don't even know how to further improve it with a magic wand.A: Wow! Excellent. You felt happy biting into it. You're considering whether it's life changing, but know it misses the mark. A-: Very very good. Whatever it is, it's one of the best, but you can think of further improvements.B+: Very good. Very enjoyable, not to the point of "impressive," but worth revisiting. B: Good. A solid example of whatever it is, offering enjoyment, but not enough for making an effort to get.B-: Not bad. If in a pinch to eat something, this offers some enjoyment and is a reasonable option.C+: Mediocre plus. Pretty average, but with one or two positive characteristics you can identify. C: Mediocre. "Meh". Very average. Not bad enough to make you angry, but nothing good about it at all. C-: Bad. You recognize it for what it is, but a very bad rendition. Your foodie self is a little pissed, and feeling like a dummy you ordered it. D: Awful. Whoever cooked it should be ashamed of themself. Somehow, you still managed to swallow a bite.F: WTF is this? Inedible. One chew, you had to spit it out. Fire the chef.

Originally this space was Banh Mi Bakery and Cafe and during COVID it got bought out by Phuong Nga Bakery and Cafe. That place changed the original recipes and it was not good at all, no flavor, and hard bread. But the original bread maker bought them out and has brought back the original recipes! Hell yeah! He's so nice and always have a big smile on his face and you can tell he loves what he does.The bread is made fresh daily. The outside of the bread is lightly crispy and a soft fluffy core. To me it is all about the bread. Because you can put anything in it even if its mediocre fillings, but if the bread is not good and you put in whatever toppings, it's just going to be all right. But if the bread is good with ok fillings, it makes up for it and makes it taste better. The bread does not hurt the roof of your mouth like some places I've experienced. Where it is hard and crunchy on the outside and you're trying hard to eat but giving your mouth an intense beating on the inside.I got the Banh Mi Ga Nuong (Grilled Chicken Sandwich). Bread was bomb. It comes with the standard house mayo, pickled radish and carrots, cilantro, cucumber, and jalapeno. The chicken was marinated with almost like light soy flavoring mixed with lemongrass and some sesame seeds. Tender and not dried out. Very flavorful! Light sweetness, savory, you can totally taste the lemongrass with its mild citrus and sharp ginger punch. The pickled radish and carrots were cut not too thin and not too thick which was to my liking because you can get hints of flavor of everything in the sandwich instead of a big wad of pickled veggies. Wished that the veggies were a little bit more pickled. The mayo was buttery and light. The jalapeno, halfway in it wasn't spicy and then I got to the other half and OMG the heat! Super spicy which is what I was waiting for because I have dragon's breath. If you don't want too much heat, have them remove the seeds or opt out of having the jalapeno. They also serve rice noodle dishes, egg rolls, Vietnamese coffee, and more. Will be back to try the rice noodle dish and the tofu banh mi.

Food: Banh Mi sandwiches along with the noodle, e.g. are quite good. Being a regular customer since before the name changed. It is nice to support local owned business. Service: 4/5 Always accommodating and dependable. Ambiance: 4/5 Pleasant always. Interior is always clean. Inside and outside seating are available; depending on if one is on a rush. Otherwise, suggest order to go.

Great Vietnamese sandwiches. This is my second time here. I've eaten their two vegetarian sandwiches both with tofu and I was left fully satisfied. I also had their egg rolls which came out piping hot and served with lettuce, pickled carrots and daikon, and fish sauce. Service was a bit slow the second time around, but they did apologize. The place is small and clean with a few tables. It's mainly a take-out joint. I'm looking forward to returning again.

The best Banh Mi Sandwiches. I would come here often when I worked close by. Now I relocated and come here once in a while. I miss being close because I have not found a place this good!!!!!! If you haven't tried it yet I recommend you to come and see for yourself!!!