Eating Good In the Neighborhood

No, Applebee’s did not open in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. (Not yet at least.)

It’s Banh Mi, an authentic Vietnamese eatery with all the staples: bubble tea, pho, bun and, like the name implies, Bahn Mi! They took over where the Curves gym once was and I am delighted to welcome them to my neighborhood, the WES (I just made that up: Williamsburg, East Side). So, Grand street is hot for development now as gentrification follows the path of the L-train. Upscale bars, restaurants and vintage shops are replacing the run-down storefronts that connect each stop and the oversized nerd glasses count on the sidewalks has increased. I welcome new food variety happily but hope not for an extension of the Bedford Avenue hullabaloo.

Banh Mi has minimal vegan options, true to Vietnamese cuisine. I tried the vegan banh mi, stuffed with pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber and cilantro along with a soy-meat slice, standard Asian-style soy science meat. The sandwich was perfect as the processed veg-meat was minimal and the deliciously fresh veggies took center stage. A veggie bahn mi is the quintessential summer sandwich: it’s cold, fresh and tasty. Interestingly, the last time I had one was last sweltering summer, report here.

I’ll definitely be back to Bahn Mi soon. After all, summer has just begun.