Ba-Le Sandwich Shop

I have only gotten bubble drinks and a steam pork sandwich from them and both were fine. However, unlike my favorite Bale, this place doesn’t heat up the bread. Maybe their toaster is broken or maybe I just need to request for it next time? I have no idea.
The workers are friendly and they work fast. This is located in Pearlridge Sears next to Zippy’s. Be sure to bring munnies with you as this place is cash only.

I ordered a roast beef sandwich to go. The service was fast, super friendly and delicious.
I can’t wait to come back for another one! :)

A sandwich is just a sandwich unless it comes in a mini French baguette. The problem with that is the bread is extremely hard to bite into. Physically crushing the bread’s crunchy shell with your hands is required before biting into it. After that, good luck trying to chew because the bread’s interior is not fluffy soft.

I love Ba-​Le sandwiches. The chicken sandwich with extra mayonnaise, to be exact. The banh mi with pickled radishes and carrots, toasted on a baguette is the bomb.
I’ve eaten at a few different Ba-​Le locations, and at each location the sandwich is slightly different. Even the prices are different for the same item. I’m pretty sure that it’s franchised but they need tighter quality control. Imagine going to different McDonald’s, and the fries and burgers were slightly different at each one.
This is the first time I’ve eaten at the Pearlridge location. I’m usually at the one at Ward. The prices here are cheaper than at Ward. The egg roll here is $ 1.00 compared to $ 1.50 at the Ward location. The sandwiches are also about $ 0.50 cents less here.
I like the sandwiches here because they toast it until it’s really crispy. At Ward, they toast it but it’s still on the harder side. The baguette that they use here is also shorter than that of Ward and they put less mayonnaise, hence the price difference. Other than that, it taste pretty much similar.
We also ordered a white chocolate smoothie. It was really good, not too sweet with a strong flavor.

Will go with 4 stars on this place for now. Had their Bale special sandwich and lemonade for lunch today. The sandwich had very fresh ingredients and the French roll l was perfect. I liked that it was filling, but also light.
Will be back to try one of their other sandwiches… will let you guys fight over the phở. I like saimin, or udon better.
:-)

My client picked me up a tuna sandwich from here it was fantastic. Its not your typical tuna sandwich which I loved. I will have to go to this shop myself and get some grub!

Im not a huge fan of the phở here, but the Deluxe Vegetarian sandwich on french bread is delish! Eggplant, zucchini, onion, and the standard carrot/​daikon mix. Im pretty much addicted to it. The owner, a Vietnamese man who usually works the counter, is always really friendly. Good food, GREAT value.

I find myself at Pearlridge A LOT. It is often difficult to find something to eat in the mall food courts that isn’t fried, greasy, or unappetizing, but Ba-​Le stands as a fast-​food joint with mom-​and-​pop care and outstanding flavors!
Ba-​Le sandwiches, which can be served on french bread or croissants, are packed full of pickled daikon, carrots, and cilantro. The delicious flavors dance circles around anything Subway has to offer. And the fresh french bread, baked daily, has a perfect crunchy shell and soft interior.
I have also ordered their Rice Noodle Bowls and Summer Rolls. I really like the Veggie Spring Roll Rice Noodle Bowl which comes with pickled daikon, carrots, cucumbers, and iceberg lettuce. While it is not the best Cold Vermicelli I have had, it is great for mall standards! The Summer Rolls, which are overflowing with shrimp and vegetables, is a meal in itself!

This is my favorite place on the island for tofu phở! Simple and tasty broth, rice noodles and sweet tofu with just bean sprouts! You get it piping steamy hot! My other favorite from here is the tuna with French bread — crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside, with pickled veggies and tuna! Their chicken and veggie lumpia is also yummy with the sweet sauce! The other favorite is white chocolate symphony smoothie with pearls! That’s all I ever order from here — the best!

Picking up fresh bread. So good.

Love that ba-​le special on french bread with peppers. Nice to drive down the street for a quick lunch.

I really like the sandwiches here. I had a chicken sandwich with pickled veggies on a croissant, and my dad got their lemongrass chicken sandwich, also with pickled veggies, on a baguette. Both of our sandwiches were very tasty and good, but I really wish they would put more chicken in them. It was a bit sparse… I remember getting their tuna sandwiches before and they were pretty generous with the tuna. Not sure if they’ve been cutting back lately? The coconut tapioca was very good, and also the chocolate tapioca was even better (if you love chocolate, as I do). It cost roughly 16 bucks for 2 sandwiches and 2 tapiocas; not too bad… I would come back again to try their bubble drinks and more sandwiches. A lot of people were in line for sandwiches and bubble drinks… Definitely worth trying if you’re ever in Pearlridge Mall (located in Sears next to Zippy’s by their automotive department).

I’m not someone who usually eats vietnamese food. I do not like pickles and I absolutely hate cilantro and other green garnishes. But Ba-​Le, I like!
I feel like the dishes here are fairly healthy depending on what you pick. The sandwiches are always crispy and freshly made. I really like the summer rolls (although I wish they had less noodles and more shrimp/​chicken in them. Their chicken and veggie lumpia for $ 1 each, while deep fried, are in my opinion one of the best lumpia on the island. All of the dishes are cheap too. I got 2 ½ meals and my total was around $ 14. Wow! The portions were very good and I loved all the dishes I got. And they were made quickly even though there were a couple people ahead of me in line!
The woman behind the counter here was very friendly. Just a tip, it is cash only!

what: contemporary vietnamese fare made from scratch for those who want a taste of vietnamese culture and history!
something good: i’m not a huge vietnames food eater… i think because i never really grew up with the spices or the food in my childhood. but i love, love, love the tapioca they have here! i crave for it all the time :) !! the gentleman who works here is so kind and sweet to my sister and i, since we visit here so frequently for dessert! :) best ba-​le location! everyone go and try the tapioca!
something not so good: hmmm… nothing i can think of! i just wish the mall didn’t close so early so that i could get this dessert during my late night sweet tooth cravings: D
something to try: coconut tapioca (2.95)

I have only tried their green papaya salad and its the best salad that i have ever tried. The fish sauce is so tasty. I would come back for more papaya salad and will try other food too

Back in 2002 to 2005, I use to work at Zippy’s Pearlridge. In the Sears, to the left of Napolean Bakery is Ba-​Le. This is a Vietnamese food store. Never really knew what Vietnamese food was like. I never really understand what the Eiffel tower had to do with Vietnamese food, till I started to learn more about world history in college. French settling in South East Asian. They had a lot of influences with the Vietnamese culture including food. Ok good to know…
It is strange because I never really tried too much of the foods here. I think the first couple things I did try from this place was the mocha and coffee bubble drinks.
Then one day my mom introduces me to phở. This is a soup made with beef broth and beef. You can add bean sprouts and mint leaves to it. It was new to me. I never ever heard of, «phở». I thought it was actually called «f_​ck?» lol. I know I am crazy. I tried it the first time and thought it was ok. I was not crazy for it at first. Who would of known that this would be the beginning of my love for phở…
Besides phở, they have sandwiches with cilantro, carrots, and daikon on french bread and fried spring rolls. The owner and wife that work here are very kind. Definitely a place to stop by when your walking around Sears Pearlridge.

Mmmm french bread sandwiches with the yummy pickled daikon, carrot, and cilantro for only $ 5! It’s kinda fun because the nice middle-​aged Viet man behind the counter always jokes around with me. Today’s joke: «Hey, why you start work so late today? Or you getting a sandwich to go home and take nap? ha ha ha!» Get extra veggies or change it up and ask for a croissant sandwich or sriracha or jalapenos.
The chicken vegetable (yes, they are chicken AND vegetable, not chicken OR vegetable) lumpia for $ 1 come heated, crisp, and with a small container of vinegary fish sauce (it’s better than it sounds). Perfect for that quick, on the go, munch attack! I’m also a fan of the bun/​cold vermicelli noodles with spring rolls and lettuce and pickled veggies.
The various tapioca flavors are not really recommended because of the overgelatinous ‘hard’ quality of the pudding.
Cash only, and don’t expect a receipt!

Bottom Line: Great value and good food!
I’ve had the manapua, lemongrass chicken french bread sandwich, and the tapioca here.
All were EXCELLENT. It’s also one of the new places where you can get some decent food for $ 6. The manapua will set you back less than $ 3, and it’s pretty good size for a big snack, or small lunch.
The service is good and friendly, despite them not speaking great english.
Bring cash though — machines don’t work.

This little Vietnamese food concession is inside of Sears, which is inside of Pearlridge shopping mall. They have mostly Viet sandwiches (Banh mi), but also serve some Bun dishes (vermicelli noodle plates) and the popular Phở noodle bowls.
Go for the Banh Mi, it is probably the best choice. Reasonably priced. The other stuff, you can get better outside of Sears, outside of the Mall.

I like this place. I like it a lot.
Though, only until recent, I discovered it was a Vietnamese sandwich shop (got thrown off by the Effiel Tower on their logo), I just thought they made really great sandwiches.
Their veggies mixed, dipped, or marinated (whatever they do) in that kind of tangy but hard to describe dressing… with that nice hint of… I think it’s parsley… goes so well with the fresh French bread they serve the sandwiches on. You also have the option of croissants, but I just have always preferred the French bread.
I also have almost always gone to this particular location, though other Unilocal reviews seemed to have located other spots closer to where I frequent… this for me, seems to be the most convenient as it is on the ground floor next to Sears at the Pearlridge Shopping Center.
Although definitely a step down from the food court, as the seating is a shared space for patrons from Zippy’s, Napoleon’s Bakery, and this Japanese spot… it can get a little dirty. Not sure who is actually responsible for cleaning up after the customers (aside from the customers themselves, that is).
But regardless of that, you can always take your food home to go… or be like me, stop by before the long flight back to the east coast, and grab a sandwich for the plane ride.
I hear there is a Vietname Sandwich shop somewhere near the Gramercy Park area in New York… I can only hope its equivalent to Ba-​Le.