Huong Lan Sandwich

This place is worth the drive to get a Vietnamese sandwich in my opinion. It adds the feel of an Asian community while eating it instead of hitting a Lee’s that could be located anywhere! The sandwiches are really tasty and pretty cheap! I also love to get an order of duck over rice while there as that adds so much flavor to the meal!
It’s not the most modern or clean place, but somehow that adds to the joy of getting the sandwich :-)

Massive sandwich for a super cheap price. Cool little market. Those are the top 2 things I remember. Oh, and the super sketch, highly congested traffic vicinity.
My sandwich: #7 Thit Nuong.
I remember it came on a big fluffy roll, had some interesting– flavored mayo, lots of veggies, so different and so good.
I wish I bought some of the sweet treats but I can’t read anything besides typical English letters, so I played it safe and just thought about eating them. :)
Would I go back? Yeah, maybe.

Wanted a banh mi but didn’t to drive far all the way to Capitol for one.
Store is very old and dirty looking and we found some moldy sliced bread on the shelf when we were waiting in line. The BF wanted to turn back and leave but I said that the sandwiches should be fine since it was a different kind of bread and that this place has such high ratings.
We each ordered the #2 but I wanted extra pâté on mine. Expected to be charged $.25 cents for extra pâté like other sandwich places but I was charged a whooping $.75 cents. Don’t order extra pâté!!! You hardly get any extra here. It was literally just the regular amount and a tiny bit more, not worth the extra money.
I was not amazed by this place, it wasn’t amazing. They are pretty stingy with their pâté and meat. For the price of their sandwich, you can go elsewhere where you’ll get a much bigger and better tasting sandwich for the same price if not less.

O-​M-​G. I just had a foodgasm! Everything I’ve known about what makes a good sandwich has been obliterated. My co-​worker brought me to this place today for lunch; he’s been bragging about this place forever, saying they serve the best sandwiches, and I can definitely vouch that it’s worth the 20 minute drive south from Palo Alto to get it.
This place is a Vietnamese café /​grocery store. In addition to their sandwich menu, they have other items laid out on tables for you to buy. We bought a package of fresh, spring rolls, and two pork Vietnamese sandwiches (item #7). The sandwich looks very unassuming, but when you take a bite, it’s like nothing you’ve ever had before: fresh, flaky, country bread that’s soft on the inside; marinated, tangy vegetables; and the best cooked pork ever. Altogether, it’s foodgasm worthy. If you’re a dude, I suggest buying two sandwiches for lunch. Believe me, you’ll eat them both.

Oh man. Get #6 grilled pork sandwich for only $ 3.50! It was one of the best Viet sandwiches I’ve ever had! The sauce was soo good, and it even had fried onions! What?! Best $ 3.50 ever.
Also tried #1 which was also good! Ham, pâté, and cheese, different flavor, less Vietnamese taste, compared to #6 in my opinion. Also $ 3.50!
There’s also all sorts of ready-​made lunches! Got the shrimp spring rolls and Chinese sausage/​egg spring roll, $ 4.50 each. The Chinese sausage/​egg spring roll was really good!
OVERALL: bomb cheap food that you could take to go. Now this is my kind of fast food restaurant! Haha

Whyyyy has it taken me soooo long to find this holy place of Vietnamese banh mi!!! My life is finally complete! This place literally has the best banh mi I’ve ever had in my life.
I had the ever popular #1 with ham and pâté. The pâté is soooo good! That’s what makes this place a star. I feel like I’m gushing, but it’s really the only way to describe the pâté. I also love the bread here. A lot of places have really hard baguettes that scrape the roof of your mouth and tire out your jaw from all the chewing, but the bread here is surprisingly soft compared to other banh mis I’ve had.
The springs rolls here were also delicious and tasted relatively fresh. (you know how some places have the spring rolls sitting out on the table for daaayyys).
My boyfriend had the grilled pork sandwich and the pork was really flavorful and good.
The line can get long occasionally but it’s well worth the wait and they make the sandwiches pretty quickly.
After eating here, I will never go to Lee’s Sandwiches ever again.

I dropped by here to grab some to-​go food and was happy with an inexpensive, but delicious meal. I liked how there were different options (bun, spring rolls, rice sheets, etc.) with different sauces. There were small and big portions, with different price points as well.

MUST ORDER THE «BANH MI HEO QUAY»
its not on the menu but you wont regret it.
youre welcome.

Pâté chaud with flavorless Pâté
Dry and sad baguette for the #1 Pâté and headcheese bahn mi also with flavorless Pâté
Ch qu nng was also tired and flavorless
Bottom line was none of it was ‘fresh’ (around 6pm on a random day).
Did they have a bad day? Perhaps don’t go after 5pm? You be the judge … here’s to counterbalancing the hyperbolic 5 star ‘bomb’ review nonsense from people that wouldn’t know a good pâté chaud if it smacked them in the face!

Sandwiches and more, but hey this ain’t no numbers game! A friend of mine shared this spot with me long ago and I’ve been to others since.
Here and there, there are different versions. Lucky aren’t we? To see them all around each New Year! Enjoy!

I am a big sandwich fan, whether its baguettes or simple wheat bread. I visited this place twice within the same week. This tells you how good they are. The first time I came, I was a little skeptical as the outside of the building looked run down. However, don’t let the outside scare you because the food is quite delicious. On my first run here, I ordered two sandwiches. The thit nuong and thit nguoi. I personally thought the thit nguoi was better. I enjoyed the crisp of the sandwich, the lard spread through out, and the meat itself. The thit nguong was slightly too sweet for my taste. It was very different from the thit nguong I usually order in San Diego. The veggies — carrots, daikon, and peppers — were fresh and tasty.
On my second trip here, I bought a long baguette and cha siu. The baguette was good; however, it wasn’t creamy. It also didn’t have that wonderful baguette smell. It may have been because I bought it on a Wednesday, so it could have been old. The cha siu was great! I absolutely loved it. It was sweet, but not too sweet, and the meat itself was delicious. It had a good combination of fat and meat.
I will definitely be back to try the other BBQ meats. The customer service is quick so you don’t have to wait very long. The workers are nice, even if you choose not to speak Vietnamese or Chinese.

Don’t get the duck plate!!!
$ 7 for a LOT of rice and quarter of duck with bunch of bones and no meat & quarter of veggies.
So disappointed.
We were gonna get two item plate:
They said no more fried rice. So we wanted half of white and half of chow mein. They yelled out NO. Ok even Panda Express does that.
Forget it, we moved onto the sandwiches.
When we were about to pay, I wanted water. I asked for two cups and she charged me 50 cents.
Wtf?! Water is free wherever you go even if you don’t buy food. Lol so I grabbed my water bottles from my car and came back. I was gonna write a really really bad review. The lady came with the water cups and said «happy new year» lol ok.
Got bbq pork & grilled pork.
The bread tasted good but still gives you scratches on top of the roof. I don’t like that.
However bbq pork was sweet and grilled pork had onions and nuts inside. Seasoning was pretty decent.
Overall, I did not like my experience. I would NOT come back here.

umm. BOMB BOMB BOMB!
Personally, I love and prefer this place over Lee’s Sandwiches. Huong Lan is more authentic, CHEAPER, and soOOoo good! They have a variety of sandwiches (including vegetarian sandwich), ready-​to-​eat vietnamese plates, and much more!
What makes their sandwich stand out? Their pâté and sauce that is generously spread ALL over that bread. Ugh. So good.
I believe there’s a few locations in the bay area and I haven’t gone to one where I didn’t appreciate their food & services.
+ Accepts Credit Card
Come here and order a NUMBA 1!

Absolutely nothing bad to say about this place!
Solid sandwiches and boxed lunches/​dinners. Staff is super friendly and service is fast. Restrooms in the back that you need a code for. But ask any of the workers and they’ll let you know! The grilled pork ($ 3.50) is my go-​to and the flavors are so good mixed with the crunchiness of the bread. It’s not a true French baguette but the bread is still great. Traffic can be difficult but definitely give this a try if you’re in the area! (Also worth driving to even if you’re not in the area!)

Typical vietnamese place. Very authentic feel to a sandwich shop. They even have a butcher here who has one of the best roasted pig I had.
Came here specifically for their roasted pig, asked for 2-​lb cut near the sparerib section and the chop came out perfectly nice with great texture and flavor in bone, meat and skin.
If you’re looking for roasted pig, vietnamese style! Come here! and ask for the cut near the sparerib portion.

Pros
Cheap good sandwiches. $ 3.50 for delicious grilled pork banh mi
Spring rolls are quality
Small rice entrees packaged for cheap meal
Big chinese deli section
Large seating area
What’s the bathroom code today?
Best fish chili sauce sold here
Cons
Homeless people outside
Deli section is so so. Be selective
I come here once a week or whenever in area. Hard to beat prices and quality sammys

I use to come here on the DAILY, always picking up multiple Banh Mi Chays for the road.
I would grab one and eat it in the car on the way to work.
I would buy a couple and pack it for a road trip.
Perfect for a day at the Amusement Park-​store in a cooler in your car and don’t spend $$$ on fried crap!
They use to be $ 3 a pop. Unfortunately, it seems like they had raised it to $ 3.25, and now again to $ 3.50! Nooo…
Fortunately, the quality is still great. I love the crispness of the baguette. The pickled veggies are not too overpowering. The veggie meat, or «bi chay» is plentiful.
They also sell various pre-​packaged Vietnamese food, such as Banh Bot Loc or Banh Nam. They even sell them in vegetarian versions!
Even though they’ve raised their prices, it isn’t quite as exorbitant as the prices in San Francisco… yet. So I’m still thankful for that.

Huong Lan Sandwiches (HLS) is one of the oldest Bánh mì shops in SJ; I’ve been told by some East Siders that it is *the* original Bánh mì shop in SJ, but I don’t have any evidence of that. With multiple locations throughout Cali, HLS is one of the biggest local chains in the state. HLS was also featured in the 2002 PBS Documentary «Sandwiches That You Will Like» (
), and is the perennial favorite Bánh mì shop for most SJ residents – as evidenced by their Unilocal 4.5-star average. HLS is not my #1 spot, but is definitely in my Top 5. Here’s a quick rundown:
Sandwiches:
Bread– Always fresh, super crusty and a soft interior makes this the quintessential Bánh mì bread of choice. Be warned that the crusty exterior will «Cap’n Crunch» your mouth if you’re not careful. 4*
Meat– I typically stick with their #1: Thit Nguoi (Ham, Pâté, & Headcheese), as I’m a sucker for Headcheese and their Pâté is sweet and just the right amount of livery flavor. Their #8: Cá Mòi (Sardines) is a close 2^nd for me – as I can’t get enough of those fishy little guys (gotta get those Omega-​3s, son!) and the Tomato Sauce they coat them in is a terrific accompaniment. They give you plenty of meat, but if you’re feeling extra hungry I’d suggest adding on for a paltry 75¢ extra. 4.5*
Veggies– Fresh, crisp and just the right amount of pickled veggies. They definitely add to the sandwich, instead of detracting from it. 4*
Service & Ambiance– HLS is located in one of ESSJ’s most «urban» locations, and is always surrounded by Local Outdoor Enthusiasts (LOE) begging for spare change. Lately, the LOE have become so brazen that they’re sauntering into the store and harassing the customers while the employees do nothing. 1*
Value– This is definitely HLS’s strong suit, as you can get a delicious sandwich for only $ 3.25, and throw in some spring rolls, or a Bubble Tea drink, and still keep it well under $ 10. Also, their Roasted Duck Rice Plate is a terrific value at only $ 6! 5*
HLS is more than sandwiches, as they’re also a full-​service Viet deli, as well – with Roast Ducks hanging in the window and everything! Odds are if it’s Viet and you want it, then HLS has it. For me I’ll stick with the Bánh mì, but from all the bits I’ve sampled here over the years it’s all good.

I have been going to the Huong Lan in Newark (
) for years, since it is close to my house, and is conveniently located right next to Fantasia (
). However, I always knew that as far as Vietnamese sandwiches go, while certainly more than passable, it is far from the best. Heck, the Tri-​Cities area isn’t necessarily known as a hotbed for this type of cuisine, so in order to experience some of the good stuff, I had to come straight down to the source.
And wow, I must say that this San José location completely blows the Newark one away. The general taste of the sandwich is about the same, but the bread is much fresher and crispier, the meat is much juicier and more ample, and quite simply, it is just plain better overall. Of course, a much more discriminating audience coupled with a higher amount of foot traffic will lead to that. Prices are about the same, at around $ 3.25, with an extra $ 0.75 for additional meat. If you are in the mood for something else, there is also a deli section with Chinese BBQ items and plate lunches.
The seating area is a bit worn, but the staff takes good care of it, as I constantly see them wiping down the tables. The restrooms require a passcode, which ensures relative cleanliness.
I’m rarely in this part of town (although the upcoming Round 1 at Eastridge might change all that), but perhaps in the future I’ll find some excuses to come on down to satisfy a sandwich craving. The Newark location just won’t ever be the same again.

At $ 3.50 for a combination banh mi, you really can’t go wrong, until hours later when you realize that the roof of your mouth is torn up from the crust on the otherwise soft french roll. I inhaled every bit of this sandwich, and loved it. I liked that you can grab and go, or sit at some of the tables inside. Added bonus, even though the line was long (even in the mid afternoon), the wait is really fast.
The place is kinda run-​down looking, but a fresh coat of paint and a good power washing outside wouldn’t hurt. But don’t be put off by its «charm», you can see into the very clean kitchen inside.
Pro-​tip: Cash only, and they don’t have an ATM machine inside.

Came here and picked up some kind of rolls with meat inside, banh bot loc, banh it, and the #1 sandwich.
4* for the banh it, banh bot loc, & sauce for the rolls.
3* for the actual rolls and the sandwich (it just didn’t do it for me; not sure why… maybe it could have used more mayo and a diff type of pâté. I would also recommend double meat if they offer it)
However, I see that people love the sandwiches here. I think I’ll have to come back and try some of the other ones.

All I have to say is, BYE LEE’S SANDWICHES (jk I still love your coffee).
Hands down my favorite sandwich place in South Bay (trust the Vietnamese), especially for such a great price. Stopped by Huong Lan before our long day hike to get sandwiches for lunch and it was the best decision of the day (screw the 12 miles hike). The sandwich was stuffed with possibly the best pâté I’ve had. I got the Fish Cake Banh Mi. The fish cake was juicy and not dry or rubber-​y like other places I’ve had. Overall, delicious.
If you’re debating about where to go to get a sandwich in San Jose, just go here.

Yum! I love Vietnamese sandwiches and this is probably my go-​to from now on. There’s a closer location to me, but this is their first branch and it’s definitely the best branch. It is definitely worth driving here from Fremont to get some delicious sandwiches!
Like most places that sell Vietnamese sandwiches, there are a lot of variety in terms of what you want on the sandwich. Most are pretty standard, like the grilled pork, ham, and etc. You honestly can’t go wrong with anything on that menu.
I got the pork one (#2) and it was so good! Although I’m a little sad on the meat to veggie ratio, I can look past that. It’s still very delicious! That bread though. It’s so fresh, so crunchy, so flakey, it’s the best!
This place probably has the best Vietnamese sandwiches I’ve ever had. I will be coming back whenever I’m craving!

I had a craving for bahn mi while in San Jose and was led here by Unilocal only to discover I had found a place that served some of my favorite childhood snacks all under one roof.
I was SO EXCITED when I saw that they served AVOCADO SHAKE [4*]!! My husband, who’s ancestors hailed from Mexico, seems to think I’m extremely weird for ever seeing avocado as something that could be sweetened or consumed as a dessert. (Because guacamole.) Well, that works out just fine for me… because while we usually like to share food/​drinks at new eateries to be able to try a larger variety of things, I was NOT planning on sharing my pearly and perfectly mildly-​sweetened Avocado Shake. Plus, we also got some delicious pearly THAI TEA [4*] that I WAS willing to share. ;-)
As far as the food, I tried the THIG NGUOI (ham, pâté, headcheese) bahn mi [3.5*] and BBQ PORK bahn mi [3*]. Before I asked my husband to place the order for the thig nguoi as I hung out with my tot, I read on another Unilocaler’s review that it would include pig’s ears (noms) as opposed to headcheese. They may have changed their menu since then because … nope. Still, it was a good sandwich. I just wish I would’ve paid an extra $ 0.75 for more meat because the ratios were a bit off for me. There was too much veggie, pickles (delicious and not too sweet), and bread for the amount of meat in the bahn mi. I would’ve also preferred a little more of their sauce. I generally felt the same way about the BBQ PORK bahn mi that I also tried. The PATE CHAUD [3.5*] was a good snack with a crumbly and light shell and a tasty filling.
They also sold a variety of other drinks, desserts, puddings, and snacks I commonly found in small bakeries or roadside stalls back home in Indonesia. What a blast… (from the past!) *snort-​chuckle*
And most things were under $ 3.50!
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
* Get extra meat because you get A LOT of bread and veggies.
* Order the avocado shake.
_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​_​
3÷5÷15
I just went back there today for lunch, mostly because I wanted more AVOCADO SHAKE [4*]. This time, I ordered the THIT NUONG (grilled pork) bahn mi with extra meat and added pâté [4.5*]. I also ordered a snack pack that included BAHN IT TRAN [3*] (sticky rice dumpling filled with beans) & BAHN BOT LOC [2.5*] (transparent shrimp dumplings). This time, the bahn mi was just perfect. I just loved how much meat it came with relative to the veggies and bread. I was not a fan of the bahn bot loc, which was filled with not just the shrimp meat but also its shell.

Huong Lan is my favorite Vietnamese sandwich/​snack shop in San Jose. It’s located in a sketchy strip mall and there’s usually some sort of random happenings in the parking lot (random car «repairs») and few homeless folks as well.
Vietnamese Sandwich
— Bread is super fresh and crunchy.
— Meat portions are okay. Extra meat for $.75 more!
— Light portion of vegetables too!
Banh Cuon
— Very thin and fresh rice noodles wrapped in peppered ground pork.
— Comes with a side of meatloaf!
Nem Nuong
— Collection of fresh rolls that are always super fresh. 2 or 3 counts that are priced accordingly!
They also have a variety of other snacks including grilled pork wrapped in thin vermicelli, vermicelli/​broken rice with grilled BBQ pork on top. Even their fried egg rolls are decent here too!
Service is friendly and they’re cash only. They do provide receipts! :)

Great if you need something quick, or to have on hand, whenever hunger strikes. Of course, there are other similar joints but this is my favorite because of their sandwiches. The meats they use just taste better and their baguette crust is not too hard nor soft. That means it is good to eat immediately or and can still toaster-​oven without drying it out.
I always get something for late night snacking and for next day breakfast/​lunch, usually extras for a other days meals. The variety of items and at different portion sizes allow you to have as little or as much food as you want (you can order large food trays too). There are many tables if you want to eat-​in too.
Bonus:
A VNese «banh mi»: (
).
SF Bay Area «banh mi» map (
).