Ba'get has two locations in the CBD and is a solid choice for a banh mi (Vietnamese baguette sandwich). I go every couple of weeks and there's usually a queue, but it moves fast.
I like Ba'get because it tastes very fresh. It doesn't feel like their ingredients have been languishing on the counter for hours and hours (unlike certain other banh mi chains). I also like their décor and atmosphere (both this location and their Elizabeth Street location have pleasant interiors for a "quick lunch" type of place).
One small complaint I have in general about Ba'get is that the bread is kinda scratchy and flakes all over the place. Yes, yes, I get that these are baguettes and therefore supposed to be scratchy/flaky, but if you're a busy bee like me who often eats at your desk, the flaky bread is a little annoying. As neat as I try to be by putting my sandwich on a giant plate, bread flakes still go EVERRRRRYWHERE. In fact, I swear my "K" key was stuck for the longest time because a flake of my Ba'get sandwich got stuck in my keyboard. Ha! (gross I know)
And I really like that their vegan options are clearly marked on the menu. I always get the Buddha's Tofu banh mi -- and again, I'm not much of a tofu fan, but this tofu is really nicely marinated and cooked, which makes all the difference in the world when it comes to tofu. To make it vegan, you just have to ask for no egg butter. Ditto for their Crisp Salad banh mi.
They also do a Buddha's Tofu Vermicelli Bowl and a Crisp Salad Vermicelli Bowl, both of which are vegan and contain similar ingredients to the banh mi, but in a bowl instead of a baguette.
They also have a few snacks like spring rolls, sesame doughnuts, and Vietnamese cassava cake (which sadly is NOT vegan -- it contains eggs. This devastates me because I love love love cassava and this cake absolutely does not need eggs. I hope Ba'get changes the ingredients to make it vegan because I will seriously order this every week if they do. All my money will go to fund my cassava addiction. I will mainline it into my system.)
So. Anyway. Aside from the messiness factor of the flaky bread, Ba'get is a solid lunch option for fresh-tasting banh mi's in the city. read more