Finding myself craving Bahn Mi, I Googled local restaurants, and found few choices…read more Van Loc were at the top of the list, so off to Chinatown I went. An unassuming store front led into a small shop, staffed by one sweet, elderly Vietnamese lady. Checked the menu out, and ordered the namesake sandwich, the Bahn Mi Van Loc. The nice lady set about building my sandwich, and filling it with an assortment of good things. This was a wonderful sandwich. Fresh ingredients, and a generous portion all on a fresh baked baguette bun. I have not eaten a lot of Bahn Mi, but this was far and away the best I have tasted, certainly in Edmonton. I will be returning to try other items on the menu, as I am certain they will all be equally wonderful. See my pictures for reference on size and portions.

I tried the Banh Mi Cha Bo from Van Loc a while back after hearing about it from people. It's…read moredefinitely worth trying: flavourful ingredients, crunchy bread, and EXCELLENT value (considering the prices of eating out nowadays)...so I'd give them 8.8/10

We actually stumbled upon this place on a whim. We were in the area to run some errands and quickly…read moresearched for a place to eat nearby. I saw Nhon Hoa and their banh mi pictures so I was willing to give it a try. That one decision made this place all the more special because it was a HIT. We walked inside and it was pretty small. There's two tables by the front and a narrow hallway by the side of the shop that fit a couple of smaller tables against the wall. Their menu was quite extensive, they had so many options to choose from. But we came for banh mi's, and they amazingly had so many meat options to choose from. My boyfriend got the Beef Satay banh mi, and I got the Lemongrass Chicken banh mi. Also they had a big drink menu too, so I got the Black Milk Tea with boba pearls. Service was pretty quick, wait time wasn't too long. The inside was pretty simple, very hole in the wall. We took it to go and enjoyed our food at home. So my first impression started with the Black Milk Tea with boba. From the first sip, I knew this place was going to be a certified banger. This wasn't a fancy boba place where I could customize the sugar and ice level to my liking at different percentages, but I was astounded that the sugar level was perfect. The hint of sweetness came from the boba pearls rather than the drink itself. I didn't even have to ask or customize, but this place nailed my palette and exactly how I like my boba. If they could do that, I knew that their sandwiches would deliver. And I was right. My Lemongrass Chicken sub was phenomenal. It was easy to tell that the bread was freshly made in house. The outside was toasted and slightly crispy, but not too hard where it scrapes the top of your mouth. But the inside part of the baguette was soft. The veggies inside tasted fresh and crisp. I don't know what's in that special mayo, but it coated the veggies and meat wonderfully. The Lemongrass Chicken was flavorful, had a great combination of sweet and savory. Both our sandwiches were wrapped and it helped so much keeping the contents and sauce from spilling everywhere. My boyfriend got a Beef Satay sub. Both sandwiches were superb and you can't go wrong choosing between the two, but I think I was a little bit more partial towards the Beef Satay. For me I tend to choose more savory in the sweet and savory combination, and I felt like the Beef Satay had the perfect savory and umami combination together. Flavor was a bit more deeper in the Beef Satay. I love banh mi and I have to say that this is the best banh mi I've ever had in my life. 5/5 for me. This banh mi is the one I'll always think of and compare to when I try other banh mi's. Nhon Hoa Sandwich Bar, you know what you're doing, you ATE, we ATE, you're just that girl. And I'll be loving you no matter how far we're apart.

Great little spot for a quick bite on a hot day. Fresh fruit bubble tea, salad rolls, vermicelli,…read moreVietnamese subs... what more could you ask for? There are 2 small tables inside and 2 small bistro size tables outside. Free one hour parking around the corner in front of medical supply store or paid parking out front on Whyte (But 15 minutes is free!) This has been my go to this dance comp season when I've got 1-2 hours to kill while my kiddo prepares to perform at the U of A. In the winter/colder months I like Remedy on 109th to kill time (free parking when you register your license plate). This week I had fresh fruit mango bubble tea (excellent and not too sweet), Vietnamese iced coffee (sweeter than I prefer so next time I'd ask for more ice or add a little water), and satay beef salad rolls (decent for a quick to go). The fresh baguettes baking in the back smelled divine but I didn't feel like eating much with this 27 degree early May heat. Two thumbs up! PS Cash and debit only!

Fresh bread made daily in store with all fresh ingredients. Kitchen is clean and one of the best…read moresandwiches around. Service was friendly and prompt. Will definitely be returning to this place for lunch again

We've been trying to find a good place for Vietnamese Subs and at last we found this place!…read moreIt seems like a small and cozy family business! The little place was very welcoming and the staff was very friendly and kind! We ordered chicken sate Banh Mi and Shrimp Salad Rolls and onion cake! The onion cake was the best we had and very delicious! The salad rolls were pretty good too! As for the sandwich, the buns were very fresh, soft and delicious! The food tasted pretty good and we loved it! We are very happy that we found this place and we will definitely go back there! This place is highly rec

Food is is excellent, and the ambiance of the restaurant is great. Have been going there for a…read morenumber of years and have never gotten a bad meal. I would highly recommend this restaurant.

My boyfriend took me here because it's one of his favorite restaurants in the area. And after…read moreeating here, I can understand why. The space had a bunch of tables to choose from. We came just before the lunch rush on the weekend so we had more seating options to choose from. Wait time wasn't too long for food. But I only saw one guy waiting on all the tables and a woman popping in and out to serve food from the kitchen, so that's understandable. We ordered the Green Onion Pancake and the Bun Bo Hue without pork. The Green Onion Pancake was fluffy, flavorful, and tasty. And the Bun Bo Hue was so delicious. The broth was light but still very good and flavorful too. There was a good amount of beef pieces and all the veggies tasted crunchy and fresh. Everything we ordered was fantastic. And the service was even better. We were greeted warmly, were always checked on, and we even shared part of our culture with the man serving us. I will never forget the way we were treated and how down to earth he was. This was the first time I was here but it definitely won't be the last. Thank you for taking care of us! We'll be back soon :)

Tasty, fresh, generous filling, inexpensive, and friendly. My favourite stop for Banh mi.read more

Let's talk bánh mì. It's the Vietnamese word for "bread" and it also refers to a pretty popular…read moresandwich. Baguettes were introduced to Vietnam by the French and in the 1950s the bánh mì sandwich was born, one of the original fusion foods. You can find endless versions of bánh mì today but the original (and arguably the best, in my opinion) usually involves a few different types of deli-style meat, pâté, chili, mayonnaise and is topped with cucumber, pickled carrots, pickled daikon and cilantro. It is served cold. I love this straight-up classic version because of how the French elements mix with the Vietnamese flavours, creating something unique and all its own. If you've never tried a bánh mì before you absolutely must! Edmonton has several options for the famed Vietnamese sando and Nhon Hoa tends to be one of the most popular restaurants. If you Google them you will find about four locations in the city, however it is my understanding that none of them are related to each other (??). I believe the story goes that the original owners opened a few shops under the same name (over 20 years ago!) but then sold each one to completely different people who were not connected. Which Nhon Hoa reins supreme today? The consensus seems to be that they're all pretty similar. Although some of the locations have seating while others don't, some accept cash only while others take cards, and some have larger menus with more extensive food options. In the end there probably isn't a "wrong" choice. Nhon Hoa was named Favourite Value Eats on the Edmonton Food Faves We Crave 2022 list and I was excited to visit one of the OG shops; Nhon Hoa 2 in Chinatown (McCauley). Sharing their space with Super Barbeque Delight (which also seemed very popular and was sold out), you will find Nhon Hoa 2 on the right side of the entrance. There are some pretty key things to note before your visit: This location only takes cash (come prepared), has no seating (car picnic!), and they close at 5pm each day. I stopped in for an early dinner on a Saturday. The shop is small and you won't find very much in terms of decor. Honestly though, in my experience the absolute best bánh mì shops are the ones that look like a hole in the wall. There was a decent number of people lined up to get their hands on sandwiches and the two women behind the counter were working quite efficiently. I would normally choose an interesting canned or bottled beverage to drink but the fridge at Nhon Hoa 2 was only stocked with completely standard cans of pop. Given this, I refrained from purchasing a drink. Hoping to create more of a meal, I noticed the Chả Giò (Vietnamese spring rolls) on the menu and when it was my turn I asked to order them. I was told "no" and that I would have to order them 24 hours in advance. My plan for an appetizer round had come to its conclusion. It's the bánh mì that you come for anyway and I found my favourite. It's the #3. Bánh Mì Thập Cẩm (Vietnamese submarine combination - $6.00). You can't argue with that value!! There are 18 different bánh mì options available on the menu but this style is the classic and it's always the one that I choose. Made up of different types of deli-style meat, liver pâté, mayonnaise and topped with cucumber, pickled carrots, and cilantro, mine also included jalapeño peppers for an added spicy punch. The baguette is incredibly important and needs to be of good quality (and definitely not stale). Nhon Hoa 2 makes their own fresh bread each day and it shows. The bread was a total highlight, with a crispy outside and soft, airy inside. As for the deli meats, there were at least 2-3 different types used and I am not entirely sure what each of them was. If I had to guess I would say; head cheese, bacon roll... And maybe something else. Savoury and salty, all of the sandwich's richness is usually balanced by adding the acidity from the pickled components. This sandwich could have used a bit more of that. My favourite part is always the liver pâté and mayonnaise. This bánh mì was a very decent example of the sandwich but I have also had better. I noticed that the menu listed desserts and I asked what they had available. I was told that they didn't have any. Every effort that I made to order more than just a sandwich did not seem to work out. They did not seem to want to offer anything more than bánh mì, despite what was listed on their menu. You certainly can't complain about the price and value at Nhon Hoa 2. The sandwiches are very big and could easily feed two people. The bread is excellent and over all they've got a pretty solid take on the classic bánh mì. I would recommend visiting as a quick lunch or something to eat on the go. As long as your expectations are in check you will be satisfied with this take on a legendary sandwich.

I had a chance to try take out at Grain of Rice for a gathering at my friend's house. When we…read morephoned in the staff were so pleasant and patient to explain the menu and made many recommendations for our needs. After ordering for a group of 10 we were able to pick up our food within 20 minutes. Such quick service, for the amount of food that was ordered, as many restaurants spend 30+ minutes for take out. The food was amazing. Rice was flavourful and their tofu was delicious. I think the only con is price it is on the expensive side, compared to take out in Toronto, however it is worth it for the quality. If you're in the area and feel like Asian fusion cuisine you should give this a try.

Grain of Rice use to have a whole thing on the website about how their prices are higher because…read morethey pay a living wage and do not except tips. Fair enough. Well now their prices are still higher than any other Pho restaurant, the servings are smaller without all the different types of meat you get at other restaurants and they expect tips. If I am paying $21 for a bowl of Pho I expect it to be loaded with meat and noodles and fill me up. Paying $25 ish for a bowl of Pho is crazy unless it is the most amazing thing ever, which it was not. The pho was good but needed the different types of meat other than steak. No meat balls or any other options unless you add them and then you are looking at a $30 bowl of pho. I will be sticking to pho hoan pasteur. They either need to get rid of tips again or lower the prices to a normal Pho restaurant price. Can't have both.

This is the newest banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich) shop in YEG. Located close to the Royal Alex and…read moreKingsway mall, it's a convenient location. We tried three different sandwiches, the charbroiled beef, shredded pork, and house special. They were all really different flavour profiles but my favourite was the beef, second place was the pork and last was the house special for me. The beef is very flavourful, the veggies and fresh and crisp, and you can opt to have any sandwich made spicy which is done by adding jalapeños to the sandwich. I love spicy so this is for sure an add on we like to get. The shredded pork was tender and not dry which is nice to see as these can get dry quickly. The house special was Vietnamese sausages which is not my favourite but was good to try it. Their bread was soft and a tad crispy on the outside so it was fresh and the perfect vessel for these sandwiches. I recommend trying the charbroiled beef!

If this place wasn't so far from where I live I would eat this every day…read more I got the charbroiled beef ($9.50) and my wife got the shredded chicken ($8.75). Both sandwiches were amazing, the charbroiled beef being a little more delicious and a little more spicy. The baguettes and the French rolls are baked in house and were super fresh and delicious. Customer service was through the roof and super friendly. We drove from Sherwood Park to Kingsway (25 minute drive) to try their food and both sandwiches travelled very well. I would strongly recommend checking this place out.

Probably one of the best Vietnamese place in Edmonton…read more Their pho, rice plate and green onion cake ALL tasted great. Rare to find a place with everything tasting so good. Service was great - server was friendly. The place isn't too big but I find it quiet enough to actually enjoy your food.

This restaurant is small but it was busy for a weekday lunch. I'm glad we arrived shortly after…read morethey opened as there were already 3 tables occupied. During our visit, there was a steady stream of guests and they didn't have to wait but the tables were always occupied. The menu was larger than I thought for a small place. There are soup, vermicelli bowls, and banh mi sandwiches. I ordered the lemongrass chicken banh mi and it was flavourful with large pieces of chicken, and I enjoyed it with the veggies including fresh cilantro. My tablemates seemed to enjoy their noodle soups. Even though the space is small, it wasn't too noisy where we didn't hear others' conversations and we could have a good conversation. I enjoyed the food, and will come back if I'm in the area!