Nhu Lan Sandwich Shop

All I get is the meatball banh mi -- ridiculously delicious, savory, nicely salted, tender, beautiful meatballs (so good it's ALMOST possible to forget about the poor pig who sacrificed his life to become this meatbally goodness...). They are packed onto a gorgeous, crusty French baguette, accompanied by fresh sliced chile, vinegary matchsticks of carrot and daikon, and the egg-yolk and oil ""mayo"" spread which resembles butter and will send you to the moon. (You could also get cilantro, but the thought makes me ill, so I always ask for it sans that soapy-tasting herb.) Other options here include the standards: pate, chicken, head cheese, pork, etc. I've never tried any of those, however, because the meatball is so mouth-watering I'm drooling before I even get out of the car. The price is riiiight at Nhu Lan, too. Each sandwich is really reasonable, but if you bring a pack of friends you can take advantage of the Buy 5 Get One Free deal they have. They also sell all sorts of Vietnamese desserts: sticky buns and gelatins and cookies. We've sampled a few which have always been nice. Pros: great banh mi Cons: in falls church... more

Tucked away in an interior mall of the sprawling Eden Center, the family-run Nhu Lan rewards its finders with some of the finest subs around, what the Vietnamese refer to as banh mi. The base of the treat is a toasted baguette, slathered with mayonnaise and heaped with lightly pickled carrots and radishes, fresh cilantro and a choice of meat. I'm particularly fond of the banh mi stuffed with pork meatballs -- soft and crumbly meat seasoned with minced garlic, onions, celery and just a suggestion of sugar. The meatballs' shocking red color comes by way of food dye; some heat sneaks into the picture with slivers of jalapeno. The tab: $2.50 per sandwich, but cheaper if you purchase in bulk. "Buy five, get one free," tempts a sign behind the counter, which is watched over by owner Ha Lu. Not much bigger than a stall, store No. 14 hops on weekends, when Lu brings in family members to help make the upwards of 1,500 banh mi she sells on Saturday and Sunday. -- Tom Sietsema (July 2, 2006) more