Restaurant Review: Nhon Hoa 2
NHON HOA 2 SANDWICH BAR 10622 97th Street Co-Diners: The E.A.T Crew
Let's talk bánh mì. It's the Vietnamese word for "bread" and it also refers to a pretty popular sandwich. 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 ($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.
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