源香 Banh Mi Nguyen Huong – 322 Spadina Ave, Toronto, ON M5T 1J6
Country: Vietnam
Seating: Takeout counter
Must-try dish: #1 Assorted Meats
Dinner guests: Charleith and Youn Matt
The high: Having a difficult decision deciding the must-try sandwich. 
The low: There wasn’t any hot sauce on the sandwiches. 

There’s no going wrong with a Bahn Mi. This simple and delicious sandwich is difficult to not fall in love with as it comes on fresh baguette-style bread loaded with butter, paté, meats, and pickled carrots. There are several variations, but those are the consistent ingredients. 

This inconspicuous spot in the heart of Toronto’s Chinatown is a dining gem if you know where you’re going in the chaos of Spadina, but if you don’t, then look for the lineup of people going into a tiny shop with a counter and a yellow and red sign. Linda Bear, a friend of the blog has been eating there since she was a youngster with her Vietnamese family members, so Mandrea Bike knew they were in for a treat.

Without further adieu, here are the Bahn Mis ordered (all the large size, but small is also available):

• #1: Assorted Cold Cut
• #3: Lemongrass Sausage
• #7: B.B.Q. Pork
• #8: Shredded Pork
• Sesame Balls

According to Linda Bear, the #1 is the way to go because it’s the original, and Mandrea Bike and all dinner guests agreed that it was the must-try dish of the picnic. It comes with assorted meats and the usual ingredients. The bread was fresh but has a healthy crunch to it. 

The other sandwiches were chosen on a whim, and although all are recommended by Mandrea Bike, the gang seemed to prefer the #3 (Sausage and Lemongrass) because of the distinct lemon and mint herbal flavour from the lemongrass. But let’s be serious, no one ever went wrong with barbequed and shaved meats, so it goes without saying, the menu is approachable to everyone, even those who are vegetarians.  

Despite being easy to make a Bahn Mi at home, by the time all the ingredients are purchased and prepared, you might as well just head to 源香 Banh Mi Nguyen Huong and get a $4 large sandwich that touches all the food groups! 

The dinner wasn’t finished until the sesame balls were distributed throughout the group, and which made for a slightly sweet dessert. 

Just a heads up – his restaurant doesn’t have seating and only accepts cash. 

Eat with you soon, 

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)