I first heard of Linhs Vietnamese Cuisine from a fellow food blogger who said they had wonderful banh mi sandwiches, so I made a pit stop there on my way out of town and got a couple of the “original” banh mis to go. Honestly, I was not impressed. The original includes sliced steam pork roll, Chinese bbq pork, and pork ear ham (whatever that is) and it just wasn’t my cup of tea. Granted, I ate it about an hour and a half after picking it up.
While I had never planned on going back, we were in the area, starving, and this was the only place that had some options that sounded good. Even a so-so banh mi is better than fast food. So, I gave it another shot and I am so glad I did! Here’s the breakdown.
ENVIRONMENT
Like many unexpected gems, there’s no glitz nor glam to this place. It is a large, open old restaurant building with clutter pretty much everywhere. There’s even a small grocery section where you can buy some Asian products.
MENU
https://www.facebook.com/LinhsCuisine/menu/
Their menu can be found above, on their Facebook page. It is full of 3 appetizers (2 of which I talk about below), many varieties of pho, many rice dishes, many vermicelli dishes, and a few “specialty” dishes including a hot pot, a couple varieties of fried chicken, and the banh xeo I got. Finally, there are a few options for boba tea and other unique items like fresh lemonade, Thai tea, and Vietnamese coffee.
FOOD
FREE Egg Drop Soup
I was starving when we arrived, so I was very happy to see a small cup of egg drop soup dropped off as a starter after we ordered our meals. It wasn’t amazing. It was a little bland and very thick. The green onion was the star of this show. But nevertheless, I ate it very quickly.
Spring Rolls with Pork Patty, $3.50
Description: Handmade fresh everyday with cermicelli, cabbage, and mint.
This was the most unexpected spring roll I’ve ever tried, or heard of, and it was delicious! It had a cut and seared hot-dog like “pork patty” in it as well as a very crispy fried dough. So, each bite was crunchy and porky and divine! I’d eat this every day if I could.
Banh Xeo, $10.95
Description: Traditional Vietnamese rice battered crepe stuffed with shrimp, pork, onions, and beansprouts, served with fish sauce.
I had never had this dish before, and it sounded like nothing I’d ever tried. The waiter suggested it, so I gave it a shot. The texture of this “rice crepe” was very different from anything I’ve tried before. It was crispy on the outside, but soft in the middle and full of bean sprouts and onions. There were only two shrimp, but plenty of pork bites. I loved it! The side salad that came with it was a nice addition as well, and all of it together, dipped in the side sauce, was very tasty! Also, it was HUGE.
Banh Mi with Grilled Pork, $4.50
Description: 6″ oven baked white hoagie with choice of meat and chicken liver patte, picked carrots, cilantro, and jalapeño.
Side note: even though this is listed as an appetizer, it is a full meal, especially after that huge spring roll.
The main reason I didn’t like the original banh mi I tried before was because of the meat in it. So, since it was so cheap and I can’t say no to a banh mi, I gave them another shot. Though, this time I just got the grilled pork. And we got a winner! This time it was perfection. The bread was perfectly toasted and soft in the middle. The pork was so juicy and tender. There was a lot more sauce on this sandwich than there was on the previous one, so it was not dry in the least. In fact, it dripped juices and sauces and was a little messy, but oh so darn good! Looks like I’ll be dropping by here again for this sandwich.
OVERALL
While one bad take-out experience did occur, they shined when we dined in. Maybe the key is to eat your food immediately rather than waiting an hour and a half? Also, pretty much everyone else in the restaurant ordered pho and when I saw a bowl of it, I regretted my menu choices immediately. These were the biggest bowls of pho I have ever seen, with deep colored broths and tempting aromas. I HAVE to get pho (and a banh mi) next time we go!