As is the standard, they use classic French baguettes that have good crunch and flakiness. At first glance, the sandwich is quite filled. I ordered the sandwich to include BBQ pork, chashu Cantonese style. The sandwich is filled with pickled radishes and carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapenos, red onion and a spread of Sriracha mayo and homemade pork pate. Each sandwich was also given a choice of which protein was to be filled into the sandwich.
My first impression was the crunch, a very satisfying sound as a result of the bread and the fresh and pickled vegetables. There was a good meatiness from the chashu pork with a combination of both sweet and savory. With each bite, a growing spiciness began to emerge as a result of the raw jalapenos and the sriracha mayo. However, as I continued to eat the sandwich, I realized that each bite had a different taste, meaning there was no consistency in the sandwich. A huge part of Banh Mi and in any sandwich, is a balance of flavors across every bite. The ingredients within the sandwich were not evenly placed thus resulting in unbalanced flavors along the sandwich. Halfway through the sandwich, I finally was able to taste the pate. Very nice and meaty with the mineral taste from organs and innards. The pate imparted a nice creaminess that helped contrast the acidity of the pickles.
I've always been a huge fan of Banh Mi, and I make an effort to order Banh Mi at almost every opportunity. While I know that it will never compare to Banh Mi's, I've had in Vietnam or other places, but I always try and keep my expectations low. I've been back to Bon Me many times since my first visit and I tend to still order the Banh Mi. The consistency of good sandwiches is still not great, but I've had great sandwiches from there. I look forward to trying out their storefront in Alewife at some point.
