Lincoln Lunch: Vietnamese

By Julia Scott on August 7, 2008 2:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (4) |

(not my actual lunch) Forgive me if I sound like I am gloating but I just had a $3.50 lunch that was fabulous and included dessert.

I stumbled upon Van Sandwiches while cruising Sherman Way recently and remembered a place in San Gabriel where I had a very tasty Vietnamese sandwich. Would Van Sandwiches deliver the same experience that qualified as a Lincoln Lunch?

No, as it turned out. My meal was even better.

We were greeted by a pile of huge Jack Fruit melons, which are the size of large watermelons and are covered in pea-like beads. On the floor next to the melons was a small shrine that offered cigarette butts to a white-haired God.

My dining companion stopped in her tracks when she saw a "B" sign in the doorway but I waved her in. Secretly, though, I had my own worries. On either side of the register, two tables offered shrink-wrapped trays of...

...prepared meals. Who knows how long they had been sitting out in the warm restaurant, which was cooled by a pair of tired fans.

Luckily, the Vietnamese sandwiches are made to order. I chose the #3 grilled chicken sandwich while my friend opted for the #1 special sandwich. Both came on a warm, crusty French baguette that was about a foot long. Each came with thin slices of carrots, cucumber, jicama and a few sprigs of cilantro. A light sauce added a delicious flavor and two hot pepper slices spiced things up.

Neither of us had trouble finishing our meals. "This puts Quiznos to shame," my dining companion said.

But in case we needed more convincing the friendly server brought us a sample of her favorite sandwich, the #5 cured pork sandwich. It was also quite tasty.

Van Sandwiches makes 16 types of sandwiches and each one is $3. Canned sodas are 75 cents. The most expensive item on the menu is $5.50, though a to go menu has two items for $7. My kind of place.

On my way out I bought a rice ball that was covered in sesame seeds for 50 cents to test if my luck would hold.

It did.

The hollow ball was chewy and sweet but not sugary. Inside was a small ball of soft paste that had a sweet flavor. I could not place it exactly, unfortunately.

The total came to $7.25 plus tip. Tax is included, apparently.

The food was excellent but the cleanliness of the restaurant left something to be desired, however. There were crumbs on the table we sat at and the napkin dispenser was empty. The one other table with chairs was covered in a half eaten meal. Ordering your food to go and finding a nearby park may be a better option.

Visit then at 18625 Sherman Way in Reseda. (818) 342-9380. Seven days a week, 7am to 6pm. Cash only.