Saigon Deli's four varieties of Vietnamese Banh Mi — meatball, beef, roast pork, pate — all have the same garnish piled on crusty French-style bread: lightly pickled carrots, cucumber and daikon radish; a heaping mass of bright green cilantro; sliced, fresh jalapenos. A simple combination, but those ingredients contain three of the four fundamental facets of most Southeast Asian cuisine: spice from the jalapeno, sour from the pickle, sweet from the veggies. Add savory and salty meat, and you've hit the jackpot, all for a mere $2.99. It almost justifies the years of French colonial influence over Vietnam.
Saigon Deli, 3962 W. Waters Ave., Tampa, 813-932-0300
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This article appears in Aug 12-18, 2009.