Love Me a Banh Mi

been craving one of these vietnamese sandwiches for a while now. the urge was compunded by an article i read in the new york times dining & wine section which reviewed the best spots for these fresh and filling treats. unfortunately they were all in manhattan. luckily, austin has a contingency of its own banh mi vendors. i've heard great things about tam's deli, but it's a little ways north and never seems to be inside the acceptable radius for scoring food when i get a hankering. after a little internet research, i uncovered Lulu B's on the corner of s. lamar and oltorf. i would have missed this little white trailer nestled under some trees next to office depot had i not been scouting for it.
the menu is simple; sandwich or noodle bowl. the choices of meat are straightforward; pork or chicken that's grilled, bbq'ed or cooked with lemongrass. i ordered the chinese bbq pork sandwich and hunkered down by a tree, which also holds the menu, trying to escape the wind. After less than 5 minutes and $5 i was on my way.


this sandwich was really, really good. perfectly sauced and grilled pork, lightly charred with just enough crunchy, carmelized bits. not too fatty. the condiments were yum; pickled carrots, handful of cilantro, and cucumber sticks that were seeded and peeled with care. the footlong french-inspired bread was crusty on the outside and soft on the inside, with a swipe of good asian mayo (kewpie?). the sandwich was light on the daikon, a personal favorite, but heavy on flavor. i'll definitely be back for another of these treats that managed to tickle all my sweet, salty, sour and spicy taste buds.