"82nd is dotted with banh mi spots — as well as other Vietnamese restaurants that offer banh mi on their menus — but the best of the bunch may be the most unassuming: the small Cha Lua Deli near the corner of Southeast 82nd and Woodstock. With a limited storeroom, entering patrons are greeted by stacks of 50-pound bags of rice and cases of fish sauce before making their way to the simple deli counter. Cha Lua’s bread is miraculously airy, with a satisfyingly thin, brittle crust. The pork and beef are slow-roasted to give each bite tenderness and depth. Cha Lua also offers lemongrass tofu and sardine banh mi options, as well as pho and bún bò Huế. Drink options are limited to bubble tea and Vietnamese canned drinks like pennyworth juice." - Alli Fodor, Nathan Williams
