Tommy C.
Yelp
Cali Baguette (C++ ): Maybe I caught it on a bad day at a bad time, but for this battle, Paris Sandwich wins.
Based on recos from quite a few of you, I very much looked forward to try out Cali Baguette and expected great things. After picking up my daughter, I rushed to Cali Baguette 15 minutes before they closed for Thanksgiving. So I admit, timing wise, it's probably as bad as it can get. And, I didn't eat it in the restaurant - about 20 minutes travel time to get home - so not exactly an apples-to-apples comparison, but the difference was significant enough to still call Paris Sandwiches the winner.
That said, I'm impressed with the Cali Baguette's menu - so many banh mi options, and also rice & vermicelli dishes with grilled ribs and pork chops! So I will definitely be back, but for today, we tried a BBQ pork banh mi, a chicken banh mi, and cafe sua da.
Cafe sua da (C+ ): This was a disappointment, especially after having the very yummy drip one from Pho Hoa just a few days ago. The coffee was strong enough but I think they used milk powders, maybe Nescafe creamer like boba places, instead of just condensed milk. This ruined it for me and the one served at Paris Sandwiches is definitely superior.
Chicken banh mi (C+ ): Overall, an "okay" banh mi. Bread quality didn't match Paris Sandwiches, definitely lower hydration and also less crunch on the outside. The chicken didn't taste as fresh as it should, and they're simply not as generous with ingredients as Paris Sandwiches.
BBQ Pork banh mi (B- ): The flavor of the BBQ pork was pleasantly savory & sweet, but I expected some maillard reaction char on the meat based on the photos I saw, and unfortunately, that wasn't the case. Points deducted for being comparatively stingy on the ingredients and like the chicken banh mi, bread quality not as high.
For now, I can't say I recommend them for banh mi's since Paris Sandwiches is so close by, but I'll definitely be back to try other stuff, and maybe even the banh mi's at a more reasonable hour when not everyone is trying to close shop.
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Food Grading Scale:
A+: Life changing. You remember these bites for the rest of your life. Occurs very infrequently and when it does, you'll know it. You don't even know how to further improve it with a magic wand.
A: Wow! Excellent. You felt happy biting into it. You're considering whether it's life changing, but know it misses the mark.
A-: Very very good. Whatever it is, it's one of the best, but you can think of further improvements.
B+: Very good. Very enjoyable, not to the point of "impressive," but worth revisiting.
B: Good. A solid example of whatever it is, offering enjoyment, but not enough for making an effort to get.
B-: Not bad. If in a pinch to eat something, this offers some enjoyment and is a reasonable option.
C+: Mediocre plus. Pretty average, but with one or two positive characteristics you can identify.
C: Mediocre. "Meh". Very average. Not bad enough to make you angry, but nothing good about it at all.
C-: Bad. You recognize it for what it is, but a very bad rendition. Your foodie self is a little pissed, and feeling like a dummy you ordered it.
D: Awful. Whoever cooked it should be ashamed of themself. Somehow, you still managed to swallow a bite.
F: WTF is this? Inedible. One chew, you had to spit it out. Fire the chef.