Jando S.
Yelp
If consistency is the hallmark of doing something well, then I would venture My Baguettes (#1) is exactly that for Banh Mi. They're a family run shop, in the heart of Saigon Houston Plaza, and frankly gets slept on a little too often.
I love their sign with the ambient lighting, which stands out especially at night (#2). The inside is clean, modern, and has a decent amount of seating for just about any party. They claim their baguettes are made from scratch, which makes plenty of sense since it smells amazing in the mornings.
The bread, especially when fresh, is outstanding. For many folks, good banh mi basically comes down to good bread. It's airy, light enough, and has the perfect crunch upon first bite. I prefer the house special (đặc biệt) but I think it's also a good option for dipping in their beef stew (bò kho) as well. The latter is a tinge on the salty side but it's not a huge deal. My only other desire would be that they slab on more paté, since I've found the spreads to be a little skimpy at times.
What I think really gets unnoticed is their option for croissant for the bread. It's not only a game changer as croissant banh mi, but it's one of the only options I've found in all of Houston. Another thing that gets overlooked is their beef cubes and eggs (bò né), which features nice chunks of beef and a halfway decent over easy eggs served on a skillet. I don't think this is the best option in town, but I appreciate that they serve it no less.
More bonus points for offering maggi sauce at each of the tables. It's a staple ingredient for many Vietnamese households and a necessary ingredient for all things banh mi.
A big thumbs up to the service. They're good at managing the flow of the constant in-and-out traffic and are really good about making the food to one's liking. While the sandwiches are good for take-out, I'd recommend everything else to be experienced for dine-in service. Parking isn't too much of a challenge but this is usually a popular lot on the weekends.
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(#1) One could argue the name is a double entendre: My as in mine but in Vietnamese could also be My (Mỹ) as in the US or "beautiful" in old Viet Han.
(#2) Which is somewhat ironic, given that they close at 6pm each day.