Cherylynn N.
Yelp
3.5 STARS
COVID-19 TAKEOUT
AZNs love lines, the longer the better.
"Look, a 100 person line...for Boba...LEGGO!"
Nothing is going to stop them.
Not COVID....
Not sticky, sweaty booty hot weather.
What can I say, we nosy! And, we love deals.
Ok, this isn't a boba review but by the time I finished ordering at TBread, the line was nearly wrapped around the plaza corner for their Grand Opening BOGO Free Bánh Mì. Thankfully, I arrived before the rush and there was just 2 people in front of me.
From the folks behind The Tea Zone, TBread is a new shop serving Bánh Mì (all $7.50) with their own house-baked bread. They also sell Spring Rolls ($5.25) and a variety of housemade croissants with various fillings ($3.45 - $4.25).
Vegetarian and vegan friendly.
For those with food allergies, do let the cashier know. One of the Bánh Mìs I ordered came with egg, though it wasn't specified on the menu.
Also, although customizations were taken while ordering, it didn't seem they were actually accommodating them. Maybe an oversight? Something to be mindful of if you have allergies.
C O V I D - 1 9 S A F E T Y P R E C A U T I O N S
* All staff wore masks properly.
* Gloves were worn.
* Only one customer went inside to order at a time. After ordering, you're given a pager and asked to wait outside for your order.
* Plexi-glass barrier at register.
* Social distancing markers on the floor.
* Hand sanitizer available.
Kudos to the staff for taking all the precautions and wearing masks properly!
All customers in line wore their masks properly - thank you!
F O O D
* TBread Special (Dac Biet) w/ ham, cha lua, pork floss, egg, pate (requested extra), mayo, cilantro, green onion, pickles, onion, and jalapeno
* Grilled Pork w/ mayo, cilantro, green onion, pickles, onion, and jalapeno
Even though the extra pate wasn't included and the egg caught me off guard, I thought the TBread Special was better than the Grilled Pork.
I think my order may have been made in a rush - they're new and it was BOGO Free so below is just feedback:
(+) Good house-baked baguette with a golden, crispy, crackly exterior and a fluffy soft center.
(+) Big foot long, so it's a good value (if you don't mind a carby meal).
(-) Both were dry. Needed more mayo and pate (for moisture), and didn't have the quintessential punchy layers of flavors.
(-) Missing ingredients/ratio of ingredients were off. Not enough pickled veggies in the TBread Special and there were no jalapenos. The Grilled Pork (strong lemongrass flavor, no char) was mainly bread, cilantro, and lots of jalapenos.
(-) Parts of the TBread Special had a unpleasant sweet aftertaste. Maybe something was accidentally added?
* Spinach Feta Croissant ($4.25)
The savory filling was good. The croissant itself was a bit bready in the center, no distinct, flaky layers. Probably tastes best heated up in a toaster oven. As long as you don't expect classic French patisserie style, it's fine.
S E R V I C E
Friendly and upbeat. There's a handful of staff on the line so they're very efficient given the volume of orders. After ordering, my Bánh Mì was ready in about 10 minutes; ahead of the two large orders in front of me. When picking up my order, the kind lady thanked me for waiting.
P A R K I N G
Ok, who was in charge of measuring out the spaces in this plaza?! It's like they were made for Steve Urkel's Isetta. Cars were parked all over the lines and people had to squeeze in/out of their cars.
Overall, 3 stars for the Bánh Mì (compared to SF and Man Jose) but adding .5 stars and rounding up for the BOGO Free Offer and friendly service. Once they work out their kinks, I hope they will follow through with the customizations.