BaLe - University Avenue

I really had no good reason for not trying Bale on University, I've passed it many, many times. But for some reason I just never felt compelled. I think it had something to do with the parking lot.

I think it had something to do with the parking lot, what little there is of it. Many times I've driven past, and alas, no parking. Sometimes Cabs are double and triple parked, blocking the sidewalk. The Somali Coffee Shop next door does some bang up business.

However, things changed a few months ago. During a conversation about Pate, FOY TammyC told me that Bale on University had a nice version made in house. For some reason I had thought that a trip to this location of Bale would be a redundant exercise. Boy was I wrong. The menu was different from the other location(s) of Bale in San Diego.(I still haven't tracked down the "relocated" Linda Vista Bale).

Well, I should say "menus". There are 2 menus here. The one above the counter has sandwiches and other items listed by number. The one on the back wall has the same sandwiches listed, but with different numbers! Ha, sandwich roulette anyone? Banh Mi Ga(chicken) over the counter is #9, on the back wall it's #8. If you did it by number you could get Banh Mi Bi! Thinking you ordered Banh Mi Chay(vegetarian Banh Mi - usually tofu), you get Banh Mi Pate Cha. Now that would be a nice surprise.

Also, Tammy warned me about the "funky smell", and yes, once when I visited, there was a strange dank-medicinal smell. Other times, it was just like a worn, slightly seedy little sandwich shop should be.

But of course I was here for the sandwiches. And I ordered the Banh Mi Pate Cha($2.75):

And Tammy was right, this was a good Pate, slightly "livery", but quite smooth, and without the "grainy" bits. It was mildly fatty, but not much so. The Cha Lua was interesting for me, not as dense as other versions, with a slightly spongy initial bite. In retrospect, this version of the defatted pork sausage was very close to what we had in Vietnam.

There were 2 things I really didn't care for in this sandwich. First, the bread was pretty lousy, barely toasted, with a texture almost like that of stale bread(Tammy had warned me about the bread). Second, the pickled vegetables were on the sweet side. I prefer mine with a nice refreshing "bite", these stood out too much, and detracted from the overall flavor.

Of course I bought the Missus a Banh Mi Bi(shredded pork - $3.00):

Man was this a "load of Bi". The Missus didn't care for it. She found the Bi dry and tasteless. And didn't like the bread at all.

A few weeks later I found myself in the neighborhood, and tried out the Dac Biet(special - $3.25).

Bale's version was pretty filling. The sandwich had 3 different cured meats; a the Cha Lua, Pork Belly(Ba Chi), and some nicely flavored "Ham", to go along with a generous smear of the savory Pate.

Just as before, the pickled vegetables were on the sweet side, and the bread was not to my liking.

The thick stems of cilantro did not do much for me either.

Funny thing, the photos for this post have been sitting around for a while. And after returning from Hanoi, I was a bit curious to see if my tastes had changed substantially. So recently I made another drive up University, made a perilous U-Turn, and managed to find parking(though backing out of the parking lot was another story). This time, the gentleman who I'm assuming is the Owner actually understood me when I ordered my sandwich. I also noticed the huge block of Pate in the deli case, which I inquired about. He told me with some pride, "we make it here....$4.50 a pound. We make almost everything here."

Thoughts of purchasing half a pound, and getting some Gio Lua from Da Nang danced in my head. But first, I need to find some good bread. After getting home, I bit into my Banh Mi, and my original opinion of the sandwich stood. You gotta love consistency!

BaLe French Sandwich Shop
4879 University Ave # A
San Diego, CA 92105

Open 6am-6pm Monday-Saturday
           7am-4pm Sunday

BTW, the White on Rice Couple have a very nice post on Banh Mi. You can find it here.

Thanks for all the great recommendations TammyC!

Comments

[Rachel]

haha I love a fresh post! :) Lol love how you found something positive to say about the place. It reminds me of some fast food chains ... at least people know what they are going to get! I would have definitely gone with your idea of buying the pate and assembling your own banh mi.
I have noticed the prices of food over in the US slowly rising :( Its sad that it is a global problem. It is much the same here too *sigh*

[kat]

too bad the bread wasn't good :(

[Dan]

Are you sure it's not "Ba Le" as in Bà Lê instead of Bale?

[Kirk]

Hi Rachel - Yes, prices are creeping up.

Hi Kat - Yes...

Hi Dan - Yes, you are right....

[nhbilly]

LoL gotta love consistency even though its bad. Bread is goooood as long as it isn't stale or dried out. And the pate sure does look unhealthy but yummy.

[Tammy]

Hi Kirk,

You should try the rice dishes next time and see what you think. I think they're just "OK" nothing special except they're convenient.

Try assembling your own sandwiches using the bread from Paris Bread or Costco baguette, the pate from Ba Le and I guess make your own pickled veggies.

I normally have to toast up the bread from Ba Le at home before I eat it. (BTW, they have some killer hot jalepenos.)

You should also mention if you buy 6 sandwiches, you get one free. Yay.=)

[jeff c]

Kirk, OMG! you've setoff the BM monster cravings, Ohhh noooo!!!!...
OK, thats over. Seriously, stuff still looks good. I'd say you can give it the same saying about pizza. Cold pizza, old pizza,bad pizza, its still good to eat pizza. Just replace pizza with the banh mi.
On another note, I spent a rather idyllic lost weekend making ragu bolognese but instead of the usual ingredients, I used left over steak, nuoc nam, star anise, cloves, grape juice, xiaoxing wine and the standard sofrito.
Some of the odder asian herbs and spices were courtesy of heston blumenthal's rather inspired suggestions.

[Mscinda]

This was the first banh mi shop I went to when I first moved to San Diego. I had a horrible time parking my big Chevy truck there. I haven't returned since then due to the parking situation. It's been a little over a year and I can't remember why I didn't like their sandwiches. I think it was the meat in it that I didn't like.

[Kirk]

Hi Billy - I shoulda known that you'd be a terminal carb lover!

Hi Tammy - Thanks for reminder, and the recommendation as well. I'll check out the cooked dishes....if I can get a parking spot! ;o)

Hi Jeffrey - I like that....you're absolutely right...the cold Banh Mi Rule! BTW, what did you call your creation?

Hi Mscinda - I can imagine what a hassle it must have been.

[Jeffrey C]

Kirk,
It was called stupendously delicious at least by me. Wife said it was very good. Since I don't know Italian I will probably due a mish mash of terms, Ragu ala chinois. Seriously though, when Wife went to find out the ingredients of pho broth mix and it basically is the same spice mix as doing Lu rou (chinese braised meat) I think that this would create a great meaty umami undertone. Since you are simmering for several hours, coupled with the acidity of the tomatos and the breakdown of the steak, ground chuck, pork then you really have quite an amazing ragu. Seriously try it out.

[Jeff C]

Kirk, in my previous comments, just delete out the "seriously's". I tend to repeat that phrase a lot nowadays. It gets rather annoying, this according to Wife.

[toisan]

i cannot imagine having to navigate a chevy truck in that parking lot! we used to ask the tenants to leave the parking for customers. that idea didn't go very well with the tenants. in the late 1990's there was somoli restaurant in suite c. the parking lot was packed with taxi cabs, parked three deep! but somehow ba le has survived, despite the parking issues.

[Kirk]

Hi Jeffrey - Seriously? ;o) Sounds like you have a winner.

Hi Toisan - Neither can I.....

[Hilton]

Really enjoyed your post and the link to the White on Rice post. Living in Florida now, but used to live in Hawaii. My favorite Ba-Le was the one at the Manoa Shopping Center next to the Safeway. But, I never tried their sandwiches, always the soups. After your article, wish I had! Am now on a search for Vietnamese sandwiches here.

[Kirk]

Hi Hilton - Thanks for stopping by. I hope you get your Banh Mi soon!

[vampyra1]

So yesterday I had a 'special sandwich" at BaLe 22 (Waipio). Didn't know what it was, just wanted to see how special the special sandwich was (really). I was surprised to get pate and something that resembled a slice of some gelatinous pig parts. It was heaven! Bizarre, but heaven. Found your blog when researching what it is I REALLY ate. :)

[Kirk]

Hi Vampyra1 - LOL! Welcome to the world of Dac Biet (special)...you got the Vietnamese version of Head Cheese and Pate....a very nice combination when made right. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for dropping by and commenting.