**** Kien Giang has closed
OK, I'm still suffering from major jet lag...yesterday, I got up at 4am, did chores, blah, blah, blah.....had an early breakfast/lunch at 10am, and decided to take a "short" nap which didn't quite turn out that way......my watch alarm went off at 330 pm...it was still set for 530 am Lao time. Boy is my butt dragging.....I must be making slug trails all over the house! Well enough about my jet lag. Here's one that's been on the back-burner for a while.....
Kien Giang is a small shop tucked away in the back of the same strip mall on the corner of 54th street and University that houses Vien Dong Market and Van Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant among others. It's easy to miss....
I had made a previous aborted attempt to grab a Banh Mi here about a year ago, but was dissuaded by the somewhat dilapidated shape the shop was in, and the huge swarm of winged beasts who would have devoured my Banh Mi faster than I could. And then there was the story from a good FOY (friend of Yoso) who once bit into her Banh Mi, only to crunch into a staple. Now I believe that women do need more iron in their diet....just not quite in that manner.
And yet, I like to believe that I'm a pretty open-minded individual, and it wouldn't be right for me to just write off Kien Giang just because of its appearance. Which of course led me to Kien Giang one cool weekend morning.
I arrived shortly after opening, and the gentleman manning the counter was quite nice. After perusing the menu, I decided to go with the Banh Mi Dac Biet (special - $3) just to get a feel for the style of sandwich the place made.
My sandwich was wrapped, and when opened looked to be in fine shape.
I found the bread to be a bit on the stale and crumbly side. There was good amount of pickled veggies, but the Cha Lua was cut very thin, and the Pate was tasteless. The Jam Bon (ham) was on the dry side, but had good flavor. Overall a very mediocre sandwich......and yet, a few weeks later I decided to return.
And got a Xiu Mai Banh Mi (meatball - $3). Now I don't know why I keep trying Xiu Mai Banh Mi...perhaps it's to find one that I enjoy as the version at Saigon Sandwiches.
This however, was another one of those fish sauce - tomato sauce versions. Not among my favorite things. The bread was again on the dry, slightly aged, side, and this was again a fairly mediocre sandwich. Which had me wondering; with all of the competition in the area, this place has been here for a while. So they must do something right. Can anyone shed some light?
Giang Kien Sandwich & Deli
5296 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92105
That's pretty disappointing.
Posted by: nhbilly | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 10:22 AM
It must be the jetlag that have a terrible effect on your judgement. Who in their right would eat a sandwich like that?:-)
Posted by: Beach | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 10:37 AM
staple? that's horrible, yet hilarious how you put it. they definitely do seem to hook it up with the veggies.
Posted by: sawyer | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 11:54 AM
Money laundering? ;)
Posted by: janfrederick | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 12:26 PM
I have no idea how they're still in business. *shrug*
BTW, you missed the poker/dumpling party at Sam's house when you were on vacation.
Posted by: Tammy | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 03:55 PM
ack! after seeing this bahn mi...I think I will have to hunt out some pate or something...also got some flat leaf parsley waiting to be used!!
Posted by: kat | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 04:09 PM
Hi Billy - Tell me about it.
Hi Beach - This was actually before our trip....so perhaps it was why we needed a vacation? ;o)
Hi Sawyer - Yes, you're right....lot's of pickles.
Hi Jan - LOL! You may be right.....
Hi Tammy - Poker - Dumplings - Alcohol.....sounds like trouble to me! ;o)
Hi Kat - Save the flat leaf.....go with cilantro!!
Posted by: Kirk | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 06:27 PM
Yikes Kirk, I guess there is such a thing as a bad Banh Mi... Thanks for checking this place out. You're like the Mars Rover of Banh Mi's, haha. ;)
Posted by: Dennis | Monday, 03 November 2008 at 08:20 PM
Hi Dennis - Mars Rover???? LOL! That's a good one.
Posted by: Kirk | Tuesday, 04 November 2008 at 06:34 AM
You're so brave for trying them out ;-)
Posted by: yummyyummie | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 06:23 PM
Hi YY - Have you tried anything from there?
Posted by: Kirk | Wednesday, 05 November 2008 at 10:39 PM
No...but I came very close to try it =) Looking from the outside of this place keeping me from coming in there. But like you, I thought I should give it a try since it's been here that long, there must be something about it....but you've tried it before I do. Sometime I wonder how some places get A on their window.
Posted by: yummyyummie | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 12:46 AM
Hi YY - I can understand......and have the same questions about that 'A'! ;O)
Posted by: kirk | Thursday, 06 November 2008 at 12:05 PM