I’m a banh mi junkie. If there’s a crusty roll somewhere with bbq pork, pickled veggies and a hunka jalapeno on it, you’ll probably find me noshing on it. An intrepid BiteClubber gave me the heads up on a Thuan Phat, a rough-around-the-edges Vietnamese cafe that recently opened on Santa Rosa Ave.
Expect little more than a walk-up counter with just a handful of stenciled menu items ranging from the aforementioned banh mi (which comes in various porky flavors from ham to bbq pork) to the very mysterious “Get Breakbread sandwich” and bbq pork vermicelli noodles with spring rolls.
Bring cash, because they don’t take anything else, and expect to do a lot of pointing and smiling to make sure that they’ve gotten your order mostly correct. Skip the Vietnamese coffee — it’s too sweet and comes premixed–and think about taking your order to go. There are only two tiny tables, so it can feel a bit like eating in someone’s kitchen — which depending on your level of daring can be awesome or awkward.
Thuan Phat: 3020 Santa Rosa Ave., Santa Rosa, 889-3966
OH NO! we just learned that these folks have CLOSED! Their refrigeration broke and well, that’s about all we could understand…. Should we start a local kickstarter-type campaign for them???
Hmm. Got lunch from them today. Seemed rather open (and tasty!) to me.
Whew! they fixed the problem and are open for biz….but perhaps it’s time to expand the menu a bit??
Kettles Vietnamese Bistro on Guerneville has a REALLY GOOD bahn mi! Try the pork belly! Sooooo yummy!
I’m liking the price in the byline.
Oddly, Vietnamese street food pricing is getting high, compared to just a good old burger and fries from a “non-scary” place. A pho with basic ingredients from Simply is higher than a burger at Carmen’s?
So what do we pay for a Togo’s or a Subway sandwich? Around $5 is very reasonable for any sandwich. The sandwiches at Oliver or Wholefoods are around $8!
Any vegetarian options? Gosh darn but Im gettin fungry.
Heather, any idea what happened to the great folks at Noodle Bowl? Their Banh Mi was so great – they are truly missed!
They closed. Makes me sooooo sad.
Me too! I was hoping they had just moved elsewhere in the county. 🙁
Yes. really miss the very nice people at Noodle Bowl. I too am a Banh Mi fan. Simply Vietnamese Express has an excellent one. Almost big enough to share.
I tried it the other day. Super friendly greeting by an elderly man upon entering. The only meat they have is pork. Pork everything. No chicken or tofu. I ordered BBQ port Banh Mi. Everything about it was good except the pork. It was boiled pork. Not BBQd at all. For 3.75 a nice sandwich but even if they soaked the meat in a marinade then charred it on a grill it would be so much better.
Although the Pho is delicious at Simply, Simply Express and Pho Vietnam, nobody prepares Lemongrass chicken with Jasmine rice as well as Kettle’s Vietnamese Bistro across the Street from Coddingtown mall. Decadently Delicious!
I am looking forward to their bahn mi!