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