Lunch for Two for $10.25?!

I first learned about Ba'nh Mi', Vietnamese "street food" sandwiches, on the Food Network show "The Great Food Truck Race" last year. They're a delicious blend of super fresh vegetables, hot peppers, meat, and cilantro with a little bit of mayo to hold it all together.

I've investigated how to make the sandwiches at home, but for something so seemingly simple, the recipes are pretty complicated - time consuming at least. You have to finely julienne the veggies, marinate them (in a marinade you make), create the sauce, marinate and grill the meat, and - perhaps most difficult - find the perfect Vietnamese baguette to put it all on.

The good thing about being "foodies," though, is that many of our friends and family share our same passion for interesting, new food. Enter Brian's cousin, Pete. He told B about Can Tho' Fast Foods, at the corner of Dickinson and Wilmont Streets in Springfield.

Although the woman working didn't speak English very fluently, she seemed happy to see us and worked hard to answer all of our questions. The menu was handwritten on a white board and was entirely in Vietnamese, but there was Ba'nh Mi', taking up half the menu! Apparently they are as popular as we were led to believe. We couldn't tell what each variety was, but learned the sandwiches are made with either ham, meatball, barbecue pork, and a combination.

We each started with a barbecue pork sandwich and we split a baked dumpling. It was one of the best sandwiches ever!  The bread was amazing and fresh cilantro is one of my favorite flavors.  Bri then went for ham - I didn't love the meat, but the veggies and bread were equally delish. We also tried a spring roll-like concoction, although that's not what she called it. Throw in a bottle of water and we spent a whopping $10.25 for lunch. For both of us. Three good-size sandwiches, two "sides," and a bottle of water. $10.25.

When was the last time you spent $10.25 on lunch?

If only food trucks serving fresh, ethnic "street food" at low prices were popular in New England... Until then, at least we have Can Tho'!