This was my first banh mi experience. I didn’t have anyone to hold my hand or anything. I had always been curious about these little Vietnamese sandwiches ever since they caught the fancy of every foodie in America a few years ago. The gluten free part didn’t mean much to me, as I don’t have that allergy, but I guess we could all do with a little less gluten in our lives, right?
Skip the fried chicken (looks good, though). Skip the noodles. I want the sammich. Just a question of whether it was going to be pork or beef (nothing against tofu, but, come on). I opted for the beef
A word here about customer service. I had to wait about 10-15 minutes for the sandwich and I’m completely ok with that. If I’m getting a unique culinary experience, I don’t want it to be made-to-order. The time gives us a chance to get to the next level of Candy Crush or attempt to hook up on Tinder (or whatever). The lady who was taking orders gave a textbook lesson on how to be pleasant while dealing with the public, while expediting orders for a busy truck. She was nice without being fake and diligently worked with the crew to get the food out as quickly as possible. I was impressed by the teamwork
I was even more impressed by the sandwich. We eat with our eyes first, right? Look at those vivid colors and that savory meat. It looks good and it TASTES good. This banh mi was a perfect example of flavors working together. The savory meat balanced out by the fresh veggies and that fantastic bun (who needs gluten, anyway?). The garlic flavor is present, but not overwhelming and the textures even marry well. This is one of the best items I’ve ever had from a truck OR a brick-and-mortar. The amount of food you get is even perfect, as it’s filling without being too much. And don’t be fooled by those peppers; they provided just the right amount of heat without destroying your tongue. A big “thumbs up” for Bang Bang
Bang Bang Banh Mi is based out of Durham, NC. You can follow them on twitter here