PDX Sandwich Week 2022 - Day 4

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Sandwich Week Day Four (Day Three for Me) was the day of Banh Mi!

(Hey, that rhymed.)

While initially not on my Sandwich Week hit list, the offering this week at Banh Mi Up, out in the St. John's neighborhood (20+ minutes from me) ended up being the Thursday night dinner choice.

I headed out shortly after 6pm, as I was trying to get to the Ace Hardware there within a few blocks of Banh Mi Up before it closed at 7pm.  I got my Ace shopping done and walked the 2 short blocks down to Banh Mi Up, with order placed by 6:47pm.

Service was friendly and quick -- my order of the King Katsu Banh Mi Sandwich Week special, as well as an order of their Garlic Noodles with Chicken Katsu, was in my hands within 5 minutes tops of ordering.

It took awhile to trek back to my place, but soon enough I was enjoying my oyster mushroom banh mi sandwich.

Per Sandwich Week, the King Katsu Banh Mi details were:

What's on it?: Battered and fried King oyster mushrooms, pickled daikon, pickled carrots, jalapeno, cilantro topped with house-made ginger orange sauce and finished with toasted sesame seeds.

The Inspiration: A zesty vegan play on our OG Chicken Katsu Banh Mi. Our King Katsu Banh Mi combines the rich savory flavor of oyster mushroom and a tangy ginger orange sauce for a reimagined Katsu Banh Mi that's like nothing you've had before. 

While I didn't intend to go vegan for dinner, this hit the spot and I'd definitely consider this a heavier meal.  Particularly for the fact that it wasn't just a half sandwich that was $8, but a whole two halves of banh mi plus shrimp crackers.



 

Picture included of the separate Garlic Noodles order, which will be consumed either tomorrow or Saturday... but was also ordered my backup dinner part deux, in case sandwich deal was skimped...

Thankfully, sandwich was tasty and filling, so garlic noodles will be a separate meal.  The battered and deep fried oyster mushrooms, in terms of texture, ate almost as if it were battered fish inside the sandwich.  I got some mushroom excellence coming though but the battered and fried aspect was dominant (not a bad thing!).  The standard banh mi veg was well done (initially thought the carrot and daikon cuts were a little too big for my liking, but it worked fine), and the bread was soft and tasty like banh mi baguette bread should be.  The side of the ginger orange sauce got poured over the sandwich and was a good addition, although it came through as soy sauce -forward (also not a bad thing).

Overall I'll be excited to go back to this place and maybe eat there (vs. order to-go) -- they've got an outdoor patio and they have some draft beers also.  They have like nine different banh mi menu items and also other Vietnamese restaurant go-tos, like pho and vermicelli bowls.  And while to-date, my banh mi go-to here in Portland has been Best Baguette (for price + extensive boba tea menu, and that they have a drive-thru at their SE 82nd Ave location), I'm definitely going to aim to put this on rotation.  And I am looking forward to my deliciously-scented garlic noodles leftovers...


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