Banh Mi & Che Cali

Alright service, I ordered a party tray and I got on hold for a while cause the lady who was answering didn’t know how to take other. She had to ask another lady to do it.

It is not about the food i mention about here.
Got shouted unreasonable in this store by a jerk Asian old guy. I have been here couple of times, normally there are 2 lines and 2 cashiers in the store, I usually come here at stand by any line I want. Today is raining, there are maybe 3 – 4 customers get in 1 line, I walked in and saw no sign instruction that customers should stand by on 1 single line only or something like that. So just line on the empty line for my order as usually.
Just get trouble with this old jerk that I passed him. Don’t want any argument, and have no idea if I were wrong in this situation. just take order and leave with no please. Hope the management signed for clear instruction guide. I am not a new customer for this store so how about the new comer? Will they makes a same mistake, I mean if there is my fault?
Bad Sunday morning.

i gave them 4 stars because the price (all the sub r buy 2 get 1 free, and the milk tea also buy 1 get 1 free) and the fresh make eggroll, steam roll, and eggroll~ but 4 the bread. I don’t like it that much~little bit cold and not much stuff inside~but it’s fine still a really good deal:)

We came in for boba and I asked for light ice and this is what they give me. See below picture… a bit ridiculous if you ask me.

I love this place for banh mi or for their food! It’s inexpensive and you see the employees make them fresh every day!
If you want fresh loaves of bread for curry or menudo, come here! They’re inexpensive and crispy on the outside and soft on the inside!

Yummyness great authentic Veitnames food although the service there was not to friendly the food made up for it. PHO is my favorite and the chicken wings were delicious…

Big location. Terrible parking lot. Register line moves so slow.
Café Sua Da — $ 2.25 — Vietnamese coffee, sweet and strong. Good but I have had a lot better.
Cha Gio — $.60 — Good egg roll. Overpriced since most viet places only charge 50 cents.

They have more food choices compare to their other location on valley and 6^th street. Price is low and food is decent. Buy 2 sandwich and get 3^rd one free, pretty good deal. Their chicken noodle soup or beef ball noodle soup are both good ($ 2.50 plus tax.) Plenty of parking in this plaza. The line to order food can be chaotic so brace yourself if you come during their rush hour. Also don’t be shock if other people cut in line in front of you.

I love a variety and that’s exactly what they have here. From banh mi sandwiches to fresh banh cuon to fresh desserts. They have a few items that are buy two get one free so it can be a pretty great deal if you’re buying a lot but it can easily sucker you into buying more too (if you’re a sucker like me). I go in to buy some coffee with boba for my mom and end up with $ 26 worth of goodies. I picked up sugar coated sesame balls, jello, flan, desserts, drinks, Vietnamese yogurt, patê sô (baked pastry with meat), pre made BBQ pork sandwich, etc. They also sell a variety of snacks and just so many different things so it is hard to resist if you come here hungry. Prices are pretty affordable here for a decent lunch and you can probably get more than one item plus dessert.

I can’t complain when the prices are $ 2.50 for bun Bo hue or bun rieu (my usuals). In what world are noodle soups that cheap, fulfilling, and authentic??? Ok maybe in Vietnam. Anyway, I love the fast, cheap, and convenience of this establishment! Even tho they can never understand me in English (trying to pronounce bun bo hue or bun rieu), they still make me and my wallet happy!

Get to see what these wonderful and crafty Vietnamese ladies making your food. Taste is slightly better than other similar establishments (including chain/​franchise stores).
Wide variety, made to order, freshly made.
It’s just simply better.

This is my absolute favorite place to get Banh Mi! I love that they offer a Buy 2 Get 1 free deal. I always order at least 3 banh mi to take advantage of the deal. I typically just order the Dac Biet, which is the banh mi special with all the different types of cold cut meats in it. I also get the veggies on the side, so that they don’t make my bread soggy. I just love the way that Banh Mi Che Cali makes their sandwiches and I love how tasty the bread is.
They also display other types of Vietnamese street food and desserts around the cashier, which I always end up grabbing something. My favorites are the Banh Bot Chien, which is fried flour cake and egg w/​a sweet soy sauce, and the steamed bun with meat inside (I forgot the Vietnamese name for it).
This Banh Mi Che Cali is located in a plaza, so parking can be difficult if you’re going during a peak hour. However, I’ve always stopped by here in the early morning or late afternoon and I always seem to be finding parking. Even though Banh Mi Che Cali is a chain store, it is absolutely delicious.

You can’t beat their buy 2 sandwiches get 1 free deal! I ordered the banh mi dac biet and the sandwiches were decent. I was kind of disappointed that they were out of some of the noodle dishes that I had been craving. I guess you would need to come in earlier to get what you want, otherwise they will be all gone during busy hours!
Prices are reasonable for some of the selections. I liked the banh mi sandwiches, they tasted decent. I ordered a vermicelli dish with some grilled pork; and it was pretty good. They accept credit cards here and parking is easy.

This Banh MI & Che Cali (BMCC) is smaller than the one in Rosemead but it’s just as convenient to the neighborhood and my family. Came here to get some fried Chinese doughnut for our rice porridge and it wasn’t bad. Parking can be found in the parking lot right outside in the plaza. It might be difficult to find parking because the spots usually get taken right away. It’s busy at all hours really. Be patient.
Once you enter, there is a large array of products and deli food. Most are pre-​made and others you can order to eat there or to go. I still think the BMCC in Westminster has better sandwiches at better prices. Workers here are… okay. Could use some customer service. Food is cheap so you can technically feed a whole family. The fried Chinese doughnuts were cold but that’s expected. They were sitting there for a while but they were light and airy compared to places I’ve tried them.
I’ll probably be back if I need something or if I crave quick, cheap Vietnamese food. So I’d recommend one to come in, order and get out.

Banh Mi Che Cali is probably on the lower end of banh mi sandwiches. They are relatively cheap compared to other establishments so don’t expect high quality food. The only good thing about this place is the variety of Vietnamese cuisine that it offers. They have banh mi, che, steamed rice dishes, and baked goods. Also, if you don’t speak Vietnamese, you are going to have a hard time ordering.
If you are getting a sandwich, go for their regular banh mi instead of the baguette. If you want a good baguette, Mr. Baguette is just down the street.
Overall. decent food at a reasonable price.

Love coming here for quick Vietnamese take-​out meals! Parking is PACKED, so that is a slight downside. Also, the wait time is LONG. People take forever to decide what to order and I feel they’re understaffed. Besides these two points, the food is reasonably priced and a nice variation from your typical vietnamese sandwich-​only joints.
I tried the beef stew with bread ($ 3.50) and it’s a bit oily, but very flavorful and the beef is tender. Also tried the chicken + rice combo which was good… chicken was tender as well. Their congee isn’t your typical chinese congee; it is more soupy.
The iced coffee is hit/​miss here; they’re inconsistent but USUALLY it’s good, sweet, strong and doesn’t have TOO much coffee grinds on the bottom of the cup. And you know what those deadly coffee grinds mean… extra caffeine… so strong…

This is the only Vietnamese sandwich place that I really dig the most. I use to frequent the Che Cali in Westminster, but evry since discovering the one up here, it’s become our permanent sandwich shop. There’s a bunch of other Vietnamese food, but their sandwiches and other munchies are my main reviews:
Their House Specialty Sandwich aka Banh Mi Dac Biet — buy two and get one free deal is the best! Mom and I usually get 6 sandwiches: two per parent and me.
The meat is always fresh and hearty. When you open up the sandwich, you actually see the meat in there. Also, lotsa veggies, especially the shredded carrots and kick ma marinated in their tangy fish sauce. The bread is hearty, long and thick too, and easy to chew. Other places, their bread tastes either of no flavor or it’s hard the next day. Their bread here is still crispy the following week when toasted.
Besides the sandwiches, I also like:
***Assorted jelly deserts: the tapioca with plaintains or the green tapioca with chucks of taro and topped with coconut milk.
***Roasted wet peanuts $ 2.00 a bag — zip lock sandwich filled — lots of peanuts — big ones too!
***The toasted sesame seed round bun — crispy and a lil sweet. They look look like tortas that you can stuff meats and veggies inside if you want.
***The green pillow pastries by the counter — soft and chewy and sweet.
***The pastry with the green pandan (green coconut) flavor next to the madelines on the cart next to the counter.
***Banh da lon: striped green and yellow pastries –reminds me of eating a fruit rollup, lol.
I’m sure there’s more that I’ve eaten, but every time I do come here, it’s always affordable and delicious!

If you want the best bang for your backs in Vietnemese Food. This one would fit the bill, they offer so many variety of Vienemese food, drink, and dessert all for fraction of the price from a typical Vietnamese Restaurant, which already cheap to compare to other cuisine.
You can a full meal well under $ 5 and even a drink maybe 6 or 7 max. I miss that they no longer full Phở… actually their hot entrée is only serve in smaller portion but also cheaper. Everything is now takeout only.
Their main attraction is their Banh Mi (Vietnemese Sandwitch), they made in daily and in general is good if you get them in the morning. I would avoid them in later of the day which most likely been seated for a while. That same goes to most of the package food. Their drink and dessert is noticeable weaker than most competitor. They likes to put a lot of ice in the drinks and dessert which I don’t like.
This is cash only, I don’t found a reason for me to go Subway. This is far cheaper and you get some nice spring roll too for the same or less than a typical Subway Sandwich. Only issue they don’t have it in downtown or business location, which can be far more handy. Except the one in Pasadena, but offer far less choices.

Though I love all Asian food, I’m least familiar with Vietnamese, so I was happy to pay a visit to a Vietnamese joint that isn’t a phở place. Some things I learned on this field trip:
— Actual Vietnamese people seem to really like this place. There were a ton of people coming by to pick up large orders for what I assume are family gatherings. A good sign of authenticity!
— Spring rolls are just amazing — any time.
— They have baos too, but instead of just meat inside like the Chinese version, this one had mushroom and egg as well — so much tastier that way!
— The chrysanthemum tea that they sell out of the cooler is a bit more flowery than I’m used to… but still a refreshing option if a Vietnamese coffee sounds like too much!
— Those baguettes call to me and next time I’m here I will for sure get a banh mi.

*Might as well finish up some drafts that I’ve held off on. Lets start off with this place!
Rating: 3 ½ stars (I’ll round it off to 4)
Been coming here on and off for over 10 years. Has supported me through my poor college days and when I just want decent food for a cheap price.
Languages: Most Banh Mi Che Cali places are Chinese/​Vietnamese restaurants. They have limited english, but you can always pick up another language or two.
Parking: Parking can be a pain in the arse in this plaza. They do have parking spaces that are specifically for banh mi che cali customers. It’ll be better if you find parking along valley blvd.
Ambiance: Can be a little loud when there are mad rushes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Service: Love the service! This one cashier lady has manned the front for many years. She still smiles when I try to pronounce these darn vietnamese food names and at times would correct me… Great way to learn vietnamese food names… I suppose. Wait can be long to get food, but that’s understandable.
Must haves food items:
1) Banh Cuon: meat wrapped in rice noodle which comes with pork meatloaf slices and nuoc mam sauce.
Tip: These bad boys are made to order. It takes awhile, but be patient. Let the workers work their magic fingers. They make it with T.L.C!
2) Spring Rolls: nem nuong (charboiled pork) + veggies or shrimp & veggies wrapped with rice paper. You can use nuoc mam sauce or request peanut sauce!
Tip: I prefer to use the peanut sauce. It’s soooo addicting! I can literally drink the sauce by itself! :)
3) Cari Ga: Chicken curry served either with vermicelli or with bread. They give you pretty big chunks of chicken and curry is a decent amount. The chicken meat just falls off the bone! I love to eat things that require less effort to each and this is one of them. Curry fans rejoice!
Tip: Lemons juice makes it 10x times better and skim the top of the curry to take out oil!
4) Bo Ragu: Classic vietnamese beef stew which can be served with a baquette also. Decent size beef cubes that are tender comes with white carrots, green onions, and regular onions!
Tip: MIght have to break the beef cubes in smaller pieces. Don’t know about you but I don’t like to chew on food million of times. It gets quite tiring also! Request lemons to make it 10x times better!
5) Banh mi dac biet: Banh mi special with slices of ham, meatloaf, and pâté. Who loves Pâté (mixture of cooked ground meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste) I sure do! Not the healthiest thing to order, but always eat in moderation! :)
6) Egg Rolls/​Pâté Chaud (beef or pork hot pie): Really good! A bit oily so just dab away with a napkin. Plus it’s really good if you dip it in a hot coffee! :)
7) Che (Vietnamese dessert): Love it! I usually get the mung bean or the tapioca balls!
Must haves drink items:
1) Sugar cane juice: Very refreshing! You can watch them work the machine! It makes loud noises *ear muffs* and flattens everything in it’s path. End result is some pretty decent sugar cane juice!
2) Rau Ma (Pre-​Sweetened Pennywort drink) Drink grass! it’s good for you! It maintains youthfulness, purifying the blood, curing nervous conditions, improving eyesight and memory, and relieving arthritis pain. Sounds great to me!
3) Café Sua Da (Vietnamese Ice Coffee): Want to be wired for couple hours? This bad boy is for you! It’s sweet and bold to the bone! Similar to all all places of how much coffee they give you. If you ask for no ice, coffee is filled up half way… that’s a no no in my book for a cup of coffee, but its really strong!
Tip: I usually ask for no ice and fill up the rest of the cup with water to dilute the sweetness.
Woooooo! That was a mouthful, but I think this completes this place for me!