Ka Ka Vietnamese Sandwiches

I was wondering this area with my family to find some cheap good eats. I had an event to go to soon and I knew I wouldn’t be able to eat for quite awhile. I decided I’ll just buy something to-​go from this place like a vietnamese sandwiches. I feel like you can’t go wrong with BBQ meat, daikon radishes and jalapenos. So I opted for the BBQ pork sandwich. I received it and I started munching down. The bread is so hard and crunchy, I dislike it. The sauce in it was awful and the proportion of meat to vegetables was horrible as well. The meat wasn’t even flavored well, it made my stomach sick to the pit. I could barely finish it. Horrible. I am never coming back to this vietnamese sandwich place and I recommend you take your business elsewhere.

$ 4 goi cuong (shrimp spring roll): crunchy, fresh, 3 rolls.
$ 3.75 combo sandwich. Need to ask for jalapenos. Tgey won’t add it unless you tell them.
Sandwich was ok. Crunchy bread. Fresh ingredients but I’ve had better.
Free drink from the top 2 shelves in the small fridge
Overall: good efforts

One thing that stood out about this little restaurant is that the people working there are super friendly and accommodating. While I was waiting for my takeout, I witnessed many acts of kindness from owner to customers which amazed me. Usually most Asian places could care less about what customers had to say.
This place seems pretty busy and they sell out of food pretty quickly since a lot of people stop by for takeout. The food is delicious also. I’ve been here for their banh mi a couple of times and I’ve been satisfied every single time. This time, I was a bit hungrier so I opted for the vermicelli plates. The BBQ pork they put in it was delicious, it had the perfect amount of crunch and it was cooked nicely. The spring roll seemed a bit bland, but oh well.
Also, I love how there are pictures of the food on the wall so I can actually see what I am ordering!

Amazing, fresh, simple food for a cheap price. The owner Jacky is kind and helpful. The space may be very small but great food more than makes up for it.

This place is Dope for Bahn Mi Sandos. Get the #7 BBQ Pork (w Pâté, Daikon, Carrot and a nice House Sauce) and you will not be disappointed. Kick it up and ask them to add Jalapeños (and top w Sriracha). Mmm. The Bahn Mi is also a great value at $ 5 with a premium drink (I get the 16 Oz coconut water), or $ 4 without.
I have been coming here for the last two years for Bahn Mi but just today found out the name with the table layout change and fancy menus they got. I always thought they were just part of the store.
The Spring Roll ($ 4) was also excellent. Some time I will have to try the Phở and other Vietnamese Meals, if I can ever get past the epic Bahn Mi #7 (the best I have had outside of Vietnam).
The name Ka Ka has unfortunate associations in Spanish but don’t let that deter you. It is a very clean and friendly family run place. The menu in in English and Vietnamese and there are photos of each dish on the back walk.
They close at 6 so go for lunch or early dinner. There are few tables and the eating space is open to the market so it is more of a luncheonette.

$ 4. Got my usual since I was in the ‘hood and tried the banh mi cha lua (fancy pork with pâté). Not good at all. Bread wasn’t crunchy and carrots/​daikon wasn’t pickley. Won’t come back.

Just grocery shopping in this area and heard my tummy growling. Saw some pics of Vietnamese sandwiches on the window of a grocery market? Really? Walked in to check it out. Not bad with reasons prices.
BBQ Pork Vermicelli w/​eggroll. Decided to eat right there cause I was too hungry. First bite of pork, «wooow» this is really good. It was tender and was so flavorful. This is where I’m going now since its in my area if I’m ever craving cold vermicelli. As I was sitting down, I noticed alot of people coming in and out just ordering their Vietnamese coffee. I had to try it for myself. This is something I’ve never tasted before. Chocolate flavors is what I taste first then after the coffee. I’m totally sold, cause I’m a mocha person. It gave a nice coffee candy after taste. I’m definitely coming back.
Food: 5 Stars
Service: 4 Stars
Drinks: 5+++ Stars

I’ve tried several items from Ka Ka’s menu and, contrary to the reviews below, I really enjoyed everything. I guess I should start off with the disclaimer that I do not like flavor that is purely a result of MSG. Though I love flavor, I hate the thirst that MSG filled foods cause after eating out. Ka Ka’s items contain no MSG. Now on to the food:
Bun Bo Hue:
This is one of the best Bun Bo Hue’s I’ve tried in a while. The soup lacked spiciness [i like super spicy food] but was rich with spices and lemongrass flavor. It was very refreshing compared to the MSG packed, spice lacking soups I’ve tried at other places. It tasted refreshing and authentic.
Meatball Phở:
The soup base seemed slightly bland at first but was later replaced by the sweetness of the meats and spices used in cooking it. The soup base was fresh, clear and not too oily or cloudy from prolonged reheating. The best part of this dish was THE MEATBALLS. The meatballs from the phở are a must try. They are handmade with the perfect texture and sweetness of meats. Delicious meatballs!
Bhanh Mi Thit Nuong [BBQ Pork Sandwich]
Light and refreshing. I liked that that the pork was not overly sweet or charred.
Overall, Ka Ka Vietnamese Sandwiches provides light, refreshing, and authentic flavors. Though to some their dishes are bland, I enjoy the fact that the flavors emitted by each dish are from seasonings and meats as compared to MSG. Friendly Service too!

I see a lot of bad reviews but frankly, my bbq pork banh mi was actually really good.
$ 3.75, crisp, good pâté’, good mayo and the meat was juicy and flavorful.
(so you know this is my 78^th banh mi, in a long growing list…
)
I have to say that veggies were kinda «meh» and totally tasted straight out of a can…
Also, didn’t really feel the freshness/​crunch of the cucumber and I really don’t think there was a jalapeño slice (but it’s not always there).
With Bunn Mi and Little Vietnam in the neighborhood these guys don’t shine at all…

Ka Ka is inside a grocery store to the left. just a single lady doing the cooking and cashiering.
menu: noodles, rice plates, banh mi, phở, smoothies, etc.
eats: meatball banh mi (3.75)
–toasted bun filled with meatball fresh from refrigerator (saw it)
–not a lot of meat, some veggies as filler
–bland overall, slight limburger taste. didn’t taste any msg.
crumbs:
–buy 2 items, get free 12 oz drink.
–nice service
–doubtful repeat…

One of the worst Vietnamese sandwich ever.

I was a little peckish after my crab sandwich from Walgreens.
Vietnamese Spring rolls sounded good to my stomach.
This place was nearby. Every time I’ve gone here I have gotten fresh food.
Today was no exception. $ 4.00 (+tax) for 3 perfectly decent and fresh rolls (mint, shrimp, rice noodles, shredded lettuce, and rice wrapper) plus sauce. Made on the spot! All politely tucked into a small bag with napkins and some tasty dipping sauce in a secure container. Cheap. Fresh. Authentic. You’re also free to take a piece of candy from the complimentary bowl. Took minutes. If you prefer — there’s a modest place to sit with a t.v. (playing Chinese pop songs), tall stools, and tables too.
I call that service!
Also picked up a big piece of yamaimo (mountain potato) for $ 4.00. Do take a look around, although a little cramped, and not plentiful, there is still a nice selection of produce and Asian staples to be found. People love popping in here before closing for this or that item. A male cashier doesn’t really understand English, but he does smile and doesn’t mind if you change your mind. However, expect Asian grannies to assume precedence in the line (and attempt to barter over .10 plastic bags).
If you aren’t one… just bring your patience. :P
Think I’ll be back to give that «Sauerkraut & Beef» instant ramen a try too!
…
p. s. if of interest, they also sell phone cards by the entranceway.

I ordered shredded pork vietnamese sandwich but there was no shredded pork. I was so pissed off. If I wanted to eat shredded carrot and clear noodle mixed with fish paste between the bread, I would have made it myself at home. Every bite was salty. Yeah, no other taste but SALT!!!
I haven’t even tried their good-​looking dishes that are shown on the menu. I’m so over with this place. Where is my shredded ppppooorrkkk!!!
I don’t know how other people like about this place. Don’t assume that you will get what it is shown on the picture menu, it’s an illusion!!! damn it, there was only a single strand of shredded pork. This is my first time and last time wasting money on a piece of garbage.
Though this place has four and half star on Unilocal,I will give them one star BECAUSE they put one strand of shredded pork ! They don’t deserve four stars.

Tried this place instead of the usual Little Vietnam, had a «spicy» combination bahn mi. I thought it was decent, I was hungry. The spicy was 2 slices of pepper.

Y & Y Vietnamese Deli is now Ka Ka Vietnamese Sandwiches. I think Y & Y was a less unappetizing name than Ka Ka. Ka Ka, inside New May Cheung market, offers Vietnamese rice plates ($ 7), vermicelli bowls ($ 6.50 — $ 7.50), phở, spring rolls, steamed buns, 13 kinds of banh mi, durian smoothies and grass jelly drinks.
* Meatball banh mi ($ 3.75): I didn’t like the cheap tasting roll; it’s the kind where crumbs fall off with every bite, with a hard shell and soft interior. I did like the firm, flavorful, peppery ground pork meatballs with a bit of water chestnut for crunch, the smear of pâté. The banh mi had the usual cucumber, cilantro, pickled carrots and daikon, and jalapeño. The veggies needed more pickling. The sandwich was fairly well stuffed.
They open at 9 AM, so maybe you can have banh mi or phở for breakfast. Limited seating.

I’ve tried some of their other items like the chicken soup and rice noodle soup. I do like these items more than the sandwiches. Maybe because its been so frickin’ cold lately. I have yet to try other sandwiches besides the meatball and chicken. Will report back later for review.

Well, the Y & Y has been gone long enough, I had to give the new owners at Ka Ka a chance. Not impressed.
As per my usual at any new place, I got a pork bann mi. We have a ton of Vietnamese Sandwich shops in the Inner Richmond, and this is how I judge. Anywho, it was lacking, no dikon and the carrots are not pickled. The lack of vinegar really takes away the balance of the sandwich. Also they use what appears to be some kind of mayo of which I am not a fan. On the bright side, the bread itself was really big, and the pork was OK.
Cost is a flat $ 4 which is right about average.

Somebody didn’t consult a native english speaker on the new branding…
Name aside, I found the product to be average/​fair/​middling/​etc.
Sandwich was well constructed overall, but my main complaint is that their pork here is quite «porky» (I had the #7 BBQ Pork Banh Mi).
Side note: requesting spicy here gets you a few slices of jalapeño, and no slather of chili garlic sauce — necessary for me to offset the toasted bread.
For me, this was fine, but not comparable to (though cheaper than) my standard in the neighborhood: Vietnam Café on 6^th.

Ka Ka has replaced Y & Y Vietnamese Deli. It looks to have a similar menu, but less exotic items. I had the fancy pork bahn mi sandwich which was great. Came with toasted bread (which for me is really important), good pâté, abuntant veggies. This place shares space with the Chinese grocery New May Cheung that has excellent produce and limited other items so you can kill two birds so to say… Enjoy!