But the suburbs are an undeniable destination for plates of international food. This time, Carrollton has a heavy hitter with Ba Lee Sandwich Shop and Deli, which sells banh mi for $5.
The price is what draws you in, but the quality is what makes you stay (and keep coming back).
Although it sits in an unsuspecting strip just off I-35, all of Ba Lee's deli meats are processed in-house, which is an attention to detail that's rare to find these days. So are all the other classic Viet ingredients: French bread, the pickled daikon radish and carrot blend, onion, cucumber, cilantro and jalapeño.
It's an economic wonder how they're making any money given the time and effort that goes into these sandwiches. The pork is grilled fresh daily, and the staff arrives early in the morning to make sure all the meats are ready by 9 a.m. If you buy five sandwiches, you get one free.
Still, they cost just $5 before tax.
But because the banh mi uses only a few ingredients, Ba Lee can stick to the basics and do it well, creating the seven memorable sandwiches on the menu: pate ham, special combination, chicken, crushed meatball, grilled pork, pork roll and shredded pork with pork skin.
The only way to customize your sandwich is to remove any fresh toppings, but they're best enjoyed exactly as they are.
We tried the two most popular sandwiches: the No. 2 special combination, which starts with a layer of pate spread and butter, then stacks head cheese (a cold cut made from a pigs head), ham and chả lụa (sausage) with all the fresh toppings; and the No. 5, made with signature grilled pork.
Each sandwich is the perfect example of the art of the ratio and balance of textures.
A fresh baguette with an ASMR level of crispiness and a soft, pillowy inside holds the sandwiches together. It's cut in half and spread with butter and pate for a balanced moisture level — not too wet, not too dry.
The pickled daikon and carrot are sour and crunchy, perfect with the caramelized grilled pork. Fragrant cilantro and spicy jalapenos round off the fresh element. Looks are deceiving as you'd assume the sandwiches would be vegetable-heavy. Instead, the first bite proves it to be all of the above: as salty and sweet as it is savory and acidic.
We enjoyed the grilled pork more than the combination, but that depends on how you prefer your banh mi served, hot or cold. We look forward to trying the crushed meatball and shredded pork next.
If you thought the wonder stopped with the sandwiches, you're wrong. The simple drink menu offers classic Vietnamese choices: sugarcane juice, young coconut, coconut sugarcane, thai iced tea and Vietnamese iced coffee.
Ba Lee Sandwich Shop is one of the few places in Dallas where you can get your hands on fresh-pressed sugarcane juice.
Aaren Prody
Had it not been 4 p.m. on our visit we would have gotten a Vietnamese coffee as well, but we wanted to be well rested that night and we all know how strong Viet-style coffee is. There's an unspoken rivalry with Red Bull.
Ba Lee Sandwich Shop, 1927 E. Belt Line Road, Carrollton. Tuesday – Saturday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.; closed Sunday – Monday.
