Although it has been over seventy years since France left what was then called “Indochina,” there are many legacies of French colonialism that persist in Vietnam. Among them are the use of the Roman alphabet for the Vietnamese language, the architecture prevalent in the buildings of Hanoi, and even the use of beef in some of the nation’s most popular dishes like pho. In the Mesa Asian District, Mekong Sandwiches uses another lasting French influence, the simple baguette, to create another popular Vietnamese specialty, the sandwiches known as bahn mi.
As its name suggests, Mekong Sandwiches is located in Mekong Plaza, the shopping center that was among the earliest arrivals as the Asian District has emerged over the past two decades. The shop is at the northern edge of Mekong Plaza, a quarter mile west of Sycamore/Main station on the A Line. It can be identified not only via the large overhead sign proclaiming its name, but also by the gentlemen who gather at a table outside virtually every day. Bike racks are found at multiple locations along the east side facing Dobson Road.
The interior of Mekong Sandwiches is a simple space where abundant windows on the east and north sides leave little room for decorations. A menu above the counter lists the shop’s sandwiches while a display case holds numerous snacks and appetizers not listed overhead. Among those items are both crisp egg rolls and uncooked spring rolls, or goi cuon, with shrimp and pork within. Other choices included fried dumplings, meat pies, and sesame balls. A refrigerated case to the left of the counter contains drinks and desserts to augment a meal.
The items in the cases are generally packaged to go, but anyone eating on site has probably come for a banh mi. The menu lists a dozen types with varying fillings, but they all share a common base: freshly baked footlong baguettes produced on site in an oven that looks like an elevator in the middle of the kitchen. The scent of the bread fills the room, and the baguettes provide an essential foundation for the sandwiches. Their yielding interiors allow for absorption of various spreads, while the crusty exterior provides structure to contain meats and vegetables.
All the sandwiches include, unless otherwise specified or requested, mayonnaise, pate, cilantro, jalapeños, cucumber, and a combination of pickled carrots and daikon. The fillings can be as simple as grilled beef, chicken, or pork seasoned with lemongrass. The Mekong Special is a porcine extravaganza with steamed pork, ham, head cheese, and belly all inside the bread. Ham, shredded pork, barbecued pork, and pork meatballs are additional choices with the last choice consisting of crumbly spheres of ground meat that meld nicely into the sandwich.
There are two meatless choices available. One is an omelette banh mi in which eggs act as the principal protein. The other involves dried tofu and yams as a vegetarian filling. Beyond banh mi, there are two items on the menu that use a baguette more for dipping than for containing. A mild, yellow chicken curry with two pieces of poultry on the bone is fragrant and flavorful. Beef stew is full of chunks of tender chuck with carrots in a dark, mild sauce. Both are garnished with cilantro and sliced jalapeños, and the bowls are full of abundant sauce to soak the bread in.
The desserts in the refrigerated case are all Vietnamese with minimal outside influence, French or otherwise. Most take the form of puddings punctuated by ingredients such as basil seeds or seaweed. Che chuoi contains semi-frozen bananas embedded in smooth tapioca. For other sweets, sometimes with tapioca in the form of boba, Mekong Sandwiches’ drink menu focuses on fruit smoothies, milk teas, and coffee beverages, including a powerful version of cafe sua da, iced Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk. Given the early hours, there is no liquor license.
PHX Rail Food 