I found my new banh mi sandwich at iPho by Saigon on University Avenue in St. Paul. You’ll be greeted with neighborly and receptive smiles from the staff. Hands down, you have to try the “Saigon Sandwich.” It’s the ultimate banh mi with fresh cilantro, onions, pickled carrots and daikon, spicy jalapeños, crispy sliced cucumbers, house-made mayonnaise and liver pate, juicy meatball, pork loaf, red roast pork, grilled pork and their special sauce. It’s finger lickin’ porklicious. The banh mi is crunchy on the exterior and tender on the inside giving it the perfect texture for the perfect bite.
You can’t leave without ordering their glorious “Saigon Special Pho.” It comes with fresh eye of round steak, flank, brisket, trip, tendon and beef meatballs. Their rich beef broth is infused with cinnamon, cardamon, cloves, peppercorns, star anise, onion and rock candy sugar with a hint of fish sauce that gives it an umami flair. You can top it off with crispy bean sprouts and Thai basil leaves with a fresh squeeze of lime. It’s lovely with their rice noodles.
Still hungry. Why not take on the iPho challenge and become a Pho-King? That’s if you can eat 10 pounds of pho in 45 minutes. The winner eats their pho for free and wins a free T-shirt, “I am the Pho-King Champ.” This is not for the faint of heart.
Location: 704 University Ave W, St Paul, MN 55104
