Hanco: Bahn mi on Bergen

A Vietnamese sandwich shop called "Hanco" just opened at 85 Bergen Street, just off of Smith, near the F and G subway stop.

So far, I've had two sandwiches from Hanco and they both been delicious. The first was the grilled pork Bahn Mi with shredded daikon and carrot vinaigrette, cilantro, mayo, and fresh jalepeno peppers. A few days later I went back for the grilled chicken version and found it equally good.

Hanco features the traditional Vietnamese sandwich: ground pork, Vietnamese ham, pate, and the usual veggie trimmings. You can also replace the ground pork with grilled chicken, pork chop, grilled pork, sardine, or a vegetarian filling. If you don't like sandwiches, you're pretty much out of luck. They're still using the first printing of the menu with spring rolls and salads, but those items have been crossed out. Hanco is sticking to the basics.

Unlike a lot of Bahn Mi places, Hanco uses french bread that is actually crispy and slightly chewy. One of my pet peeves about Bahn Mi's in Vancouver is that the bread is too soft and too doughy. Hanco takes pride in crisping its bread at the last minute. The counter girl politely but firmly refused to allow a customer to leave the store clutching her take-out back too tightly.

"I don't like to see you hold that so tight," she said. "Later, it won't be crispy."

The Vietnamese coffee is tasty, too. Not too sweet. You can taste hints of cereal and chocolate through the condensed milk. The overall effect is reminiscent of Coffee Crisp.

Looks like I'm not the only resident who's elated about this development: Twenty Bucks a Day.

Comments

[Robin]

And if you live in the neighborhood, picking up some Hanco sandwiches and heading to the Boat or the Brooklyn Inn, or some dive bar makes for a lovely outing.

[Chris Clarke]

Well, Lindsay, if you ever make it out this way I've got a lunch itinerary all set.

[The Phantom]

I love banh mi. And will check this place out.

[The Phantom]

I love banh mi. And will check this place out.

[eriksimon]

Me, I'm completely nuts for viet cuisine in general and can't imagine how we got by without it for all those years(at least up here in Canada). Pho cafes are my favorite, with their sate soups and vermicelli bowls. Also a huge fan of Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, although there are only a handful of establishments in my city that actually get it right(too sweet, poor ratio of coffee to milk, etc.). And the hot sauce... Yum!

[Quisp]

See if they have any secret mangosteens. You won't be sorry. Unless you get arrested. They are illegal in the US, as far as I know.

[Robin]

Why are mangosteen illegal in the US?

[CMike]

eriksimon wrote:

Pho cafes are my favorite, with their sate soups and vermicelli bowls.

Ten-Four. Out here in the grater Phoenix, Az. area I have a favorite spot for piping hot Vietnamese soups. Its the best sit down fast served food going and priced around six dollars.

I'm on my way out and, by George, that's where I'm going now that you mentioned it.

It's late afternoon and 65 degrees here, New Yorkers. Maybe I'll take a jacket in case it gets nippy later.

[gordo]

Robin--

I think the reason you can't import them to the U.S. is the fear of asian fruit flies. That could just be a pretext for protecting American fruit growers, but I think it's unlikely that they would feel threatened by such a unique commodity.

[Count Iblis]

I was in Canada once and I ordered a few sandwiches with ham. What I got were large amounts of ham sandwiched between very thin pieces of bread.

Sandwich a la Atkins? :)

[dan]

Try Little Nickie's on 2nd St (just off Ave. A) if you're ever in the neighborhood. The bread is incredible.

[Elayne Riggs]

As an unabashed foodie, I love that you've started doing local restaurant reviews! I'll have to direct my ex-husband to this and your last post, he lives in Brooklyn and takes the G train to and from work in Queens every day.

[quisp]

Yes, it's the fruit flies. Here's a picture of one.

[Mandos]

Me, I'm completely nuts for viet cuisine in general and can't imagine how we got by without it for all those years(at least up here in Canada). Pho cafes are my favorite, with their sate soups and vermicelli bowls. Also a huge fan of Vietnamese coffee with condensed milk, although there are only a handful of establishments in my city that actually get it right(too sweet, poor ratio of coffee to milk, etc.). And the hot sauce... Yum!

If you were in Ottawa, you would have known Somerset St.'s Little Saigon.

[greensmile]

Lindsay [or anyone else who has eaten at Hanco]:

how's the Bobo?

[Heater]

Me Kong! Park slope, 5th ave and around carroll street. Absolutely sexy vietnamese. Go eat!

[mike king]

Say, thanks for the link, neighbor! A huge addition to the BH/CG/CH restaurant scene.

[Chuckles]

I have been in love with Vietnamese sandwhiches since my time in the bay area. Check out the post below for a full day of pork products.

http://wellroundednerds.blogspot.com/2006/01/little-groggy-yet.html

[Matt]

The Food is excellent, but be warned, service is BRUTALLY slow. As in, homicide-inducing, grind your teeth slow. It took us 45 minutes to get our sandwiches a couple days ago. And bear in mind these are sandwiches made from pre-fab ingredients sitting in bins, except for the toasted bread. So go here for the food, but dont go here if you're on any kind of a schedule. There were even people cancelling their orders and leaving when we were there.

[steven]

i had a hanco's sandwich and it was no comparison to nicky's sandwich.. i poke in vietnamese and he didn't even understand me... when did chinese people started making vietnamese sandwiches??

[Honor]

I love the coconut green tea with soy milk! Yum. Special oders don't upset them - less ice, less bubbles.