26 replies to this topic

[Leigh Witchel]

Many moons ago, (like around 1983) I remember eating a great cheap Vietnamese meal (a classic bbq pork over rice noodles deal) near Covent Garden.  

Perhaps we should start a "Banh Mi I have known" thread.  Where do you get yours in Houston (or elsewhere), Old Fashioned? I did a search and found out that SF Ballet goers are in luck as well - Saigon Sandwich Shop is a small legend in SF and not far at all from the Civic Center - on Larkin near Eddy.  I know where I'm going for a nosh when I visit in March.

[nysusan]

I'm curious about the Italian restaurant directly across from the Wang on Tremont.  It looked like a really casual restaurant/bar - the kind of place I'd expect to serve great home style Italian if I came across it in NY. I was planning to try it but a cab driver suggested Maggiores instead (mistake).  Has anyone tried the one across from the Wang? I'll probably go back for La Sylphide and I'm always looking for inexpensive restaurants close to the theater.

Susan

[Mme. Hermine]

if it's the one that's been there for a long time, i dont remember being very impressed with it.  i liked joyce chen a lot, that wasn't bad, and there were even a lot of fast food-ish type places in the transportation building that were pretty good.

[its the mom]

nysusan - Although Maggiano's is a chain, it's better.

[Old Fashioned]

Leigh Witchel, on Oct 13 2004, 11:47 AM, said:

Where do you get yours in Houston (or elsewhere), Old Fashioned?

I usually go to this place in Bellaire Chinatown (for those of you who aren't familiar with Houston, there's the old Chinatown downtown, and Bellaire is the later one) that my family has been a faithful patron of for years.  The owners of this restaurant moved into a different building, and unfortunately, I don't remember the name of the new shop.  Everytime one of us goes to visit my aunt in Vegas, we have to bring her the sandwiches.  I think this is one of the most reliable Vietnamese sandwich shops in Houston, but there are a TON of others that people can choose from.  

There was a small cafe called Republic Square (not in Chinatown) that served incredible Vietnamese po' boys (they differed slightly fom the traditional sandwiches- the bread being of a finer quality and they weren't served with the slice of jalapeno), but it turned into a Mediterranean food joint.

Just curious- how do prices compare across the country?  Here, they're usually about 2-3 bucks.

[eland]

Hi i there,
    I saw this  thread  and  couldn't  resist because  I  love  inexpensive food and  more especially goiod food . I read  the  first page  and  didn't  go  to  the  next, so  i'm  sorry if  i've repeated someone...
    Yes, Pho still exists on Washington street.(in fact, it  is  a favorite amongst some  dancers of  Boston Ballet...) There was another" Pho" on  a cross street  from the  Wang that was kind of Upscale and  not  very good, but  the  Pho on Washington is  definitely worth the  trip.They have  great  soups and  there  really inexpensive. There  is  also  a  Maylasian restaurant across the  street from pho  called Panang  and  a thai restaurant   called Montien  that is  across the  street form  the  Wang center's backstage door.
    Jacob Wirths' is great  and  on Friday  evenings, the  have  "sing alongs" , so  you  can  eat and  nourish your inner  "broadway" or  "rock" star...It's really fun and  they love a ballet crowd.
     There is a great Dessert restaurant called "Finale" which  is a  little pricey, but  well worth it  if you  want to  splurge  after  a night out.
    There is  a chinese restaurant  called" PH Changs "that    is still good to  best  of  my knbowledge. It  is  open late  and  usually crowded though...
        Well, if you  are  in Boston already, eat up, if  not then look into  those  restaurants, they;re worth it...

[bbfan]

Oh, I'm glad to hear Pho Pasteur is still near the Wang, will have to try to find its address....  we often eat at Montien, like it a lot.  One of our group walks really slowly so we try to get as close to the Wang as possible for meals, then we don't have to rush or start unreasonably early....


PF Changs is a chain but has some good dishes - it is really noisy though so hard to have a conversation.  Haven't tried the Italian place across from the Wang.

[its the mom]

The other problem with PF Changs is the long wait if you have no reservations.  DD says Montien is awesome, and she often takes out soup from there.  Italian place across the street is thumbs down.  bbfan, have you ever eaten at Pigalle?  I know it's upscale, but was wondering if it's worth it.  One of the artistic staff at BB told me that at McCormick & Schmick's (also a chain, but pretty good food), you can get a great (and cheap) meal at Happy Hour time.  Have to look into that one.

[Treefrog]

Now that you've tantalized us with descriptions of this tasty-sounding nosh:  Here's a conversation about Banh Mi from the Roadfood.com forum.  Besides additional paeans, suggestions are given for places all over the country to find this treat.  Looks like I might have to run a side trip over to Virginia when I'm in DC next month!

[bbfan]

We haven't eaten at Pigalle; we are often hosting a group of six so tend to look for lower priced places.  We've gone to the Theater Cafe in the Radisson from time to time.  It varies so much, from good to awful, that lately we've avoided it.  We do prefer places where we can get reservations.  Now that Legal's has reservations we might try there even though it is not in the bargain category.  We have had meals at McCormick & Schmick's and liked them too.

[Ari]

A useful site for info about good eats is Chowhound.com.  Scroll down the page to see their regional forums (some have sub-forums for particular locations).

Another helpful site is egullet.com? (scroll down to "Restaurants, Cuisine and Travel"), although posters on these forums tend to favor pricier, more upscale places.

[eland]

McCormic  and Schmicks is  great. ...I'd almost forgotten that one... The  happy hour deal is  supposed to  be  good  and  it  is  right until around theatre time.
          If you like  Seafood, the  regular menu is  wourth  looking  at. A little  pricey, but  worth it  on the  occasional special occasion...