J&Q Vietnamese Sandwich
In Anaheim, a one-stop pho and banh mi shop offers fine renditions of both Vietnamese classics
Tourists and Vietnamese cuisine first-timers occasionally raise this question online: “If you can only visit only one Orange County Vietnamese restaurant to try both pho soup and banh mi sandwiches, where should you go?”
Our answer, for the time being, is that this question is a trap. While it’s possible to find OC restaurants serving both of these classic Vietnamese items, any place that’s great at one will typically not be great at both. It’s telling that Little Saigon’s Brodard – the county’s jack-of-all-trades, “start your Vietnamese culinary journey here” destination – doesn’t serve either of them. But by doing at least a competent job with both dishes, and a bit better than that with pho, J&Q Vietnamese Sandwich has emerged as a tentative answer for those willing to compromise actual excellence for the sake of convenience.
Located in an Anaheim plaza next to several other interesting restaurants, J&Q offers a compact menu with five sections: 14 types of banh mi sandwiches, seven types of pho soup, five variations on bun vermicelli, three types of bo kho beef stew, and several com rice dishes. Sandwiches are in the $10 range, with soups and other entrees from $14-$16. Drinks including teas and lemonades are offered with or without boba for $5-6 each, though J&Q actually charges for cups of tap water. Ordering and grabbing trays happens at a counter, while the dining room has two handfuls of mostly two-top tables next to a TV playing faux fireplace videos.
While our drinks (strawberry lemonade and green Thai tea) were forgettable, each of the food items rated “good” in some way, “meh” in others. We tried the J&Q Special versions of both the pho and banh mi, finding the soup’s broth to be compellingly balanced between herbal and beef flavors without a ton of oil or fat, and the sandwich bread – baked fresh daily – soft on the inside, lightly crispy on the outside, with plenty of vegetables and enough cold cuts to be unobjectionable in quantity. Similarly, the pho included a nice quantity of noodles, fresh vegetables, and herbs, with hoisin and chili bottles on the side for customization.
That said, the meats in both the Special soup and sandwich were B-quality at best, stiff slices in the pho and squishy in the banh mi, with less flavor than their surroundings. A second banh mi, grilled pork, benefitted from better-tasting meat that nonetheless seemed more pan-cooked than grilled.
Our meal’s surprising standout was the com ga chicken and steamed rice, which included a large, perfectly cooked half chicken with sauce and fresh salad items. Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and golden throughout, the chicken wasn’t the best we’ve ever had, but like the other items, enough to be filling for the asking price.
We wouldn’t suggest that anyone, tourist or local, check off both pho and banh mi at a single place. Orange County’s incredible Vietnamese community includes numerous pho specialists, most famously Pho 79, whose broths are more complex and meats more compelling than J&Q’s; there are similarly many local places serving really great banh mis with fresh bread and superior meats, sometimes at lower prices. Our advice would be to take the time to visit Little Saigon, then visit Pho Flavor for pho and THH for banh mi, right after one another if you must. But if you’re stuck in Anaheim, or otherwise insist on trying both items at one place, J&Q isn’t a bad option – just don’t expect greatness.
Stats
Price: $$
Service: Counter
Open Since: 2019
Addresses
1071 N. Tustin Ave. Suite 106
Anaheim, CA 92807
714.666.8663