I stopped by Nhu Lan yesterday for the first time, after spending a relaxing Sunday afternoon at the Red Lion just a few doors away.
I'd had plenty to eat and drink at the Red Lion, so I planned to get a bahn mi to take home for lunch the next day, and put an ice pack in a little car cooler for that reason. I got the #1 special (working my way methodically through the menu). The lady who took my order wanted me to change to a #3 or #5, who knows why, an extra 45 cents or that's what they had on hand, but I stuck with the #1. I don't think it was made to order; it was brought out from the back and looked and felt premade (bread cold and stiff--my initial impression was that it was stale). Mind you, this was around 5:45 on a Sunday night. I asked how soon they were closing and was told, usually 7*, but they were hoping to close early, around 6, because of Mother's Day.
Last night I unwrapped the sandwich to put some mayo on the bread before rewrapping it tightly to store overnight. Say what you like; I am anti dryness in foods, and I didn't think the bread was particularly fresh at the time that I bought it. That said, it made for a great lunch today.
* I am not sure about this and I really don't want to misinform anyone, but I *think* I saw on a sign by the door "We are now open 7 days a week, 7 am-7 pm." If that's true, it would confirm the other reports of a 7 pm close and constitute a change in the closed-on-Tuesday sitch ... but don't take my word for it; I can't be sure. Should have taken a picture of that sign. Call and find out for yourself if you need to know about Tuesdays.
I read through this whole thread before posting this, so I'd like to go back for the pork belly bahn mi, the lemongrass tofu, the ginger chicken. I was dismayed though, to read that extensive list of health violations in Nov 2012, and to see that an inspection was also failed in Feb 2014 (for fewer and apparently less serious reasons), although a pass is reported for the most recent inspection in March 2014.
I also noted that all the bahn mi items on the menu cost at least $1 more (i.e., typically $4.50-$4.95) than the prices shown on the online menu, which from the info in this thread I gather reflect the prices in 2009, which were in turn all about $1 more than the prices in 2007. Not a steep rate of increase and still very affordable and delicious sandwiches. Rents go up and food prices go up. But given that it's quite a hike from where I live, I do wish they were consistently passing their health inspections; if they were, I'd feel more comfortable about making an effort to go back to try more varieties of the bahn mi and get some shrimp spring rolls too.
"Your swimming suit matches your eyes, you hold your nose before diving, loving you has made me bananas!"