Farewell Cooking Tour: Bánh Mì School with Cafe TH's Minh Nguyen

The grand teacher was so proud of his pupil's accomplishment

Everyone kept asking me if there were places I had to visit one last time before leaving. What was I going to miss the most? The only place that came to mind (and that I visited at least twice a week this last month) was the char-grilled Vietnamese wonderland known as Cafe TH.

The story of how everyone falls in love with TH seems to always be the same. A friend brings them along after months of raving about it, and in short time the new TH fan is repeating the cycle and bringing in even more friends to succumb to owner Minh's unparalleled spirit and food (it's quite the grand pyramid scheme).

While I never got my name on a menu item like my TH-sires Trey and Scotty (of Trey Way and Gluttonous Ellis fame), I had a lot of great memories and meals there these past 3 years. Every Thursday, our friends would gather together for one of Minh's unbeatable 4-course prix fixe dinners (which we turned into 5 courses thanks to the Trey Way), but my fondest food memories involve the grand Saturday tradition I used to have when I lived a mere 2 minutes away for a year.

Each Saturday, I would wake up, work out, and travel to TH for the greatest bánh mì known to man, The Heart Throb, and then take the most glorious nap on the couch in front of the TV. This behemoth took everything that made bánh mì great and turbo charged it beyond safe levels. Double char-grilled pork combines with bacon, fried eggs, and the freshest ingredients in the best baguette this side of Paris for a satisfaction your stomach will never forget.

Before I left Houston, I wanted only one thing- to make my own Heart Throb. But in order to do that, I was going to have to learn the art of the bánh mì.

Bánh Mì School

All I was expecting from my bánh mì making request was watching Minh masterfully make sandwiches while telling me what makes them so damned delicious, but he had much greater things in store. I was going to learn about bánh mì by getting in the kitchen and making them myself. First up was watching Minh's padawan Maria assemble 6 sandwiches before I had time to blink. The skill was evident, and I had lofty expectations to meet.

Next up, we traveled to the kitchen where I got to live my dream of cooking like a professional chef. We needed fried eggs and bacon to complete our sandwich, and this hairnet wasn't gonna wear itself. I was a little worried that I overcooked the eggs as the pan was quite hot (and that I would commit some unforgivable health code violation), but the bacon came out perfect.

Minh knew better than to let me play with the majestic fire for the char-grilled pork, but he did let me play with his sharp knives and cut up the greatest food item known to man. It took everything in my power not to just shove it all in my mouth.

Now it was time to survey our ingredients- char-grilled pork, 2 eggs, 2 strips of bacon, French butter (which every sandwich should be lucky enough to be graced with), pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and jalapenos- all of which were fresh perfection. 

But we were going to need a vessel to transport all this goodness to my mouth, and a toasted French Baguette was just the ticket.

Maria was quick to let me know when I made a mistake. I could tell my uncanny natural abilities had her fearing she would be replaced. Too much pork, not enough carrots, and misplaced cucumbers were quickly corrected.

Exhausted, but relieved after 30 minutes of intense training, it was time to enjoy the fruits of our labor.

Thanks to Maria's pointers, it looked so perfect. I almost didn't want to touch it, but since I knew what it was going to taste like, I was willing to destroy this masterpiece.

At last, I got to enjoy that first earth-shattering bite of my Heart Throb. As you can see, my fear of having overcooked the eggs was unwarranted. Not Pictured: me devouring it then laying back in my chair with my stomach hanging out, unable to move and making the other patrons uncomfortable.

Yet again, Minh had found a way to give me another memorable experience at his little oasis of awesome. Thanks so much for the years of good food, great times, and ruining my expectations for every restaurant I visit in the future. I'll be lucky to find another place with half the heart in Charleston.

And now, it's time to get to know the man himself (although the best way is always walking in those welcoming doors).

An Interview with the Prime Minhister of Bánh Mì

Tell us a little about yourself. How did you end up here today?

In short, I’ve always had the entrepreneurial spirit but really had no mastery of any skilled labor. So, when an opportunity knocked where I could work next to where I live, help grow in an area w/ potential, and become self sufficient then I seized it. I went with a ‘gut’ feeling vs. a sensible one.

What's the best part of owning TH?

The best part is definitely greeting & meeting new and regular customers w/ good energy. Connecting w/ ppl some how some way makes my soul more complete.

What's the secret to a good bánh mì? Is it love? I'm betting it's love. 

It’s the love! hmmm… Quality ingredients made fresh in a timely manner.

What's your favorite bánh mì? Favorite menu item? 

Generally speaking, I really like simple foods. This constantly changes but if I had to stick w/ a tried and true one, I’d say the char-grilled chicken and tofu w/ a hint of kim chi. Wait, that seemed to be complex. Again, my favorite menu item changes day to day, but I’d have to go with the pho. It’s incredibly nutrious and can do wonders for your soul.

How were my bánh mì making skills? 

Your skills were top notch. I’d have to say that you were valedictorian of your class.

Any big plans for the restaurant in the coming year?

I always have plans but how much of it gets accomplished is another. We shall see bc if it happens, I’m sure you will notice.

What does Houston's most eligible restaurateur look for in a mate? (from Kevin and probably every single woman who has ever set foot in TH)

.

I'm pretty sure this is what heaven looks like

Hmmm…where did you get these questions from?..lol…... other than the typical traits ppl look for, I’d add: empathy, competent, assertiveness, there’s an endless list but I feel like if you know, you know. Some sort of feeling you have and it’s somewhat explainable in a few words but not really.

When will you be expanding to Charleston?

Whenever you and Robin are ready. Gimme the green light.

Anything you'd like to add?

I’d like to say that this anchorman persona is quite impressive and should put your engineering career away. Thx for being a good pal, and I hope that Houston finds you again.

Cafaux TH: Entree 2- Stir-fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef and Baby Bok Choy

Stir-fried flat rice noodles make any dish better. Once, in an attempt to have his very own dish named after him, Kevin tried to alter Minh's Stir-fried Tofu Delight with flat rice noodles, egg rolls and baby bok choy. While we certainly enjoyed his new take, "The Kevin Special" never caught on with the masses, and his search continued. Following up my Ground Pork and String Beans was not going to be an easy task, but Kevin and his steaming hot wok were up to the challenge. By combining his lost dream with Cafe TH's most valuable vegetable, baby bok choy, he was gonna try to reach such rarefied air and leave us all with a Kevin Special we would not soon forget.

Kevin: Master of his kitchen and proud wok owner

Stir-fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef and Baby Bok Choy
Servings: 6-8
Time: 30 minutes

1/2 package flat rice noodles (about 8 oz)

So much green it seemed like a mistake

1/2 lb thinly sliced beef (ok to have marbling but trim fat from 1 side)
2 tbsp corn starch
1/2 cup brown sugar
High smoke point oil (Peanut or sesame, not olive)
1 cup soy sauce or (soy substitute)
1-2 baby bok choy roughly chopped
1/4 chopped lemon grass
1/2 onion, diced
2-3 cups spinach
1 8 oz can straw mushrooms
10-12 cherry tomatoes, halved
3-4 jalapenos, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp ginger, minced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp garlic powder
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Lime
Peanuts, crushed
Sriracha

Fortunately the greens cook down quite a bit, so you can forget all about their healthiness.

1. Mix the corn starch and brown sugar and liberally coat the sliced beef in a plastic bag. Let marinade in the fridge for 30-60 minutes while prepping everything else.
2. Chop the bok choy, onion, spinach, straw mushrooms, jalapenos, garlic, and ginger. You'll want to have all this done before the cooking begins because once it gets going it moves pretty quickly.
3. Start a pot of boiling water while you start the sautéing in the next step . Boil the flat rice noodles for about 4-5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to keep them from sticking.
4. Heat the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat.  Avoid oils such as olive oil that will smoke quickly. Feel free to mix a few such as peanut and sesame to add to the flavor.
5. Toss in the chopped veggies, red chili flakes, garlic powder, and salt/pepper. Toss or stir frequently until softened (tongs might come in handy here).
6. Remove the veggies from the heat and set aside with the noodles.
7. Get a couple of tbsp of oil heated up over medium-high heat again in the wok. Toss in some more of the garlic and ginger along with the sliced beef and sauté until cooked through.
8. After a few minutes, throw in the soy sauce and stir. The corn starch from the marinade should quickly thicken the mixture. Feel free to augment the starch depending on the desired thickness of the sauce, but remember that it thickens when it cools.
9. Throw the veggies and noodles back into the mix and stir until there is a good coating of the sauce.
10. Serve with crushed peanuts, a lime wedge, and as much sriracha as your heart desires.

Pre-mixing, the noodles really stick out

While I won't go as far as to say that Kevin won the entree cook-off (since writing this blog has only served to grossly inflate my ego, and because I keep telling myself the entire dinner was a "team effort" and thus take credit for this too), I will compliment him on a job well done. The all encompassing sauce was masterfully executed (who knew sugar was so versatile), and the beef was absolutely succulent. Baby bok choy, the crazy love-child of a drunken night involving romaine lettuce, cabbage, and spinach, continued to show its versatility in Vietnamese dishes as it provided both additional slippery yet crunchy and fresh (along with the lime) notes to the dish.  To top it all off, the crushed peanuts, while simple, added a nice extra layer that saved us from the added complexity of trying to throw in some fried egg rolls to the mix. Put it all together with just the right wet noodle transport medium, and Kevin had something worthy of both a restaurant's menu and his name.

Perfectly sauced and edibly garnished

Coming up next- we get a breather from carbs and meat with the Mango and Peach Entremet.

Cafaux TH: Entree 1: Ground Pork with String Beans

Dinner specials at Cafe TH always feature two options, so Kevin and I each took charge of one. For my entree, I decided to go with everyone's favorite (and Christina's enthusiastic request) Ground Pork with String Beans. I knew that there was no way I could hope to duplicate Minh's version because I was never going to figure out the impeccable blend of spices he used, so I decided to put my own spin on the dish . Minh is well known for his superior fusion abilities (be sure to try his fusion Viet tacos or sliders), so I decided to turn this into a Mexican-Vietnamese dish.

Ground Pork with String Beans
Servings: 7-10
Time: 40 minutes (counting prep)

2-3 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 -2 lbs string beans, ends removed
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
Lemongrass, minced and lots of it
Ginger, minced and lots of it
Cilantro, chopped
Sriracha to taste
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
3 lbs ground pork 
Red Chili flakes to taste
Soy sauce substitute or soy sauce
Jasmine Rice

1. Steam the string beans for 15-20 minutes. Set aside.
2. In another pan, brown the ground pork with a healthy amount of lemon grass and ginger, red chili flakes, sriracha, and soy sauce subsitute.
3. Saute the bell peppers, jalapenos, and onion with olive oil in a large pan over medium heat until tender.
4. Add the string beans, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, cilantro, salt, pepper, red chili flakes, and soy sauce substitute to the veggie mix and let the string beans cook for another 5-10 minutes.
5. Combine the browned pork with the veggies and serve over jasmine rice.

Christina was quite pleased with her requested dish and made sure to acquire the leftovers exclaiming, "Chef Terrence is amazing! The ground pork was simply delicious!"

This definitely veered into far different territory than the original, but it was a dish that I was incredibly proud of. The bell peppers, jalapeno, and cilantro added a new Mexican sensation to the meal, while the powerful punch of lemongrass and ginger (seriously, you can't put too much of those two) kept it true to its Asian origin and played nicely off the heat from the sriracha and chili flakes. The pork added a rich, saltiness to the dish, while the string beans provided freshness and a welcome crispy crunch. My only regret was not having enough pork to keep the rice to pork ratio in check (stupid cooking for 9 people!).

Coming up next, see Kevin try to follow-up what was essentially a cooking mic drop with Stir-fried Flat Rice Noodles with Beef and Baby Bok Choy.

Cafaux TH: Appetizer- Bánh Bột Chiên the Trey Way

The Cafaux TH experience began the same way every Thursday night does with an appetizer unlike anything else you have ever had- The Trey Way (whoever makes it to the restaurant first is required by friend law to put in the order). Bánh Bột Chiên was already absurdly good on its own, but one fateful day, our friend Trey (who sadly was out of town for a wedding and could not partake in the gloriousness), in his infinite wisdom, decided it would be even better topped with the single greatest creation in Minh's house of awesome- char-grilled pork. One reprinted menu later, an unstoppable force of deliciousness was officially born. If the night had any chance of being a success we had to nail this dish.

The Trey Way

Servings: 2-4

Time: 25-30 minutes (active)

Proper batter consistency

Rice Flour Cake

10-12 tbsp rice flour

3 tbsp tapioca startch

Salt to taste

White Pepper to taste

Red chili flakes to taste

Sriracha to taste

Soda water

Char-grilled Pork

Baked just right

Soy sauce substitute or Soy sauce

Brown sugar

1 lb Pork belly

The Rest

1-2 tbsp Olive oil

1 small red or yellow potato, diced

Pickled radish, sliced thin

2 eggs, yolks broken and lightly mixed in

Sriracha to taste

White pepper to taste

Salt to taste

Garlic powder

Pickled carrots

Scallions, chopped

1. Marinade the pork belly in a mix of soy sauce substitute and brown sugar in the fridge for at least an hour (but we'd recommend 2-4).
2. Grill the pork belly for about 3-4 minutes per side (you want it a little charred).
3. Now make the rice flour cake. Preheat the oven to 350 F. 
4. Whisk the rice flour, tapioca starch, salt, white pepper, chili flakes and sriracha together. Add in soda water until you have a slightly thick batter (you don't want too runny, but you don't want solid either). 
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until just solidified. Let cool then cut into ~1inch pieces.
6. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. 
7. Fry the rice flour cakes (use ~6 per batch), diced potatoes, and pickled radish. Flip once they start to brown. 
8. Lightly mix the sriracha, white pepper, salt and garlic powder with the eggs (you don't want to scramble the eggs).
9. When both sides of the rice flour and potatoes are crispy, pour in the egg mixture, making sure to distribute it all around the contents of the pan, and let cook for 1-2 minutes until it is mostly done.
10. Flip like a boss and let the other side finish cooking for 30-60 seconds.
11. Transfer to a plate and top with pickled carrots, scallions, and char-grilled pork to serve.

Looking good, but could it (and Kevin's floor) survive the upcoming flip?!!?

At first, I was extremely intimidated by the prospect of replicating the Trey Way (and super nervous about the night in general), and our trial attempts with food guru Michaela the night before left much to be desired. The authentic version requires preserved turnips, and, given all the other dishes we were planning, we did not have a chance to make or find such mythical creatures. Instead we'd have to settle for pickled radishes (which you may recall gave us earlier heartbreak with these Fail Fries). Many online recipes also involved complicated, lengthy procedures with the rice flour, which only added to the worry. But then I realized that it was just batter that I could bake and then fry (because nothing is better than fried dough). By combining the fried rice flour cakes, thinly sliced radishes (so if they failed they'd at least barely be there!), and last minute potatoes (because fried potatoes are pretty much a given to win), we were able to pretty closely approximate the unmistakable taste and texture.

The naked, perfectly flipped Trey Way

As soon as I somehow managed to flip the first order perfectly, I knew we were in for a special night. When the second helping was flipped just as effortlessly, I knew far greater forces were at work here. Everything came together beautifully. The fried/lightly scrambled egg hybrid created the perfect fluffy flavor blanket to go with the crunchy fried goodness and sweet pickled carrots, while Kevin's expertly char-grilled pork belly made us feel like we were sitting at our favorite table at TH. We did have to skip out on the ridiculous, practically maple-y sauce that accompanies the Trey Way, but it was so delectable that people were too busy devouring it like human vacuum cleaners to notice.

Here's a picture of Trey dressed as a ninja turtle. He's married and has a kid!

Early reviews were in, and the appetizer was a success. "The Bánh Bột Chiên was equally as good as the original at nonfaux TH. Chunkier, and with a sweeter taste to the char-grilled pork--stellar," declared Scotty, namesake of the amazing Gluttonous Ellis bánh mì.

The night was just beginning, but we were off to an even better start than we could have imagined. Up next Round 1 of my entree dance off with Kevin- Ground Pork with String Beans.

Banh Mi Burgers with Pickled Carrots & Daikon and Fresh Baguette Buns

In our never-ending quest for the world's most perfect burger, Kevin and I found ourselves drawn to the powers of darkness. We could see the vivid flames of its shirt. It was a story as old as time itself. Good versus evil. Man vs. Guy Fieri.

We wanted to honor the purest of the pure chefs- Cafe TH owner and banh mi artist, Minh Nguyen with a burger befitting his Vietnamese oasis, but in doing so, would we have to embrace the Prince of Frosted Tips?

The Devil went down to Houston. He was looking for a soul to steal...

Banh Mi Burgers
Adapted from DDD
Servings: 5 Burgers
Time: 60 minutes (not counting the buns)

My first ever hand formed patties

Full Assembly
Patty
Baguette buns (recipe below)
Pickled carrots (recipe below)
Pickled daikon (recipe below)
Jalapeno, sliced
Cucumber, sliced
Cilantro
Sriracha Aioli (recipe below)

Patties
1 lb ground pork
1 lb ground beef
4-6 oz shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped
Sriracha, salt and pepper 

So damn fishy

Marinade
3/4 cup fish sauce
12 oz wheaty beer
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 2 limes
1 tsp pureed ginger
1 tsp turmeric
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks lemongrass, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 Thai chiles, seeded and thinly sliced
Sriracha to taste
1 shallot, diced
3 sprigs Thai Basil, torn
3 Sprigs mint, torn

Fire

Sriracha Aioli
Mayo
Sriracha
Cayenne Pepper
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Jalapeno Juice
Pureed Jalapeno
Juice of 1/2 a lime

Char-grilling is key

1. Become ridiculously tired from working late.
2. Start to think that Guy Fieri is making sense and become enamored with a recipe on Diner, Drive-ins and Dives (Triple D! ::fist pump::)
3. Realize that Cafe TH does not serve dinner on Saturdays, so if you want a banh mi, you have to make it yourself. ::light bulb::
4. Form the patties by mixing together the sausage, beef, shrimp (chopped well so that the patty stays in tact), sriracha, salt and pepper. 
5. Make the marinade by mixing all the ingredients together in a large bowl.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk the aioli ingredients together until smooth. You can vary the level of spicy by changing how much mayo/ hot stuff you put in. Also, in case you're wondering where jalapeno juice comes from, after you puree your jalapenos, you can strain out the juice (5 jalapenos is like 1 1/2 tsp).
7. Get your grill hot. 
8. Dip the patties in your marinade then grill one side. Bring the patties back to the marinade and repeat.
9. Once the patties are cooked to the desired level, dip back in the marinade one final time and get a nice sear on the grill quickly.
10. Assemble your burgers by putting the patties on your fresh baguette buns and topping with banh mi staples cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, pickled carrots and pickled daikon radish. Drizzle on the aioli and enjoy.
11. Be forever thankful that you resisted the urge to buy bowling shirts and give your hair spiky blonde highlights.

The burger was actually everything we hoped for when we began this crazy, sleep deprived journey. The char-grill from searing the marinade made the patty, and the mix of pork, beef and shrimp provided an interesting burger. We were a little worried it would be overly fatty from the pork, so we went with lean 90-10 beef. It really needs a little fattier beef, however, so be sure to step up the unhealthiness. The crunch of the cucumber, jalapapeno, pickled carrot and daikon really hit the standard banh mi notes, and the sriracha aioli added a necessary creaminess. However, in hindsight, we should've created a rich sriracha butter instead, like Minh's French Butter banh mi spread. The main problem was that when you're craving a banh mi, you really should just eat one. No matter how hard we tried with our burgers, they'd never reach the heights of a Gluttonous Ellis, Heartthrob or Zombie from TH.

The first ever animated GIF on the site (click it if it stopped playing). Coming soon: Buzzfeed's Top 10 Hottest GIFs of Terry Eating Burgers.

Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish

Adapted from The Smitten Kitchen

Servings: Way more than you need for 5 burgers

Time: 90 minutes (inactive for 80 of that)

5 carrots, peeled and cut thinly

1 daikon radish, peeled and cut thinly

1 1/2 cups water

1 1/4 cups apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup sugar

4 garlic cloves, lightly crushed

1 1/2 tbsp dill seeds

1 1/2 tbsp salt

Bam! You're about to get pickled (Not just the worst cooking line but also the worst pickup line)!

1. Place the carrots and daikon in separate heatproof bowls
2. Bring the water, vinegar, sugar, garlic, dill seeds and salt to a bowl in a pot. Let simmer for 2 minutes
3. Pour the liquid on top of the carrots and daikon THROUGH A STRAINER (to get rid of the dill seeds).
4. Let sit for at least 90 minutes before using.

Pickley deliciousness

The pickled veggies are what set a banh mi apart from a normal sandwich. They added a crispness and acidity that the sandwich needed to go with the freshness of the cucumber, jalapeno and cilantro. Unlike my previous attempt at pickling (see Dr. Pepper Braised Brisket Tacos with Pickled Onions), these actually taste pretty solid on their own.

Baguette Buns

Adapted from Cooking Channel

Servings: 4-6 Buns

Time: 90 minutes (inactive for 60)

2 packets dry active yeast

2 tbsp honey

Warm Water

3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

2 tsp salt

Olive Oil

3-4 ice cubes

I shall call him doughy, and he shall be mine.

1. Mix the honey, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water well. Let sit until the yeast activates and the mix foams (about 5 minutes)
2. Combine the flour and salt in a large stand mixer with a dough hook attached. Slowly add in the yeast while mixing.
3. Slowly pour in up to an additional 1 cup warm water until the dough comes together in to a workable, non-sticky ball.
4. Knead the dough on a floured surface until nicely elastic (3-6 minutes).
5. Round the dough into a ball and place in a large, lightly oiled bowl (I also turn the dough over a few times in the bowl to oil it). Cover and let rise to double the size (25-30 minutes).
6. Divide the dough into the sized buns you want. Score with diagonal cuts from a knife.
7. Cover and let rise for another 25-30 minutes to double in size again.
8. Preheat the oven to 450 F and set it up so the middle and bottom racks have shelves. Place an empty baking pan on the bottom rack.
9. Once the buns have risen, put then in the oven. Also, add the ice cubes to the pan on the bottom rack (but make sure they don't touch any windows in your oven as that temperature shock could be quite bad). This will create steam to help with generating a crust on the outside.
10. Bake for 12-15 minutes until golden brown and crispy. Let cool on wire racks.

Step one to opening a boulangerie in Paris complete

The highlight of the night was far and away the fresh baguette buns. They weren't quite as crispy as I hoped (probably from me running my oven a little low to compensate for its craziness, but throwing them on the grill helped), but they were incredibly delicious (as all freshly baked super carbs are). Despite not appearing in the ingredients, these buns were surprisingly buttery. As easy as they were to make, I'll be sure to use these again for actual baguettes some day.

You can practically tell that it's going to displace your jaw.

While the burgers proved to be quite satisfactory (if not quite reaching the Mt. Olympus of Vietnamese Sandwiches), we did experience one of our grandest fails ever. Stay tuned for the price we paid for putting our trust in Guy Fieri- our ultimate shame of Daikon Radish Fries.

Grilled Pork and Tofu Bun Thit Nuong

My roommates and I decided to start the week out right with a wholesome family dinner. We were craving some bun thit nuong, but our favorite (and frequently mentioned) Vietnamese restaurant was closed, forcing us to make it ourselves. Luckily, we were only a great deal of chopping and some minor grilling and frying away from one of the freshest and most satisfying meals we could possibly imagine.


Grilled Pork and Tofu Bun Thit Nuong
Servings: Plenty
Time: 40 minutes

This dish is pretty much a test of your chopping skillz.

Cucumber, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise
Jalapeno, thinly sliced and partially seeded
Carrots, julienned 
Scallions, thinly sliced
Pork
Firm tofu, drained and cut
Oil
Salt
Cilantro
Mint
Lime, cut into wedges
Fish Sauce
Sriracha sauce
Vermicelli, prepared according to the package
Weird, store bought tray of egg rolls

The "meat" options. Just skip the pork, fish sauce and egg rolls for a vegan dish.

The odd tray with some egg rolls

1. Prepare for maximum sous cheffery by cutting the cucumber, jalapeno, carrots, scallions, cilantro, mint, and lime.
2. Cook the vermicelli rice noodles as described by the box.
3. Bake the odd tray of egg rolls you bought then didn't use for a party as directed. 
4. Grill some pork. If you're lazy like we were, buy pre-marinated Asian Pork. If not, you can marinade it in some sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, honey, pepper, onion and garlic. If you have a grillmaster roommate, I recommend you let him deal with the raw meat while you prep the tofu.
5. Heat up some oil in a large frying pan (just enough to cover the bottom) and add your drained and cut tofu (try to cut the height into thirds and then the rest into eighths). Fry for about 3-4 minutes per side or until golden browned. Lightly salt before flipping. Then let the excess oil drain in a plate covered with paper towels.
6. Make the bowl of awesomeness that is bun by topping your vermicelli with the veggies, pork, tofu and egg rolls.
7. Dash on some fish sauce and sriracha to taste and enjoy.

My plating would have been perfect if not for the stray sriracha.

Most people judge the greatness of a Vietnamese restaurant by their banh mi (sandwiches), but, for me, the true test of a quality eatery is its ability to make some outstanding bun. Dating back to my excursions with Alex to the trendy hipster central Pho Cafe of Silverlake, I have been hopelessly in love with the rice noodle dish with all the right fixings. This family prepped meal showed me that I'm never more than about 40 minutes away from the utter delight of bun.

Dennis joins the cats in bread meme trend with some egg roll wrappers. I actually picked the least ridiculous picture of Dennis for this.

Every bit of this myriad of ingredients serves to make a complete dish. The cucumber and carrots add the necessary crunch to beautifully meld with the soft noodles, while the pork and tofu lend saltiness and heartiness and the mint, cilantro and lime round things out to give a veggie filled dinner beaming with freshness that can't be beat. The jalapeno and sriracha add some well appreciated kick to make sure all your taste buds are covered. Fortunately, we made enough to last a few more meals because this is definitely one dish I am not ready to be done with. More importantly, though, we were able to get rid of the impulse buy tray of egg rolls that had been haunting our fridge before it expired.