Saigon Le Vendeur sells banh mi, vermicelli bowls, and other daily specials out of a converted shipping container near 7th and Pedernales. Their grilled pork is cut fairly thick, so each piece is crispy on the outside with a juicy interior. We usually go with the grilled pork or the pork patty banh mi here, but you can also keep it classic with the cold-cut and pate version. They also opened up a sister restaurant called Le Bleu a few years back (near 183 and Burnet) and from our brief experience, the banh mi at the two were nearly identical - a big plus when there’s not much to improve on.

Saigon Le Vendeur - best known for their banh mi and vermicelli bowls - recently brought back their popular curry ramen, just in time for soup season. The broth here has a healthy amount of coconut milk and curry, and the basil on top adds some nice aromatics that work really well with the rest of the flavors. We had it with prawns on a recent visit, but you can also get it topped with chashu, chicken, or tofu. You should also throw in a banh mi while you’re here. We know that’s not really noodles or soup, but theirs is good enough to transcend culinary boundaries. They’re located on East 7th.