Drag sandwich shop disappoints

The bánh mì (BUN-mee), or Vietnamese sandwich, has been growing in popularity for years and was most recently heralded by an April New York Times feature. So when the sign for Bite Mi — a bánh mì specialty restaurant — appeared on the Drag a month ago, enthusiasts were excited.

An ideal bánh mì is a gastronomic explosion of textures and flavors.

Biting down, the mouth tastes the crunch of the French baguette, the spike of cilantro, daikon radish, pickled carrots, cucumbers, mayonnaise, pâté and the occasional flaming heat of a chili pepper.

These basics are then further enriched by a choice of grilled pork, cured hams, chicken, meatballs or tofu to create the perfect, cheap gourmet food to go.

Unfortunately, not everyone can consistently deliver the gourmet’s ideal. Bite Mi falls into this category, managing only to serve up quick, passable sandwiches.

The first sensation one experiences upon entering the door is not the pleasant aroma of fresh French bread, but the overwhelming and pounding bass of hip-hop beating against the eardrums. There is nothing wrong with this music, but its presence in a benign-looking sandwich shop seems disjunctive.

Then, the eyes are met by the glint of sparkling jewelry from a small, glass display stand.

While this may also strike some as odd, the bigger question is how much jewelry shopping do customers plan on doing in a small Vietnamese sandwich to-go shop?

As for service, Bite Mi still has a lot to learn; their bánh mì is mostly inconsistent.

When they get the order correct, some sandwiches provide barely any meat while others are packed. This can be especially disappointing after ordering a spicy, savory meatball bánh mì only to discover there are only two meatballs in the sandwich.

Unfortunately, the food is also unexceptional. The sometimes-tough baguette and mayonnaise-smothered ingredients obscure the beauty of the other flavors and textures.

Foodies who simply must take a bite into Bite Mi should definitely add some Sriracha hot sauce; it marries many of the flavors of the sandwich and adds a lip-tingling piquancy.

Bite Mi’s sandwiches are not horrible; they’re simply unremarkable. Casual eaters should definitely check out the restaurant if they’re in the area and looking for a fast lunch on the go that’s an alternative to the typical Drag staples.

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