/ˈbʌnmiː/

Looking past the suspicious exterior of the Super 88 (now known as Hong Kong Supermarket), the food court exudes eclectic charm and authentic Asian cuisine. Brightly colored chairs, haphazardly-placed tables and energetic college students create a lively environment centered around fresh, cheap Asian food. Walking around the bustling food court, you’ll find stands featuring fare from Thailand, Vietnam, China, Japan, Korea and India. Especially popular is the bubble tea shop called Lollicup. Although all the food looked amazing (including the pho and the noodles!), Div and I weren’t there for anything but the renowned banh mi from Pho Viet. We walked up to the stand for the third time in the last month, but this time we asked for our pre-ordered spicy pork banh mis. (A bit smarter this time, Div and I called ahead to order our Vietnamese sandwiches – highly recommended. The banh mis sold out at about 7 PM.)

Thinly sliced, marinated pork was grilled, stuffed into a soft, crusty baguette, and then topped with pickled vegetables. The carrots and cucumbers were cut lengthwise and garnished with sprigs of cilantro to give the banh mi the freshest flavor. The mystery sauce – resembling sweet, salty and spicy flavors – seeped into every corner of my sandwich and literally made my mouth water.

The best part? You get all this for just $3.50. The price can’t be beat, and although you have to travel all the way to Allston for it, you won’t be disappointed. Be sure to ask for your banh mi extra-spicy!