Lee’s Sandwiches

Lee’s, which started as a California food-truck business in the ‘80s, remains a good stop for the banh mi that made it famous, says Neon Feast contributor and Esther’s Kitchen and Al Solito Posto chef/owner James Trees.

The menu today lists the baguette-based meals as “Asian sandwiches” and includes a wide range, from the No. 1 Combination (jambon, head cheese, pate, pickled vegetables, soy sauce and house mayonnaise) to the No. 18 (cured pork and pate, pickled vegetables and condiments). Trees lauds the variety, which also includes barbecued pork, grilled chicken, sardines with tomato sauce, club and a vegetarian version.

Lee’s also sells a number of “European sandwiches,” most of which are served on croissants (BLT, ham and cheese, tuna-almond) with a few on baguettes (veggie avocado, turkey club). But the shop offers more than bread-based selections, with offerings such as steamed pork buns, pork and shrimp egg rolls and spring rolls, pastries, macarons and Vietnamese desserts and breakfast sandwiches on croissants and baguettes. And Trees likes another aspect of the business.

“They have a ton of weird things; they sell like Japanese gummy candy, and while you are waiting for your sandwich, it’s fun to look around,” he said.