Thiên Ân Sandwiches offers a large menu of Vietnamese specialties to midtown lunchers. We sample phở, bánh xèo (crepe), and gỏi vịt (duck salad).

2611 San Jacinto St, Houston, TX 77004
(713) 522-7007
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9am–6pm, Mon–Fri; Closed, Sat; 8am–6pm, Sun

Last visited on August 2, 2018

In 2014, Eater announced the return of Thiên Ân Sandwiches, a Vietnamese restaurant that locals had sorely missed during a temporary closure to change location. Observing the daytime volume that Thiên Ân handles in its current Midtown spot, we pondered what working Houston had done for lunch during those two lost years. Crowds flock here at midday as if it were Schlitterbahn offering half-priced admission in late summer. But Thiên Ân is a lunch hour pro. Its crew could give a masterclass in turning over tables of thronging workers and sending them back to their jobs satisfied and on time.

This phở is a go-getter. Based on the many reviewers who have typed the praises of Thiên Ân’s phở bò, we have ordered this beef noodle soup twice ($6.95 [s], $7.95 [l]). Redolent of spices and aromatics, the flavor does not dilly-dally on its way to your tastebuds. Since the clear, fresh-tasting broth is on the sweet side, there is no need to be a purist with this phở. We cut the sugar with squeezes of lime juice and stirred in all the salad’s basil, cilantro, and jalapeño slices. On our first visit, we enjoyed a small special combination containing meatballs, steak, tripe, and tendon. For the second, we ordered a large bowl with steak and flank. The rice noodles in both bowls were perfectly cooked, but the combination won by a nose: its multiple textures and submerged savory treasures complement the bright, sweetish broth.

Bánh xèo: Thiên Ân offers specialties beyond familiar phở and bánh mì. Bánh xèo ($7.95), “sizzling pancakes,” resemble omelettes, but no egg is cracked in their creation. Instead, these crêpes consist of rice flour and turmeric—the source of the yellow hue—and Thiên Ân’s recipe also smacks of coconut. Their most popular bánh xèo includes pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. The menu refers to these ingredients as the “filling,” but this downplays an ingenious cooking technique. Instead of stuffing the crêpe as though it were a duffel bag and they were late for a flight, Thiên Ân’s chefs mix the filling with the batter to produce a thin, crispy pastry studded with tempting morsels. By discreetly reviewing an online tutorial, we learned what to do with the accompanying salad and bowl of fish sauce. Wrap a lettuce cup around a snatch of the crêpe, tuck in some herbs, dredge in the sauce, and deliver unto your mouth. The experience is fresh, indulgent, and DIY. Fair warning: One crêpe makes up an order, but each runs almost as long as a limb on an adult human. Photos on review sites show diners proudly using their arms to demonstrate the scale of these gold half moons.

Gỏi vịt: Another Thiên Ân specialty is gỏi vịt ($10.95). This duck salad is a colossus of white cabbage, red onion, plentiful duck, pickled carrot and daikon, sliced jalapeño, fried shallot, crushed peanut, and chopped herbs. At first it appeared excessively large, even for two diners to share. However, the angel hair-thin brassica makes up more than half of this crunchy flotsam, so we easily finished the plate. In the end, what remained of the former giant were onion chunks and a pool of sugary vinaigrette. A bowl of nước mắm helped balance the sweet dressing, which, along with the mint and cilantro, lorded over the salad’s flavor. 

More to come: True to its name, Thiên Ân Sandwiches does a heavy trade in bánh mì. They also serve rice plates and all manner of soups. Sesame balls are for sale by the register, and a sign advertises pâté chaud (pastry pies) to go, which might be worth buying since it has been sold out on both our visits. To pay your check, bring it to the front counter and join the line, which sometimes can snake into the dining area, but it moves briskly, letting you carry on with your day.