This beloved Midtown eatery offers an expansive menu of well-priced bánh mì, bò lúc lắc dac biet, and other Vietnamese favorites.

2900 Travis St, Houston, TX 77006
(713) 520-0710
unofficial Facebook page

9:30am–9:00pm Mon–Sat, now open on Sundays starting at 11:00am

Last visited on August 1, 2018

After relocating to Houston last month, we were eager to experience what our new city had to offer, and were especially curious about the massive Vietnamese dining scene. Searching for tips, we found a Houston Press article in which chef Chris Shepherd sings the praises of Midtown’s Cali Sandwich, indicating its popularity among the staff of his former restaurant Underbelly. We heartily agreed, and for a couple of weeks, we darkened Cali’s entrance no fewer than five times, loving it more after each visit. (It also helped that our new apartment had no working refrigerator during our first week.)

Bánh mì: As on our trip to Don Café, we started with the dặc biệt (Cali combination) and thịt nướng (grilled BBQ pork) bánh mì, both $3.69. In the interzone between sandwiches and stuffed food items, these expertly constructed bánh mì are made with slightly hollowed-out baguettes, so their generous fillings do not slide around. The bread possesses other desired traits: a thin, crispy crust and soft, chewy interior. Pork cold cuts, a smear of coarse, salty pâté, mayo, cilantro, and pickled and fresh vegetables, including cucumber and jalapeño, compose the Cali combination. We added a fried egg, a suggestion made by our knowledgeable server, eager to guide us when she learned we were new customers. The egg was cooked over-medium; so the yolk was soft and unctuous, but not excessively runny, which again made clear the integrity of Cali’s sandwich architecture. Substituting savory grilled pork for cold cuts, the BBQ pork boasted equally stable construction.

Although we are new in town, Cali Sandwich already represents a gold standard for bánh mì in our experience, and like many local Viet sandwich shops, it offers an incomprehensible lunch bargain. On a return visit, near closing time on a Saturday, we ordered a tofu bánh mì ($3.25). Though delicious, it was missing the mayo and jalapeño. Next time, we will be sure to request them.

Starters and sides: On our first visit, we also tried sticky rice with Chinese sausage ($4.50), a gem-like plate of glutinous grains heaped with slices of sweet, funky meat product and quick-fried green onions. For dipping, a bowl of extra-salty soy sauce swirled with chili oil appeared at our table. On subsequent trips, we have ordered gỏi cuốn (spring rolls with shrimp, $3.25 for a half order of two) and chả giò (egg rolls, $3.99 for a half order of three). While the spring rolls are very fine exemplars of their kind, they were nudged to the side stage by the crispy chả giò. Fried until pocked with air bubbles, the wrappers bundle ground pork and carrots. Delicious on their own, the egg rolls achieve divine status when wrapped with the lettuce and fresh herbs and dipped in fish sauce.

Bò lúc lắc dac biet (Cali spicy garlic beef): Commonly known as “shaking beef,” this is one of the menu’s more expensive items at $14.99. The dish is a bounty of tender chunks of high-quality beef, which are well-browned and stir-fried with bell peppers, jalapeños, mushrooms, onions, asparagus, snow peas, and whole cloves of garlic. Don’t doubt this splurge is completely worth it, and with an appetizer, it’s enough for two to share. Our server recommended squeezing the juicy wedges of lime into the dish of salt and pepper to concoct our own seasoned and sour dipping sauce. We also tried the vegetarian version, tofu lúc lắc dac biet (Cali spicy garlic tofu, $10.99), similarly delicious but with crispy-fried cubes of tofu acting as puffy soy sponges for the dish’s brown flavors.

Bún thịt nướng (Grilled pork and veg vermicelli): Along with soups and rice plates, Cali also offers vermicelli bowls in all their expected variations. The grilled pork incorporates the filling from the dặc biệt bánh mì, as well as the veggies that typically come with what seems like a giant fresh spring roll deconstructed in a bowl. All the vegetal components tasted crisp and cool, the noodles were springy on the tooth, and everything grew progressively more savory and funkier as the pile shrunk down into the nước mắm dregs at the bottom. 

Beverages: We ordered two large lemonades on our first visit, which did not satisfy our hopes for the taste of fresh citrus, but to be fair, our waitress had tried to steer us toward the fruit smoothies. On a later visit we shared a lychee smoothie that delivered: icy, fruity, not-too-sweet, and very refreshing. Their Thai iced tea and Vietnamese coffee have a rich, sweet, deep flavor that will nip any need for dessert.