The mysteries of Vinh Phat

As part of a larger survey into the city's banh mi I've spent about a week trying to penetrate the vaunted Vinh Phat, 4940 N. Sheridan with no luck. Armed with Erik M's translations from this old Chowhound post:
http://www.chowhound.com/midwest/boards ... /6528.html I seemed to have won the good wishes of the proprietress who told me to come back the next day, since the only remaining ones (half dozen or so under glass) were too old. Bought a nice duck instead. On my next visit, in the morning, she made me a fresh shredded pork skin (delicious) but refused to make any other varieties, instead insisting that I come back each day to try a different one. No good overnight, she maintained. Well, OK. Next visit, fairly early, I was greeted with a bright hello and the bad news that they were out of bread. I'm beginning to suspect that at least lately, Vinh Phat prepares banh mi in bulk, solely for the neighborhood groceries and doesn't bother much with walk-ins. Has anyone any similar experiences? Is it really only possible to get banh mi at 9:30 am?

The biggest problem I've had at Vin Phat is language. Some of the staff, just do not speak much English. That hampers things a bit. The other problem, similar to what you've experienced, is that you are at the mercy of what's there. When lived nearby, and watched the building of Vin Phat, I got excited about idea of fresh croissants for breakfast. I duly arrived on opening day for such, only to learn that the croissants would not be there until the afternoon. Such is life at VP.

That said, I can typically get a banh mi to my liking at any hour. What I do, is walk around the cash register to poke around in back. Yea, they get a bit nervous, but tolerate me. I look for what looks good right then. It might be a bowl of grilled pork--this is what I got about a month ago or some small meatballs or whatever (and there is always the standard "dac bien" with ear and pate). With the prodding and pointing, I get something tha makes me happy.

I think the banh mi at VP are ever so slightly better (than Bale), but this is perhaps a preference for the underdog than real side by side comparision. I generally just go to the place I happen to be closest.

Rob