Which day are they closed? It's either Tuesday or Wednesday, right?

Saint Pizza wrote:Which day are they closed? It's either Tuesday or Wednesday, right?

Nhu Lan is closed on Tuesdays.

Last week I stopped by Nhu Lan, thinking I would, for once, diverge from the pork belly sandwich I always get. I chose a grilled pork instead, and it was...OK. Reasonably tasty. Pretty good. But when you can have the moan-worthy goodness of the pork belly, why would you pick OK?

Lesson learned: never try.

Nhu Lan is now open on Tuesdays as well. They're now open 8am to 8pm at least six days a week - I think they have shorter hours on Sunday?

This is all good. And as has been mentioned elsewhere on the board, the new Cuban place a bit further west makes this a decent stretch for sandwiches on Lawrence!

I finally ventured to Nhu Lan yesterday.
OMG was it GREAT!
We got:
- Pork Belly and Pate Bahn Mi
- Shrimp Spring Rolls
- Pate Chaud (croissant filled with meat)
- Chocolate croissant
- sticky rice with combo meat (I think it was pork, sausage and shrimp)
- Rice wrapped in banana leaf
- Package of Bin Bin Rice Crackers

The owners were extremely nice. It was very quick and very inexpensive. All that cost me $14. Definitely be wary of the hot peppers on the Bahn Mi. I love them, but my husband's head nearly exploded when he ate one. DH said the banh mi was one of the best sandwiches he's ever had.
The spring rolls are very large. I ate one last night and I will be having the other two for supper tonight. They come with a very tasty plum sauce.
We both really liked the sticky rice with the meats, but could have done without the shrimp in there.
The Pate Chaud was great. The filling wasn't Pate---it was more like a filling from a pot sticker, but very flavorful. REALLY REALLY good.
Definitely go over there if you get the chance.
I bought everything around 2:00 yesterday and we didn't eat until about 8:00. Everything heated up just fine.
I can't wait to go back!

truelife wrote:Nhu Lan is now open on Tuesdays as well. They're now open 8am to 8pm at least six days a week - I think they have shorter hours on Sunday?

I also enjoy Nhu' Lan. Just wanted to point out that it was closed last Tuesday. I had to settle for a sandwich at Con Sabor Cubano. . . not a bad fallback at all!

Definitely be wary of the hot peppers on the Bahn Mi. I love them, but my husband's head nearly exploded when he ate one.

When I asked what those were, they said they were just regular sliced jalapenos - but people not used to eating them raw might be a little overwhelmed. I love 'em on there, but I usually take off that whole sprig of cilantro.

Nhu Lan had a short experiment of being open on Tuesday until 5 PM, but it did not last. They have been closed on Tuesdays for a few weeks.

While there are many complaints about wimpy jalapenos in the marketplace, some Thai and Mexican restaurants as well as Nhu Lan seem to be able to get consistently hot ones. Sourcing does seem to make a difference.

Two nice experiences the last few days at Nhu Lan, last Friday I picked up a loaf of bread, some sausage spring rolls and a pork loaf. Excellent, all, and Sunday Mrs. Trpt and I happened to drive by and we got more bread, shrimp spring rolls and a cheese and an almond croissant. Yummy all around. I love the lightness and airy quality of the bread, the sweets were understated and sublime,the spring rolls tart and scrumptious. And talk about cheap. Sammiches next on the radar.

Also had an elevated Nhu Lan experience a couple days ago. After a quick stop at Harvestime, I decided a quick banh mi snack was in order. The owner asked if I minded waiting 15 minutes for the bread to finish baking. Immediately, I knew I couldn't leave without some of the warm baguettes in addition to the banh mi, even though I had just bought bread next door. I can't stress how delicious the car ride home was as I refused to roll down the windows, in order to engulf mind, body, and soul in olfactory bliss. The sandwich was even more delectable than normal with the warm bread conforming to my hand as I made quick work of the Grilled Pork Banh Mi.

mkess wrote:I can't stress how delicious the car ride home was as I refused to roll down the windows, in order to engulf mind, body, and soul in olfactory bliss. The sandwich was even more delectable than normal with the warm bread conforming to my hand as I made quick work of the Grilled Pork Banh Mi.

This might be the funniest thing I've read all day and...I completely understand.

Nhu Lan's vegetarian sandwich with faux beef is surprisingly good. Both the texture and flavor of the mock meat are perfect and really stand up to all the toppings and the crusty bread. I might even order one for myself some day!

I drive by Nhu' Lan every day, and I'm happy to report that they seem to have a nice, steady flow of customers. I guess this is not surprising given the outstanding quality of items offered and the relatively inexpensive prices.

Yesterday, I had the pleasure of eating there and in addition to a a couple of banh mi sandwiches, pork springrolls and a pate chaud, I finally tried a plain croissant. It was easily one of the very best croissants I have had in Chicago, worthy of mention in the same breath as the croissants I have had at Vanille Patisserie (although slightly less flaky).

As for the banh mi, they're as good as always, due at least in part due to the wonderfully fresh homemade bread used for the sandwich.

LTH,

Interesting moment at Nhu Lan, I bit into my #1 special w/ extra jalapenos and thought refreshing. Flaky crisp crusted bread, lighter than air interior, crunchy fresh jalapeno brightness combined along with pickled daikon/carrot, stem on cilantro melded by smooth mouth filling pate, cool breeze on a hot summer's day.

Absolutely delicious.

Enjoy,
Gary

Nhu Lan
2612 W Lawrence
Chicago, IL 60625
773-878-9898

Lately my husband and I have been nourishing a small obsession for the lemongrass tofu sandwich. This is good, because it makes it incredibly easy to induce him to go there, when before, he would go only if forced, and make faces over my pork belly. It's light, summery, and so incredibly meatlike that at least one Yelper gave the place a bad review since they were clearly trying to pass real meat off as tofu. Because of course restaurants love to replace cheaper tofu with pricier meat in order to screw with vegetarian's heads. Who doesn't?

LTH,

After a disappointing experience at Ba Le a few weeks ago, I finally made the trek out to Nhu' Lan, where I enjoyed a #1 with extra pate. I'll probaby never visit Ba Le again.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Lately my husband and I have been nourishing a small obsession for the lemongrass tofu sandwich. This is good, because it makes it incredibly easy to induce him to go there, when before, he would go only if forced, and make faces over my pork belly. It's light, summery, and so incredibly meatlike that at least one Yelper gave the place a bad review since they were clearly trying to pass real meat off as tofu. Because of course restaurants love to replace cheaper tofu with pricier meat in order to screw with vegetarian's heads. Who doesn't?

My significant other doesn't eat meat that's not organic/local/humanely raised and has been raving about the lemongrass tofu. I had my first bite (I'm very skeptical of meat substitutes) and it was delicious! They do sometimes run out of the lemongrass tofu (#10, I believe) in which case the other vegetarian option (I think #7) which features a mix of vegetables and tofu strips (not lemongrass) is very good, too.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:Lately my husband and I have been nourishing a small obsession for the lemongrass tofu sandwich.

Suzy,

You and your husband have a partner in lemongrass tofu obsession. Meaty with mushroom notes and a quality beef texture all nestled in flaky crisp light as air baguette, fresh pickled veg, herbs interspersed with jalapeno, my desire to go to Nhu Lan for a Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10) grows with each word I type.

One caution, Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10) is not on the wall menu, not a secret item its on the paper counter menu, but there is a Tofu (#7) on the wall menu that could be confused with the Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10).

Thanks for the heads up Suzy, Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10) is one terrific sandwich.

Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10)



Lemongrass Tofu closeup

That's tofu? Really? I've never seen tofu look like that, but I don't seek out tofu often.

brandon_w wrote:That's tofu? Really? I've never seen tofu look like that, but I don't seek out tofu often.

Tofu is a blank canvas both flavor and texture wise.

First published in 1987 William Shurtleff and Akiko Aoyagi's "Book of Tofu" may still be the definitive read on the subject.

Enjoy,
Gary

LTH,

Delicious as the the Banh mi at Nhu Lan may be, in particular Lemongrass Tofu Banh mi (#10), I've decided a big part of the enjoyment is the plastic banana split boats in which they serve the sandwiches. I get a real chuckle out of that for some odd reason.

Nhu Lan Banana Split Banh Mi Boats





Enjoy,
Gary

Nhu Lan has a new tofu banh mi called "ginger chicken tofu". containing no meat, the tofu flavor and texture is meant to evoke ginger chicken. Like the other 2 tofu offerings, this one is quite good. My favorite remains the lemongrass. I love this place.

I had the ginger chix back to back w/the tofu lemongrass the last two times I've been there. I must say, I really love both, but the ginger chix has become my favorite. The pate chaud (they'll heat it for you) is also excellent.

Spurred on by recent posts, we tried the lemongrass and ginger tofu yesterday. Both were flavorful and refreshing, but the ginger was a real standout for me, too. The ginger, cilantro, and jalapeño combined for a great punch, all the better to appreciate the crisp vegetables and crusty, light bread. A terrific summer lunch, and at $3.25, the quality/cost ratio is off the charts.

Please clarify. I was under the impression that there's a ginger chix sandwich or is it a ginger tofu sandwich, or are there both types? I've ordered it twice and heard/saw no mention of it being tofu. The owner suggested it as a new sandwich the first time I had it a few wks ago. I will say though that the meat was sliced a bit oddly, almost like a gyros, long and thin, but I didn't suspect it of being tofu, not that it matters, I'm just surprised if it's so.

So I'll answer my own question here. I went for lunch to satiate my hunger for food (and knowledge) but they were out of the ginger chix. They were making it in the back kitchen, not to be ready for a few hrs. I settled for the knowledge and a substitute sandwich which while good, was not revelatory like the above mentioned.

In speaking w/Kathy (whom I suspect is an owner) she answered a couple questions that I had:

1. The chix w/ginger is tofu. Completely vegetarian. There's a real chix w/lemongrass on the menu as well, which I ordered but wasn't what I was looking for.

2. The bread dough for the sandwiches is entirely top of the line wheat flour. No rice flour involved. She mentioned she sells 500 @ a time to other shops that have standing orders (one in Wicker Park to be exact).

Good flavorful quality ingredients finding balance between the crunchy softness of the roll.

porkbely and pate




I love the mix of the crusty outter role with a moist center, and then how the funk from the pate and belly gets offset by the fresh cucumber, daikon, and the cilantro. The two jalapenos provide just the right amount of spice.

I need to get back for some vegetarian lemongrass tofu!

on looking back at old posts on nhu lan, i see someone posting that the bakery is now open on tuesday. well, it's not now, and i dont believe it really ever was, as i've gone more than once on a tuesday, including 2 weeks ago, only to be terribly disappointed with my bahn mi lust unsatisfied. just, FYI... justjoan

justjoan wrote:on looking back at old posts on nhu lan, i see someone posting that the bakery is now open on tuesday

Hours are 8am to 8pm, closed on Tuesdays. I added the hours to the original post to avoid confusion.

Nhu Lan Bakery & Sandwiches
2612 W Lawrence
773-878-9898
8am - 8pm
Closed Tuesday

It was open on Tuesdays for a while, then reverted to being closed on that day. I think that was last year sometime. I'm pretty sure it was commented on somewhere on LTH.