Banh Mi & Che!
I've read about Che on a couple different food blogs a weeks ago and I've been craving for it ever since. I couldn't stand it anymore so I finally made the drive down to Van's Bakery and Banh Mi & Che Cali today!
Che Khoai Mon
The one on the left is from Van's Bakery, the one on the right is from Banh Mi & Che Cali. I know it's awfully greedy of me to get one from each place but I wanted to compare both versions.
Che Khoai Mon is basically green sticky rice that's been boiled down to a thick, gooey porridge, studded with chunks of taro and laced with coconut milk.
I took a bite (ok, maybe a couple bites) from each and I definitely like the Che Khaoi Mi from Banh Mi & Che Cali better. It's the chewier and less gooey version of the two.
Che Chuoi from Banh Mi & Che Cali.
It doesn't look like much but the soft plantains with wavy strands of what I think is tapioca jelly swimming in luscious coconut milk make for a super sinful dessert..mmmmmm
I'm not exactly sure what this one is called but it's like a filling-less version of Banh Chay. Soft, chewy balls of mochi in a heady, ginger sesame syrup. I usually loathe ginger but the ginger syrup was surprisingly mild in this one.
Banh Gan also known as Liver Cake
Yes, LIVER CAKE. You must be thinking WHY would anyone make a cake out of liver! That's disgusting!
Well, Banh Gan is called liver cake because it kinda resembles a piece of liver. It's actually a firm, baked, custardy flan flavored with coconut milk, with a hint of star anise, coffee, chocolate, and brown sugar. The Banh Gan has a crusty outer layer, a spongy middle and a firmer jelly-like bottom. Don't let it's looks or name fool you..it's actually really good.
Banh Khoai Mi or Cassava cake.
I bought one from each place to compare. Banh Khoai Mi tastes almost like a fruity mochi. Both versions taste almost the same except that the one from Van's Bakery (top) has strands of coconut running through the cake and is topped with sesame seeds (which kind of made it too rich for me). So, again I like Banh Mi & Che Cali's version better.
Banh Bo Nuong also known as Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake.
Yummyyy pandan mochi cake with hints of brown sugar! Though its texture is dense and chewy, its comforting vanilla scented pandan flavor is reminiscent of Bengawan Solo's Pandan chiffon cake. I actually felt homesick while eating this one!
Banh Mi Bo Nuong (Griiled beef Banh Mi).
This was a pretty decent Banh Mi with grilled beef patties (well, more like slightly flatted meatballs) scented with lemongrass. They could have assembled this better though. There wasn't an even "meat to pickles ratio" throughout the banh mi so some bites had too many pickled carrots and daikon while some bites had none.
It definitely pales in comparison to the one I had with the boy in some random place in Walnut Grove. Soft, crusty bread with slices of pork and a thick layer of artery clogging pâté. Delicious!
Van's Bakery
860 E. Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 288-7272
Banh Mi & Che Cali
8450 Valley Boulevard
Rosemead, CA 91770
Che Khoai Mon
The one on the left is from Van's Bakery, the one on the right is from Banh Mi & Che Cali. I know it's awfully greedy of me to get one from each place but I wanted to compare both versions.
Che Khoai Mon is basically green sticky rice that's been boiled down to a thick, gooey porridge, studded with chunks of taro and laced with coconut milk.
I took a bite (ok, maybe a couple bites) from each and I definitely like the Che Khaoi Mi from Banh Mi & Che Cali better. It's the chewier and less gooey version of the two.
Che Chuoi from Banh Mi & Che Cali.
It doesn't look like much but the soft plantains with wavy strands of what I think is tapioca jelly swimming in luscious coconut milk make for a super sinful dessert..mmmmmm
I'm not exactly sure what this one is called but it's like a filling-less version of Banh Chay. Soft, chewy balls of mochi in a heady, ginger sesame syrup. I usually loathe ginger but the ginger syrup was surprisingly mild in this one.
Banh Gan also known as Liver Cake
Yes, LIVER CAKE. You must be thinking WHY would anyone make a cake out of liver! That's disgusting!
Well, Banh Gan is called liver cake because it kinda resembles a piece of liver. It's actually a firm, baked, custardy flan flavored with coconut milk, with a hint of star anise, coffee, chocolate, and brown sugar. The Banh Gan has a crusty outer layer, a spongy middle and a firmer jelly-like bottom. Don't let it's looks or name fool you..it's actually really good.
Banh Khoai Mi or Cassava cake.
I bought one from each place to compare. Banh Khoai Mi tastes almost like a fruity mochi. Both versions taste almost the same except that the one from Van's Bakery (top) has strands of coconut running through the cake and is topped with sesame seeds (which kind of made it too rich for me). So, again I like Banh Mi & Che Cali's version better.
Banh Bo Nuong also known as Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake.
Yummyyy pandan mochi cake with hints of brown sugar! Though its texture is dense and chewy, its comforting vanilla scented pandan flavor is reminiscent of Bengawan Solo's Pandan chiffon cake. I actually felt homesick while eating this one!
Banh Mi Bo Nuong (Griiled beef Banh Mi).
This was a pretty decent Banh Mi with grilled beef patties (well, more like slightly flatted meatballs) scented with lemongrass. They could have assembled this better though. There wasn't an even "meat to pickles ratio" throughout the banh mi so some bites had too many pickled carrots and daikon while some bites had none.
It definitely pales in comparison to the one I had with the boy in some random place in Walnut Grove. Soft, crusty bread with slices of pork and a thick layer of artery clogging pâté. Delicious!
Van's Bakery
860 E. Valley Blvd.
San Gabriel, CA 91776
(626) 288-7272
Banh Mi & Che Cali
8450 Valley Boulevard
Rosemead, CA 91770