Eastside Banh Mi is the operation that gave Gracie Nguyen and Chad Newton their reputation before Golden Prawn #3 confirmed it. The banh mi is properly made — good bread with the right crust-to-crumb ratio, proteins prepared with actual Vietnamese technique, pickled daikon and carrots with the acidity dialed in, fresh cilantro and jalapeño applied correctly rather than symbolically. The whole thing costs almost nothing and takes no time.
Nguyen and Newton's background in Vietnamese cooking shows in the specificity of the sandwich. This is not approximation of the format — it's the format done by people who know it. The supporting items are equally considered.
Proper banh mi on good bread with quality proteins, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, jalapeño. Inexpensive, fast, and made by a team that cares about Vietnamese food.