Viet Sub: sandwiches served Ghetto-style

Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

542 Robson Street, Vancouver

Nestled between the Japadog restaurant and Beard Papa’s on the end of Robson Street in Vancouver is a nice little family owned and run sandwich shop called simply, Viet Sub. And that’s what they specialize in, authentic, Vietnamese submarine sandwiches made in traditional style with French baguettes (a throwback to the days when Vietnam was a French colony, resulting in all sorts of Asian-French fusion inspired dishes), Vietnamese spiced meat and fresh vegetables.

The prices at Viet Sub are unbeatable in the downtown core, especially since Viet Sub is situated right beside the Japadog restaurant that charges up to a whopping $8 per hot dog. Viet Sub sandwiches are just priced between $3.25 to $4.25. The other menu items include Vietnamese salad rolls, fried spring rolls and pho.

We ordered a couple of meatball sandwiches. I love that the sandwiches are served ‘ghetto style’ wrapped with wax paper, held together by a rubber band then stuffed into a brown paper bag- just like on the street in Vietnam. This is definitely a no frills and gimmicks kind of place- perfect for quick work lunches, a snack during downtown shopping trips or if you’re feeling sneaky enough and carry a large handbag, these sandwiches can make great snacks during a movie at the nearby Granville Cinemas.

Our meatball sandwiches came with a generous heaping of fresh, crunchy vegetables, cucumbers, carrots and daikon, a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper, some parsley and of course, some moist, tender and flavourful meatballs, drenched in sweet, spicy Vietnamese sauce. The crusty bread was soft and chewy on the inside, absorbing the sauce from the meatballs. The tender meat was a good contrast to the cool and refreshing crunchy vegetables. The sweetness in the carrots also tied the whole sandwich together. I was quite full after the sandwich, and considering that it cost less than $5, i.e., less than a Japadog that might have also been less filling, Viet Sub definitely wins the award for best value in downtown Vancouver.