Lunch at Vinh Xuong Bakery2
As a bastion of South East Asian culture, Denver has high expectations when it comes to Vietnamese cuisine. Vinh Xuong Bakery 2 is the city’s premiere place for a Bahn Mi sandwich; a French baguette brimming with barbecued meats and vegetables, is an absolute must at this eatery. As a traditionalist I’m tethered to the barbecued pork, but vegetarians and red-meat-weary patrons have choices too. A delightfully eccentric ambiance meets traditional fare while cracking open preconceived notions about Vietnamese restaurants.
Signs for pheasant egg stuffed buns cue your attention at the entrance, making it clear that you’re not in Caphill anymore. Your gaze naturally finds a mural sized blackboard with an elegantly drawn menu. Break with winter seasonality and order the iced coffee. The condensed milk mingles with cold pressed coffee for a sweet yet sincere beverage so satisfying that dessert won’t be necessary. Ordering your sandwich happens at a tastefully green tiled counter, whose contemporary look leaves you baffled by the price as it hovers just below five dollars. Despite all the awards brandished on the wall, owner Duc Huynh prides himself on maintaining modest pricing.
Patience is rewarded, as you wait for your order. Nineties era National Geographic magazines and repurposed furniture makes you feel like you’re in a scene from a Wes Anderson film. Sandwiches are conveniently wrapped in white butcher paper, freeing the customer from making that omnipresent choice at the counter- ‘for here or to go?’. Initial bites are awkward. It’s a sizeable sandwich, but trepidations melt away as your heart warms with flavors so wild that you’ll reevaluate your feelings toward meat and vegetables. The baguette’s crisp crust gives way to white fluff followed by fresh carrot shavings, pickled cucumber and cilantro, all culminating into an exotic zest. The pork, an impressive balance of sweet and savory, is the crescendo of this South East Asian serenade. It’s just chewy enough to lengthen your lunch.
As you devour your sandwich like a Mekong water buffalo chewing its cud, you come to the realization that you’re being guided; not to the chopping block, but rather to greener pastures. Patrons come and go, but like me, their lunch break is slowed for the better. The pull of the price, amusing atmosphere, and most importantly, flirtatious flavors is the mortar to this love affair. This is no forced march, it’s a ticket to a more deliberate food experience. Being drawn to eat in rather than saddling up to takeout is a gift that only the ripest of eateries offers. You don’t have to be a slow food aficionado to appreciate this tasty locale. The burning you feel upon exiting Vinh Xuong Bakery 2 isn’t just the chili oil you smothered on your lunch, it’s likely a desire to return. Colorado is already a laid back place, but once again, our friends from Vietnam are teaching us how to enjoy what Denver is best at, reinventing the new with the best of the old.
