On the Q.T.

Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich

by David Snyder

In a city whose identity has been so closely linked to one sandwich, it's not surprising that the Vietnamese hoagie, or bánh mi, has not gained more of a foothold here. In fact, until Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich snuck onto 10th and Arch, it was easier to find authentic renditions in South Philly than in Chinatown.

The "Q.T." stands for Quang Thao — "city of generosity," according to co-owner Annie Tran. It's fitting, given the reason Tran and business partner Karen Thai relocated from NYC to Philly to start a restaurant. "We just loved the people here," Tran said in an interview. "[They] are just so nice and very welcoming."

Bánh m" enjoys a mini-cult following based on two factors: bold flavors and ridiculously low prices. Q.T. delivers on both fronts. Each sandwich starts with the same base: A large hoagie roll that's crispy on the outside, yet light and airy in. On the inside, fresh, crunchy cucumber slices lie alongside sweet and tangy pickled carrots, adding cool balance to the bite of jalapeños. But each sandwich truly owes its distinctive characteristics to a long sprig of fresh cilantro and a rich swath of påté. The primary filler (including a tofu option not listed on the menu) is up to you.

It's hard to get more authentic than the delicious cold-cut combo in the house special — Vietnamese ham (cha lua), Vietnamese pork (thit nguoi) and barbecued pork (nem nuong). The lemongrass beef was tough, but the warm pork rendition shined — it's probably the most approachable choice for carnivores dipping their toes in this pool for the first time. Each hoagie's only $4.95, a steal even by bánh mi standards.

Sandwiches aren't the only deal at Q.T. Grilled lemongrass-scented chicken over rice with cucumbers and carrots is nothing flashy, but pour on fish sauce and you'll appreciate how much flavor you get for $5.25. Even if they were a tad heavy, I liked that Q.T. left the tails on whole shrimp before seasoning them with onions and cloaking them in egg roll wrappers for a playful deep-fried $2 appetizer. Though it's traditionally served for breakfast, a $3 quart of chicken congee, a rice porridge with shredded chicken, cilantro and onions, may have replaced chicken soup as my go-to cold remedy.

Given its prices, I was tempted to leave Q.T. on the DL. But after I learned "generosity" was part of its name, I figured it would be bad karma to keep this spot all to myself.

(david.snyder@citypaper.net)

Q.T. Vietnamese Sandwich | 48 N. 10th St., 267-639-4520

Hours: Daily, 7 a.m.-7 p.m.

Breakfast, $1.20-$3 Appetizers, $1-$2 Sandwiches, $4.95 Platters, $5.25

Delivery Available