Chuck's Takeaway

I wanted to like this place but it really fell short in every margin. I ordered the crispy porkbelly, which came out to a whopping $22 due to a mandatory 15% service charge. I've seen that for dine in restaurants, but a take out sandwich shop? This is already on top of it selling banh mi, a historically cheaper sandwich. The crispy porkbelly even for porkbelly was nauseatingly salty and had a hard time finishing it. The size was pretty small in comparison to most Banh Mi you can net for a third of the price, and the flavors were nothing special. Go somewhere else like little Saigon if you can.

The banh mi is dense, the sauce is flavorful, the baguette is crispy. The baguette is a little on the smaller side so for hungry people you might want to grab 2 banh mi. However the service is so slow. I bought 5 banh mi and it took 25 minutes. That’s 5 min/banh mi. I’m sorry but that’s unacceptable for speed. The space is spacious, easy to find, parking could be difficult on a busy day. Everyone is courteous and nice. So come here if you’re not pressed for time, not too hungry. Otherwise pass.

Ordered the OG#3 and crispy pork belly. Seems like the $20 sandwich is becoming a thing (looking at you flour + water). The pork maintains its crispy skin but the portion I got was quite oversalted. The sliced cucumber does little to balance that out, there's a lack of acidity. The pork is not dry, but not juicy either. OG#3 was more balanced, at least a bit of acidity. The mayo and maybe pate was nice too- there was richness but I say maybe pate because you don't really taste liver or umami. The cold cuts seemed fresh and were on the lighter side. There's something pickled in here thankfully. Milder sandwich than the pork belly. Sandwiches are reasonably sized for a healthy portion, which means maybe undersized for $20. The bread is very airy and squishes down, but the outside crust does seem to require some tearing through, it doesn't bite through easily. I respect the approach to modernize and perhaps bring higher quality ingredients to the table, oddly the execution of individual components seems to be mostly fine but the actual balance of the recipes is lacking.

Great sandwiches. Got the CP’s #3 and the Veggie Wurster Hall. Bread is excellent - light and airy, but with a shell-thin crust that crackles with every bite. Filling is generous, and you can tell that the pâté and pork cha are made in-house; they’re fresh and flavourful. The bunches of fresh herbs cut the richness perfectly, as do the pickled veggies that come on the side, though I wonder why they aren’t just inside the sandwich so that every bite is perfect. Also got a gombo-ppang, a Korean streusel bun, a relative of the family of pastries which includes bolo bao, melon pan, and concha. This was filled with a very delicious peanut butter cream. Service is warm, professional, and kind. Vietnamese iced coffee is great. Be sure to check out their selection of home goods. I got a chili oil which I’m excited to try.

Congrats to Chuck’s Takeaway on bringing refinement to the humble banh mi sandwich! I was happy to see they were open on Presidents’ Day and stopped by early afternoon. It was a small but friendly storefront with a small counter to eat in. I ordered the #3, a peanut butter cookie, and an iced coffee. What struck me immediately was the fresh herbs and veggies and the bold clean flavors of the pork and pate. This was all encapsulated by a crisp flaky baguette that had a soft interior. You could tell that the employees took pride in working for the business. They were friendly and answered questions. I’m looking forward to trying something else on the menu on my next visit!