Thach Che Hien Khanh, Garden Grove, CA

 

 

Che is a very popular Vietnamese dessert. It’s a general term that applies to a large variety of desserts made of combinations of various ingredients: sweet rice, soy beans, mung beans, tapioca balls, jelly, coconut milk, red beans, sticky rice, variety of fruits such as mango, banana, jack fruit, and coconut.

Thach Che Hien Khanh is similar to Banh Mi Che Cali but they have a larger selection of many different types of che so I always have a hard time deciding what I want every time I go there. I’m not a fan of beans so I tend to stay away from anything with red beans in it. But I like anything with soybean paste and that I can pour a ton of coconut sauce all over it because it makes everything easier to digest. They tend to give you a small container of extra coconut sauce on the side depending on which che you get. Your dessert would last longer if you save the coconut sauce for later rather than pour it inside the dessert cup.

Typical of Asian/Vietnamese restaurants, Thach Che Hien Khanh only accepts cash. Booo. Parking is limited so plan to park on the street. It’s a hole-in-a-wall and in-and-out kind of place so the only option you have is to buy everything to go.

Thach Che Hien Khanh
9784 Westminster Ave.
Garden Grove, CA 92844
(714) 537-5105

 

Banh Mi Che Cali, Westminster, CA

 

I don’t know how many times I’ve been to Banh Mi Che Cali over the past ten years or so. To me, it’s one of my default sandwich places to go when there’s nowhere else or I can’t decide what to eat. As indicated in their name, their specialty is sandwiches (banh mi) and che, a type of Vietnamese dessert soup or pudding. Their sandwiches are decent, not screamingly good or anything. I can name several bakeries out there that make better sandwiches. I only come here for che because it’s good and if you buy 2, you get 1 free. 🙂

They also sell other Vietnamese snack items, similar to Teo Sandwiches: coffee, smoothies, sweet rice desserts, pastries, cha (not to confuse with che, ha) or Vietnamese sausages, etc. But, unlike Teo where there are tables for you to sit and eat restaurant-style, this place is strictly a to-go bakery.

 

Teo Sandwiches, Westminster, CA

 

I first came to Teo Sandwiches partially because I thought the name sounded cute. “Teo” is a common name in Vietnam for a little boy living in the countryside. I assume the owner grew up with that name. 🙂

Teo Sandwiches is a fairly new Vietnamese bakery located in one of the popular plazas in Little Saigon. Their main specialty is French baguette sandwiches with a variety of meats and veggies. Cured, BBQ and shredded pork, ham, chicken, pate to name a few. I got my usual “banh mi dac biet” – special combination baguette – which has cured pork and Vietnamese ham, with veggies like cilantro, carrots, onions, and cucumber. I don’t think I’ve ever had, like, “the best” Vietnamese sandwich but this might come pretty close.

Remember what I said about banh xoi kep, or sweet rice crepe, and where you can find it? Well, Teo Sandwiches is one of those fast food restaurants where you can buy some for less than five bucks.

What sort of sets Teo Sandwiches apart from many other bakeries is that they serve a bunch of other Vietnamese food dishes restaurant-style. They actually have tables for you to sit down and enjoy a bow of pho or porridge, though served in plastic bowls and wooden chopsticks so you can easily dispose of after you’re done. Not a bad idea. I chatted with the owner while I waited for my sandwiches to be prepared. Nice guy. He said soon he will be offering cakes for birthdays or whatever occasion. He tries to take care of the place keeping it clean to make it more welcoming to his customers.

Like a typical Vietnamese bakery, they have a lot of snacks here:

Other stuff they have: coffee, cold drinks, smoothies, sweet desserts, various snacks, and party food trays with prices ranging from $30, $40, and $50 depending on tray size. I’m thinking of getting one of those food trays the next time I have a potluck to attend or host my own party. 🙂