Oh my banh mi: Fat Straw Cafe

Fat Straw is located at 806 NW 23rd Ave. 

Fat Straw, a newcomer to NW 23rd Avenue, is a quirky and upbeat cafe that is quickly becoming a major league player in the Northwest district cafe scene. To call Fat Straw a mere cafe is a misnomer; while it serves a bone-chilling bubble tea (perfect for hot summer days and nights) and soul warming Stumptown coffee (perfect for typical gray Portland days), what sets the tiny cafe apart from its many food-serving Northwest district counterparts (Coffee Time, Anna Bannana's and Dragonfly Coffee House to name a few) is its Vietnamese-influenced banh mi sandwiches.

Banh mi typically includes pork.

Banh mi (pronounced like bon-my) is a Vietnamese baguette sandwich traditionally filled with thinly sliced pickled carrots and daikon, cucumbers, cilantro, jalapeno peppers and meat -- typically pork -- or tofu. The contrasting textures and flavors of banh mi (not to mention the low, low cost) make it a popular dish worldwide. In fact, banh mi is often called the Vietnamese Hoagie, Vietnamese Po' Boy or Saigon Sub.

Fat Straw's banh mi sandwiches are a complex dance of well balanced flavors. The baguette is moistened with delicate layers of pate and Vietnamese mayonnaise; both are subtle enough to bring out a tolerable creaminess to the soft baguette without oozing out of the end of the sandwich. The barbecue pork sandwich (The number 2) provides for a hearty flavor of sweet smoky meat without the gut-bomb aftermath of typical American barbecue. The vegetables are a perfect yin for the yang of the soft baguette, providing a snappy crunch of carrots, daikon, cooling cucumber and spicy jalapeno pepper. Starting at $3.50 (extra veggies are $.50 and extra meat is $1.00), Fat Straw's banh mi's are a great way to fill your stomach without emptying out your wallet.

If you're in the mood for something a bit lighter (although banh mi sandwiches are about as light as sandwiches come), Fat Straw also makes bubble tea, smoothies and coffee. Like the banh mi, Fat Straw's bubble tea is the real deal, made with real fruit chunks and custardy pea-sized balls of tapioca. Their bubble tea and smoothies are dairy free (coconut based milk) and can be made with a variety of fruit including green mango, peaches, strawberries, blueberries and pineapple -- to name a select few. Fat Straw pulls shots of Stumptown for its coffee, making the typical espresso drinks great with the typical variety of flavors.

Fat Straw uses Stumptown coffee for its killer espresso drinks.