[Photograph: Elizabeth Bomze]

A few months ago I threw out the idea that Mei Sum Inc. in Boston's Chinatown makes one of the best bánh mì around. Some of you agreed, and some of you weren't shy about telling me I was dead wrong.

Either way, I like the chatter—and in an effort to start it up all over again, I'm going to put myself out there and say that my other favorite bánh mì is the grilled pork sandwich from Pho Viet in Allston's Super 88 food court.

Here's my case:

• Bread: Pretty much the perfect specimen. A torpedo that's crackly-crisp on the outside, airy and tender within. It shatters audibly when you take a bite, but boasts plenty of good chew.
• Meat: Tender strips of pork soak in a lemongrass marinade before hitting the grill. The final product is smoky, salty, and sweet—faintly reminiscent of Hong Kong-style char siu, but minus the heavy lacquered exterior and brightened with a cool citrusy edge. And unlike most bánh mì, it's served piping hot.
• Veggies: Long strands of pickled carrots and daikon radish, cut just thin enough to curl without losing their crispness. Cucumber and jalapeno batons run the length of the bread, ensuring fresh crunch—and stinging heat—in every bite. Whole fresh cilantro stems are pressed firmly into place with a chopstick; if the sandwich needs anything, it might be another handful of the grassy herb. But that's my only quibble.
• Fixin's: A thick slather of rich, slightly sweet mayo spread soaks into the crust. A generous shake of white pepper doesn't add as much heat as it does a tinge of toasty zing. And the flavor-maker final flourish: a splash of salty soy-fish sauce dressing.

Any takers? Dissenters? Let's hear it.

Pho Viet

Super 88 Food Court, 1095 Commonwealth Ave.,Boston MA 02215 (map)

From Drinks

[Photographs: Caroline Russock]

The hungover stomach is demanding to say the least—prickly, unsettled, and usually very, very hungry. Depending on the scale of last night's, let's call it "fun", the hangover can turn even the most mild mannered morning after diners into impatient whiners come brunch-time. For times like these, a steaming bowl of phở is the answer.

Restorative, comforting, lightning fast, and incredibly cheap, a visit to Phở Ha in South Philadelphia is ideal for feeding a hangover. The place is buzzing on weekend mornings with tables full of folks bent over steaming bowls of phở ($4.80), slurping and saucing away their hangovers. Phở Ha's menu caters to adventurous and timid eaters alike with phở options ranging from familiar steak and brisket to tripe, tendon, and crunchy flank.

Particularly appealing to the hungover set is Phở Ha's drinks menu, a long list of iced coffees and teas, refreshing juices, sodas, and shakes, perfect for rehydrating.

Once you've placed your order with the incredibly efficient staff (they're at your table seconds after you've sat), your drinks and phở are delivered in a matter of minutes along with a plate of cool herbs, bean sprouts, and jalapeños.

The anise-rich broth is warming and beefy with a layer of glistening fat floating on the surface, slices of steak still pink, and perfectly elastic noodles. Like any great phở joint, the tables are full of condiments for you to customize your bowl—chile sauces, vinegars, fish sauce and hoisin.

There's something about hunching over that steaming bowl of broth that leaves you feeling detoxed, possibly the combination of the heat from the soup and the spicy elements that are added to it, or maybe it shares the same magical recuperative properties as chicken soup.

Pho Ha

610 Washington Ave Philadelphia, PA 19147 (map)
215-599-0264; http://www.phillychinatown.com/phoha.htm">phillychinatown.com/phoha.htm