10648 98 Street NW, Edmonton

One of my all time favourite foods would have to be Vietnamese Subs. There’s so much versatility and options when it comes to subs and sandwiches! I grew up in Red Deer, and at that time, there was zero options if I wanted a Vietnamese sub. Even today, there is only one option, a small place that opened within the last couple years. My parents used to make weekly trips to Calgary or Edmonton to get Asian groceries, and along with that, were usually a couple of Vietnamese subs.

Van Loc is among a couple of my favourite places to get subs in Edmonton. It’s located right in China Town,  on 106th ave and 98 street. The owners are just an old Vietnamese couple, who really put their heart and soul into the establishment. I really like the wholesome feel when I get there.

The service is friendly and great, and the prices are pretty on par with other sub places (except for the really westernized places like West Ed, or the ones on Whyte (though they are still reasonably cheap).

I almost always get the traditional sandwich, which is the Banh Mi Van Loc. Most sub places have this type of sub, which is essentially a Vietnamese coldcut sandwich. They top it with cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro, and jalapeno, along with liver paté, and a mayo/butter spread. The last sub I had was the one I had in Ho Chi Minh City from Banh Mi Huynh Hoa, which I can honestly say was like crack. Throughout my 3 weeks there, I had it at least 3-4 times, and definitely could have gone more.

These sandwiches always hit the spot. They are nice and big, and for 4 dollars, more than enough to satisfy. I really should try the other kinds of sandwiches, but I’m kind of a traditionalist so it’s hard to get away from that.

My sister has recently become vegetarian, so she opted to get the vegetarian banh mi. It comes with basically the same toppings, minus the paté. They have this shredded veggie fake meat, which looks very similar to ruoc or Cha bong (Vietnamese shredded pork). It was nice and sweet and not a terrible sub. If I had to go with a vegetarian Viet sub though, I’d probably go with the veggie ones from Nhon Hoa 2. They are a bit more substantial, and in my opinion, a bit tastier. They are tofu based and a bit more hearty.

Another thing that I occasionally like to eat is Vietnamese Che (like a dessert drink). They have a variety of different kinds that are on display at the front. I don’t usually crave it, but it definitely reminds me home. My mom used to make this, and it’s nice to eat on a hot summer day, and super refreshing. It’s a unique experience so I’d recommend trying it if you’ve never had one. There aren’t too many place that you can get it. I’d recommend going with the 3-coloured che, which is kind of a most basic and common one in my opinion.

Anyways! Overall, Vietnamese subs are definitely on the top of my all time favourite things to eat, and we actually have a lot of options when it comes to subs in Edmonton. Like I mentioned in my previous post on Nhon Hoa 2. It’s a toss up between those two places for me. I think if I absolutely had to choose, I’d go with Nhon Hoa 2, but I really like the vibe and owners of Van Loc.