Houston

A sit-down Vietnamese spot on West 19th in the Heights whose bánh mì take liberties. The one people come back for is the bo kho dip: braised beef shank on a baguette with a cup of the stew's broth for dunking, French-dip style.

A Bellaire barbecue joint where Texas smoke meets the Vietnamese and Chinese flavors its owners grew up on. Its bánh mì starts with turkey off the pit, then gets the full treatment: chicken liver pâté, garlic aioli, pickled vegetables, jalapeño and cilantro on a toasted baguette.

The original Roostar, on Gessner where Long Point runs out in Spring Branch. The one to get is the chopped rib-eye bánh mì, the kitchen's nod to bulgogi, with pickled carrot, cucumber, cilantro and a mild garlic mayo.