Last night, after staying at work until 11 to re-write a 900-word article on the emergency contraception trial (I lost the first version—does that even happen anymore?), I glumly set out up the Hill in the heat with my headache, pedaling toward home.
Man, what’s with this headache? Oh right. I hadn’t eaten all day.
Where should I eat? I’ve lived just off Broadway for years, and I’m pretty sick of all the choices. Weaving along the drag on my bike, I passed the usual spots—no, nah, nope—when some neon lettering suddenly jumped out at me: Ni, a Vietnamese sandwich and bubble tea place (almond, vanilla, banana). I love banh mi and the price seemed right—$3.50, “tax included” the goofy sign out front added.
And what’s more, I was drawn in by the scene inside: Framed by the brash window lights and the jarring fluorescent ceiling bulbs, there was a pack of friendly punk kids gathered around the counter, two older woman calmly fixing sandwiches and reverently slipping them into paper sacks, a roly-poly black guy in glasses sitting in one of the plastic chairs waiting for his late night order, and a Vietnamese guy sitting in the mysterious back room. Honestly, the whole thing looked like a midnight photo from Paris. (Ha. I’ve never been to Paris, but this is how I imagine it looks at Midnight.)
It was a lovely scene. And the sandwich—I got a tofu banh mi—hit the spot. And unlike (cheaper) banh mi over on Jackson and 12th, the bread didn’t cut up my mouth (it was soft and warm), and it didn’t drip all over the place. Ni has been open since May. I’m going back. Late. They’re open until midnight.
Ni is right by the intersection of Broadway and John—where, actually, a couple of new restaurants have opened up. I already did a “Last Night” on the vegan place, Highline, so I must mention the place across the street in “The Alley” at 219 Broadway: Guanaco’s Taco’s Pupuseria. (It opened in April.) I’m not a food critic so here’s a real review.
And here’s my review: super cheap, fresh ingredients, warm staff, quick service, and it’s yums.
