Austin Bites: Cafe de Bella

Cafe de Bella
Location: 8557 Research Blvd. Suite 126
Phone: (512) 906-0780
Cost: $ ($=Under $10; $$=$11-30, $$$=$31-60, $$$$=$60+, avg cost per person including 1 drink, tax, and tip.)
Hours: MTWThF 7am-10pm, Sat-Sun 9am-10pm
The 411: There's wraps, panini, even pizza, but the real draw for Cafe de Bella are the bành mí.

Asian-French culinary fusion is arguably one of the twentieth century's finest achievements—particularly when it comes in the form of the humble bành mí, a Vietnamese sandwich that's become increasingly popular and widely available in Austin over the last few years. French-style bread filled with Vietnamese-flavored ingredients, bành mí generally consists of some form of meat, shredded carrots, cilantro, cucumber, and other vegetables on a baguette. At its best, it's a cheap, satisfying, flavorful meal.

And Cafe de Bella's bành mí are definitely well up there (and very welcome to those up north who may not be able to make it down to Lulu B's for their lunch hour). This sandwich shop and bakery, located near the Target at Anderson Square and 183, is new enough to still be finding its balance—and also for the first question from the cashier to be "Is this your first time here?"—but it's off to a good start.

The bành mí at Cafe de Bella are offered with a variety of fillings—barbecued shrimp, barbecued chicken, vegetarian "ham"—but the barbecued pork comes most highly recommended, as it's filled with savory, flavorful chunks of pork offset by crisp, fresh vegetables. (Be careful of the jalapeño slices; the heat they add to the sandwich is more than welcome, but they can surprise you.) If you're really feeling indulgent, try the "Gourmet Sandwich," which includes paté, a French-style cured ham called jambon, a couple of different kinds of cured pork, and peppered ham. For all that, it's not nearly as overwhelming as you might think, and it's delicious, bringing a marvelous array of pork flavor with each bite.