I was riding my motorcycle from my dr appt in San Jose back to Monterey, and stopped here to stretch my legs. The banh mi thit heo was awesome. I took half home to my wife so she could see how good it tastes—we haven’t found any restaurants around Monterey area that serve good banh mi, so we’re going to be coming back.
David Le
I stood in the front waiting to either be seated or helped, none of which happened, so after 10 minutes of waiting, I left empty handed. I wasted 10 minutes of my 30 minutes lunch break. There were about 4 people there sitting at the tables eating, apparently another customer was too much for their staff to handle, no one behind the counter seemed to care, I'm so sorry for you guys.
Han Ly
Stopped by for charging and this place popped out for a quick lunch. Got pork banh mi and combination pho
Brigit Schroeder
This is supposed to be a fried tofu vermicelli bowl. No fresh carrots/cucumbers, no sauce in the side, just a wet mess. The restaurant would not call me back (after I called back 2x) about a refund or exchange.
In the end, when I had to drive back to the restaurant and speak to Ahn the manager, she basically gaslit me and said that I “didn’t know how this kind of food was supposed to be served.” I was offered an egg roll for my troubles!
She also said that she had called me but there was absolutely no record of her call in my phone. I couldn’t get ahold of her until I called the restaurant’s 3rd party ordering platform.
Why would anyone treat someone this way?
John Nguyen
I only tried the Banh Mi and the Thai tea. The beef Banh Mi is a little weird to me. In other Vietnamese restaurants, the beef is BBQ and dark, but this one tasted and looked different. The bread and veggies were okay, but the meat was not the usual that you would find in San Jose or Orange County. It wasn't exactly bad, but not exactly good. For the price, it was the usual 10 dollars you would find at other places. The Thai tea, on the other hand, was also weird. First several sips, it was okay. But after that, it started to taste weird. Not sure what kind of mix they are using, but the sweetener tasted artificial or something wacky. I suspect it is not condensed milk like usual Thai tea uses.
Not the worst experience, but from a regular Banh Mi and Thai tea enjoyer, this was mid.
chubbybunny34
Ordered the veggie and tofu Bahn mi sandwich with extra tofu. I didn't ask this, but you can specify no fish sauce just in case. I'm pretty sure they stir-fry the tofu because it's slightly crispy. I added hoison sauce and sriracha. The pickled daikon veggies taste excellent and fresh.
Dakota
Got takeaway from Asian Express. From the outside, it looks like any strip mall spot. But the pho? Amazing. They pack the soup separate from the noodles, so everything stays perfect. Even the napkins are wrapped with rubber bands. Their attention to detail is next level. A breath of fresh air. Best takeaway I've had. 6 out of 5 stars.
Natalie Joel
The soups are great , and the egg rolls really , really hit the spot. The shrimp and the chicken options are fantastic
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich, Soup, Spring Rolls, Grilled Jumbo Prawns Pork and Egg Rolls with Vermicelli, Noodle Soup
William Locke-Paddon
Everything here is so perfect and fast and fresh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich, Soup, Spring Rolls, Beef Pho
S P
The best hole in the wall spot! Egg rolls are so good. Veggie pho and spicy tofu are really good too!
This place has the best pho in town, hands down! The broth is incredibly authentic and packed with flavor. Every bowl I've had has been consistently delicious. The vegetables are always fresh and crisp, which really adds to the overall experience. I've tried both the beef and chicken pho, and I highly recommend either--both are fantastic! If you're craving authentic, flavorful pho, this is the spot to go. You won't be disappointed!
Kid-friendliness: Have high chairs and are friendly
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup, Chicken Pho, Beef Pho
Barb T
I love the Vietnamese 3 Color Dessert (drink) known as Chè ba màu and was pleasantly surprised to find it on the menu at Asian Express in Capitola. Theirs is quite good - a generously sized drink/dessert with layers of sweet red beans, pudding, and crunchy green gelatin strips. Topped with coconut milk and shaved ice. Yummy … to the point that I will now have to go there every time I’m in the area!
Marcel Bregman
First off, my take and comments here primarily relate to their Bánh mì (Aka "Vietnamese sandwiches") only. I love Vietnamese food in general, but I have been a Bánh mì addict since our first visit to Vietnam 25 years ago. Just to clarify,I have not yet tried out their phở, or any of their other dishes or drinks. I had their 'barbecue pork' sandwich (Bánh mì thịt nướng) twice now. I really liked it the first time, but tonight, when i was really yearning for it, it was a total disaster. The pork was marinated and flavored nicely, but it was put on the sandwich 'by the pound' in large, thick and too big ungainly chunks of pork, making chewing difficult and a chore (for lack of a better word). And the Maggi was sorely missing. The best description I can give for my experience is "disappointing", and "displeasing". Which is too bad since I REALLY want to love this place. And I really liked their Bánh mì the first time I had it. Not this time though. Staff is really nice, but not sure I'll go back. "Don't touch my Bánh mì"... ?♀️
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich
Julio Peña
Best portions by far and their greens are as fresh as they come. The meat could be a little fresher. Customer service was top-notch.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Daniel Gorostieta
Go-to Vietnamese restaurant. Hidden gem and has some of the best banh mi’s and beef pho I’ve ever had ?
I was riding my motorcycle from my dr appt in San Jose back to Monterey, and stopped here to stretch my legs. The banh mi thit heo was awesome. I took half home to my wife so she could see how good it tastes—we haven’t found any restaurants around Monterey area that serve good banh mi, so we’re going to be coming back.
I stood in the front waiting to either be seated or helped, none of which happened, so after 10 minutes of waiting, I left empty handed. I wasted 10 minutes of my 30 minutes lunch break. There were about 4 people there sitting at the tables eating, apparently another customer was too much for their staff to handle, no one behind the counter seemed to care, I'm so sorry for you guys.
Stopped by for charging and this place popped out for a quick lunch. Got pork banh mi and combination pho
This is supposed to be a fried tofu vermicelli bowl. No fresh carrots/cucumbers, no sauce in the side, just a wet mess. The restaurant would not call me back (after I called back 2x) about a refund or exchange.
In the end, when I had to drive back to the restaurant and speak to Ahn the manager, she basically gaslit me and said that I “didn’t know how this kind of food was supposed to be served.” I was offered an egg roll for my troubles!
She also said that she had called me but there was absolutely no record of her call in my phone. I couldn’t get ahold of her until I called the restaurant’s 3rd party ordering platform.
Why would anyone treat someone this way?
I only tried the Banh Mi and the Thai tea. The beef Banh Mi is a little weird to me. In other Vietnamese restaurants, the beef is BBQ and dark, but this one tasted and looked different. The bread and veggies were okay, but the meat was not the usual that you would find in San Jose or Orange County. It wasn't exactly bad, but not exactly good. For the price, it was the usual 10 dollars you would find at other places. The Thai tea, on the other hand, was also weird. First several sips, it was okay. But after that, it started to taste weird. Not sure what kind of mix they are using, but the sweetener tasted artificial or something wacky. I suspect it is not condensed milk like usual Thai tea uses.
Not the worst experience, but from a regular Banh Mi and Thai tea enjoyer, this was mid.
Ordered the veggie and tofu Bahn mi sandwich with extra tofu. I didn't ask this, but you can specify no fish sauce just in case. I'm pretty sure they stir-fry the tofu because it's slightly crispy. I added hoison sauce and sriracha. The pickled daikon veggies taste excellent and fresh.
Got takeaway from Asian Express. From the outside, it looks like any strip mall spot. But the pho? Amazing. They pack the soup separate from the noodles, so everything stays perfect. Even the napkins are wrapped with rubber bands. Their attention to detail is next level. A breath of fresh air. Best takeaway I've had. 6 out of 5 stars.
The soups are great , and the egg rolls really , really hit the spot. The shrimp and the chicken options are fantastic
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich, Soup, Spring Rolls, Grilled Jumbo Prawns Pork and Egg Rolls with Vermicelli, Noodle Soup
Everything here is so perfect and fast and fresh.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich, Soup, Spring Rolls, Beef Pho
The best hole in the wall spot! Egg rolls are so good. Veggie pho and spicy tofu are really good too!
Restaurantji Recommends
This place has the best pho in town, hands down! The broth is incredibly authentic and packed with flavor. Every bowl I've had has been consistently delicious. The vegetables are always fresh and crisp, which really adds to the overall experience. I've tried both the beef and chicken pho, and I highly recommend either--both are fantastic! If you're craving authentic, flavorful pho, this is the spot to go. You won't be disappointed!
Kid-friendliness: Have high chairs and are friendly
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Soup, Chicken Pho, Beef Pho
I love the Vietnamese 3 Color Dessert (drink) known as Chè ba màu and was pleasantly surprised to find it on the menu at Asian Express in Capitola. Theirs is quite good - a generously sized drink/dessert with layers of sweet red beans, pudding, and crunchy green gelatin strips. Topped with coconut milk and shaved ice. Yummy … to the point that I will now have to go there every time I’m in the area!
First off, my take and comments here primarily relate to their Bánh mì (Aka "Vietnamese sandwiches") only. I love Vietnamese food in general, but I have been a Bánh mì addict since our first visit to Vietnam 25 years ago. Just to clarify,I have not yet tried out their phở, or any of their other dishes or drinks. I had their 'barbecue pork' sandwich (Bánh mì thịt nướng) twice now. I really liked it the first time, but tonight, when i was really yearning for it, it was a total disaster. The pork was marinated and flavored nicely, but it was put on the sandwich 'by the pound' in large, thick and too big ungainly chunks of pork, making chewing difficult and a chore (for lack of a better word). And the Maggi was sorely missing. The best description I can give for my experience is "disappointing", and "displeasing". Which is too bad since I REALLY want to love this place. And I really liked their Bánh mì the first time I had it. Not this time though. Staff is really nice, but not sure I'll go back. "Don't touch my Bánh mì"... ?♀️
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich
Best portions by far and their greens are as fresh as they come. The meat could be a little fresher. Customer service was top-notch.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Go-to Vietnamese restaurant. Hidden gem and has some of the best banh mi’s and beef pho I’ve ever had ?
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Vietnamese Sandwich, Noodle Soup
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