Star City Blog / Food

Review: Balee 1, A Vietnamese Sandwich Shop

By Alexis Abel

Take heed, Subway and Jimmy John’s: Lincoln’s latest sandwich shop, Balee 1, makes your stodgy subs seem bland and pedestrian in comparison. Open just a few months, Balee 1 specializes in the Bánh mì sandwich. Bánh mì is a product of French colonialism, a perfect fusion of classic French fare, like pate and baguette, with Vietnamese flavors of cilantro, chile and pickled vegetables.

Bánh mì are sold at other Vietnamese restaurants in Lincoln, but Balee 1 offers several different versions of the sandwich. The menu is continually evolving, with new items appearing just weeks apart on two recent visits. Balee 1 also serves fresh spring rolls with dipping sauce, pork sausage and Vietnamese desserts.

International Cuisine: Phở Nguyen, Vietnamese Soup

By Dennis Kornbluh

When I moved to Lincoln from the New York metropolitan area, I thought that I'd be leaving ethnic dining behind.  To some extent, I was right.  After all, the numerous international restaurants of NYC are world-famous, and their existence is due to the ethnic diversity of the region.  However, I've discovered that Lincoln, too, is quite diverse, having a substantial community of émigrés whose origins are African, Middle Eastern, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese.  Luckily, many of them have opened restaurants.  A few  stand out by authentically representing the cuisine of the owners' heritage.  Phở Nguyen is one such restaurant.

On a cold day, the windows of Phở Nguyen (pronounced "Fuh Win") are steamy and inviting.  Upon entering, you are greeted by the fragrance of phở, which is the Vietnamese word for "soup".  The casual setting is pleasant and clean, and Asian music plays in the background.  The plants and paintings create a tropical feel that is reminiscent of many Southeast Asian restaurants.