Finally ventured back to El Floridano today. For a short while I've been getting the feeling it was possible Stefan's organization issues might have improved, and with not much going on at Farragut today that I was really in the mood for, the Ho Chi Banh Mi began whispering my name. "Thai-style" turkey meatloaf with pickled veggies, tamarind BBQ sauce, cilantro and arugula. Other than being a logistical nightmare to eat, it was a commendable banh mi. Take a large, fluffy sub roll, fill it with thick slabs of meatloaf, then stuff it with a variety of other ingredients and try to eat it -- I'm guessing you'll have a little trouble too. But if the biggest problem is maybe getting only veggies in one bite and only meatloaf in another bite is the worst problem of the day, then things must be going REALLY well. Other than the use of the BBQ sauce, another interesting change is the use of green mango instead of daikon in the pickled vegetable mix; it added more of a crunch than you might expect from the more traditional radish.
Bumping El Floridano to 3 honks, and recommending either the HCBI or PCL for your next visit.
