Num Pang Sandwich Shop

So. Finally gave this place a shot after a couple rave reviews from coworkers. The space was clean, streamlined, and «trendy» in a noticeable yet tolerable way. I came in with high expectations thanks to my other bahn mi experiences (shout out Hanco’s in DT BK) but was willing to give these guys a shot.
I appreciated the wide variety of sandwiches offered (step it up Hanco’s in DT BK) but obviously remained skeptical until I at least got the BAHN in MI (lololololol. kill me). Anyway, feeling somewhat adventurous, I chose the seasonal Thanksgiving offering instead of the typical menu since they were still selling it despite Turkey Day happening 3 months ago.
I approached the counter and ordered, with my typical bahn mi modification of removing the cilantro. However, apparently this is a STRICT (cashier’s words, not mine) NO-​NO at Num Pang so I’d have to take my turkey with the extra herb AND LIKE IT OR GTFO. Personally, I think it’s absurd to include an ingredient a good third of the human population finds tastes like a mix of what I imagine whale semen and cheap incense mixed together tastes like, and REFUSE to remove it, but maybe that’s just me.
After receiving my sandwich and defiantly stripping it of the cilantro at the condiments stand in an act of silent protest, I returned to my office and finally ate it. It was amazing. The turkey was well-​cooked, and the sweet bbq hoison sauce was a perfect touch. The jalapeños also added a nice kick most bahn mi spots usually leave to sriracha addicts like myself.
So all in all, ⁴⁄₅ stars. One star docked for making me remove my own cilantro/​whale semen.

First time trying Cambodian banh mi. Got the popular pork belly sandwich. It was pretty mediocre. It was a nice piece of fatty pork. The bread was excellent. The carrots cucumber and special sauce over powered the flavor of pork. So if your like me and like the taste of pork over cumber and carrots, tell em light on the carrots.

So, I wanted to snag the holiday-​themed/​seasonal pulled turkey cranberry pang before it went off the menu. I facebook-​messaged them to see when it was being replaced, and the promptly answered… and then updated me with revised plans. Pretty awesome. Anyways, I got the sandwich today, and much like all of the other sandwiches I’ve tried, it didn’t disappoint. That bread… is just amazing. Turkey was tender and the cranberries had a nice kick. Minor gripe that I asked for the chili-​soy sauce, but was given the chili-mayo…but still pretty delicious. I picked up an oatmeal and tart cherry cookie, but didn’t try that just yet. Another successful trip to Num Pang.

It was so delicous!
i got a coconut shrimp sandwich and wow i was blown away. the pickled carrots were so goood and the bread mmmmm. :) :) :)
yeah anyway, i definitely think its worth going and trying out. It’s unique.

The catfish is my favorite. So simple. So delicious. I tried the skirt steak sandwich and didn’t like it nearly as much. I also don’t think the steak was cooked quite enough. Usually I eat my steak medium. I’m even ok w medium-​rare. The steak made the sandwich too hard to eat/​chew and too hard to bite into. Stick w the catfish. Catfish is amazing!

Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t believe employees should be chowing down in the food preparation area.

Great little place near Times Square (they have a few in the city) for quick bite. Roast chicken and sliced steak sandwiches were excellent — fresh ingredients, perfect blend of spices, soft roll, all make it a tasty sandwich. Salads are also fresh and the dressings are excellent.
Reasonable priced…

Great prices for a perfect portion sandwich ($ 8-​$ 10). Super close to Times Square. No wait during lunch hour. And less than 5 minutes for food. Plenty of (choose yourself) seating.
We got the shrimp sandwich and the seasonal Japanese yam sandwich. That with two drinks for $ 25 and we were happy with both. We’d come back again.

3.5 (rounded down because of price).
The sandwiches here are very average. I tried both the Five Spice Pork Belly and the Pulled Pork. First of all, the portion sizes are pretty small for a $ 9 sandwich. Secondly, the meats were on the rougher side. I liked the bread a lot — crispy but not rock hard. The sandwiches both felt too saucy to me.
I also tried the Blood Orange Lemonade, and it’s good — tart and citrusy. Also a bit expensive.
Probably won’t be returning.

Pleasantly surprised by my sandwich here. I wanted a lunch that wasn’t huge, and wasn’t too expensive. I got the pork belly sandwich from Num Pang and the Blood Orange lemonade. The sandwich was good. Ready in no time, and tasty. It wasn’t particularly hot, but it was warm enough. The pork was tasty, and the toppings were just right. Pickled carrots, pear, etc. that come on every sandwich here, all good things.
The lemonade was a little too tart and not sweet or sour enough for my taste.
My main concern with the sandwich is that it isn’t all that big. I am fine with a light lunch, but for $ 8.50+ for most sandwiches, I could have gotten a much bigger sandwich from any of several sandwich shops within a block.
I’ll be back the next time I want a lighter, Asian-​inspired sandwich.

We went at an off peak time (2PM), so there wasn’t much of a wait and there was plenty of seating available. The shop is a little too dark for my liking, but it definitely gives off a hole-​in-​the-​wall, hipster vibe.
I ordered the Five Spice Pork Belly Sandwich and a Blood Orange Lemonade. I thought the lemonade would be freshly squeezed, so I was a little disappointed to find that it was just a regular ol’ bottled drink. I would definitely recommend the pork belly sandwich though! It’s pretty much a banhmi with pork belly and a dash of spicy mayo. I was famished, and I thought the sandwich was plenty of food to fuel me up for the rest of the afternoon!

Disappointed. I knew going in not to expect Xe May-​quality banh mi, but even still, Num Pang didn’t do it for me.
I ordered the pork belly sandwich, hoping to re-​invigorate my lunchtime taste buds after months of buying lunch at Pret around the corner.
Instead I found myself picking at my sandwich and wishing it were just… different.
I wished the bread and carrots were crispier; I wished the parsley were fresher; I wished the pork belly had more flavor; and for twice as much $$ as authentic banh mi, I wished this sandwich were bigger!
I’ll stick to Pret.

At the suggestion of my fellow Elite, Katie H. we hit this spot for a pre-​game meal prior to a Unilocal on Broadway event — I am glad we did! This place maximizes the the ratio of little cost to large flavor, which is a blessing in the Theater District (and Manhattan in general)!
We arrive for an early dinner meal and look over the menu @ a little before 6pm on a Thursday the place is fairly quiet. The cashier points out they have a «happy hour» special with a few select sandwiches. BTW, for the cost conscious, there is a large dispenser of water — If you are eating in ask for a cup.
Since I did a little research before arriving I felt inclined to order the five spice pork belly sandwich. My partner in crime goes for the HH special pulled pork sandwich. Both were phenomenal choices! The sandwiches are all served with Cucumber, Pickled Carrots, Cilantro And Chili Mayo On a Semolina or Quinoa Baguette Baked Fresh Daily In NYC. (We had Semolina — fresh and delicious). The pork belly has an addition of crisp pickled asian pear. The pulled pork adds a kick of spiced honey.
The décor seems reminiscent of Chiptole with the high top tables throughout and being in the «fast casual» category of eateries, but unlike Chiptole when it comes to ordering they ask on their menus «OUR SANDWICHES WERE CREATED TO BE ENJOYED AS THEY ARE. PLEASE, NO MODIFICATIONS!». This direct request is good thing to my mind! It makes ordering a bit simpler, but also you are receiving quality sandwiches that have a vision of the way the ingredients should be put together. Besides, there are plenty of option so everyone should be able to find something to their liking.
Surprisingly, since so many reviews mentioning the small sandwich size, to me I found the opposite, it was large and filling perhaps because of the QUALITY and FULL FLAVOR of the ingredients. More than enough for pre-​show meal to allow you to feel full, but not overly so. For lunch, this should be near the top of your list if you are in the area!

How in the world did it take me so long to try Num Pang?! You may find a line, a long one that spills out the door, but don’t let it deter you, because it moves quickly and those patient will be very happy. The Pulled Duroc Pork sandwich is nothing short of amazing. The pork itself is tender and succulent topped with cucumber, pickled carrots, cilantro and chili mayo on some delicious bread. All together it makes for a magical bite. There is spice, tang, sweet, it hits all the marks.
The rice bowls are more the size of a platter, with either brown or Jasmine rice, grilled vegetables, chili yogurt and topped with a chili vinaigrette and choice of protein. The grilled spicy pork is indeed spicy and packs quite a flavorful punch. It’s a hearty and satisfying meal.
This is a wonderful spot for lunch or dinner and it will leave you craving more.

So after visiting the Num Pang in Chelsea Market a few months ago I was CRAVING another num pang sandwich so I made my way up to the Midtown location and man was I happy I did.
This location is bigger than the other location and has a decent amount of seating. They crank out sandwiches crazy fast and they are delicious.
I can’t recommend the five-​spice pork belly num pang enough… Top that bad boy off with some siracha and it’s honestly incredible. The food isn’t cheap and the servings aren’t huge, but the sandwiches are delicious and will fill you up opposed to induce a food coma.
Long story short… Go there! You can thank me with a high five when you see me in line!

Trendy, casual spot to grab a quick but unique meal. Service was fast and the food met if not exceeded my expectations. Only downside was the price for the amount of food you get but hey, it is Manhattan…
Ambience:
High tables that give the allure of Chipotle and some of the other fast casual restaurants. They could probably use a little more help cleaning off tables though.
Food:
I was thoroughly impressed with the flavors and execution. I had the Five-​spice glazed pork belly sandwich. The pork was tender with a generous slather of the glaze. Shredded carrots and fresh cilantro complimented nicely to lighten the meal. I would 100% order that again. The only downside was price: about $ 10 for a 6″ or so sandwich was a bit steep. But again, being an outsider to Manhattan, that’s probably a fair price point. Maybe a dollar less would have made me happier.
Service:
More like VERY fast casual. I’d say 5 minute wait and that was at a busy time.

Num Pang isn’t a traditional mom and pop shop, but is more on the trendy side so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I honestly came here for their coconut tiger shrimp sandwich and I wasn’t disappointed.
The sandwich was filled with shrimp! I’m pretty particular about my meat to bread ratio, so I was happy that I wasn’t left with any bites of bread without shrimp. At $ 10.50, the sandwich better have a good helping of shrimp. My boyfriend ordered the pulled pork sandwich which had a kick to it. I didn’t enjoy this sandwich as much because the pulled pork didn’t seem to go with the veggies. The sandwiches are filling, but not to the point of being overstuffed. We also had Cambodian iced coffee which was refreshing and wasn’t overly sweet.
I’m not from New York, so I wanted to try their catfish sandwich while I was there. I had the idea in my head that it would be fried (it was grilled) and was too salty for me. Not a fan of peppercorn so I should have realized that it came with peppercorns (hence the name, peppercorn catfish).
I arrived just before noon and I’m glad I did. An endless line out the door of businessmen/​women rushed Num Pang around noon. If you’re in a rush, weekdays at noon aren’t the best time to go.
I’m craving their coconut tiger shrimp sandwich as I write this. Num Pang is pricey for what it is (I could get comparable sandwiches for way cheaper in the Bay Area), but I would return the next time I’m in New York.

After 3 years, I stumbled back into Num Pang, where my love for banh mi all started. I used to frequent their Union Square location and my favorite was the Five Spiced Glazed Pork Belly. I got the same thing this weekend expecting my taste buds to party the way they did when they were 3 years younger.
Was I disappointed?
Yes, a little. The banh mi was relatively dry and not as amazing as it once was. I remembered how the sauce used to drip down the baguette and onto my stacks of napkins.
Did I enjoy my banh mi?
Yes. The pork belly was delicious and tender. The cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots, etc were all fresh. The baguette was soft, warm, and crunchy. Unless my eyes were deceiving me, they looked slightly larger than before, which is a definite plus considering their tiny size (about half the size of JoJu’s banh mi in Elmhurst)! Overall, this is still one of the my favorite banh mi places. They also have plastic cups and a huge orange cooler of cold tap water in the middle.
Will I come back?
Maybe. It’s dark and dingy with red paint coated over the original cement walls, which isn’t very appetite-​inducing to me but the graffiti art is cool. I also didn’t like how the place was warm and stuffy but their baguette is truly the best I have tried in banh mi places throughout Manhattan, Queens, and Brooklyn. They also serve rice and noodle bowls, salads, and health juices. I’m very tempted to try their expanded menu this summer. Hopefully by then, their shop will have air conditioning or at least be more breathable. Then I’ll be back!

I feel angry when restaurants are irrationally unaccommodating toward their customers, which is why my heart sank when my boyfriend, who is allergic to cilantro, was told at Num Pang that they can make ZERO modifications to anything on the menu and that every dish has cilantro on it. UM… what? Really? I find this absurd. No modifications even means the inability to remove a garnish from a sandwich?
Besides this absurdity and the unwavering attitude of the staff members, he ordered the item on the menu which would be easiest for him to remove the cilantro himself… and all was fine in the end.
He had the coconut shrimp sandwich which was tasty with shrimp, marinated carrots and a mayo sauce on a soft, chewy baguette. I tried the spicy grilled pork rice bowl and it was also good.
If the restaurant could lighten their unnecessary strict policies I would certainly recommend this place to friends for a delicious lunch in Midtown. But not until then.

Came here last night for a quick dinner before a concert, especially since I’ve been meaning to try the sandwiches here! I was worried it would be overly crowded since it was time square and during prime dinner time. But surprisingly it was empty! I was torn between the catfish and pork belly sandwich, but opted for the pork belly sandwich. I was a bit skeptical how quickly it came out – clearly not made to order but prepped in advanced.
BUT, it was delicious! So tender and juicy, with lots of flavor! Had a slight spiciness so I opted not to add the optional siracha. My only complaint is the fat! There were some pretty big chucks of just fat on the pork belly which was a little unappealing. Still, I highly recommend this sandwich, just be wary of the fat!
Tried some of my friend’s roasted chicken rice bowl. The chicken was a little bland, but the rice was good and had a lot of flavor. Wouldn’t order this again though.
Will come back to try the catfish sandwich next time! Highly recommend if your looking for a quick, under $ 10 meal!

Excelente sanduíche! Bem feito, rápido, gostoso e em quantidade satisfatória! Para quem não quer perder muito tempo nos restaurantes mais badalados ou comer mais do mesmo nas redes fast-​food, é a melhor opção!