Sandwich Dreams

I’m not a big sandwich person, for lunch I prefer a large salad or reheating some leftovers.  There is one sandwich, however, that for me stands out above the rest. A sandwich that the thought of causes me to salivate and I day dream about when hunger pains are calling.  The sate beef Vietnamese sub from Thi Thi in Calgary is this majestic creation and we have a relationship that goes a ways back.  I recently made a trip to Alberta with the highlight being visiting family and friends but it turned into a bit of a pilgrimage to Thi Thi. It took:

A train ride.

A plane ride.

And many hours of driving.

But I made it!

I had already been living in Calgary for two years before I found out about the sandwich.  A coworker at a restaurant I was working at had brought one for lunch and had sliced the thinnest of slices for me to try and I was hooked.  The spicy marinated beef, fresh baguette, Vietnamese mayonnaise, veggies and a secret sauce (the owner laughed at Colin when he asked what sauce was made of) is a medley made in heaven.  I realize there are many Vietnamese sub shops throughout Calgary and here in Vancouver as well, but I have yet to find one that produces such a fine product. A testament to my loyalty,  dad and I have walked 5 blocks to Thi Thi in the dead of an Alberta winter, backwards to shield the stinging wind.  We waited in the frigid cold with others for our subs which we proceed to eat on a bench in one of china towns many malls, fingers freezing, cheeks stinging but oh so satisfying.  

Thi Thi is no secret, on any given day at lunch you will find a line up for 20 people waiting outside the small whole in the wall.  Inside there is just enough space for a few people to stand while they order, pay and take their subs. The owner, Hoa has made every one of the sandwiches I’ve eaten and works alongside his wife and more recently his nephew.  In 2013, the flooding Bow River damaged the small space but the family rebuild what was needed and reopened.  The little shop is open most days and the family takes a month off every winter and visit Vietnam. 

On our recent visit we ordered three subs, one each for lunch and one we had to try our best to keep our hand off of that we ate for lunch on the road the next day!