I was exercising a lot of self-control trying to take pictures before digging in. |
On one of my Friday lunches, I decided to head to Chop Chop which is a sandwich place in the city. They are WILDLY popular for their Vietnamese Sambos and they are all out by the time it hits 3pm, I'd say. So anyway, what I like about this place is the simplicity, it's all about the food. They have quite a few Sambos including chicken, Thai beef, tuna, and egg. They also put their own flare on these traditional goodies. Oh, and they have specials every Tuesday! Instead of paying $6 for a sambo, it's 2 for $10!
I've been rambling about Sambos, but what is a Sambo? It's a VIET thing- a fantastic bread roll with various cold cuts, pate, coriander, tangy veggies, and a nuoc pham which is a special sauce. It's beyond awesome.
The Chicken Sambo |
First up is the Chicken Sambo. The chicken is amazingly tender and well-seasoned with what I'd call a light country style dressing. A ton of fresh veggies including carrots, cucumber, and lettuce are present to balance the Sambo. The bread is absolutely delightful, Vietnamese rolls are really indescribable. They're crunchy yet dense, UGH it's LOVE.
The Thai Beef Sambo |
Next up is the Thai Beef Sambo, the dressing is zingy and delivers a completely different note compared to the chicken one. The beef is not as tender as I would have wanted it to be. Nevertheless, it was a good sambo, and for some reason this one was packed more than the chicken one.
Oh, I forgot to mention the pate, maybe it's because it didn't really play that big of a part in the overall Sambo. How pitiful. But I do love how delicate all the greens are chopped even though these pictures might now show much.
The thing is, the Sambos were good, but not INSANELY GOOD, I think there are better ones out there. Case and point, Cabramatta Vietnamese Sambos. Cabramatta is the place to be when it comes to Vietnamese goodies. It's just packed with rows and rows of crazy authentic restaurants and Asian groceries. Last time I went, I had the BEST pho and pork roll (sambo). I'd definitely go back for more, very very very SOON. CABRAMATTA is LEGENDARY.
I wonder what goodies I'll have this Friday.
Chop Chop- Your Sandwich Shop
36 York St.
Sydney, NSW 2000