Banh mi ban!

Sick of the overexposed Vietnamese hoagie? Nine other Asian(ish) sandwich substitutes worth checking out.

Seems like just yesterday that scoring a banh mi meant heading to a cluttered storefront in Chinatown. If the sandwich counter was hidden in the back of a pharmacy or jewelry store, all the better for earning foodie cred.

Yes, there was once something unique about the seemingly unusual combination of pate, cartiledgy cold cuts, mayonnaise, scant slices of jalapeno, and julienned pickled carrots and daikon crammed into a crusty French baguette.

Now, these formerly outre Vietnamese hoagies have become as ubiquitous as deli wraps. When even sports bars begin slinging banh mi—crap, it’s game over.

All good New Yorkers know this means it’s time to move on to the next big thing. Fortunately, Asia is a big continent with plenty of sandwiches to choose from. Pour out a 40 for the banh mi and discover these contenders for a substitute Saigon sub.

By Krista Garcia; photos by Melissa Hom

Pictured: Nope, not an alien life form but Café Zaiya's Yakisoba Pan