5 Days of Banh Mi in New York

4222 8th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232 (map)

Did you know Brooklyn has a Chinatown? And at this spot, the bread is exemplary, fresh with a crusty exterior, soft interior. On the veggie front, it's chock full of carrots, daikon and mild green peppers. The ham is more like traditional breakfast ham, saltier and fattier, and the addition of roast pork really ups the complexity of flavor. Sadly minimally spiced. Cost: $3.50. Banh for your buck: 3.5.

150 E 2nd St, New York, NY 10009 (map)

Though there's a location in Brooklyn, the East Village is where Nicky's first introduced New York to its benchmark banh mi, loaded with moist ground pork and a thick cut of ham. Take a bite and the welcome heat from jalapenos plays off the tangy pickled carrots and just a dollop of mayo. The one-serving sandwich comes unnecessarily split in half. Cost: $4.50. Banh for your buck: 4.

800 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10017 (map)

This newer midtown spot doesn't quite justify its sandwich's heftier price tag: There's not enough meat, and the doughy roll is too large in proportion to the fillings. Tough cilantro stalks made me feel a bit like a rabbit. Bonus points for the surprisingly effective addition of avocado, and for being the only game in a banh-mi-impoverished part of town. Cost: $7.50. Banh for your buck: 2.

207 2nd Ave, New York, NY 10003 (map)

At $9, it better be the Rolls Royce of banh mis. And with the addition of house-made head cheese, pickled cucumbers and a flaky roll from Sullivan Street bakery, it comes close. Even more amazing, it comes blazingly spicy without a request. Still, its meager size rankles (it should be christened the world?s first banh mi slider). Note: It's only available at dinner. Cost: $9. Banh for your buck: 3.

369 Broome St, New York, NY 10013 (map)

I started in Chinatown, the most densely packed banh mi region. The football-sized sandwich here eats like a meal, or two. However, it's quantity over quality: The crusty baguette cut my mouth, and the minimal pate spread couldn't offset the dryness. A request for spiciness was so ignored that I seriously considered buying sriracha sauce at the deli. Cost: $3.75. Banh for your buck: 2.5 out of 4.