At Banh Cuon Tay Ho No. 4 in Westminster, the Little Saigon institution is the obvious place to tuck into the chewy packets of goodness.

"The most traditional rolled version (banh cuon thit cha lua) is made with ground pork that's fried with onion and wood ear mushrooms," he said.

Banh cuon pair a delicate, elastic texture with a very light flavor, and they’re often topped with slices of cha lua, a springy, dense pork sausage with a similarly delicate taste.

To make banh cuon, a thin noodle sheet is steamed on a thin layer of fabric placed over a pot of boiling water. The sheets are then filled with minced pork and served with cha lua (Vietnamese pork ...

Among those is the banh cuon cha lua thit nuong, a swine-heavy dish that's busy with complementary tastes and textures.

An Ngon Vietnamese Rice Roll serves rather authentic steamed-to-order banh cuon, rice rolls with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms eaten with a fish sauce dip.

This cha lua sandwich holds core memories for Duncan Lu and is a staple of Vietnamese households in the way a ham and cheese sandwich is for western families.