Update 3:
Since our beloved @attran99 was asking about the state of Little Saigon mom & pop shops, and if they were open or not during the pandemic, we decided to drive through Little Saigon and do a Takeout Journey to report back on if these shops were open or closed.
(Note: As @attran99 posted, with the almost zero traffic these days, it took us only 35 minutes to get to Little Saigon!) 
Banh Mi Cho Cu Bakery (Revisit)
Banh Mi Cho Cu is open during the pandemic.
A favorite of Das Ubergeek from our old board, we’ve been stopping by once in a while for their Banh Mi Xiu Mai (our favorite item from the menu).
Banh Mi Xiu Mai (Meatball Sandwich):
We were the only customers in the shop (around lunch time during the weekend). The Xiu Mai (Meatballs) were as delicious as usual: Cho Cu’s Vietnamese Meatballs are probably some of the most balanced Xiu Mai we’ve had in a Banh Mi Sandwich locally. Many places are way too sweet, or too dense. At Cho Cu, it’s tender, savory with a touch of sweetness, good marinade and Sauce as well. 
Their Baguette Bread on this visit was a miss: It wasn’t bad, but not up to their usual standards. It had a bit more chew to the Baguette, and wasn’t as airy as usual. Perhaps the lack of customers / low turnover is contributing (as they usually bake multiple batches of Baguettes in-house throughout the day)?
Still at only $4.50, and with good tasting Xiu Mai (Meatballs) and other bright, fresh accompaniments (Radish, Carrots, Cilantro, Jalapeno), it was still a good Sandwich. We hope this mom & pop shop survives and we can be back when they have higher turnover of Baguettes.
(Cash Only)
Banh Mi Cho Cu
14520 Magnolia St B, Westminster, CA 92683
Tel: (714) 891-3718
New Duong Son BBQ (Revisit)
Happy to report that New Duong Son BBQ is open as well! 
Social distancing in place:
And they were serious about it. They only let in 1 customer at a time to order and get their food before the next customer could walk in.
Heo Quay (Crispy Roast Pork):
PSA:
- New Duong Son BBQ’s Crispy Roast Pork needs to be eaten ASAP. It will not survive the car ride back to the Westside.
Taking a bite: Gorgeously crunchy Roast Pork Skin! 
Then the lean Pork meat was more tender today than our previous visit. It’s still on the meatier side, a different style of cutting than many Hong Kong BBQ Roast Pork Belly treatments, but this was SO GOOD!
Huge thanks again @Dommy @PorkyBelly @Ns1 bulavinaka.
Xa Xiu (Honeyed BBQ Pork):
Their Honeyed BBQ Pork is their Vietnamese take on Hong Kong BBQ, it’s actually more tender and moist than many San Gabriel Valley Hong Kong BBQ joints we’ve tried over the years(!). It’s fine, and this dish will survive the car ride just fine (as it’s not crispy / fried).
New Duong Son BBQ is probably our favorite place to pick up a Hong Kong-esque BBQ Roast Pork and Roast Duck and Honeyed BBQ Pork in Orange County so far, a nice little mom & pop shop, friendly service, and outside of Ruby BBQ’s legendary Roast Pork Belly, New Duong Son BBQ might be our 2nd favorite in So Cal.
(Cash Only)
New Duong Son BBQ
9211 Bolsa Ave., # 115
Westminster, CA 92683
Tel: (714) 901-1600
Ba Le Sandwiches (Westminster)
While we’ve been to a “Ba Le” Banh Mi shop up in the San Gabriel Valley (and it was rather mediocre), thanks to a strong recommendation from @bruins for a Ba Le Sandwiches in Westminster, we stopped by to see how it compared.
First, the good news: Ba Le Sandwiches (Westminster) is open during this pandemic.
It looked like a mother & daughter running the restaurant, both were wearing masks and we were the only customers in the store.
Walking in, you could see them running a rotating oven, baking more fresh Baguettes, which was a good sign.
#3: Banh Mi Ga (Chicken Baguette (Hot)):
Taking a bite, shatteringly crisp, airy Baguette!
It was so light and airy and tasted freshly baked. It was outstanding!
The Ga (Chicken) was moist, tender and with a good Soy Sauce-based marinade, with a touch of sweetness. Add to that bright, crisp Radish and Carrots, Cilantro and Jalapeno and you have one of the best Chicken Banh Mi Sandwiches that I can remember. (@TheCookie @attran99 and others.)
#1: Banh Mi Thit Nguoi + Bi (Cold Cut + Shredded Pork Baguette):
I love Vietnamese Shredded Pork Skin (Bi), so I asked the cashier if I could add it to the #1, and she said, “OK, no problem!”
Confession: We’ve been rather disappointed with the far too many Cold Cut Banh Mi Sandwiches in recent memory. Many of them taste of refrigerated funk, or have an off-taste, or are rubbery and just OK. We were prepared for the worst…
Incredible!
The fresh-baked Baguette is again, shatteringly crisp(!), it is almost cloud-like, the lightest Baguette we’ve had for a Banh Mi that I can remember.
Then the Cold Cuts with the Bi (Shredded Pork Skin) was savory, meaty, like a good Mortadella. It wasn’t funky, or off-tasting. Just a good, light porcine flavor, the Bi (Shredded Pork Skin) tasted fresh and added just a bit of textural contrast.
One of the best Banh Mi I’ve ever had! (@PorkyBelly @J_L @Ns1 @A5KOBE @attran99 @hppzz and others.)
I remember some other FTC’ers mentioning “Ba Le Sandwiches” in Little Saigon a long time ago, but I always thought it was just a branch of the mediocre San Gabriel Valley “Ba Le.” Nope.
This Ba Le Sandwiches in Westminster looks nothing like the SGV one, and is leagues better: Incredible airy Baguette (and you can see them baking fresh Baguettes throughout the day), a good savory Chicken in the Banh Mi Ga, and their #1 Banh Mi Thit Nguoi + Bi (Cold Cut Baguette, add Shredded Pork Skin) was one of the highlights of this journey! I regret not stopping by sooner. Thank you again @bruins @JeetKuneBao and others.
Ba Le Sandwiches
9152 Bolsa Ave.
Westminster, CA 92683
Tel: (714) 891-9424
Thuan Thoi (Cococane) (CLOSED)
Sadly, one of our legendary FTC drink shops that @JeetKuneBao discovered has CLOSED due to COVID-19. 
I really hope Cococane comes back after the closure. Currently, this is one of the biggest drink shop losses in Little Saigon that we’ve heard of. 
@JeetKuneBao @J_L @attran99 @hppzz @Ns1 @PorkyBelly @A5KOBE and others.
Thuan Thoi Cococane
14338 Brookhurst St.
Garden Grove, CA 92843
Tel: (714) 717-8750
Ha Noi Avenue (The Avenue) (Revisit)
Ha Noi Avenue (The Avenue) is open during the pandemic for Takeout Orders Only.
Nem Ran Cua Be (Ha Noi-Style Crab Egg Rolls Served with Vermicelli & Vegetables):
It’s normally served cut up into quarters, but they just serve the whole larger Hanoi-style Crab(!) Egg Rolls uncut.
- PSA: These should be eaten immediately in the car. They do not survive a car ride back to the Westside.
The first bite:
Crispy, crunchy, piping hot. There’s a beautiful brininess from the Crab meat, and you get Crab Roe(!), just like before. There’s some marinated Ground Pork as well, and the whole thing, when eaten with the pristine Vegetables & Herbs they packaged makes for one of the best Vietnamese Egg Rolls we’ve ever had!
I love these Hanoi-style Crab Egg Rolls at Ha Noi Avenue. Another highlight of our journey today. A huge thanks again to @JeetKuneBao!
(Cash Only)
Ha Noi Avenue (The Avenue)
8432 Westminster Blvd.
Westminster, CA 92683
Tel: (714) 898-8838
Ngu Binh (Revisit)
Ngu Binh is open!
They won’t even let you into the restaurant. Instead, you are greeted at the door (w/ a table blocking the entrance) by an order taker, and you can place you order right there (or call ahead). When it’s ready, they will deliver the food to the front door, one customer at a time.
They currently only serve 1 size (large) for their legendary Bun Bo Hue.
Bun Bo Hue Dac Biet (Spicy Hue Style Beef Noodle Soup):
First, as a PSA:
- Ngu Binh’s Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Hue Style Beef Noodle Soup) does not survive a long car ride back (sort of).
Ngu Binh’s staff does a great job of packaging everything separately (even the Noodles), which remain rather springy after a ~40 minute car ride.
However, part of the magic of Ngu Binh’s Bun Bo Hue is it’s served piping hot, with a layer of even hotter Chili Oil. So after taking it back home, quickly putting it into a bowl, adding the Herbs (which were pristine and so fresh and bright (love the Banana Flowers!)), and mixing it all together…
The Beef Noodle Soup was already lukewarm. 
We soon realized (too late), that reheating the Beef Noodle Soup and then adding everything together might be the trick that saves it? If anyone has a good recommendation for how to revive the Soup / overall taste, please chime in (@attran99 @JeetKuneBao @hppzz @Ns1 and others), thanks!
However, even lukewarm, there was enough magic in the bowl. You could still taste the deep savory beefiness in Ngu Binh’s Bun Bo Hue. The slices of Beef Brisket, the Stewed Pork Foot, cubes of Pork Blood, the Housemade Pork Sausage were all very good still.
Perhaps the winning move next time might be: Bring Your Own Soup Bowls (BYOSB) (large size) and after getting the order from Ngu Binh, quickly construct everything in your car and enjoy in the empty parking lot. 
I’m looking forward to the day we can enjoy the incredible Bun Bo Hue straight outta the kitchen, in the restaurant, but until then, those that live closer to Ngu Binh have a good way to enjoy their Spicy Hue-Style Beef Noodle Soup.
Ngu Binh
14092 Magnolia Street
Westminster, CA 92683
Tel: (714) 903-6000