The best of both worlds: doughnuts and banh mi

"Say Wa," said the diminutive woman behind the cash register. She wasn't asking for clarification nor was she referring to Washington state's doomed promotional slogan. Hoa Tran was explaining how to pronounce her first name.

Tran and her husband opened #1 Donuts & Deli just over a month ago at Thrashers Corner behind Bank of America. The Vietnamese couple are old hands at doughnut-making, having ran Henry's Donuts in Everett for several years. What's new here is the deli part.

You won't see a typical display case filled with meats and cheeses.

At first glance, you'll likely be dazed by all the raised, glazed and frosted doughnuts; the cream puffs, crullers, fritters and bars. But glossy photos mounted on the back wall provide clues to the other offerings — and help facilitate ordering.

Items include Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches ($2.50) that come with a choice of chicken or pork tucked into a demi-baguette along with pickled vegetables and cilantro; cool, plump spring rolls ($2.50 for two); warm, savory egg rolls ($2.50 for three); sticky rice topped with sweet Chinese sausage and onions ($2); and banh xeo, a crepe folded over a filling of shrimp, pork and bean sprouts ($6).

Tran is a cheerful woman who says she's happiest when she's working, which is good because her days are long. She starts baking in the wee small hours. Her husband helps out in the shop, making sandwiches or washing dishes. The spic-and-span space has a dozen seats and attracts a polyglot clientele. Some, of course, are just seeking a sugar fix. But if you're smart, you'll snag at least a few egg rolls, too.

Check please:

Pork sandwich: A demi-baguette holds a couple of slices of peppercorn-studded pork, pickled carrot and cucumber, and several branches of cilantro. The bread gets a schmear of liver pâté to bump up the flavor and that sudden burn comes from jalapeño slices. Time in the oven gives the bread some welcome crustiness.

Egg rolls: A delicate crunch adds to the complexity of textures and flavors that make these slender snacks a standout. Pork, shrimp, taro, carrot, bean thread and black fungus comprise the savory filling. For dipping, there's a sweet, tangy fish sauce.

Spring rolls: Basil pervades every bite of these cool, crunchy rolls. They come in pairs, rice-paper wrappers plumped with vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, iceberg lettuce, shrimp and sliced deli chicken. The peanut sauce could be a bit more pungent, but it's hard to complain for the price.

Doughnuts: Take home an assortment and make sure it includes a fruity-in-the-middle apple fritter.

Providence Cicero: providencecicero@aol.com