When I lived 1 1/2 blocks from Ba Le, I would still ride my bicycle over to Nhu Lan for banh mi. The banh mi may be the star attraction, but the pate chaud, sticky rice, banh cuon, vietnamese coffee, fried spring rolls (in the a.m. when fresh), rice cake with eggs ("vietnamese matzoh brei") and other assorted side dishes are all fantastic.
Nhu Lan is a place I crave regularly. When asked how I like my current neighborhood (by North & Western), I've often lamented that it'd be much better if Nhu Lan were closer by.
-Dan