Forever such a long time, Ben's Vietnamese has been one of the long-running heavyweights within Brisbane's inner central area. That is for many good reasons, most which chalk up to having no sense of pretension in their blood at any point. It is all about having a good time, most of which comes down to having great food in front of you. That is something that is understood really well here, and as a result we have found a winner. It is one of the go-to choices for a meal at short notice.
From the last time I went out with her for dinner, I made a brief mention of only being a few photos from expertise in the Woolloongabba area. That was only a passing mention, but it was enough to provoke the thought to find somewhere else in that area to finish off the job. Not much more about that until a bit before arranging a dinner date, and she already had the place in mind. So that is about the most random and chaotic way to select a place to eat for some time, and I crap shoot Market Square almost each time. Well, when somewhere is as popular as Ben's it is easy to waltz in anyways.
With the interior, it is that jarring mixture that is common with mid-range Asian places. I am not too sure if they are going for casual - because you can waltz on in easily - or if it is a bit more, since the service and quality of the food is definitely a notch above casual. I do want to give credit where it is due, and that is that the tables are set up more like a yum cha, and less like a hole-in-the-wall eatery; that choice makes up for a big lot of difference. The restaurant is set up for entertainment on some nights, with a karaoke stage They have no shortage of space, with plenty of tables spread out over the dining area.
And the service is also pretty good. At no point do any of the staff members seem to stop. It is always a go, clearing plates and getting orders, plus they are also persistent. You more or less have to indicate when you are ready. With that being said, due to the constant locomotion of the staff members gliding around the dining area, attention is easily gotten. When that happens, they are pretty professional and know the ins-and-outs of the menu. Ultimately, it is the kind that is good but leaves you enough alone to enjoy the time out.
Now let's get onto the menu, which is another really big one. Common as a running theme here, the selection is a mixture of both Chinese and Vietnamese dishes with most of the focus and specialty being on the latter one. On the first chef's specialties, seafood features quite a lot which includes trout and lobster both for a very pretty penny. Chicken is also frequent on that same section, and the meals are generally simple. The Chinese menu contains a number of the classics. A bit like the classic local Chinese (you know the one), there is a big range that encompasses stir fried noodles, omelets, and the nearly endless meat-and-sauce section - either can end in disaster or something actually goes. When it comes to the Chinese chef's specialties, it is a bit bigger and more well-rounded with choices - there is seafood, but also some poultry and red meat. Vegetarians, especially if you like tofu, are not forgotten too much either. Going back to Vietnam, there are rice paper rolls, rice vermicelli, rice dishes, noodle soups, and an even bigger chef's suggestions. If you can wait at least half an hour, there are some great seafood options waiting on that most latter one. For one last aspect with the food, there are hotplates and steamboats to share. It is a pretty big menu, and if there are enough people at the table there are banquets to help ease the burden of trying to choose what to eat.
Getting onto something to drink, they have beers, congnacs, wines and spirits along with the usual range of non-alcoholic beverages. That is sodas, tea, juices, smoothies, and some of Vietnam's signature drinks - and it includes coffee.
Speaking of which ... here we go again. We are at a Vietnamese place as it has been said, and there is a maxim that happens each time. I am a simple man in many ways, and one of them is that I like my coffee. I will check if they have the characteristic drip coffee to get a drink. And if they did not I would not have wasted typing in words - so draw the conclusion there. It was one of those that I ordered, and this time I did not get to watch the show. Not that I am complaining, because it is coffee - I don't complain if I have coffee. It was cold, sweet, and quite strong. That is really all that is needed, and when it is gotten right, it is gotten really right. For both the caffeine buzz and the sugar high, this is the best choice bar none. Outside that, it is creamy, smooth on the throat, and goes down a treat.
As always, it was about what to start the meal with. Get a little something to start the satiation, so it was off to the appetisers section. What ended up being the first business of the night was some rice paper rolls. My friend was not to sure which variety to get, which really went down to pork and prawn, or why not both? And why not both? Whatever the case, these are hard to beat as a starter. For once, they are a fresh alternative to many fried starters. The prawns were big, sweet and crunchy, and the pork was tender and lithe. Mix these together with a good range of vegetables - which take up the majority of the filling - that add a nice crunch to them, along with the noodles, and the herbs that compliment them. So far, so good, and I approve.
Next it was onto the main meals. Getting a couple of orders each, after a bit of time trying to decide what to have each of us finally ended up on something. For me, I am always one to get something a little bit different even if it means wading through a selection of the usual suspects. Often that can be helped with the "chef's specials" section, and from there I ordered a stuffed squid hot pot. As for my friend, it took a couple of decisions (as often happens) and she ended up on an order of plum duck. Duck is good, fried poultry is good, and a thick sauce. All piping hot and wholly delicious - what can be so bad about that?
Both of these were really, really good and tasty. Duck is one of those dishes that you know is going to be hard to mess up, and it is often a winner at restaurants. That trend is safely continued here. The skin was crispy, the meat was tender and dark. It must have been cooked for a long while, since this was boney meat where the flesh was separated without much struggle. It was tender, the skin was delicious and oily, plus the plum sauce was the right mix of astringent and sweet in flavour, and the texture - viscous. Mixing into it was a good range of vegetables, nothing too fancy - just onions, cucumber and the ilk. That and bits of pineapple, which added to the sweetness that compliments poultry well.
As for the squid hot pot, that was just as good. I have not had squid like this before. There were about eight or so pieces of squid cooked in the hotpot, which was broiled and kind of resembled something of a soup. The bits of meat were filled with what appeared to be a minced squid meat mixture. It was probably for the best that this meal was fairly simple in gastronomy, which is a bit opposite for how it was conducted with cooking. To be honest, trying to describe it does not do justice. This is certainly recommended to order, and is one that is perfect if you have nowhere to be. The meat was tender, the flavours were kind of subtle, and it is a second win for just how tasty the food is at Ben's.
As an extra aspect to the service, the meals were offered with a side of steamed rice. This was a huge tub, where it was put on the table to the side, and rice could be dished out onto the plate when desired. There is really not a lot to talk about with steamed rice, it is steamed rice.
So this was one good meal. Both meals were high quality, had tender meats, were delicious due to an array of flavours and aromas, plus you can't argue for value with it either. This is a perfect location for almost any sort of meal, whether it be a special occasion or something more impromptu. But, we are not quite over just yet.
One aspect of the menu not discussed until now is the desserts. For flow reasons, but here we are. There is always room in my stomach afterwards to some sweet stuff, and it is only readable in the drinks menu. The section is fairly small, and contains the usual suspects. While my friend is not one that finishes the meals - I hoover them, don't worry - I often can persuade her in splitting the dessert later. This time around, it was none other than the three-colour bean dessert. It is absolutely worth trying, and is one that is a bizarre mix of flavours and textures.
This is one colourful dessert, and what makes it better is it has none of the sugar rush that would often be associated with it. Still, er on the side of caution and don't tell the dentist about it. Much like a parfait or trifle, it is made up of layers. There is one of red beans, another that is yellow mung beans, then there is an argave-pandan mixture, and it is all topped off with coconut ice. It is was a mixture of tastes, and a mixture of textures as it was said. The red beans added a strange and jarring aspect to dessert, one that I have gotten to but still notice each time - it is tart. The pandan is a little astringent, and helped with the sweet syrup it was infused in, and the coconut really finished it off brilliantly - it was a bit like drinking a coconut slushie. Mixing this all together was a little tricky. Overall, this dessert is worth trying and is a departure for the norm - at least to what I know.
When it comes down to an extensive menu, which more or less demands at least a dozen returns to try a good percentage of the dishes, what helps is to get it right with everything else. On the surface, it seems ad hoc but is probably calculated quite well. That explains how the dining experience works here.
There is an apparent reason for the longevity of this place, and most of it does comes down to the food. Much like some of the notable and similar places around town - an example includes Trang in West End - is the decor and aesthetic of the place. This is much nicer than the aforementioned Trang, but where that similarity is apparent is how the decor and everything seems both a second thought, or just takes a back seat to the food. Service is attentive, and always on the go - there is no stopping with the waitstaff which further explains the high turnover rate. Getting back to the point, it is inexpensive, the food is what you would expect, plus the portions are generous. This is a neighbourhood gem for many good reasons. It is not without character, but that is what gives this place that timeless feel that will guarantee that Ben's Vietnamese is staying around at least as long as it has already been around - I will be taking my nieces here when they are teens, and nothing will changed. That, I can bank on.
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