Benley – 8191 E Wardlow Rd, Long Beach, CA 90808
(562) 596-8130 Tue-Sat. 11:00AM-9:00PM
There is nothing better than finding a new place, trying it, and being so happy that you did. I was hanging out with my good friend Nick Moncure last night, drinking a bottle of wine, when we decided that we wanted to try something new. Nick said that he had found this place on Zagat, and that it was supposed to be in the top two places to eat in the great city of Long Beach! With an intro like that I just had to check it out. We got in the car, got a little lost, sought the wisdom of the iPhone, and eventually made it there in one piece. The location is a little obscure; it sits on the far east end of the shopping center on the corner of N. Norwalk Blvd and E. Wardlow. It is not the easiest place to find, but well worth the adventure.
Once you get there and get inside, you will realize that this place is pretty hip. It is super clean, with a good number of tables and incredibly friendly people. Upon sitting down, I felt like we had been whisked off to an exclusive little restaurant in L.A. They had great music playing, the lighting was just right, and the pictures and other decorations were simple and delightful. These people put a lot of thought and care into the way that they wanted the atmosphere, and in my opinion it works.
The menu is presented on several sheets of paper on a small clip board, which I totally dig. All of the different offerings are presented with the Vietnamese name and then an English description. They offer a startling variety of different appetizers, entrées and desserts. We started with the Shrimp and Beef Eggrolls, which were spectacular! The crust or wrap was super thin and crunchy, and waiting inside was a delectable filling. I would have to say that these were some of the best egg rolls that I have ever had
Now, I will admit that I have never had Pho (pronounced more like “FUH”), even though my brother has been telling me for quite some time how great it is. If you are not familiar with Pho, it is a broth soup of choi, soybeans, and cilantro along with your choice of Beef Brisket, Chicken, or Vietnamese Meatballs. I will say that it is a bit of an acquired taste, but after one full serving, I have acquired it. Our waitress informed us that the chef at Benley makes his Pho broth the traditional way, letting it simmer for 30 hours. Now that is dedication! We had the Pho with Beef Brisket and it was magnificent. I spiced it up with chili sauce and some other exotic and unfamiliar sauces that she brought to the table. It was a true delight!
Half way through the Pho, we ordered a bottle of Riesling to accompany our dish. Bottles of wine are half price on Monday, so it was kind of a “Why not!” The wine was a perfect match for the food, and was served in the stemless wine glasses that I love. See, being a big guy I am a bit of a “bull in a china closet”, so the less chance that I have of knocking something over, the better. We finished our wine and Pho and tried our server’s two favorite desserts. I admit that I should have done a better job with the names but oh well (see the second sentence of this paragraph about half price wine). The first was a large dollop of sweet cream with a berry sauce. The other was like a slice of a custard or tapioca, but more dense and cake-like. It was served warm with cream sauce; it was my favorite of the two, and the one that the server recommended.
As you can tell I really enjoyed my dining experience at Benley and I hope that many of you are able to make it over there. The food, atmosphere, and service are all set to please. Make the trip and I promise that you will not be disappointed.
Until Next Time, Keep Eating Long Beach
Cliv