June 19, 2008
Ben Pao: Oh, That Barbeque Pork
We recently dined at Lettuce Entertain You's flagship Chinese restaurant Ben Pao after hearing that Bruce Cost (whose former restaurant once employed Ming Tsai as chef) had been engaged to revamp the menu to add his Asian culinary expertise. While the result was a change to 75% of the menu, do not fear, loyal Ben Pao diners. The ever popular sesame chicken is still on the menu, unchanged. Changes to the menu concentrated on achieving more authentic flavors and incorporating fresh ingredients, including local vegetables and even noodles from Chicago's own Chinatown.
We take a slightly cynical eye and palate to any Chinese restaurant outside Chinatown that serves more than 25 guests at a time claiming to serve authentic Chinese flavors, but Cost and Ben Pao management have placed some thought behind the revamping. Take the newly added barbequed pork shoulder. The pork is tender and full of flavor, served atop spring pea tendrils.
Ben Pao is located at 52 W. Illinois St.
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Those pictures make me almost wanna eat there! Hee hee.
Call it food snobbery, but I was never a huge fan of Lettuce restaurants cause everything always tasted the same to me...even from different restaurants. I think it had to do with the sourcing or something, know what I mean?
But ungh, those photos...
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Hi, The Meteorologist,
Which Lettuce restaurants have you eaten at? I thought I'd eaten at more than I really have. I looked at the list today and realized that I hadn't eaten at quite a few.
I understand what you're saying, though, about restaurant families. I feel like eating at Grand Lux and Cheesecake factory are practically interchangeable.
-L.
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Hey Stolpie,
Maybe you can review Bennigins next. I hear they have a new 4th of July pasta dish coming out!
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Spook - You nerd. This isn't a review - it's to point out the menu changes and show pictures of the food.
But that did make me laugh. Ass!