Benu - San Andreas

This was such a special dinner one that was a once in a lifetime experience. From the moment we stepped inside the restaurant it was amazing. The staff were so... read more This was such a special dinner one that was a once in a lifetime experience. From the moment we stepped inside the restaurant it was amazing. The staff were so welcoming, polite and knowledgable about all the foods and wines. This was the most special dinner with the finest ingredients, beautiful presentation and amazing flavour. Thank you to the Benu team. Alec and Jenny Bashinsky from Sydney Australia)

Every bite is an explosion of flavor !!! one must give it a try at least once in ones lifetime !!! read more Every bite is an explosion of flavor !!! one must give it a try at least once in ones lifetime !!!

This is likely the single best restaurant experience we have had. The food was incredible, the service outstanding. Every award has clearly been well earned. read more This is likely the single best restaurant experience we have had. The food was incredible, the service outstanding. Every award has clearly been well earned.

Top quality. read more Top quality.

This was my fourth visit to Benu, and I felt like the food was the strongest yet. Kudos to Chef Corey Lee and team for continuing to execute at the highest leve... read more This was my fourth visit to Benu, and I felt like the food was the strongest yet. Kudos to Chef Corey Lee and team for continuing to execute at the highest level of fine dining, having maintained three Michelin Stars for a decade. As expected, the service was impeccable. We were warmly welcomed with a glass of sparkling wine, setting a celebratory tone for the evening. Although my girlfriends and I weren’t celebrating anything specific, I would say that any experience at Benu naturally feels like a special occasion! Since my last visit was in 2019, much of the menu was new to me. However, I was delighted to see the familiar opening bite of century quail egg. From there, a parade of small delicacies followed. Highlights included a dry-aged cheese served Korean BBQ-style with a bright, herbaceous perilla leaf wrap. The chilled abalone with winter melon cooked in chicken jelly was a standout in both flavor and texture. Another memorable bite was the crispy frog leg, hidden beneath a bed of decorative Sichuan pepper—eye-catching, packed with flavor, and actually not too spicy. In the past, the xiao long bao course was one of my favorites. However, this version—featuring a pine mushroom filling and a slightly altered wrapper—lacked the satisfying mouthfeel and richness of prior iterations with foie gras or lobster. It was the only dish that felt like a slight misstep in an otherwise stellar menu. The white seafood stew with halibut fin, served with an 8-year-aged doenjang, was a highlight. Accompanying it was a simple yet satisfying golden potato that complemented the stew’s depth of flavor. Another standout was the winter chalbap sticky rice with smoked quail and black truffle. The richness of the sticky rice was further enhanced by an umami-packed side of sticky egg yolk and house XO sauce. Pickled crosnes, a tiny root vegetable, provided a bright and crunchy contrast. The main course featured beautifully poached beef rib, plated tableside for some added flair. It was served with banchan, including lettuce namul, persimmon geotjeori, and a hot mustard sauce that tied it all together. The meal concluded with a few exceptional dessert courses. A shaved, frozen pine needle sikhye was wonderfully refreshing and a strong ending to another incredible Benu experience.