This restaurant is quite the find, tucked away in a forest-like atmosphere, in the foothills of Redlands. The Esri compound is right behind Benjarong. Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) since 1959, and is a privately held company 100% owned by its founders, Jack and Laura Dangermond.
So, you can take the Arrow train and walk back a few blocks to Benjarong. Their back patio is huge and has live music on the weekends. The patio is tranquil, with foliage filled exotic vegetation. It is lit by twinkling party lights.
The night I visited included a great duo who played adult contemporary modern rock from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. Where else can you find live music with great Thai cuisine. It’s quite the little gem in Redlands, just the best Thai food with great creative menu items.
Here’s What I tried:
Cocktails:
Thai Tea Martini, a great unique idea, so delicious and truly an imaginative cocktail.
Traditional Martini, a great way to start my delicious dinner.
Mojito, lush and tropical; just a wonderful cocktail.
Appetizers
Lumpia, deep-fried crepes stuffed with ground chicken, carrots, potatoes, and onion served with a special sauce. A small egg roll with marvelous flavor.
Fried Wontons, wonton skins stuffed with ground chicken and spices served with Benjarong sweet and sour sauce. These wonderful wontons are full of flavor and super filling.
Satay, with four skewers of marinated and grilled chicken, served with peanut sauce and cucumber relish. The sublime coconut flavors are heavenly marinaded and made my taste buds dance. This is a must-have menu item.
Coconut Shrimp, succulent deep-fried shrimp battered with coconut. These are coated with lots of coconut which makes for a very delicious and satisfying appetizer. Plus, who doesn’t love shrimp!
Salads:
Yum Nuer, slices of perfectly grilled beef sirloin in spicy lime juice and seasoned sauce with cucumber, tomatoes, onions, and scallions over a bed of mixed greens. A very tangy dressing that is both sweet and sour, with nice tender meat slices. It was a nice start to my amazing meal.
Soup:
Tom Kah Kai, a hot and sour spicy soup with chicken, mushrooms, and baby corn in coconut milk. A great, sweet, savory comforting soup. Their rendition was super scrumptious.
Wonton Soup, served with lovely flower-cut carrots and a super flavorful broth; just what the doctor ordered.
Noodles:
Pad Thai, stir-fried, thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, scallions, and eggs with shrimp and ground peanuts on the side. These are nice, thick noodles with very well-rounded Thai spices. They did a great job with this menu item.
Rice:
Gulf of Siam Fried Rice, a mixture of seafood, shrimp, scallops, calamari, mussels, imitation crab, stir-fried with eggs, scallions, tomatoes, and onions. The rice is super flavorful, and the added seafood makes for one very satisfying rice dish.
Entrees:
Deli Fish, breaded and fried Orange Roughy topped with ground chicken, ginger, mushrooms, and scallions in a special sauce. They serve it with the fish looking like a flower, and the added ginger just melts in your mouth. This is one of my favorite dishes.
Pad Ka-Pow, beef stir-fry with chili, bell peppers, onions, scallions, and basil leaves in Benjarong sauce. Their Benjarong sauce is just superb! It is a light soy sauce-based gravy, and they use it in many menu items. The beef is very tender, and the sauce is very subtle with white rice. It hits the spot!
Yellow Curry Shrimp, cooked in a special, smooth curry with potatoes, onions, and coconut milk. Another favorite dish, the way they present the potatoes is enough to order this dish.
Panang, with chicken and tofu with bell pepper, cooked in a special, smooth curry and peanut sauce in coconut milk. Anything that they do with coconut sauce is going to be divine.
Dessert:
Mango and Sticky Rice, a sticky delight; it was a great way to end my fantastic experience.
Manager Tan mentioned that they only have 3 woks in their kitchen, and everything is made from scratch. Their head cook, Noon makes most of the food and follows their family recipes. She explained that her customers are very loyal and have been coming for the full 18 years of them being open. Server and bartender, Alexandra Olson started when she was 17, and was taught by Tan how to do everything to run a successful restaurant.
This is the kind of place that someone has to take you to, like it’s their own hidden secret because it really is an amazing treasure in Redlands. You can take the train and make it a destination lunch or dinner, as well as being out on their amazing, beautiful patio listening to live music. I would say to put down what you’re doing, and just get there; you will be so happy you did.
Benjarong
1001 W Park Ave,
Redlands, CA 92373
