The Little Restaurant that Could!

When I was younger, the variety of Asian restaurants was pretty limited. As the culture of Greensboro has become increasingly more international, the variety of options has expanded tremendously. And I am thrilled! Always willing to try the latest and most unusual food offerings, it has been rewarding to find so many different places to choose from in this area over the last several years.

Of those options, I have found a number of reasons to enjoy Vietnamese food. The dishes are seasoned deliciously without overwhelming the flavors of the meats and vegetables. The sauces are generally lighter and don't drown out the freshness of the ingredients. 

One place that has stayed on my radar even as other places continue to pop up around it, even as food trends come and go, has been Binh Minh, 5211 W. Market Street, Greensboro, NC 27409. This time maybe I'll turn my attention not to a new discovery, but to an old friend. We have been going to Binh Minh for years and continue to enjoy all that this little place has to offer.

I can certainly enjoy a big bowl of pho (noodle soup) just about anytime, and the fact that you can choose from a variety of noodles and other ingredients to suit you makes it a particularly versatile dish.

The vermicelli dishes are always an excellent option as well. Again, you get to choose from a variety of components to go with the noodles from spring rolls, lemon grass, curry, and pork, beef, chicken or tofu for a  fresh and tasty bowl to suit any taste.

Where things can get really interesting for the more adventurous palates are on the more traditional Vietnamese dishes. The marinated quail is an excellent and inexpensive dish. The quail is tender and the sauce is delicious!

There are always some things on a menu that you might avoid even at a restaurant that you go to all the time.  At Binh Minh, there was a dish that that I had always been a little afraid of.... The "Special" Pho.... Beef stock and beef... accompanied by tendons and tripe!

I will eat all kinds of things but I had pretty consciously avoided this soup in the past...

Welllllllll... feeling pretty adventurous myself recently, I decided to give it a try, and it was outstanding!

I loved it! Call 'em innards, offal, whatever... I call 'em good!

The tendons were tender and soaked up the delicious flavor of the broth. The tripe was a little chewier, but also very flavorful! I couldn't believe how very good it was!

But don't let this scare you! Tucked away in a strip shopping center on Market Street, you might have sailed by this place a thousand times, but take the time to enjoy all the wonderful comfort food they offer.

Casual and comfortable, the people at Binh Minh treat you like family. The owner will help you make a selection if you are having any trouble deciding, and one of the best things about Binh Minh is that there is a huge variety of options on the menu. There really is something for everyone!