Restaurant Review
By: Kathleen Villarino
Restaurant Name: BONMi
Type of food served: Vietnamese
Location: 119 E. 23rd St. New York, NY 10010
Phone number: (646) 895-9232
Website: http://eatbonmi.com/restaurant-menu.php
Eat-in or take out? Both
The Restaurant
Think Chipotle but with Vietnamese food. BONMi describes itself as a “Vietnamese inspired fast casual restaurant”. Walking in, the atmosphere is pretty similar to a Chipotle with the wooden tables and metal chairs. However, at BONMi the chairs are colorful and there are large photos on the walls as well as a mural explaining the basic components of a banh mi (cilantro, pickled carrots, sauce, some sort of protein, and sliced cucumbers). The lighting at the restaurant is pretty muted but spotlights are pointed to the stars of the restaurant which are the menu and the food. BONMi has a counter-style type of ordering system. When you go up to the counter, you can see all the components of your meal and everything is assembled right in front of you.
I visited the restaurant during the weekday lunch rush. It was busy, but the workers worked efficiently which moved the line quickly to my delight because I was very excited to try the food! Half of the customers in line ate at the restaurant while the other half got their food to-go.
The Food
Many of the items on the menu are gluten-free (GF) and vegan (VG) which are clearly indicated on the menu. All of the toppings are GF and VG as well as some of the base components, and sauces. By having gluten-free, vegan, and regular options, BONMi caters to a wide range of customers. Individuals following a gluten-free, vegan, or a regular diet can still enjoy this restaurant without feeling like their choices are limited.
Since BONMi works basically like a Chipotle, there is a base price for the banh mi sandwich and their bowls. Their bowls either have a rice, salad, or noodles as the base. The banh mi sandwich starts at $8.96 while the bowls start at $10.56. Depending on what type of meat you choose, you pay extra. For instance, the pork belly is $1 extra while the 18-hour beef is $2 extra. They also have chicken, tofu, mushrooms, or seasonal vegetables as your filling option for those who do not eat pork, beef, or are vegan or vegetarian. These fillings have no extra cost. They do have signature dishes which are not customizable. The prices range from $9.96 for the BBQ Belly Banh Mi sandwich to $10.96 for the Red Eye Banh Mi sandwich.
I ordered a bowl with jasmine rice and quinoa as the base. For my protein, I asked for the BONMi Chicken and the Chili Garlic Tofu. For my toppings, I chose pickled carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, pickled red onions, and mushrooms. I chose the BONMi sauce to top everything off. I really enjoyed the food. The chicken was moist and flavorful. The tofu was not overwhelmingly spicy which I liked because it did not overpower the other bowl components. The BONMi sauce was sweet and spicy. Surprisingly, I enjoyed the pickled red onions the most because they provided a nice punch to the overall dish. Having the soft rice, the semi-crunchy quinoa, the soft chicken and tofu, and the crisp vegetable toppings gave the dish a great balance of different textures especially when you mixed everything together. I give this dish 3 stars!
Worth it?
For $11.96, I think that the food I received was very much worth what I paid for. BONMi was very generous with their portions. I was not able to finish the whole bowl in one sitting. I had it for lunch and dinner. So just think $11.96 for 2 meals! I think that’s a great value. I can safely say that getting the bowl was worth it but I obviously can’t comment about the sandwich…. yet. But for now all I can say is that this restaurant is for BONMe and for BONYou!
Click on the link to see their menu! http://eatbonmi.com/restaurant-menu.php
Applies to:
CRDN 2.2: Demonstrate professional writing skills in preparing professional communications.
CRDN 3.10: Develop and evaluate recipes, formulas and menus for acceptability and affordability that accommodate the cultural diversity and health needs of various populations, groups and individuals.
CRDN 3.7: Develop and deliver products, programs or services that promote consumer health, wellness and lifestyle management.
