Benaras Gardenia Saigon: A Taste of India in Ho Chi Minh City
Want to hear an Indian joke? Sorry, but I got naan. I'm here all day people, but let's just keep calm and curry on shall we?
What is no joke, is the burst of flavourful Indian cuisine served up at Benaras Gardenia in Ho Chi Minh City's Thao Dien, located in District 2. If you're looking for those authentic Indian aromas, this is your place as they offer up some of the best vindaloo, paneer, and curry in the city. It doesn't stop there: countless Indian street foods, tons of vegetarian and vegan options, heaps of naan, and tasty cocktails are also on what seems to be a never-ending menu!
With Saigon being a city with an endless array of food to choose from, finding genuinely good Indian food can be quite overwhelming. So, whether or not you know anything about Indian food, or you're just not sure where to find the most authentic meal that will transport your taste buds to the streets of New Delhi, then that's where Benaras Gardenia comes in hot and spicy!
My complete five course meal at Benaras Gardenia begins now.
We started off with a Peanut Chaat, which was similar to a take on salsa … only better. This delicious street food is typically a mix of raw peanuts boiled with turmeric and tossed with chopped onions and tomatoes. Can you say yum!
After eating our way through the chaat, we started things off with a Sizzler, which combined perfectly cooked veggies with various types of marinated meats. The platter came straight from kitchen and quite literally was served to us sizzling hot on top of a cast iron pan.
Then we dipped our spoons into our Hot & Sour Chicken Soup, which we cleaned out in a matter of seconds. This generous, homely soup is what will get us all through Vietnam’s dreaded rainy season.
We're all creatures of habit, especially when it comes to food. It’s so easy to stick to the tried-and-true dishes that I know are out of this world. With Indian food, that means ordering and re-ordering the regular, butter chicken and tikka masala. But, this time I left my destiny in the hands of Benaras Gardenia’s staff and I never looked back!
Also FYI: all of Benaras’s curries are made in 80% less oil compared to many Indian recipes!
For dessert we devoured our Gulab Jamun, a classic Indian sweet (basically an Indian Timbit for my Canadians out there). Made with milk solids, sugar, rose syrup, cardamom powder and accompanied by coconut ice-cream, it was the perfect way to end an incredibly tasty night!
The Verdict
Essential Information
Location: Benaras Gardenia, 28 Trần Ngọc Diện, Thảo Điền, Quận 2, Hồ Chí Minh
If you have any questions you can also find me on Instagram at @AlyshiaTurchyn! Definitely reach out, there's nothing more I'd love than to help you plan your Benaras Gardenia meal!
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