becfin "Congenial friends and good food, what more can you ask for?"

A charming Korean family own and run Baramibunei. Photography and paintings deck the brick walls of the restaurant that are the work of husband and wife respectively. Comfortable seating with inset cooking unit in centre of table. Service was friendly and reasonably paced. Food was plentiful and very reasonable for its amount and quality. I enjoyed my meal here very much. I hope other diners patronize Baramibunei. It was a Saturday night and it was quite empty – a warning bell for any restauranteur. I think it’s downtown location is the problem although has parking both behind the building and in a public lot in Jarvis Square. Survival is tough in downtown Hamilton.

The Bean Bar is a local – great place to have a tasty lunch that’s three steps up from the franchises in the neighbourhood.  Reasonable prices.  For some, a hangout for a coffee and pastry or a drink or two with friends at the bar.  Bean Bar has tried to capture all bases and does a pretty good job of it!I always enjoy an individual pizza and accompanying salad at lunch.  If you’re really hungry have a steak sandwich.  Pasta are pretty good although are overcooked on occasion for my ‘al dente’ taste.Pastries were, at time of last visit, imported from Toronto.  They’re good and usually daily fresh’and are showcased in centre of room.Service can vary as staff are composed of some amateur student staff.  I’ve never encountered any ‘attitude’ problems but some patrons have complained about such.  Good reliable neighbourhood ‘bistro’ with no real surprises for the diner but a congenial place to dine and drink with your friends and colleagues.  Worth a visit to be sure!

This location used to house a Lebanese restaurant that had mediocre food but a great belly dancer on the weekend.  (Really).  Today it’s a fine Vietnamese restaurant.  It’s very clean, comfortable seating with tables well spaced. 

I admittedly have a ‘thing’ about crowded tables.  I like privacy when I eat indoors.  LOVE a crowded outdoor cafe patio – they’re FOR socializing and eating.

My companion and I enjoyed dishes from the lunch specials which included green tea, brittle-crisp spring rolls, a cup of moderately spiced chicken and veg soup,  fried rice and your selection..  Mine was shrimp with onion and peppers.  Six medium sized shrimp.  Shells were on which is good because the shrimps stay juicy.  The green and sweet red peppers were plentiful and fresh and lots of white onion.  My friend enjoyed pork and vegetables prepared in a wok.I also ordered rare beef pho as recommended by another Menuism reviewer.  It was outstanding and just the right comfort food for a cold winter day – delicately fragrant with lemongrass, accompanied by a dish of  standard condiments: holy basil, mint, bird’s eye pepper, crisp bean sprouts, and fresh lime slices.  It could replace your mother’s chicken soup as a cure for what ever ails you!  I’ll return just for a bowl of rare beef pho.  Service is prompt, friendly and helpful. 

The restaurant is allergy-conscious and catered cheerfully to my gluten-free diet.  The printed menu mentions a willingness to accommodate special diets.  I had emailed ahead anyway and was impressed by return emails outlining which dishes were gluten-free.  The whole menu had been researched from item 1 through 146.  It’s a BIG menu.  I was most grateful for the time and effort taken.  Aside from special diet considerations, I would heartily recommend Little Saigon as an outstanding Vietnamese restaurant.  I suspect I’ll become a regular….