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Bentara Restaurant
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
85 reviews for Bentara Restaurant
Review Highlights
"Oh hello roti chanai and popia."
(in 5 reviews)
"The noodle dishes never disappoint."
(in 6 reviews)
"I always start with the Popia (Spring Rolls."
(in 8 reviews)
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85 reviews in English
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Review from Joshua L.
New Haven, CT
1/16/2012
I've been on several occasions and I have always thoroughly enjoyed the food. I've tried most of the menu and have yet to encounter a dish I didn't like. I am not an expert in Malaysian cuisine, but as far as I can tell, this is the real deal.
The service has generally been pretty good. Once or twice my waiter didn't check in routinely and took a little too long taking orders, bringing drinks, etc., but the food is just too good and the service isn't consistently poor, so I won't ding them on it.
I especially enjoyed the Nasi Lemak, the Chicken Rendang, and the Goreng Kicap with whatever meat you prefer.
Bentara is also especially hospitable to vegetarians because they generally offer a tofu alternative for virtually all of their dishes.
If you enjoy spice, they also offer a variety of spice levels on every dish I've tried so far. Although I must say I find it highly amusing that their spiciness scale rates "Mild, Medium, Regular, and Hot." Not sure why Medium and Regular are apparently different, but even the Hot isn't crazy spicy.
The atmosphere is excellent as well. It's generally pretty cozy, though the decorations are appropriate and set the mood well. I highly recommend it as a good place to bring a date.
Overall I have always enjoyed my dinners here, and though it can be a little on the pricier side, the dishes are generously portioned and I have yet to taste something I didn't thoroughly enjoy. -
Review from Madeleine L.
Branford, CT
12/29/2011
Fantastic! We went there a few months ago for my husband's birthday, and it was super great. I can't really remember what we had, but pretty much everything was delicious, and the service was great. It is on the pricey side, but definitely worthwhile.
Can't wait to get back there! -
Review from D T.
New Haven, CT
12/13/2011
I've been here four or five times over as many years for work related functions and have continually been disappointed with the service. Two months ago it took forty minutes to get a bottle of wine when the restaurant was empty. More recently, the server was pushy pushy, filling wine glasses so large that the bottle (for four people) only afforded one pour each (some of which went to waste on moderate drinking colleagues). Rather than bring plates out with multiple servers so that they could make space on the table, the server actually asked us to move things around, and then handed us our plates. This is unacceptable both because plates might be hot coming from under the warming light, but also because it interrupts the flow of conversation.
A place that charges 20+ for entrees should invest in training its wait-staff. See 100 things wait staff should not do: http://boss.blogs.nyti... -
Review from Rashmi P.
Lake Mary, FL
1/18/2012
My numerous trips to Malaysia to visit family has me a seasoned taster of Malaysian food. Bentara by far is the closest I have come to enjoy authentic, true to its roots food outside Malaysia. Mee Goreng, Mee Curry Soup is spot on. Service sadly is blotchy for an upscale restaurant.
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Review from Jacob J.
New Haven, CT
1/17/2012
This was fantastic. My couson took us here and we didn't know what to expect, but it was fantastic. Service was extremely slow but the food was great.
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Review from Art L.
Culver City, CA
12/18/2011
It's another OK place that's over rated for the Yale medical / bourgeois crowd. Malaysian food for sure. Pretty authentic. Again, nothing to write home about since I have had very, very good Malaysian food elsewhere.
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Review from Ron C.
New Haven, CT
12/26/2011
Bentaras soups can not be beat. Especially good, the mee sup istamewa. Best malaysian soups I've had this side of kuala lumpur. Also, their roti chanai is amazing. Flakey buttery goodness on a plate. Yum. And, for lovers of red snapper....the whole fried red snapper with curry can be oh so good. Flavorful. These are the dishes that bentara excels at.
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Review from Jenna C.
New Haven, CT
10/12/2011
We went to Bentara to celebrate my husband and sister-in-law's birthday. The food was in huge portions, and very good (but mine was a bit on the salty side). They have a pretty good wine list, however, and I think the ambiance makes up for the price and the extra salt.
It's a lovely atmosphere, and our table was very private. The servers were attentive but not overbearing, and things came out quickly. They were also pretty accommodating - I like my food searingly spicy, and they were more than happy to make it so.
It never seems to be crowded in there, and it is quite good. I can't comment on how authentic Malaysian it is, but -
Review from Jamie P.
New Haven, CT
9/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
This place was tasty, and easy to get a table.
For a Friday night, that's not always able.
I tried 3 appetizers and some nice, Asian beer.
I'll come back for a main course here! -
Review from Samm S.
Stratford, CT
12/8/2011
TOM YUM SOUP medium with beef. I crave it nearly everyday. mmm!!
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Review from Pat P.
Trumbull, CT
12/3/2011
My husband, daughter and I decided to try a new place last week and we can't wait to go back! I'm dreaming of the Roti Chanai, it's one of those foods that just makes you feel good. yummy! The noodle and rice dishes were wonderful. My husband ordered the Rendang dish - we switched plates to share and it was rich and flavorful. Next time I plan on trying another curry dish and have no doubt I will be pleased. Great Beer and Wine selections. Clean, Fresh, Trendy, but comfortable atmosphere. Great service, not rushed, even though it was a Friday night.
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Review from Allison C.
Groton, CT
9/25/2011
I have been going here for about a decade now and LOVE their food, service, and atmosphere. It is never too crowded (which I don't understand because it is SO good), the prices are reasonable for the generous portions, and the wine and beverage list is extensive. The waiters are very knowledgeable and always have great recommendations for food and drinks.
I always start with the Popia (Spring Rolls). For about $6, you get 6- 8 little rolls that you dip in a sweet and sticky chili sauce. It is the perfect little bite to precede your meal. The menu can be a little confusing to new customers, but it is basically divided into stir frys, soups, and larger entrees. You have your choice of tofu, shrimp, chicken, or beef for the stir frys and soups. (it is not advertised, but you can also ask for vegetables).
My FAVORITE dish, hands down, is the Mee Kari noodle soup. The soup comes out in a big bowl, and consists of egg noodles (chow mein noodles), a curry broth, tons of veggies, and slices of hard-boiled eggs. I always ask for pretty much the highest level of heat and am never disappointed. The portion size is gigantic, and I always have leftovers the next day. The soups hold their flavor really well and are even more tasty the next day.
So if you like spicy food, good wine, and a fun atmosphere- hit up Bentara. You will not be disappointed. -
Review from Bernadette M.
Studio City, CA
11/1/2011
This was a nice quiet place to lounge and enjoy good food. Wasn't really impressed by the curry or noodles that we ordered. It's a good place to eat since there are not that many Asian restaurants around the area.
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Review from Susan W.
New Haven, CT
2/14/2011
Of all the semi-classy restaurants in New Haven, Bentara is probably the worst I've visited. The waiters/waitresses are utterly uninterested in their customers-- my first chief complaint.
Our waitress really rushed us on our order. When we took a moment's time for deliberation during our order, she immediately said "should I give you a few more minutes?" When we ordered the Pina Colada Martini, she said "We don't have that. We only have the pineapple martini", and proceeded to turn the menu to the cocktail page... where it clearly read "Pina Colada Martini". "See here?" she said, as if she were still confident the words read "pineapple".
So we placed our orders promptly, and the food just didn't come... We arrived quite early to avoid the dinner time rush, and still we sat with our appetizer for an entire hour before the main course arrived. The waitress went to talk to another customer (perhaps a friend she knew) while we were waiting.
For the main course, I ordered a filet mignon. The presentation was gorgeous. The red wine reduction sauce was a rich consistency, and my steak was very cutely placed on top of a bed of vegetables and a mushroom. Then I cut into the meat, and the most bitter taste filled my mouth. The steak was burnt, as was the grilled portabello mushroom underneath. The entire wine sauce was filled with the bitter taste of burnt food, and every so often you get a taste of little burnt crisps.
Okay, so it was probably my fault for ordering steak in a Malaysian restaurant. Yet I always thought of steak as the thing that you couldn't mess up. Boy was I wrong. The appetizers and dessert were passable, but with such tiny portions, I had to eat my real meal back at home. -
Review from Brian K.
Jersey City, NJ
10/3/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Our favorite restaurant in New Haven. Bentara is consistently high quality and a good value. The two soy with beef is coma-inducing. If you like spicy, order it with "regular" spiciness.
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Review from Bryan Y.
10/9/2010
Great decor and appetizers, but at the end of the day, I can get way better tasting food for half the price in Los Angeles.
Bentara tries really hard to create a high-class and posh atmosphere in their venue, they have succeeded to do that, but have neglected in the quality of their food.
We had the curry mussels, cranked up to the spiciest level. This part of our meal was amazing.
Now for the bad news, for the main course we ended up getting noodle soup with the mee hoon soup flavor. I'm sorry, but the it tasted very watery and for something that claims to have 5 spices (cinnamon, cardamom, star anise, cloves and fennel seeds), I could barely taste anything.
Nice try bentara, work on boosting the quality of food. I know you're trying to go for a high class theme, but I came in because I liked the succulent flavor of Malaysian food NOT how cool the paintings and ambiance are at your establishment. -
Review from Blake W.
New Haven, CT
8/17/2011
We really enjoy the food here, and it is an enjoyable place in which to eat-- not too loud, and a very convivial atmosphere. The nasi lemak is really delicious. A visiting friend from Sri Lanka was delighted with it, and they take their nasi lemak seriously where he's from. It's one of my favorite places in New Haven to have lunch, as well, since their lunch prices are inexpensive and the portions generous.
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Review from Rich H.
New Haven, CT
8/12/2011
Great food
Lot's of noodle dishes to choose from.
Curry dishes are also very good
They will make the dishes as hot as you like -
Review from Jessica V.
New Haven, CT
11/8/2011
I really love Bentara's food and it's almost never crowded, so it gets four stars for that alone. I've never been disappointed by the quality of the food, and I'd highly recommend the popia (spring rolls) and the roti chanai - and the "BBQ chicken" if you're looking for something light and relatively healthy. The only complaint I have is that the service can be spotty; sometimes your table seems to be forgotten about for awhile. The last time I went, I had to send a glass of chardonnay back because the wine had gone bad (!), but they didn't charge me for it.
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Review from Dan S.
4/14/2010
Maybe it was the dishes that were ordered, but this place was SUCH a disappointment. The decor was lovely and the service was passable (though could you fill up the water glasses a little more).
But the food was just mediocre. And for someone who loves Southeast Asian cuisine, that was a big surprise.
The Popia (Spring Rolls) were fine. Nothing to write home about at all. The murtabak though just fell flat. (If you do get it, try it with the meat; the veggie version with onion & egg was like having a quiche -- without the quiche).
Of the main dishes, the "Two Soy" Chicken was the most flavorful. Teh curry and redang dishes though just lacked any flavor. And the tofu was about as bland as can be.
I've come here a few times over the last 10 years ago but the first in recent memory. I think its a place that has seen better days. -
Review from Ben L.
11/1/2010
I really enjoy coming here for dinner. I always get the peanut soup with tofu (mee soup istimewa), and completely stuff myself trying to finish it. By now, it's a familiar dish, but it remains interesting to me.
-S -
Review from Pamela W.
Milford, CT
2/4/2008
I have to go with the three stars for Bentara like Jenny, Mike and Jonathan. Although I had never tried Malaysian food before the Saturday NH Yelp luncheon gathering I have previously had dishes similar to:
'Curry Blackened Salmon ..... $10.95
Grilled Salmon filet dusted with curry powder, mesclun mix, balsamic vinegar, sesame seed and walnut oil dressing'
This basically amounts to grilled salmon over/under a mescalin (or young greens) salad; it sounded interesting so I proceeded to order it. The fish was a little dry and nothing memorable, the portion was quite small considering that for the price lunch did not include any "extra's" such as bread or soup. I have no recollection of the walnut oil dressing as it was probably overpowered by the balsamic vinegar over the greens.
Overall I have to say I was disappointed this time around but I would be willing to give it another shot and order the noodles. I am also curious about Kari and think I will give it a try in the near future.
Meeting the other NH Yelpers was a lot of fun and the time literally "flew" by on a lovely but brisk CT afternoon. -
Review from Mike F.
North Haven, CT
2/2/2008
For the large party we went with (10 yelp peeps) the service was quite good, sir (especially cause the meal happened after they were supposed to be closed). I thought the fried noodles I had were kind of bland. A spicy sauce, yes, but it didn't have a lot of depth. The Satay was pretty good, I liked the peanut sauce with hints of coconut. The rice cubes were kind of off-putting.
Decent, but I prefer Kari (1451 Whalley Ave.). -
Review from M R.
New Haven, CT
11/15/2010
Delicious soups! Very flavorful, and great portions.
The other dishes we tried were not too impressive, but the peanut-based soup was outstanding. We'll be coming back here for more of that as the winter starts to get cold! -
Review from Nate B.
Washington, DC
4/18/2010
Like so many restaurants in New Haven, the atmosphere is nice enough, but the food is lousy. These places seem to think that they can be a "New York" restaurant by using modernist architecture and dim lights, but they don't get that it is the food, not the decor that makes a New York restaurant a "New York" restaurant.
I had the roti and the mee goering (sp?). The roti was partially undercooked (I don't think I've ever seen that before) and the mee goering was bland, bland, bland. I could have spent half as much at any Chinese take-out place and gotten the same dish (a generic Lo Mein stir fry) and been equally unsatisfied (because I would, of course, have wanted to order General Tso's at said greasy Chinese take-out place). Why, Yelp? I trusted your dish recommendation and you failed me. Boo.
Slow service, but otherwise nice staff. -
Review from Art S.
New Haven, CT
2/4/2008
Funny. I am also giving Bentara 3 stars after our Yelp New Haven gathering there.
I had the Nasi Lemak for my meal, which is apparently the same thing that Jenny got. Huh. Anyway, I enjoyed the coconut rice and the beef itself, but the crispy fried anchovies were just chewy and hard to eat. I only ate a couple bites of that and then left it alone.
The rice cubes that came with the Satay had this weird grainy/gritty texture to them and were not very palatable. Not a fan.
As far as our server goes, if he called me "sir" one more time I was gonna pelt him with the aforementioned rice cubes. No joke. "Sir, can I get you something to drink, sir... Yes, sir... Sir, I'm sorry but we're out of that, sir..." It's not that I mind being called "sir", it's just that I can't take it over and over and over and over...
Anyway, I don't want to kill the guy because he did do a good job and was very nice and attentive.
Overall, the food was decent but not great, and I'm glad the prices were lower than I expected. The service was good, and they didn't rush us out of there even though we were there after they closed for lunch. I'm probably leaning more towards 3.5 stars on this place. -
Review from Zoe P.
Arlington, MA
2/10/2008
Circumstances brought me to Bentara, not a week after the great Yelp Event of 2008, which produced a number of somewhat unenthusiastic reviews for this restaurant, and from Yelpers I trust. But let me explain.
I wanted wine, walking distance, curry, and quality, in downtown New Haven. Those Thai places have awful reputations. Hence Bentara. And I'd been twice before, both times a few years ago. It was good then - I'd had a whole fish which was excellent and the seafood curry, which wasn't excellent, but wasn't bad either.
This time, I got the hot and spicy calamari. The green beans were nice and firm and bright green. The sauce (and, after all, no matter where I am, I do get seafood in tomato sauce) was a nice warm spicy (I ordered med) but not *just* spicy. Also very fishy, as in anchovies (menu said shrimp paste and I say maybe, but I tasted anchovy, which I love and so does Bentara, apparently) and sweet and fruity and tangy but not too much so.
My dining companion got the Mee Soup Istimewa which was really, really good. Hot and hearty, but with nice herby flavors. And huge.
We asked for a dish and a bowl so we could share meals. This had happened automatically on my previous visits, but then I had been with a slightly larger party. Server really couldn't recommend a wine, but we found a nice pino grigio that went well with the food and really made the meal, actually.
We also had roti murtabak for an appetizer, which was piping hot, and the sauces were tasty, but the crepe was only eh.Listed in: Nicer Nights in New Haven
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Review from T ..
East Haven, CT
6/22/2010
Oh hello roti chanai and popia.... you are such delicious lovers... I couldnt possibly choose between you, so I will just take both!
Add a dish of vegetarian tofu mee goreng, or keuw tao goreng, and you have got an absolute orgasm of flavor!
Great atmosphere for a date, intimate dinner, or a chill and relaxed dinner with friends. Nice dress is definitely acceptable, but I have gone after work in ratty jeans and a t-shirt and that was ok too. You just cant beat this place! and the owners are super nice to boot.... -
Review from Alyssa B.
New Haven, CT
3/6/2011
Good food but totally overpriced. There are better options in the area with more reasonable prices.
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Review from Katie K.
Plymouth Meeting, PA
12/5/2007
I went to Bentara on a FABULOUS first date the other night! I've been wanting to visit Bentara for a few years now, so this alone was exciting to me.
For my entree, I got the Vegetarian Kari (green peppers, tomatoes, potatoes and green beans in coconut curry sauce - with Tofu). It was mouth-wateringly good. I savoured every bite, and had enough for two more meals afterwards. SO so good.
My date got the Kerutuk (simmered in a mixture of spices (coriander, fennel seed,cinnamon, cardamom, star anise and chilies) with potatoes and coconut milk reduction), which was also delectible.
Of course the night I decided to venture out to New Haven to go to Bentara, it was super icy outside. As we were driving to the restaurant, we saw people slipping and falling on the sidewalks left and right. And you guessed it... I fell too! But it was after the meal, so I was not too injured (my physical self or my ego) to enjoy this meal! I'll definitely go back! -
Review from Jenny F.
2/3/2008
I can only give Bentara 3 stars because I still believe Kari (1451 Whalley Ave.) is a better choice for Malaysian food.
We met up with the New Haven Yelpers and had a great lunch. The service and company were both great.
For appetizers we shared roti and chicken and beef satay. Both were very good. The sauce for the satay was a bit different then the plain old spicy peanut sauce that I am used to. I really dug the addition of coconut to the sauce. I will agree with everyone, in saying that the rice cubes were pretty gross.
I ordered Nasi Lemak for my meal, a dish that consists of beef stewed with onions in a tamarind and chili pepper sauce, coconut milk flavored jasamine rice, and fried anchovies in a garlicy sauce.
I enjoyed my meal though the anchovies were overly salty so I only ate a few. The portion was generous enough that I had a few leftovers to bring home.
Bentara was decent for lunch and the prices were much lower then I expected. I still say give Kari a try for Malaysian :) -
Review from Bob M.
Walnut Creek, CA
4/13/2011
My father loves the egg rolls! I love it all. The corner table by the window offers very interesting street scenes. Great food and great visuals!
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Review from Dave B.
Middlebury, CT
7/23/2007
Bentara is incredible. That's all you need to know.
We've been here probably half a dozen times in the past few months and it never gets old. For the best Thai food we head to Queens, but for Malaysian, we go no further than New Haven. We've been to Penang in Boston a bunch of times and it's pretty good, but in a street fight Bentara would drop Penang in a second with a single shot to the windpipe. Lights out, game over. -
Review from Double N.
New Haven, CT
1/15/2008
I can't say Bentara is bad, but Kari (1451 Whalley Ave) is soooo much better when it comes to authentic Malaysian cuisine. Once you eat there, you'll know what I'm talking about.
Still, I'll be back to Bentara because of the location. Decor is lovely. Go to Bentara for lunch, service is not as slow and prices are more reasonable. Soup bowls are huge with enough food for two meals.
I was adventurous and ordered a spicy beef dish served with fragrant coconut jasmine rice and dried "poisson" (dry, salted fish) and I must say that the fish were very overpowering. Each mouthful had dozens of small salty fish, their eyes were peering up at me from my plate, their little bones crunching between my teeth, the taste akin to a mouthful of anchovy paste. Appetizing, yes? While my lunch mates looked away in disgust, I actually quite enjoyed the dish, although after a while the salt was too much to take, so I simply ate the beef and left the fish. -
Review from Thomas T.
Austin, TX
4/22/2008
I gave Bentara two stars because it had a nice wine list and some interesting things on the menu. One mention on the wine list, the white wines were very approachable and diverse in price, but the red wines were either over $100 or around $50. There was nothing between $60 and $80.
The food menu looked great, but read very complicated. It appeared to have two different fonts and nothing flowed together. Still looked good and I would have loved to try a few things.
Ok, here is what happened. We arrived at 5:22pm for a 5:30pm reservation. The only reason I know the time was that it was a 1000 point reservation on Opentable and I wanted the points. If you are too early or late, they will not give you the 1000 points.
A colleague and I, both in town working at a hotel helping out during a busy week, decided to go to Bentara for a little ethnic food. Like I said, the menu looked good. We were immediately greeted at the door, they had our reservation and seated us promptly. A server assistant came to our table immediately and poured water. This all took maybe two minutes.
There were three other tables in the dining room and at least 1 bartender, 3 servers and 2 server assistance working that I observed. Needless to say, nobody came to our table for 18 minutes. When we left, the host looked at us, but did not say a word.
After relaying this story to a worker at the hotel in New Haven, she stated, oh yeah, I always eat at the bar, that is where the staff always is, and you know what? That is where all the staff was hanging out when I was there and I just watched to see how long we would be ignored, the answer, 18 minutes. -
Review from Brian D.
Shelton, CT
9/27/2008
I love the soups at Bentara! I was back in New Haven for a visit over the weekend, and Bentara soup was tops on my list of treats I was looking forward to. I ordered the Tom Yum soup with Shrimp, and it really hit the spot on the drizzly fall night.
The service was quick, efficient, and friendly, which was a nice surprise, as often the service is spotty at best. We started our dinner with a couple of appetizers, the Roti Telur and Crispy Spring Rolls. Both appetizers arrived at our table quickly, and both were hot and delicious! The variety of dipping sauces served with appetizers are both tasty and unique.
Bentara did not disappoint last night with the food and drinks. -
Review from Sara Z.
San Francisco, CA
6/8/2010
I loved it. Authentic, Yummy!!!
I have been to Malaysia and loved the food, specially the curry, including Chicken Curry!
I live in San Francisco, so naturally I went to every restaurant and asked for it, none did the same thing to me. Until Bentara!!! First of all the service!!! fantastic, attentive but not too much the right balance.
Now the food. I got the Chicken Curry (of course!!) with rice. The portion was huge (even-though it was lunch time!) now the taste OH GOSH!!! I AM IN HAVEN!! the spice was right aroma!!!! . It was full of nicely cut chickens and lots of vegetables. I had to ask for more rice and I think I actually wiped my plate with my finger!! You have to try it!the Best" My whole meal was about $14 with two rice dishes, and the curry, that is right on! -
Review from Shane H.
Dirty fingernails. Looking at the palms you might not find any mud or blood. You may even say to yourself, "hey now, those are probably clean hands". They might have otherwise fooled you, but if you flip them over and see those blotchy brown crescent moons capping off each finger then you know those hands are dirty. The fingernails don't lie. Bentara has some seriously dirty fingernails.
Let's begin with the obvious: grimy bathrooms. If you have the steely gonads to charge $20 for a single plate of stir fry, then you owe it to your customers to clean up the john. The restrooms here (at least the men's room) remind me of the kind of baby blue suit you'd see a guy sleeping behind a dumpster in Atlantic City wearing. Kind of like the dirty fingernails, you don't notice exactly how dirty they are until you get up close, but you immediately know it's not pretty.
Then there's the awful fountain soda. I used to work at a hillbilly dive bar that was, literally, ten feet from a set of railroad tracks. The bar began it's life as a set of train cars that someone had welded together and now boasts three coke covered bathrooms with a hole in the "dance floor" that a small child could fit through. The fountain soda at that place tasted just like the soda at Bentara except their soda was free and Bentara's costs two dollars a glass. You know the stuff; the kind of metallic tasting generic fountain syrup that may or may not have some of the cleaner they use to sterilize the soda lines mixed in with it? Yeah.
More beverage angst, the water at Bentara tastes like it came from a garden hose. Something to watch for also? Okay, the waitstaff tie a napkin around their water pitcher, a traditional restaurant trick to keep from dribbling water down the front of the pitcher onto your table. At most places this works just fine, but I watched our water guy touching the glasses with the napkin when he poured because apparently the pitchers still leaked a little. It seems innocuous enough, but follow me here... Say that Miss X has herpes. She slugs down a nice cold glass of hose water and in the process gets her herpes all up on the lip of her glass. Waiter Y comes over and refills her glass touching the herpes rim with the napkin to keep the relatively harmless water from getting on the table. Now, every glass that Y refills and touches will have Miss X's mouth bugs all over the rim, too. Yay! Now change Herpes to Hepatitis, mononucleosis, or some other disease you transmit via spittle. Extrapolate this transaction to everyone in the place drinking water and you have a recipe for awesome.
There are several tables with napkins stuffed under a leg to keep them from wobbling. It wouldn't take two minutes to cut up a cardboard drink coaster and tape it in place to keep it from protruding, but why go the extra mile? I mean, sure I feel stupid dressing up to come eat at a restaurant with napkins under the table legs, but hey, at least I didn't get herpes from eating here or anything... Oh wait... Nevermind.
The plates our silverware were resting on when we arrived had food stuck to them. It was probably sterile after being cooked in a boiling hot dishwasher, but still... gross.
The chocolate cake I had for desert tasted like it had been sitting unwrapped on a counter for a few days. After writing to the manager, she informed me that "Bentara has never been known for it's desserts." Hahaha! You're not kidding, lady. You'll want to skip dessert per the managers recommendation.
That was a nice segway to talking about the management, which seems to hold the general belief that cleanliness acceptably takes a back seat when they're busy. They also seem to believe that if you didn't like how they served you food which they knew was sub-par or how it took one hour just to get an appetizer, then you must be difficult and they don't want you as a customer.
But the rest of the food was good. If they washed their hands once in awhile and took care of those fingernails you would think Bentara was a three star restaurant that served a decent curry for just a little more money than it's worth. I find it curious as well, that most of the people rating this four or five stars are either not locals or only have a a suspiciously low number of reviews. -
Review from Andy P.
4/5/2008
As Lawrence said, I have to say that Bentara is pretty fresh. It is not the only thing I miss about New Haven (I miss interpersonal rancor the most, I think), but I do miss it. I've had a lot of different stuff at Bentara: Blackened Salmon, Keratuk, who knows what else? Lots of stuff. Those two were my favorites and they are excellent.
I don't have anything horrible to say about Bentara, the only issue with it to me is that, it's a little... um... you know... it's very good, not AMAZING. It's not someplace I would definitely hit on a trip to New Hellven, I would save that for Pepe's. It's just really good and if you're in the mood for Malaysian food, this is the best NH has to offer. -
Review from Michael H.
Guilford, CT
4/1/2008 2 Check-ins Here
Most of the time the food at Bentara is 4 stars. It has been one of my favorite restaurants in New Haven since it opened in 9th Square.
The noodle soups pack a punch if they are prepared correctly and how you order them and at $8 (for lunch) they are an awesome bargain. The noodle dishes never disappoint. Try the Mee Goreng! If you go for dinner and are willing to spend $32 on a filet Bentara does a great job with theirs. I'm a little guy with a big appetite so I'm typically disappointed with the size (8oz?). But hey, does the size of your meat really matter? For appetizers the satay is unremarkable but the Roti Murtabak is a must have.
Service more or less sucks. At lunch today I ordered the Tom Yum Soup, Mix (chicken, beef & Shrimp), regular (moderately spicey). What I received was Tom Yum Soup with Shrimp, mild. If the server (Andrea?) took the time and asked how things were I might have told her. But she was busy on her cell phone. As it were, she barely filled my water glass twice. Another time, I ordered the Goreng Pedas where one of the primary components is string beans. I was not too happy when brocolli came out instead. It was then and only then that the server mentioned they were out of beans.
Unless Julie or Kala wait on you you're not going to get good service. And even when they do wait on you the kitchen is so slow that it doesn't really matter. I've mentioned this to the owner a few times and one time he shrugged it off and told us to drink more.
Go for lunch if you can. If you have a lot time and want to hang out for a few hours make reservations for dinner and prepare to drink.
UPDATE: Just returned from a perfect lunch where I had a perfectly prepared Mee Gorang (regular, mix - of course). Service was flawless and YES - my water glass we refilled several times.
