Man Bean took over the former Lemon Grass location after I moved to Ottawa, but since my wife and I…read moremoved back to Halifax, its proximity to my office has added to the variety of lunch options that I have.
Their name can have some...unbecoming...associations if English is your first language and you have a filthy mind (guilty as charged), but judging from the note about mung beans at the top of their menu, and the bean in their logo, I assume its origins are more legume-based.
They're not on any delivery apps except for Asian food specialty app Fantuan, but you can order ahead the old fashioned way via...a phone call. Difficult, I know! While I have done takeout pho in the past, it is a bit of a process and you're guaranteed to have broth splatters at your desk, so I went for the more easily managed grilled pork vermicelli bowl.
Pick-up was a breeze and was ready and waiting when I arrived at the estimated time they gave me on the phone.
I often find that the pork in these dishes is chunks that are grilled separately, like satay, but Man Bean sliced up a grilled pork chop (which is also an item on their menu). It had a good char on it, and while the chop was slightly on the dry side it wasn't too bad and you don't really notice when you're having it in bites with the other ingredients.
To that point, I'm going to posit that bun is like pizza, in that it's hard to mess up and have a truly bad one. I mean, what's not to like? Rice noodles in a sweet and lightly spicy sauce, crunchy lettuce, carrot and cucumber, pork and a peanut crumble? That's a winning combination!
A return visit found me coming by with my wife for dinner after work. The interior space is nice, with a contemporary, subdued style that's given a touch of Vietnam with framed photos and art adorning the walls. The plentiful windows onto Barrington and Morris let in tons of light and give you lots of people watching potential.
This time around, my wife had the grilled pork vermicelli bowl (her "go-to" at Vietnamese places), while I opted for the bun bo hue. Not all Vietnamese places carry this spicy noodle soup, so I jumped at the chance to try Man Bean's. Since I was wearing a white shirt, I put my black jacket on to protect from the soup's area of effect splash damage, as nothing stains quite so well as red chili oil.
I'm no bun bo hue connoisseur, but I really enjoyed Man Bean's version. The broth was top notch, with layers of savoury flavours, a smooth mouthfeel and prominent, but manageable, levels of spice. I knew their broth was legit when I fished out some rib tips or the like, and the chunks of cartilage were as wobbly as Jell-O, a sign of being simmered low and slow and releasing their gelatinous goodness into the broth.
The round, moderately-thick noodles (think spaghetti, but rice-based) were tender and supple and safely slurped up with my protective jacket on, while the slices of slices of beef brisket were fantastically tender, and not grainy and overcooked.
I also had an iced Vietnamese coffee to help balance out the heat of the bun bo hue, and its mix of sweetness and creaminess certainly did its job well, while the dark roast of the coffee still stood out from the spice and big flavours of my dinner.
It's always been the same gentleman working the front of house when I've been there, and every time he's been friendly, easy-going and attentive.
Man Bean is putting out some very solid food, with some stand-out dishes, and combined with its friendly service and nice atmosphere, it's a neighbourhood joint that's really worth getting to know.
PS. It's not really advertised, but Man Bean has an impressively good Scotch collection!
