Ben and Linds — Review by ThatDudeCanCook
Austin, United States — Fried Chicken
Joshua Weissman's new fried chicken restaurant Ben and Linds in Austin serves impressive sauces, great fries, and quality nuggets, but the chicken sandwiches need refinement. The thick, overbrined chicken thighs lose crunchiness when dipped in sauce and transported, and the yam yam glaze can overpower the dish, though eating fresh at the restaurant would likely improve the experience significantly.
What was great: Sauces are unique and delicious (honey mustard, ranch, yam yam sauce), fries are fantastic with crispy exterior and creamy interior, nuggets are flavorful and juicy with good batter
What could improve: Chicken thighs are too thick and overbrined, creating a rubbery texture; dipped sandwich loses crunch due to sauce saturation and steaming during transport; yam yam sauce becomes overwhelming and makes the sandwich too sweet
The Dishes
The reviewer sampled the full menu from Ben and Linds, starting with a range of sauces including the signature Ben and Linds sauce, honey mustard, ranch, and yam yam sauce. The battered fries arrived crispy on the outside with a creamy, mashed-potato-like interior, though several were consumed during transport home. The chicken nuggets proved juicy and flavorful with a solid batter that held up well despite being takeout. Two fried chicken sandwiches were tested - one dry with Ben and Linds sauce and one dipped in yam yam sauce - both featuring thick fried chicken thighs.
The sauces received strong praise, with the honey mustard standing out as exceptional despite the reviewer's usual disdain for that flavor profile. The ranch was described as a heavy dill variety with perfect consistency. The unique yam yam sauce offered sweet and spicy notes reminiscent of hot honey, though it proved polarizing. The Ben and Linds signature sauce tasted distinctive but somewhat hard to pinpoint, with the reviewer finding it the least favorite of the offerings.
The Experience
This was a takeout order with items picked up by the reviewer's wife and transported home. The reviewer acknowledged that the sandwich experience would likely be significantly better eaten fresh at the restaurant, as the dipped chicken had steamed inside its wrapper, compromising the breading's crunch. The nuggets, by contrast, maintained their texture throughout transport. The overall atmosphere and service elements were not discussed, as this was primarily a takeaway evaluation.
Value & Pricing
The undipped sandwich costs $12 while the dipped version is $14. When accounting for sides like fries and drinks, a full meal would run approximately $20. The reviewer contextualized this as fast casual pricing rather than comparable to traditional fast food chains, noting that while the quality is higher than budget options, it's not necessarily twice as good for double the price of competitors like Chick-fil-A.
Notable Moments
The thing I like off rip is it tastes different. It looks like it's going to taste like every one of these chain orange sauces, but it does have its own unique thing.
I like the bun, too. I'm assuming he's making them.
My biggest gripe with this is the piece of chicken thigh itself is too thick. Like if it would have been flattened out more and had a little better ratio of breading to meat, I think that could do it a lot of good.
The Verdict
The reviewers scored the sauces, fries, and nuggets at 8.9 out of 10, but dropped the sandwiches to 7.3 out of 10. While acknowledging the food is not bad, they felt the overbrined, thick chicken thighs don't work well in sandwich form, especially when covered in the sweet yam yam sauce. Ben and Linds would be best for those seeking excellent sauces and sides, with the recommendation to eat sandwiches fresh at the restaurant rather than as takeout. The quality ingredients and unique flavor profiles suggest it's worth a visit for fried chicken enthusiasts in Austin, provided expectations are properly calibrated.