Move over Peter Luger. The Palm and Bryant & Cooper were my favorite steak houses but I’ve found a new king in this very competitive niche of the restaurant world. It is Benjamin Steakhouse. The restaurant was founded by former Luger employees. They obviously know the formula for a great steakhouse but have taken it to an even higher level.
The softly lit two-story high dining room with well-spaced tables is dressed with stiff white tablecloths and napkins. It is on East 41st Street between Park and Madison only a few minutes from the Queens Midtown Tunnel.
Stu had read about it and we met his New Jersey cousins there for dinner.
What sets it apart from the best steakhouses is the wonderful service added to extraordinarily well-prepared food.
There is a book filled with wine choices but we began our meal with cocktails and immediately ordered an appetizer of a jumbo shrimp cocktail and lump crabmeat. By having the appetizers served with the drinks it prevented me from stuffing myself on the delicious and crusty onion rolls.
We decided to split a Benjamin’s salad with creamy blue cheese dressing.
Of course, there are seafood dishes that included a four-pound lobster or Chilean sea bass or lobster tails.
Then the serious course of steak arrived.
Yes, the Porterhouse steak (my favorite cut) was perfectly cooked - sweet, juicy and tender. With it, we ordered the traditional combo of cottage fries and onion rings. They were crispy cut and so long, they curled up on the sides. The thinly battered onions were lightly fried and neither was greasy.
Then we had side orders of saut/ed mushrooms and spinach. Each side was graciously served and since we were seated at a large round table, we did not need to pass them around. The waiter returned several times to see if we wanted refills of the different dishes.
Of course, there are other classic cuts of steak and chops all dry-aged in the restaurant’s aging box. They obviously learned from the best how to select and prepare the finest cuts for cooking.
No meal is complete without dessert. We indulged in their small homemade “pie” of cheesecake - soft and creamy - a perfect ending. This is a serious contender for “best of breed” steakhouses. Try it, you’ll love it!
Benjamin Steakhouse
Benjamin Steakhouse
52 East 41st Street
New York, NY.
212-297-9177
www.benjaminsteakhouse.com
Open 7 days for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Two private party rooms available.
Full bars on two levels.
Take-out menu.
All major credit cards.
On street metered parking available after 7 p.m.
