Steak may be a stereotypically manly meal, but I daresay a bouquet of carnation hardly competes with a slab of USDA prime, medium rare. This mother’s day, the steakhouse masters led by Benjamin would like to help you express your appreciation for mom–and when sentimental words escape you, ordering a steak should come naturally enough.
As another scion of Steakhouse Royalty, Peter Lugers, Benjamin Steakhouse has all the expected mainstays. Our meal, a week before Mother’s day, started with a perfectly smoked Canadian bacon, where the fat overpowers the lean by perhaps 4:1 sizing proportions. The shrimp, too large perhaps for a cocktail glass, cut through the bacon grease so that you may have your next bite without diminishing appreciation.
Start with some beautiful, thick cut bacon.
Four gigantic shrimp.
As they say in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, if you have a vegetarian amongst your midst, you may perhaps settle on lamb as a suitable alternative to porterhouse. The lamb’s contrastive flavor profile makes it just as satisfying as beef yet with an esoteric gamey twist. Silly as that may sound, you are left with precious little to eat if you are of the vegetarian persuasion. However, the creamed spinach is as fine as I have ever tasted, which may be in itself calorically worthy of a meal.
Lamb chops, cooked perfectly tender.
Stuffed as you may be at this point, somehow your stomach manages a courageous stretch when it smells the arrival of porterhouse. Hailing from the American midwest, these cuts of beef spend their last 28 days aged in Benjamin’s own box. Its sizzle reminds you that just moments ago it was scorched to 1500F perfection. Pink on the inside and basting in its glorious fat, these slices of filet and sirloin may further be drenched in jus at your request.
A familiar, but comforting sight.
Peter Lugers tradition dictates that no meal with steak can end without the requisite schlag. While Benjamin does not name their sundae after the Holy Bovine (the GM jokingly suggested the holy steer), I suspect it is every bit as delectable as the others. We instead had the pecan pie, accompanied by schlag. At this point I always imagine a poor fellow in the back beating egg whites into oblivion, but my compliments to the chef and his crew for making the perfect schlag–a heavy whip cream that is impossibly rich and goes with any steakhouse dessert. The pecan pie, already so rich and flavorful, was made only more unwordly with slag–balanced by a perfectly recommended port.
An exceptional pecan pie.
One might always be skeptical when you challenge a new steakhouse. How much can the Peter Luger formula be reengineered before something slips? And yet, Benjamin steakhouse retains every delicious morsel and detail while creating an ambiance that is more comfortable than Wolfgang’s but more lush than Luger’s. This mother’s day, they are offering a menu with a formidable mix of meats and starters, which might be something to consider when you look ahead.
Maybe reading this was the reminder you needed that Mother’s Day is fast approaching, in which case, reserve now–you are very welcome.
Jessie
Rating: 
What does this rating mean?
Score reflects the brilliant steak. The meal was compliments of the restaurant, and we were not obligated to review the restaurant, nor did the comp affect our opinions.
Benjamin Steakhouse (Make a Reservation)
52 E 41st St
New York, NY 10017
(917) 512-8312
http://www.benjaminsteakhouse.com
