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Sep 2011  |  By Julie Chernoff  |  Comments

It’s All About Benjamin

Benjamin is the lovely new restaurant that opened in the old Mimosa space in Highland Park.

The décor is striking, with supremely comfy leather chairs and banquettes, lots of votives, high ceilings and groovy lighting. They bring out their wild side with a leopard bar and various jungle animal accents.

So now we’re in the mood. The drink menu of signature and seasonal cocktails (all priced at $12) is an invitation to imbibe heavily. Always a sucker for the spice, I enjoyed the Ginger Gimlet with Koval rye vodka and organic ginger liqueur, orange bitters, fresh lime juice and ginger. The Watermelon Mojito sounded equally delicious, as did the Day at the Gardens, a sunny mix of citrus vodka and St. Germain liqueur, all the rage.

Pretzels and Grilled Salad Starters
The meal starts out on the right foot with a basket of fresh, hot, doughy pretzels and a tiny crock of molten, mustardy cheese sauce. Pace yourself.

Our favorite in the “Small Plate/Starters” category was the Grilled Caesar Salad ($11), a welcome departure from the tired Caesar dutifully place on seemingly every North Shore menu. The romaine is grilled and the resulting flavor combined beautifully with the Lincoln Log stack of brioche croutons, shaved Parmesan, and herby Caesar dressing, graced with just a hint of truffle. The fresh, silvery anchovies on top were the essence of the sea.

Gnocchi is offered in two different preparations. The appetizer portion ($11) was tossed in a creamy pistachio pesto with house-made ricotta, fava beans and peas, while the entrée ($21) features wild mushrooms, summer truffle and arugula. Both are vegetarian.

The gnocchi could have been lighter in texture—they were the tiniest bit gummy—but the pesto sauce was right on the money. I’m sad that we didn’t try the Hamachi Crudo ($14) with coconut and watercress, or the Chilled Melon Gazpacho ($7) with melon-Prosecco sorbet.

Four flatbreads are offered, and we went with the wild mushroom and goat cheese ($12). While we enjoyed the toppings, the crust was not particularly calorie-worthy. A cone of Garlic Frites ($8) dusted with Pecorino Romano and sautéed garlic disappeared, dipped in Benjamin’s own ketchup and a spicy Spanish bravas sauce.

Meat Beat Fish for the Main Course
Entrees went two for four. The Roasted Miller Amish Half Chicken ($23) was outstanding; perfectly cooked, crispy skinned, and moist and juicy within. I maintain that the skill of the chef shows best in the simplest of dishes. Judging by the chicken, nestled on a bed of roasted blue and gold fingerlings and garlic cloves in a pool of finger-licking jus, Chef/Owner Benjamin David Brittsan is one to watch.

Grilled Black Earth Farms Lamb Leg “Chop” ($30) was another hit. The individual elements of the Ratatouille are grilled, and then combined for a greater whole. The meat was beautiful, and the preserved lemon added bright dimension to the dish. My only criticism is that the sprouts need to go; they don’t belong here.

The fish dishes were problematic. Don’t get me wrong – the Cedar-Planked Jail Island Salmon ($24) and the Local Whitefish ($24) start out with impeccably fresh, well-prepared fish. But the preparations had me confused.

I didn’t get the too-sweet marmalade glaze on the fish; it lacked the balance of spice that it needed and I didn’t taste the billed citrus vinaigrette, which might have helped. And the whitefish featured a topping of “fig mustard,” which tasted more like the inside of a Fig Newton than anything else. In my book, “sweet” and “fish” are not the best pairing.

Splurge-Worth Desserts
On to desserts, which were totally worth splurging on. The Key Lime Bread Pudding ($9) needs to be ordered with your entrees, or you might end up sitting around for a while twiddling your thumbs (or drinking more, in our case). It’s fluffy and light, with a halo of baked meringue sitting like a cap on top. The crushed graham crackers add a nice crunch.

Don’t miss the Summer Berry Shortcake Trifle ($9), although I’d like to see this served in a different dish. The deep sundae glass made it difficult to fish out every last morsel of macerated local berries, vanilla shortcake and pastry cream. Espresso drinks are fine, but take a pass on the insipid coffee (my decaf tasted like coffee water).

Benjamin is only open for dinner Tuesday - Saturday, and Chef Brittsan plans on changing the menu seasonally, keeping the focus on procuring “the best-quality ingredients possible… always farm to fork.” Live music on weekends will bring in the crowds; the commitment to fresh, inventive food will keep them there. This restaurant deserves your attention.

3.5 stars out of 5

Benjamin
Highland Park
benjaminrestaurant.com