One of New York's most original men of meat, Ben Benson has had his own self- named steakhouse since 1982. "I tell people - I'm the guy in the sweater," said a smiling sweater-wearing Benson. Benson gained his restaurant savvy as one of the men at the helm of the "days of the week bars." The original, Friday's, was opened by Alan Stillman in 1965. He later brought Benson in as his partner, and the duo went on to open Tuesday's, Wednesday's and Thursday's. What is now known as TGI Friday's is the only surviving vestige - but was sold to a corporate entity many years ago. Benson and Stillman opened Smith & Wollensky in 1977 and soon after Benson opened his own temple du steak. At Ben Benson's, the steaks are expertly prepared, using only the freshest market ingredients. But what sets them apart is their menu: "We've got five different veal dishes, four different chicken dishes, six seafood dishes, it's a tremendous menu" said Benson. A sentiment that Esquire echoed: "Ben Benson's menu has range," like wild game, pork chops with homemade applesauce, and triple lamb chops that round out the meat spectrum, and a bevy of salads, sides and seafood -- a menu that's perfect for first timers and regulars alike. And does Benson have regulars - plaques line the walls, something Benson does for his returning diners. There is one customer who comes in so often, Benson had a neon sign made to put over his table reading "Mike Levy" in electric-red cursive.
Q: You bring a lot of experience to the table, 27 years running Ben Benson's alone. What are some of your most fulfilling moments?
The unsolicited comments I get when I stand in the door from people on their way out. They'll say, "I've never been here before, but this is now my favorite restaurant." A woman came over to me one evening and said, "I hear your radio commercials, and you don't have the best steak in New York." I said, "Ma'am I'm sorry, was there something wrong with your meal?" She responded "Oh no, not at all, you have the best steak anywhere!" I happened to be sitting with a food critic at the time, so it sounded like it was planned. I honestly think that this is the best steakhouse in the city, which is supposed to house the best steakhouses in the world, which is a pretty nice feeling to have. My waiters are so proud of the product that we serve and I think my personality rubs off on them. I've always said I think I have 18 Ben Bensons running around, taking care of customers. My bartender and several of the waiters have been with me since 1970. Customers can feel that warmth, that relationship. I've also been legally blind since I was in college, so every June we invite the people from Guiding Eyes for the Blind in for a great outdoor brunch. We have 50 people, with their dogs and the feeling that I get from that is really special. In the past, on Easter Sundays we partnered with the single occupancy hotels that put up the needy, for a great meal - ham and turkey with all the trimmings. We even brought in celebrities to greet and sing to them. It's the little things, giving back to the community, that have made me so proud of Ben Benson's. I also do our radio spots and on all of them I say "...and when you're in, come over and say hello to me" and that's been the tagline for the last 15 years.
Q: What's the secret to your consistency? Do you pick everything out yourself?
I've always said I have good [taste] buds. I have enough hubris to say "No, no I want it the way I like it." Even going back to the days of the discotheque, when Fridays and Tuesdays were essentially hamburger places like a Houlihan's, even then, I had a sense of what people liked to taste and I stubbornly stuck to that.
Q: What are your favorite seafood dishes?
My favorite is our crusted monkfish, but we do a different fish every day. We have filet of sole every day, but we do daily specials on fish additionally plus the lobster, and the crab cakes. We also do one of the best Southern fried chickens you can get. The people from NBC come here a lot, so when they are doing a flight to the West Coast they take six orders to go so they have something to eat on the plane.
Q: The value Prix Fixe is obviously a huge trend right now given our current economic situation. Do you offer any value dinners?
I've never believed in discounts or free drinks, but in light of the times, we have a $90 dinner for two and they get quite a meal for $90. Lobster tails and filet mignon or chateaubriand, soup and salad, creamed spinach and hash brown potatoes; the things that make a classic steakhouse meal.
Q: Cocktails?
We've been known for having the biggest martini in town. We've got a very masculine bar, but we get a lot of women as well. In fact, Joan Hamburg on the radio always tells women, "If you're looking to meet somebody go to Ben Benson's; you'll find stockbrokers, bankers and athletes." In fact, Patrick Ewing got signed here by Dave Debusschere right over at table 41.
Ben Benson's: 123 West 52nd Street • 212-581-8888 • benbensons.com
