Special thanks to Erika from 2 Dine For who covered this media tasting event for TMR!
Benjy’s in the Village has been a long-time favorite of mine. I’ve actually only been to Benjy’s on Washington once, and I was thrilled to be asked by TMR to preview their new farm-to-table menu. I honestly think that in a couple of years, we’ll all be asking waiters ‘is that organic, is that local, where did my food come from’ kind of thing. I already always think about it, but I know that to eat mainstream and enjoy the foods I love, that I typically have to be accepting of the limited local/organic options at restaurants while making a concerted effort at home.
But not at Benjy’s. Because of the focus on the local component of the meal, I felt the food was fresh from the start. It’s really a perception thing. I know that ingredients are supposed to taste different, but for me it’s just knowing that I’m eating quality stuff that makes the food better. And there was no lack of flavor or creativity either. I was pretty stuffed by the end of the meal, despite the tasting portions, so the first half of the dishes got more of my attention…
So I gotta start with the dish I’ve been dreaming about since I left there. The star dish of the night was undoubtedly the appetizer trio, and specifically, the sashimi taster. It was unbelievably light…but buttery…all in one. The presentation was stellar on that one…and it was such a tease! I could have eaten triple that amount, but thank goodness for portion control as we waited for the next six courses.
By that time, I was feeling pretty happy after the “Old School Spritzer” (Aperol, champagne and OJ), and the lager taster, both delicious. I won’t even attempt to comment on the intricacies of the alcohol- that’s not my gig- but you gotta try that beer called Karbach because it was delicious. I sat next to Caroline, who is the spirits writer for Culture Map (yes, she gets paid to drink, unreal…and just happens to be the coolest chic ever)… and I think she liked that local lager too.
Onward to the Texas wild shrimp….and it was one of my favorites that evening. I love jumbo-sized butterfly shrimp, and these definitely made the grade, seasoned to perfection but not spicy (i.e. right up my ally). Next came the composed salad, which was a blend of slightly bitter greens, poached egg, crunchy seasoned corn kernels, and a bit of carrot juice. I typically don’t like sweet dressings on my salad, but this blend of sweet, savory, and bitter was appealing to me. It was supposed to cleanse the pallet, but for me it just hit the spot, and the poached egg was such a delicious and hearty touch.
The grouper was next. It was nice, and perfectly crisped , but honestly I’ve just had too much grouper lately to fully enjoy it. It certainly seems to be a trend right now, and I feel like I’ve ordered the grouper out the wazoo all around town. The ‘Broken Arrow Ranch boar’ arrived next, and this was cleverly presented in a skillet..making the typical pulled pork presentation look a lot tastier.
Last, came the Texas Akaushi beef, which clearly did not get any attention from me or my taste buds, as I had no more room to spare. Or so I thought…until the dessert came, a warm cinnamon bread pudding with none other than POP ROCKS to accompany it! How fun. I spent the next several minutes cackling in Jed’s ear. For some reason, it was hilarious to me. I watched everyone else do it too, out of the corner of my eye, so I didn’t feel too ridiculous.
I think that Chef Potowski and the Benjy’s crew will have a very successful fall with the new menu. Jed and I will definitely be back. I also can’t wait to see how Benjy’s new Local Food market (opening in Rice Village this month) compares to our newfound love for Revival Market.
*All images provided by Benjy’s
2 Comments
I LOVE the Karbach!! We had Sympathy for the Lager (inspired by the famous Stones song) which is awesome, but my absolute FAVE is Weisse Versa, their blend of a hefeweizen and a Belgian whit – must try!
Great, just the person to flesh out that description. Thanks Caroline!
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