Benjamin Steak House
52 East 41st Street, (212) 297-9177
Benjamin Steak House is open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant features full bars on two levels, and offers private room and party menus. For complete menus, photo gallery and more, visit www.benjaminsteakhouse.com
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REVIEW
By Nancy Walman
After more than 20 years at that venerable institution, Peter Luger’s Steakhouse in Brooklyn, chef Arturo McLeod joined forces with fellow Luger alumna, Benjamin Prelvukaj to launch Benjamin Steak House. Benjamin has become a landmark in its own right. Located one block from historic Grand Central terminal, Benjamin Steak House mirrors the opulence and grandeur of that magnificent station. Housed on the main floor of the century-old Chemist Club building, which is now home to the Dylan Hotel.
General Manager Victor Dedushaj
A great dining experience begins with the front of the house and Benjamin Steak House is fortunate to have enlisted the services of Victor Dedushaj, who is as warm, knowledgeable and professional as it gets.
In addition to the elegant and spacious main dining room and superb service, the big draw is the steaks: Six cuts of dry-aged beef are available: from 16-ounce porterhouses to top sirloins to juicy and tender rib eyes to succulent filet mignon. Every steak is grilled to perfection, using the best USDA prime beef. Any cut can be served family style for two to four people. The restaurant also offers steak for 10, which includes every cut on the menu as well as chateaubriand, costs $1,111. Lobsters are also spectacular as is lump crab and succulent sliced tomatoes & onion salad.
Don’t miss the German-style potatoes, cream-less creamed spinach and an over-the-top hot fudge sundae with loads of whip cream. Benjamin has an extensive wine list, with selections from Italy, France, California, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Chile and Argentina as well as a fine selection by the glass and 1/2 bottle. The two bars (one on the main floor and one on the mezzanine) serve high-end cocktails featuring top-shelf liquors. The wooden bar on the second floor is the centerpiece to the section and a great place to watch the action below. Set back from the balustrade, the bar, with its low lighting, is also the perfect spot for a private drink with your date. High ceilings, large white columns, brass chandeliers, a 10-foot fireplace and dark wood paneling dominate the 5,000-square-foot, bi-level dining space. The main dining room, with its rich leather banquettes and large bar, seats 120; the upstairs lounge, which is available for private parties, seats 46. Whether it’s a business lunch, a romantic rendezvous or a boisterous family dinner, Benjamin Steak House is sure to please even the most jaded food connoisseur. Benjamin Steak House gets “The Walman Award” as the city’s most dependably excellent steak house and rates A Major on the Walman Report. 
The Fabulous Signature Porterhouse
Copyright 2009 By Punch In International. All Rights Reserved.
(From Left to Right) Benjamin Prelvukaj & chef Arturo McLeod
Background
Peter Luger’s Steakhouse has lured meat lovers to Brooklyn for more than a century. After more than 20 years at that venerable institution, chef Arturo McLeod joined forces with fellow Luger alumna, Benjamin Prelvukaj, to launch Benjamin Steak House. It’s sure to become a landmark in its own right. Located one block from historic Grand Central terminal, Benjamin Steak House mirrors the opulence and grandeur of that magnificent station. Housed on the main floor of the century-old, 10-story Chemist Club building, which is now home to the Dylan Hotel, the restaurant evokes a bygone era. One could picture Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. enjoying a steak and Martini in the elegant dining room as the always solicitous wait staff catered to their every culinary whim. M. Castedo Architects reworked the interior of the historic building without sacrificing classic fixtures or the landmark structure. High ceilings, large white columns, brass chandeliers, a 10-foot fireplace and dark wood paneling dominate the 5,000-square-foot, bi-level dining space. The main dining room, with its rich leather banquettes and large bar, seats 120; the upstairs lounge, which is available for private parties, seats 46. Chef McLeod prepares an amazing array of dishes sure to delight gourmands everywhere. The main draw is the steaks and McLeod is a master at cooking juicy cuts of meat. Six cuts of dry-aged beef are available: from 16-ounce porterhouses to top sirloins to juicy and tender rib eyes to succulent filet mignon. Every steak is grilled to perfection according to a diner’s specifications. Only the best USDA prime beef is used and the steak is still sizzling when it’s served. Any cut can be served family style for two to four people. The restaurant also offers steak for 10, which includes every cut on the menu as well as chateaubriand. This dish is exclusive to Benjamin Steak House and costs $1,111. Benjamin is the first steakhouse in the city to offer a cut specifically for women. Cleverly named the Adam’s Rib Eye, the dish is a summer special it has less fat than a usual cut of rib eye and is served boneless. Even the most skeptical of female diners will surely enjoy it, as it is a particularly flavorful cut. The menu also features delectable non-red meat dishes. Rich and buttery Chilean sea bass is a popular choice as is the grilled Norwegian salmon, with its mild and delicate flavor. Diners are also passionate about the extravagant seafood platter, which consists of fresh oysters on the half shell, jumbo shrimp, half-lobsters and juicy lump crabmeat. Potatoes are served in a myriad of interesting ways, with crispy, golden-brown German-style being the most unique. The potatoes are diced, then onions, salt and pepper are added, and the dish is baked. More traditional varieties are also available including ultra-creamy mashed potatoes and hearty cottage and steak fries. Other choice sides include rich, creamed spinach (which incidentally doesn’t contain any cream), steamed green asparagus and sautéed mushrooms infused with red wine and garlic. A bustling lunch crowd dines on lightly breaded crab cakes, potato- and beef-laden German soup, grilled Canadian bacon, baked organic chicken with herbs and rare yellowfin tuna or savory chicken sandwiches. Desserts are new takes on old standards. Instead of the usual apple pie, there’s flaky apple strudel, tart key lime pie and an over-the-top hot fudge sundae with loads of whip cream and chocolate. Benjamin has an extensive wine list, with selections from Italy, France, California, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Chile and Argentina. Each wine has been carefully chosen to compliment steak and there is something for every budget, from first-growth Bordeaux to affordable New World wines. The two bars (one on the main floor and one on the mezzanine) serve high-end cocktails featuring top-shelf liquors. The wooden bar on the second floor is the centerpiece to the section and a great place to watch the action below. Set back from the balustrade, the bar, with its low lighting, is also the perfect spot for a private drink with your date. Whether it’s a business lunch, a romantic rendezvous or a boisterous family dinner, Benjamin Steak House is sure to please even the most jaded food connoisseur and rates A Major on The Walman Report.
Peter Luger’s Steakhouse has lured meat lovers to Brooklyn for more than a century. After more than 20 years at that venerable institution, chef Arturo McLeod joined forces with fellow Luger alumni, Benjamin Prelvukaj, to launch Benjamin Steak House. It’s sure to become a landmark in its own right. Located one block from historic Grand Central terminal, Benjamin Steak House mirrors the opulence and grandeur of that magnificent station. Housed on the main floor of the century-old, 10-story Chemist Club building, which is now home to the Dylan Hotel, the restaurant evokes a bygone era. One could picture Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. enjoying a steak and Martini in the elegant dining room as the always solicitous wait staff catered to their every culinary whim. M. Castedo Architects reworked the interior of the historic building without sacrificing classic fixtures or the landmark structure. High ceilings, large white columns, brass chandeliers, a 10-foot fireplace and dark wood paneling dominate the 5,000-square-foot, bi-level dining space. The main dining room, with its rich leather banquettes and large bar, seats 120; the upstairs lounge, which is available for private parties, seats 46. Chef McLeod prepares an amazing array of dishes sure to delight gourmands everywhere. The main draw is the steaks and McLeod is a master at cooking juicy cuts of meat. Six cuts of dry-aged beef are available: from 36-ounce porterhouses to top sirloins to juicy and tender rib eyes to succulent filet mignon. Every steak is grilled to perfection according to a diner’s specifications. Only the best USDA prime beef is used and the steak is still sizzling when it’s served. Any cut can be served family style for two to four people. The restaurant also offers steak for 10, which includes every cut on the menu as well as chateaubriand. This dish is exclusive to Benjamin Steak House and costs $1,111. Benjamin is the first steakhouse in the city to offer a cut specifically for women. Cleverly named the Adam’s Rib Eye, the dish is a summer special it has less fat than a usual cut of rib eye and is served boneless. Even the most skeptical of female diners will surely enjoy it, as it is a particularly flavorful cut. The menu also features delectable non-red meat dishes. Rich and buttery Chilean sea bass is a popular choice as is the grilled Norwegian salmon, with its mild and delicate flavor. Diners are also passionate about the extravagant seafood platter, which consists of fresh oysters on the half shell, jumbo shrimp, half-lobsters and juicy lump crabmeat. Potatoes are served in a myriad of interesting ways, with crispy, golden-brown German-style being the most unique. The potatoes are diced, then onions, salt and pepper are added, and the dish is baked. More traditional varieties are also available including ultra-creamy mashed potatoes and hearty cottage and steak fries. Other choice sides include rich, creamed spinach (which incidentally doesn’t contain any cream), steamed green asparagus and sautéed mushrooms infused with red wine and garlic. A bustling lunch crowd dines on lightly breaded crab cakes, potato- and beef-laden German soup, grilled Canadian bacon, baked organic chicken with herbs and rare yellowfin tuna or savory chicken sandwiches. Desserts are new takes on old standards. Instead of the usual apple pie, there’s flaky apple strudel, tart key lime pie and an over-the-top hot fudge sundae with loads of whip cream and chocolate. Benjamin has an extensive wine list, with selections from Italy, France, California, Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Chile and Argentina. Each wine has been carefully chosen to compliment steak and there is something for every budget, from first-growth Bordeaux to affordable New World wines. The two bars (one on the main floor and one on the mezzanine) serve high-end cocktails featuring top-shelf liquors. The wooden bar on the second floor is the centerpiece to the section and a great place to watch the action below. Set back from the balustrade, the bar, with its low lighting, is also the perfect spot for a private drink with your date. Whether it’s a business lunch, a romantic rendezvous or a boisterous family dinner, Benjamin Steak House is sure to please even the most jaded food connoisseur.
BENJAMIN STEAKHOUSE IN THE HEART OF MIDTOWN
The Dylan Hotel is a Beef-Lovers Paradise
Benjamin Steak House, located at the Dylan Hotel in the heart of Midtown, creates a Manhattan Mecca for steak-connoisseurs. The elegant restaurant boasts an expansive a la carte menu, a wide array of fine international pairing wines, and a stylish decor that sets it apart from all other steak houses.
Chef Arturo McLeod, partner of Benjamin’s, has spent more than 30 years in the meat preparation business. The former 20-year veteran of Peter Luger’s brings his experience with a new flare to Midtown.
Benjamin offers what steakhouse lovers come to expect — the porterhouse (for 2- 4 guests), New York sirloin, veal chops, filet mignon, creamed spinach, fresh jumbo-sized lobster and the like. Chef Arturo has also introduced signature dishes including German soup (comprised of potatoes, tomatoes, and meat); crab cakes; sizzling Canadian bacon; grilled yellow fin tuna and more. The extensive breakfast menu offers everything from organic, whole wheat pancakes and waffles to a classic NY strip steak and eggs.
Chef McLeod personally patrons New York’s top wholesale meat markets to carefully select prime USDA meat to ensure the highest standards. Everything is taken into consideration – the right shade of color, balance of texture and the amount of marbling. More importantly, the meat is then brought back to the restaurant where it is dry-aged in their custom aging box.
Benjamin defines modern elegance with its 5,000 square foot multi-level space designed by M. Castedo Architects that can accommodate 175 patrons. The main dining room provides a comfortable setting for business meetings, romantic meals and family outings alike. It features a beautiful working fireplace, rich chocolate-brown leather seating, oak wood paneling, vaulted decorative ceiling, and modern brass amber-toned chandeliers.
To complete the full dining experience, Benjamin offers an extensive selection of fine wines to fit any budget – from modest California reds to rare and celebratory bottles including a 1946 bottle of Chateau Latour, Pauillac. Rounding off the meal is a sweet tooth’s dream – a heaping bowl of fresh homemade whipped shlag nicely accompanies the chocolate mousse cake, pecan pie or apple strudle.
Benjamin Steak House is open seven days a week serving breakfast, lunch and dinner. The restaurant features full bars on two levels, and offers private room and party menus. For complete menus, photo gallery and more, visit www.benjaminsteakhouse.com
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Sample Dinner Menu
Appetizers
JUMBO SHRIMP COCKTAIL (4) $18.95
JUMBO SHRIMP COCKTAIL, EXTRA LARGE PORTION (6) $23.95
JUMBO LUMP CRABMEAT COCKTAIL $19.95
LITTLE NECK CLAMS ON THE HALF SHELL $12.95
FRESH OYSTER ON THE HALF SHELL $16.95
BAKED CLAMS $14.95
LUMP CRAB CAKE $19.95
SEAFOOD PLATTER (PER PERSON) MP
LOBSTER COCKTAIL MP
SIZZLING CANADIAN BACON, EXTRA THICK, BY SLICE $3.00
Soups
ONION SOUP $9.95
GERMAN SOUP $10.95
LOBSTER BISQUE $13.95
Salads
WEDGE SALAD WITH BLUE CHEESE DRESSING $9.95
ORGANIC MESCALINE SALAD $10.95
CAESAR SALAD $11.95
BENJAMIN’S SALAD (FOR TWO) $15.95
SLICED TOMATO & ONIONS, WITH BENJAMIN’S OWN SAUCE (FOR TWO) $12.95
FRESH MOZZARELLA & BEEFSTEAK TOMATOES (FOR TWO) $15.95
CHOPPED TOMATOES, ONIONS AND CANADIAN BACON $13.95
CHOICE OF DRESSING:
BLUE CHEESE, CREAMY GARLIC, HOUSE VINAIGRETTE, RUSSIAN
STEAK&CHOPS
USDA PRIME CHEF SELECTED,DRY AGED IN OUR OWN AGING BOX
STEAK FOR TWO $82.95
STEAK FOR THREE $122.85
STEAK FOR FOUR $165.80
NEW YORK SIRLOIN STEAK $41.95
RIB EYE STEAK $40.95
FILET MIGNON $41.95
LAMB CHOPS, 2 DOUBLE THICK LOIN CHOPS, EXTRA HEAVY CUT $39.95
VEAL CHOPS, DOUBLE THICK, EXTRA HEAVY CUT $39.95
SEAFOODS
CHILEAN SEA BASS $32.95
GRILLED NORWEGIAN SALMON $32.95
GRILLED YELLOW FIN TUNA $33.95
4 LB. JUMBO LOBSTER (BROILED OR STEAMED) MP
SURF AND TURF (PER PERSON) MP
LOBSTER TAILS MP
POTATOES
GERMAN POTATO $11.95
MASHED POTATO $9.95
COTTAGE FRIES $8.95
STEAK FRIES $8.95
JUMBO BAKED POTATO $5.95
COTTAGE FRIES & ONION RINGS (COMBINATION) $10.95
ONION RINGS $8.95
VEGETABLES
CREAMED SPINACH $8.95
ASPARAGUS $11.95
BROCCOLI $9.95
ONIONS $8.95
PEAS AND ONIONS $8.95
MUSHROOM $10.95
CHOICE OF VEGETABLES SAUTEED OR STEAMED
These items are, or may be served raw or undercooked. Consuming raw or undercooked meats, seafood or shellfish may
increase your risk of food borne illness, especially if you have certain medical conditions.
Consumer Information: There is a certain level of risk associated with eating raw oysters. If you are afflicted by a chronic
illness of liver, stomach or blood or have immune disorders, you are at a greater risk of serious illness from consumption
or raw oysters, and should eat oysters fully cooked. If unsure of your risk, then please consult your physician.
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Chef Arturo McLeod Biography
Chef Arturo McLeod of Benjamin Steak House is an outstanding Panamanian chef who has successfully become a frontrunner in an industry where Latinos usually remain in the background. Arturo has spent the past 33 years working in steakhouses, 20 of those at the famous Peter Luger’s in Brooklyn. Since Benjamin’s opening, it has established itself as one of NYC’s premier steakhouses, attracting business professionals and celebrities alike.
After immigrating to Brooklyn at the humble age of 13, Chef Arturo’s journey in the restaurant business started at Gega Tolner, a steakhouse in Brooklyn even older than the venerable Peter Luger. It was at the latter, however, that Arturo spent the majority of his career, perfecting his unique grilling techniques and becoming one of the foremost steakhouse chefs in the country. Two and a half years ago, Arturo decided to leave Peter Luger and open a new steakhouse with fellow Luger employee Benjamin Prelvukaj.
The result of this partnership is the elegant Benjamin Steak House, located one block from Grand Central Station at the Dylan Hotel. In addition to serving the finest quality prime cuts, the steaks are cooked to absolute perfection and arrive tableside on a piping hot plate, so hot that as the meat is sliced, it sizzles.
