Benjamin: High style in Highland Park
BY LEE A. LITAS Dining Columnist February 21, 2012 6:12PM
Chef/owner Benjamin Brittsan of Benjamin restaurant in Highland Park brings a cool new vibe to the North Shore. | LEE A. LITAS~FOR SUN-TIMES MEDIA
BENJAMIN
Where: 1849 Second St., Highland Park
Hours: (lunch) 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday-Friday; (dinner) 5-10 p.m. Tuesday-Friday, 5-11 p.m. Saturday
Phone: (847) 748-8737
Web: www.benjaminrestaurant.com
Maps
Updated: February 28, 2012 3:17PM
T he North Shore, and specifically Highland Park, is already rife with fine dining establishments. Located roughly midway between Chicago and the Wisconsin border, this northern suburb is perfectly positioned to offer its citizens — and residents of the surrounding communities — a taste of downtown without the hassle of a long drive, traffic or sky-high parking rates. Not surprisingly, Highland Park has long been a destination for suburban foodies. So when chef Benjamin Brittsan opened his eponymous restaurant on Aug. 10 of last year, he already had that stacked against him. But in his “We’re in a great area. I couldn’t imagine being anywhere else, really,” said Brittsan. Benjamin’s cuisine is chichi, yet with enough Down Home touches to make this a decadent, comfort-food escape. The pesto gnocchi gratin appetizer made with Kilgus Farms parmesan and Pecorino-Romano cheeses, truffle oil and a pistachio pesto is rich and satisfying enough to be a meal by itself ($8 small/$10 large), but visitors will want to save some room. That’s because the Miller Amish chicken pot pie is a presentation to behold. Covered in a high, delicate puffed pastry, the extra-hearty dish overflows with large chunks of white and dark meat and seasonal root vegetables. It is then covered with a sweet potato mash, a la the shepherd pie, beneath the pastry. It is served with a petite salad ($19). The piece de resistance, the banana Caramelo,
favor: location, location, location. Situated directly across the street from the Landmark Renaissance Place Cinema, Benjamin was already perched in a prime spot for everyone’s favorite date night, dinner and a movie.
the whimsical roasted pumpkin, blood orange & frisee. The al dente cubes
of roasted pumpkin innards, dusted with a heather
touch of aromatic curry,
add a nice counterpoint
to the crunch of toasted pumpkin and juicy pomegranate seeds. Fennel tops and frisee are sprinkled with tangy blood orange vinaigrette and served with toast points dressed with house-made ricotta, the cheese striking a perfect balance between texture and flavor ($10).
brings a hot Latin flair to this French-inspired dish. Benjamin caramelizes the bananas then flambes them in a bit of rum and house-made vanilla. It is served inside a crepe cup, a la Suzette, with a side of decadent cake batter ice cream and candied pistachios, all sprinkled with butterscotch sauce ($8).
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