With its artsy, brushed-aluminum tabletops, pastel walls and teardrop lighting fixtures, benjy’s looks every bit the swank hangout — and it is. There’s a separate upstairs lounge, and downstairs there’s Benjy Levit’s serious modern American cuisine. Chill on the comfy booths while you spy on Inner Loop scenesters, West U families and up-and-coming Rice kids. Sip on wasabi Bloody Marys and nibble on starters like oven-roasted Brie with portobello enchiladas or crabcakes with spicy remoulade. Salads range from classic to Asian-inspired, and entrees like the bone-in pork chop or sesame-crusted ahi tuna are tops. Stop by Sunday brunch for chocolate-chip muffins, benjy’s crunchy French toast or a fluffy Texas omelette. Pair your meal with a crisp white-peach mimosa and ponder: Which is hipper, the food or the crowd?
This article appears in Sep 29 – Oct 5, 2005.