Inside the Benjamin, a Glamorous Art Deco Restaurant in LA From Ben Hundreds

Greater than 20 years after Ben Shenassafar based streetwear model the Hundreds together with his companion Bobby Kim, he’s doing one thing fully new to him — opening a restaurant. On June 25, Shenassafar will debut the Benjamin Hollywood on Melrose Avenue.

“I’ve by no means wished to open a restaurant,” Shenassafar says. “I’ve lots of buddies within the business, and a few of my closest buddies personal lots of eating places right here on the town and world wide, and I see how onerous it’s and the way a lot work they put into it.” After years of promoting T-shirts, hats, and different attire for a dwelling, he thought that founding Household Fashion Fest, a meals pageant, could be the closest he would ever get to the business. Nonetheless, questions adopted him of when he could be opening a restaurant, or if he had thought of it, and every time he affirmed that it wasn’t in his present plans. However in early 2023, Shenassafar discovered he began having extra free time on his fingers. “One thing inside was similar to, perhaps it’s time it’s best to discover this,” Shenassafar says.

The primary particular person he went to was Jared Meisler, a longtime good friend and the bar proprietor behind the Moon Room, the Good friend, Bar Lubitsch, and extra. The 2 had at all times talked about doing one thing collectively, however nothing had ever solidified. In no rush, Meisler and Shenassafar meandered by means of Los Angeles taking a look at potential areas for the restaurant, however nothing felt fairly proper. After having dinner at Stir Loopy, Meisler took Shenassafar to the nook of Melrose and Formosa and simply from seeing the Twenties Artwork Deco constructing from the surface, one thing clicked. “The following morning we met, we went inside and noticed the area, and that was it,” Shenassafar says.

Drawing on the constructing’s architectural historical past, Shenassafar and Meisler started dreaming up designs that regarded like one thing that might’ve been a part of the unique inside. The Benjamin’s luxurious eating room options frosted glass Artwork Deco chandeliers set towards darkish wood-paneled partitions. An L-shaped oak bar lives within the heart of the room, with olive inexperienced mohair cubicles across the edges. Underfoot, a frond-print carpet stretches all through the area. At first, Shenassafar was against naming the restaurant after himself, however a number of buddies prompt variations on the one he finally landed on.

For the menu, Shenassafar tapped Johnny Cirelle, who previously labored at Spago, Bavel, and Bestia, to be the manager chef. After doing a tasting with Cirelle, Shenassafar referred to as up his earlier employer Ori Menashe earlier than extending a proposal. “Ori couldn’t have given Johnny extra reward,” he says. Cirelle got down to develop a menu that attracts on Shenassafar’s recollections of consuming steak frites, deviled eggs, burgers, or chocolate chip cookies by himself at restaurant bars in Paris and New York. “I took lots of inspiration from the eating places like that that I get pleasure from consuming at,” Shenassafar says. “And I felt like LA didn’t have one on the degree that we wished to execute.”

The opening menu options starters just like the deviled eggs or the crab beignets, and salads, such because the Goddess with chopped kale and tarragon and wedge salad with bacon lardon are additionally on provide. Mains embrace the Benjamin burger with American cheese and hickory sauce, Australian wagyu with a cognac cream sauce, and roasted heirloom rooster. For dessert, save room for the house-made chocolate chip cookie served with whipped cream. “I feel the perfect seats in the home are on the bar,” Shenassafar says. I need individuals to return in and have a drink or two, a burger, fries, and chocolate chip cookies.”

As for drinks, Shenassafar turned to Meisler and his different enterprise companion Kate Burr to stipulate the choices. Acclaimed bartender Nathan Oliver developed the cocktails which embrace drinks like Ben’s Martini served with a aspect of chips, the Be Vivid Martini with Be Vivid espresso and Japanese whiskey, and a spicy strawberry margarita. Sommelier Sam Rethmeier has additionally curated a wine and beer menu for the restaurant.

Although the Benjamin is a separate operation from the A whole lot, Shenassafar couldn’t resist bringing a little bit of his streetwear expertise into the operation. The restaurant workers will all be outfitted in customized black chore coats designed by the model. The coat may be the beginning of the crossover, with Shenassafar hinting at extra workers clothes coming and potential merch sooner or later.

With this being Shenassafar’s debut restaurant, he’s hung out personally molding each facet of the expertise to make company really feel welcome, and he jokes about dwelling on the restaurant within the days main as much as its opening. “I need individuals to benefit from the room, to benefit from the meals, to benefit from the music they’re listening to, to benefit from the service and the hospitality,” Shenassafar says. “My dream is for everybody that comes there to stroll out and go as much as the host and say, ‘Hey, can I make a reservation for subsequent week?’”

The Benjamin Hollywood is ready to open on June 25 at 7174 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90046, and can be open Tuesday to Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to late. Reservations are available via Resy.

7174 Melrose Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90046