It comes with a heavy heart that I must announce the passing of a great/horrible/beloved casual dining chain, Bennigans. Yes, that oh-so-lovable, Irish-y, neighborhood “Tavern & Grill” has closed its doors in the wake of its parent company filing for bankruptcy. This is absolutely devastating news to me mainly for one reason and one reason alone: the Monte Cristo. You know what I’m talking about. That glorious, cholesterol-laden sandwich that seems to be a gift straight from the deep-fried gods. I’ve had many Monte Cristos in my time  some good, some not so good  and while a few have come close, none have ever been able to touch the pure, greasy perfection that is the Bennigans Monte Cristo. For the uninitiated, the sandwich consists of several layers of ham, turkey, and cheese (American and Swiss), all deep fried in battered bread and sprinkled with sugar. Marvelous. Just marvelous.
I remember the first time I had one back when I was a kid. I think I was in Philly on a family trip. What I thought would just be another ordinary sandwich proved to be the start of a decades long love affair that to this day will occasionally prompt me to drive all the way out to Glendale, CA (gross) just to get the sandwich. Honestly though, it’s been about two or three years since I last went; so I suppose I’m part of the problem, not the solution. The sad truth is that I’ve never lived near a Bennigans. They always seemed to be thirty or forty-five minutes away. The closest I ever came to Bennigans nirvana was in 2000 when I was an intern at the WWE in Stamford. Lo and behold, there was a Bennigans just about a mile away from the Stamford, CT offices, and you better believe I was there at least once a week to fetch my Monte Cristo to go. Did I smell what The Rock was cooking? Not necessarily. But I always smelled that sandwich.
Oh well. I guess those days are long gone now. At least I still have Red Lobster. Never leave me, Big Red. Never leave me.
• Bennigan’s Closed After Parent Co. Files For Bankruptcy [NBC5i.com via Slashfood]
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awww I was bummed to hear this too. When I was in college my friend’s boyfriend was the manager. He hooked us up day and night….which is better than Nattie Light to a college student.
My menu favs were the French Onion Soup, chicken strips, the honey mustard dressing, and the TURKEY o TOOLE!!!!
RIP Bennigans!!
i was sad to see this on the news last night. i live in plano where there are many a benningans. did you know the fries were bottomless? they were and i loved those tiny little cheeseburgers. farewell, bennies!
ooooh no! I’m w/you B. The Monte Cristo was a delicious guilty pleasure (like Rock of Love II LOL) – and the raspberry preserves on the side. yum
crap
now I’m craving one
Bennigans always makes me think of two things:
1) “Butters’ Very Own Episode” of South Park where despite attempted murder, getting lost and hitchhiking, he’s still OBSESSED with going to Bennigans for his mom’s birthday
2) Going there before shows. Freshman year of college, I went there before seeing “Chicago” (the vastly superior stage version) with friends, then Christmas 2006 I went to that same Bennigans before going to The Nutcracker, because, well, I just had a craving for Bennigans.
RIP Bennigans.
psst – the one in Mission Valley in San Diego on the way to watch the Chargers at the Q is NOT closing.
just saying~
hb
hb – that begs the question:
How far is B-side willing to drive for a Monte Cristo? San Diego is prettier than Glendale but it’s a MUCH longer ride
BSide,
If you don’t want to drive all the way to San Diego, the Blue Bayou in Disneyland (the restaurant in Pirates of the Caribbean) serves up a mean Monte Cristo. My boyfriend considers himself quite the connoisseur of Monte Cristos and swears by the Blue Bayou’s version. But he is also devastated over the loss of Bennigan’s.
HB- I hope that’s true of the Mission Valley one. Where did you hear that?
lisa – From the SD Union/Tribune “In San Diego, an employee at the Bennigan’s in Mission Valley said it is a franchise and not part of the bankruptcy filing.”
I love the Blue Bayou’s Portobello Mushroom. Yum.
hb
B-Side, what do you get at the Red Lobster? And have you read that book by Stewart O’Nan, “Last Night at the Lobster?”
The Monte Cristo at the Blue Bayou is really the best one around.
We lost our Bennigan’s earlier this month 🙁
Thanks, HB.
I know a good amount of people in San Diego who will be breathing a sigh of relief after hearing the Mission Valley one is safe.
Yes the Mission Valley location is closed. I tried to go there today and some rude man said they are permanently closed.
What about trying to master this yourself? You have become such a chef/baker lately, why not try you hand at the Monte Cristo?
I miss Bennigan’s too, but for the bleu cheese chips. They were my fave PMS food. I actually ordered a Monte Cristo once, but I had to SEND IT BACK b/c it was like a plate of grease! I don’t know how anyone could eat one of those but I thought it was gross. More power to you though B. I hope that you find a good substitution for your craving.
side note: since my friend’s BF was the manager at bennigan’s, I know the secret that is: THE MONTE CRISTO.
Our Bennigans closed quite a few months ago but really they lost it a good TEN years ago. Sounds like it was just this location though.
I remember in the 80’s my mother taking me there on the days in the summer that I would go to work with her. This is where I first discovered Nachos. They were delightful!
Then as I got older and went off to college my friend and I would go there once a week to indulge in potato skins and garlic parmesan breadsticks (ah, the freshman fifteen!)
Our breath would wreek afterwards but wow were they some yummy apps!
According to the WSJ (the article specifically named the Monte Cristo as a key menu item), only the corporate-owned locations shut down Tuesday. Without corporate support, the franchisee locations may stay open, but for how long?
As for me, I tried the famed sandwich one time. I could not get past the powdered sugar. Blech.