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]
