Benchmark Restaurant, Perrysburg

When you sit down at Benchmark in Perrysburg, one of the first items you’re impressed with is their popover. The roll has a crisp, flaky outer layer, and an airy, delicate interior that is so buttery it will remind you of the best croissant you’ve ever eaten—plus herbs and cheese—which only makes it that much more delicious. If you suppose that a dining experience that begins this well suggests that the rest of the meal will be equally as exceptional, you are correct. 

I ordered a glass of red wine. My wife looked over the menu. Then she did what she has been doing of late: she asked for Lynnette Marrero’s Clara Bow cocktail. 

“Stop asking for that,” I always plead. “It’s not a widely-known drink. If you ask them to make it, and they don’t do it well, you’ll be disappointed.”

She turned to the server. “Can you make a Clara Bow?” 

“What’s in it?” he asks. 

“Bourbon, grenadine, lemon, elderflower, and mint leaves,” she replies. 

“I’ll ask the bartender.” 

Popovers at Benchmark

Smoked salmon dip. If it’s on the menu, we have to try it. It’s like this: my wife, also a foodie, spent years waitressing at some of Detroit’s better restaurants. One of them was part of the Chuck Muer empire—The Big Fish—where the world’s best smoked salmon spread was served with toasted sesame crackers, as an appetizer. The smoked salmon dip here at Benchmark, served with toasted bread, was excellent, but we only ate a little, wanting to save our appetites for our entrees. 

A moment later, the server set down a perfectly rendered Clara Bow on the table. 

“Wow,” I exclaimed. “I can’t believe they made it.” The drink was the right color—a vibrant crimson—served in a coupe and garnished with fresh mint. 

“We googled it,” the server said. “The bartender made a little extra, too, and we tasted it. That’s an excellent cocktail.” 

Wife: “It tastes perfect.”

Smoked Salmon 

I was impressed with the assortment of libations Benchmark offers. The selection was extensive and mesmerizing. Bourbons, vodkas, whiskeys, brandies, speciality cocktails, after-dinner cordials, and martinis like the Triple Chocolate Martini, served up. It’s like a really good chocolate milk. It’s delicious. 

And the wine list...

I like big bold reds and a few crisp whites in the summer months.  Generally, I stick with Cab Sauvignon or Syrah to pair with my red meat. Benchmark’s wine list is something to see. Lists like this assure me that the establishment takes wine seriously and will have something worth trying. The wines are listed by grape and by country. Several bottles were fetching over a $300. I was surprised to see a couple bottles of Rothschild, one of them the Chateau Lafite (not the 1787, of course, but the 1996). A plebeian such as myself didn’t order it, but it was impressive nonetheless. 

Benchmark’s Ribeye Steak with Onions

Benchmark offers seafood like salmon, scallops, and swordfish. There were also salads, burgers, chicken, and pasta. For me, the star is always the steak, and Benchmark has some of the best options. There are “choice” steaks like their 6-ounce filet, and “prime” cuts like the 16-ounce ribeye, which is what I opted for. Everything at Benchmark is a la cart. You can add sides like Broccolini with Bernaise or Cheese Grits with Bacon and Maple Syrup. There are potatoes to choose from and other veggies. My wife ordered her filet prepared “Chef’s Way” for an extra charge. The filet was topped with a combination of King crab, Korean steak butter, black truffle béarnaise, and asparagus. I love the French influence going-on here: excellent wines and bread, buttery steaks with demi-glace, and béarnaise sauce. 

I’ve heard people comment on steaks with those old cliches: “you could cut it with a fork” or “it melts in your mouth.” I never really experienced that, satisfactorily, until now. The filet was perfectly cooked inside, caramelized on the outside, and, topped with the king crab and Korean butter, it was beautifully plated. But the steak’s appearance belied exactly how tender it was. I actually cut-off a small piece with the side of my fork and put it in my mouth where it seemed to dissolve. It melted.

The ribeye was almost beyond description. Decadent, buttery, rich—these words do little to express what these steaks achieved for a meat lover like me. The steak was topped with onions and plated with a light demi-glace. It was cooked a perfect medium, and was easily one of the best, most luxurious (?) steaks, I’ve ever had. I’m not sponsored. Nobody is paying me to say that. I just can’t use enough adjectives to illustrate the level of meat that was at our table. Next time, I’d like to forgo the onions and try a different accompaniment—since there are eight of them—like chimichurri, scallops, or Maytag blue cheese. 

We enjoyed our dinner so much, my wife and I bought a round of drinks for the kitchen. My brother in law, a sous-chef, said they appreciate that sort of thing. The manager came out and thanked us. 

The Cafe Brûlée 

There is a dessert menu I opted to see, just in case anything piqued my interest. There was affogato (ice-cream and espresso, which I do from time to time at home), a cheesecake, and a bourbon cake. What caught my eye was a 6-layer chocolate cake—pretty much a must-have—and a coffee creme brûlée. The Cafe Brûlée came in a small pot—a miniature tureen, rather than a ramekin or flat dish—with shards of bittersweet chocolate resting on its gold, hardened sugar-top. The brûlée tasted rich and weightless, floating on the tongue like a high-quality cream. Coffee notes come through the custard subtly, tastefully, like classical music playing softly in the background. It was a great dessert. 

There are certain things that I’ve come to appreciate about a nice restaurant. Certainly, atmosphere is important. That is part of what we are purchasing when we patronize any eatery. Benchmark has an air of sophistication that is uncommon, and it’s not merely because of the fine details such as beautiful cutlery, dishes, glassware, and decor, but it is also because of Benchmark’s level of service which is difficult to find. In fact, of the people I’ve spoken to about this restaurant, one of the first things they relay is, “The service is awesome.” 

So, go to Benchmark. Enjoy it. This is one of those places where you go to celebrate. It’s easily one of the best meals in Toledo. Good luck, however, tasting these dishes, then going back to the norm. Food like this sets a standard, a benchmark. 

Benchmark