Listen Now: ‘Arch Eats’: Ben Poremba’s big plans for 2024
Already, 2024 is proving to be a year of change for Ben Poremba and his roster of restaurants operated by Bengelina Hospitality Group. Three of his acclaimed restaurants, Elaia, Olio, and Nixta, left their longtime homes in Botanical Heights for the Delmar Makers District and will each reopen in the coming months; as part of Nixta’s new digs, Poremba is relaunching the Bar Limon concept (a lounge-like area inside Nixta when it originally opened in Botanical Heights). But first, he’s opening two new restaurants in the Makers District, Esca and Florentin, a Western Mediterranean spot and Israeli-inspired daytime cafe, respectively.
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But that’s not all Poremba is switching up. This past weekend, the acclaimed chef announced another significant change to another one of his restaurants: The Benevolent King. In an announcement sent out via email, Poremba explained that the Maplewood eatery, known for its Moroccan-inflected fare and innovative cocktails, would be closing February 3 and reopening with a new Japanese menu on February 14.
According to Poremba, the changes are meant to embrace the culinary experiences of Benevolent King executive chef Eliott Harris, whose extensive resume in Japanese cuisine includes the former Miso on Meramec, sushi consulting for the now-shuttered Central Table Food Hall, his sushi-centric food truck, Chop Shop STL, and BaiKu Sushi Lounge.
Harris began working for Poremba at The Benevolent King in fall 2021, just as the restaurant reopened following a prolonged, pandemic-induced shutdown. Although he executed Poremba’s Moroccan-influenced menu with aplomb, he was also given creative freedom to show off his own passions for Japanese cuisine through a series of pop-up events, dubbed “The King Goes to Japan,” which proved wildly popular—so popular that Poremba decided it was time to take a fresh look at what people wanted from the restaurant.
“Sold-out, ‘The King Goes to Japan’ pop-ups over the past year have told us what you want,” Poremba said in his email announcing the changes.
Although the email did not mention specific dishes (and The Benevolent King’s website does not yet reflect the change), Poremba notes that customers can expect “a menu that draws from Japan’s vast food culture.” He also adds that “the restaurant maintains its renowned cocktail program and retains [its] sophisticated ambiance.”
Poremba opened The Benevolent King in April 2018 and garnered critical acclaim for the restaurant’s soulful take on the chef’s maternal Moroccan heritage. A love song to the food he grew up eating in his parents’ kitchen, the restaurant became known for its mix of small and large plates, inventive cocktails, and sultry atmosphere. Poremba made significant changes to the restaurant when he reopened it in 2021, following the pandemic shutdown, including freshening up the space and elevating the experience to give it more of a formal dining room rather than a lounge-like feel. Harris was part of that initial reinvention, adding his extensive seafood and sushi experience, as well as his classical fine-dining training. (A Johnson & Wales grad, Harris has cooked at upscale restaurants cross the country, from Vail to San Francisco to Miami.)
Reservations for the initial Valentine’s Day service sold out quickly; those still holding out hope to snag a table can choose the ‘notify’ option on Resy. Unlike his Japanese pop-ups that sold out in equally fast fashion, however, this new concept will give customers a chance to catch Harris doing what he does best on a regular basis.
