Benson's and Mary Jane's partner up

There's a big change coming to Benson's Wine Bar.

The Chester establishment has partnered with Mary Jane's Burgers and Brew in Perryville to offer a "pop-up" restaurant at Benson's beginning Saturday.

"The No. 1 feedback we get at Benson's Wine Bar is that our customers desire a food option to pair with our drink selection and atmosphere," said Benson's co-owner Micah Reiman in an email to the Herald Tribune. "Although we always encouraged people to order out or to bring in their own food, having a new and exciting menu on-site is now a major service for our patrons."

Reiman told the newspaper that Mary Jane's, commonly referred to as "MJ's," will be offering between four and six different options initially, with the menu to change weekly.

MJ's will handle the restaurant side of the partnership, while Benson's will focus on its side of the business.

"In all honesty, I see nothing but upside potential pending the support of our patrons," Reiman said. "The MJ staff will run the entire food offering and we will continue to run our side of the business as normal.

"It is simply taking the business we have proudly built at Benson's Wine Bar and enhancing it with a new and unique food experience from a highly-reputable restaurant."

Reiman was asked whether offering food was a long-term goal for Benson's.

"Our business model never called for adding a full-food menu," he said. "If we became a full-fledged restaurant, there are a lot of changes that would need to take place regarding service, logistics, codes, etcetera.

"We have and continue to always encourage people to bring in their own food or order out from another establishment if they desire. However, we still heard from our patrons that they want a new food offering on-site."

Matt Ruesler, executive chef at MJ's, said Saturday's initial menu will include a dessert (flourless chocolate torte with a red wine reduction sauce), a soup (roasted cauliflower with cornbread croutons) and a slider (shredded brisket sandwich with pimento cheese and a house steak sauce).

"We're also planning on having a small cheese board with local sausages and grapes," Ruesler said.

Prices will run between $4 and $12. Ruesler noted the menu will be offered on Saturday only for the first six weeks and then re-evaluated, with the possibility of expansion into a full weekend offering.

"We're going to keep it a nice variety on the price range so there's different options for everybody," he said. "(The menu) has a possibility of changing weekly. We want the flexibility of trying new things every week, so it won't be a set menu for the foreseeable future."

The menu will be offered from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., or until sold out.

"It gives us the flexibility to do some different things there that we don't do here," Ruesler said. "The menu will be a tapas-style, which will be a Spanish-style influence of finger foods and shareable plates."