Peter Luger

The authors disagree. It was inevitable. But fortunately, I (Dave) have more people who would concur with me.

The place has been around for more than one hundred-twenty years (since 1887). You can only pay in cash, a gift certificate or their own exclusive credit card. There is an extensive waiting period if you want to be a server there. By extensive, the rumored waiting period is over seven years.

For our anniversary, we went a hockey game and Peter Luger's. Sounds like the perfect day to me. And since I had not been there in eight years- probably in my foodie infancy -I had been itching to come back.


Storefront

Most people know that Peter Luger sells only prime meats. This distinction has made them famous, keeps regulars happy, acquires an astonishing amount of positive press and attracts new clientele on a daily basis. It also allows them to be unapologetic for their brand. So basically, if you don't like it, they won't care if you go home and cry about it.

Waiting for our table provided us the opportunity to examine the nearly endless wall of framed Zagat awards for the "Best Steakhouse in NY". I was impressed to say the least. We waited approximately 15 minutes for our table. Again, Luger's won't lose sleep or business if you have a low frustration tolerance and can't deal with it.

We were sat next to a young couple with a toddler, which automatically polluted the ambience. The time waiting for our server was consumed by unsuccessfully comprehending how little junior would be able to differentiate between rare and medium rare and the significance of aging beef. I came to one definitive, clear-cut conclusion; the baby must have been a little person (no offense). Anything else is incontrovertible.


Bacon

When the server arrived, we ordered 3 strips of "bacon" and shrimp cocktail as our appetizers. Their bacon appears to just be ham steak that they cut into strips. They have an almost identical appearance and taste. However, the reality is that these are just gigantic two by fours. While I do value the extravagance, I would have been just as satisfied with some thick cut apple wood smoked strips. The saltiness was a nice touch, but there was nothing to counter balance it.

Shrimp cocktail is hard to screw up. But they used large count crustaceans which allow for ear-to-ear smiles when it is brought to the table. The shrimp were fresh, plump and juicy. Cocktail sauce is fantastic. The horseradish does not overpower the sauce and therefore allows it to more successfully bring out the flavor of the shrimp.

The star of our meal, Peter Luger's trademark, is the Porter House for Two ($80). We ordered it medium rare, and added broccoli and creamed spinach to complement the meat.

And we waited...Service was as slow as reputed, but it almost didn't matter. The hunger pangs kept me distracted from my boredom of anticipation for the filet and strip.


Porterhouse for Two

After hell froze over, the meat arrived on a screaming hot pan and was perfectly cut up for us. The meat had been brushed with beef fat to add flavor and opulence to the dish. The advantage of having such a hot plate, and one intended side effect, is that customers can actually continue to cook the meat as desired. Just make sure you act quickly; it isn't a steady heat source.

My wife and I differ on our overall impression of the porterhouse. The meat will nearly melt apart in your mouth. I think the flavor is noticeable and unique, but I would prefer less beef fat on top. My wife was favoring the filet part of the porterhouse over the strip. I would tend to agree, but enjoyed the strip side very much. She also, for some reason, said that it tasted like popcorn; with the amount of butter and beef fat I suppose.


Schlag

An anniversary dinner would not be complete without dessert. Peter Luger makes sure to provide a heap of their homemade whipped cream they have dubbed as "schlag," and chocolate coins wrapped in gold foil.


Pecan Pie

The pecan pie was thoroughly enjoyable. Before I slathered it with whipped cream, I made sure to take a bite. It was creamy and sweet, but not excessively rich. Since I am not crazy about sweets, that subtlety made all the difference for me. The crust was flaky and didn't crumble without a little effort. This made it the perfect support for the pie. Each subsequent bite with whipped cream was equally as satisfying. Delicious.


Cheesecake

New York Cheesecake has a reputation all its own. My wife knows this, but that doesn't matter because her love for cheesecake far exceeds regional expertise. Each bite was creamy, rich and utterly blissful. The crust, like my pie, was perfectly prepared. Both were categorically superior.

We automatically drew comparisons to our favorite local steakhouse, west of the Hudson River. My wife much prefers Roots Steakhouse in Summit NJ. She felt that Luger's filet was too buttery and it took away from the natural flavors of the beef. She also doesn't like meat on the bone, as a general rule. I am the same way, but when it comes to places like Luger's, I award it steakhouse immunity. My contention about meat on the bone is that is does not cook evenly. However, since Luger's cuts it for you and you can actually sear it on the dish it is served on, you can make an exception. My wife felt the butter and beef fat was lathered and extreme. I think they could tone it down ever so slightly, but it is still outstanding.

Dinner for both of us was $180 with tip. I do find this price completely reasonable because it is New York and the place is world famous.

Enjoying a fine dining experience always reminds me of a debate I had in college with a professor. He contended that he preferred his Toyota over his wife's Mercedes hands down. I said while the Toyota had legendary reliability, each detail in the Benz was just a little bit better, and it appealed to a more wealthy, and perhaps, more educated client. It also could be the desire to be seen in one. The same is true with Peter Luger. There is obvious attention to detail and the reputation is well deserved.

Make reservations way in advance and bring cash. I think they can afford that kind of clout.

Website: www.peterluger.com
Rating: Highly Recommended

Tanoreen

Part of the quest to find the best food around is not necessarily about one dish, but also a successful continuity of a cuisine in all aspects; regardless of the establishment's specialty. I want fish, meat, salad, poultry, pastas, desserts all to be fantastic. I want Peter Luger's fish offerings to be respectable. I want Legal Seafood to offer a palatable filet mignon. Too ambitious? I don't care. It's what makes this adventure fun.

I enjoy knowing about a place prior to the mainstream because you feel like you can almost take a slight ownership and gratification in that you "knew about it first." This is perhaps what keeps bloggers and food writers alike in the search for new places.

Recently featured on Food Network's "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and the beneficiary of a much-needed renovation, Tanoreen in Brooklyn, NY has now stepped up from little-known-secret to nationally recognized gem. I'm glad because this cuisine (Lebanese), much like Indian, is incredibly underrated.

We ordered two each of tabbouleh and baba ghanouge. Both were very good. Made from parsley, bulgur wheat, onion, mint, olive oil and lemon juice, the tabbouleh ($7) was garden variety. I think I may have preferred a dash more of the citrus fruit to evoke more acidity, but it did not mire the collective approval of the dish. The overlooked -and occasionally neglected - stepchild of hummus, baba ghanoush will likely never get the respect it deserves. Made from eggplant (versus chickpeas in hummus), tahini, garlic, oil and spices, Tanoreen's version ($6.50) is particularly well executed. The eggplant flavor is not as pronounced and therefore better balanced with the other ingredients in the dish. I suspect that purists may not like it as much due to this "milder" version, but it converted my wife to a fan.

Another dish in our smorgasbord of appetizers, was fatoush ($10). This is essentially a Lebanese salad consisting of lettuce, tomato, parsley, mint, cucumber, sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, and toasted pita chips. I like enjoy this dish mostly because of the cultural interpretation of a salad. Whether or not it is intentional, the pita chips serve as croutons, and the oil and lemon juice are a light dressing. The sumac is an restrained but noticeable addition that - along with mint and parsley - give it distinction. I actually prefer the pita chips in lieu of regular croutons because they add a complementary crunch without being the focal point of each bite.

I wanted to be adventurous here so I ordered two mezze dishes I had never tried before: sujok and fried halloumi cheese. Sujok is dried sausages, sauteed with garlic, olive oil and red pepper ($8). Served in a small bowl, I found the four small sausages to be tender and falling apart. I thought they were very good however, there was a noticeable hint of vinegar.


Fried Halloumi Cheese

Fried halloumi cheese was also agreeable. Made from a blend of goat's or sheep's milk, this semi-soft cheese has a high melting point which makes it perfect for frying or grilling. It was served with sliced tomatoes, olives, cucumber and sprinkled with parsley. The crispy exterior was an excellent distinction from the tangy interior and made each bite enjoyable. It has a similar texture to mozzarella, but not as elastic. This was also saltier than I expected, but not overpowering in any way. Another evident positive was that the cheese was not greasy and had been properly attended to prior to serving. That really suggested attention to detail. Nice touch there.


Hummus

Since I know my dinner companions, I figured it a smart decision to avoid counting the number of hummus dishes we would consume. Tanoreen's creation ($6) of the most well known Middle Eastern dip is excellent. For a restaurant's version (versus one that is commercially mass-produced), this one was velvety smooth and creamy. You could taste each of the ingredients, which utterly transform the dish to almost elegant. The pita bread served double duty as not only a vessel for consumption but also a way to prevent spoons from assaulting the dish. Similar to the baba ghanouge, a balance of flavors was achieved that really enhanced its appeal.



Kibbe Naya

In my humble opinion, one of the main reasons we eat Lebanese food is for kibbe naya (several alternate spellings exist). Much like Spanish tapas, Middle Eastern mezze dishes are often the appetizers to a meal. Here, this dish is a raw lamb preparation with fine bulgur and spices, and served with olive oil, outlined with diced red onion and garnished with mint leaves. Truthfully, it is nothing more than a lamb tartare, but flavored with bulgur and spices. This is one of the better ones; so much so that it has to be ordered a few days in advance. Tanoreen's version has a smooth and almost creamy consistency. Eaten either by the spoonful or with Syrian (pita) bread, it is spectacular. The fat from the oil adds a richness to the meat which creates levels of flavor leaving your palate satisfied. Every man in my family loves it, and the spouses usually cringe. We aren't bothered by this sentiment; there's more for us.


Grilled Shrimp

My less-adventurous wife was undecided on her order, but richly rewarded when she settled on the grilled shrimp entree ($17.50). The menu actually says the dish is served with "a whole lot of garlic;" and that is right up her alley as well as a culinary turn-on. They weren't kidding either. Since we have a love affair of garlic, this was an amazing flavor. However, I think that there might be some who could find it to be a garlicky assault. Nevertheless, the shrimp were succulent, plump and perfectly cooked. My wife pointed out that they were properly cleaned, which can often be a turn-off. She not only thoroughly enjoyed this dish but would happily get it again. That is important because it makes a return visit less hesitant and whether or not she realizes it, this may have been what allows her to be more experimental with this cuisine.


Chicken Fetti

The dish I ordered was chicken fetti. This is a dish of shredded chicken meat arranged atop a cradle of vermicelli-pilaf enveloped in tahini sauce. The flavors are fantastic and the addition of pine nuts adds an excellent crunch against the smooth texture of the sauce. The use of both dark and white meat stands out as the chicken is soft and flavorful.



Lamb Fetti

My sister-in-law had lamb fetti; the same exact preparation as the aforementioned dish, but with a different protein. My complaint about lamb has always been that the "gamey" aftertaste - according to experts - should be all but absent in the preparation. In this case it was, but I suspect that it may have been the sauce and other ingredients that could have masked that "gameyness."


Shepard's Pie

I presume the Shepard's pie my brother's fiancé ordered was a Lebanese interpretation of the classic Irish recipe. From all indications, it was thoroughly enjoyable. Served with a colorful, fresh salad and red cabbage slaw, the dish was a study in texture. Tangy cheese, soft potato, savory beef, and crisp salad.


Stewed Goat

In diet of the average blue-collar American, goat is likely absent from annual consumption. However, being a self-professed foodie allows me to take such culinary risks. In this case, my father fortunately took that risk. He ordered the goat special. Arriving in a large bowl, the stewed goat is marinated and served in a yogurt sauce. Interestingly, the sauce is intentionally sour. However, I found this technique to be just slightly excessive. Another complaint was that there truly was not enough meat in the dish; comparative to the chicken or lamb fetti dishes. Most important was that the goat meat was chewy and not soft, which the cooking method of stewing achieves. I was not impressed with this dish.

Next to hummus, grape leaves are probably the most well-known dish. I absolutely love them. I have childhood memories of arriving home from school to the aroma of these delectable stuffed rolls enveloping the kitchen. I was surprisingly dissatisfied with Tanoreen's version. All of the required ingredients were present, it was just the overall execution and technical flaws that brought it down. I didn't feel there was enough meat in each on and therefore they lacked plumpness. Additionally, each order was extremely small for an entree size. There were approximately 5 or 6 in each order. In my opinion, an entree of grape leaves should have between 25-30.

The blemish on the whole dinner experience was that my step-mother's lamb shish kebob arrived nearly thirty-five minutes after our order. A kitchen mishap caused them to have to re-cook the dish. Upon arrival, the meat was cold on the inside, albeit properly cooked, and overflowed with rice. The manager was courteous and apologetic for the error, but the dish that finally arrived was disappointing.


Chicken Kabob

Other dishes that were ordered included, chicken tagine, chicken kabob, and kafta kabob. Each of them were well received and they were absolutely enjoyed. In keeping with Middle Eastern preparation, parsley with everything becomes almost routine and therefore lacking of originality, even if it is common in the cultural traditions. It makes the dishes too busy.

My father was quick to point out that Tanoreen excels in their preparation of vegetables and salads. I agree that they are all consistently excellent and is spectacular highlight of the chef and the establishment. However, I would say that they do not exceed in preparation of proteins. Notwithstanding, it was very good.

After tip the total bill was approximately $700. And while that may not be too mind-boggling for a party of 10, if you break it down, $70 is rather steep for a casual dining restaurant. Nevertheless, I still highly recommend this place because it is so darn good and you could spend less than half of that and have an absolutely amazing meal. I think they hold true to Middle Eastern traditions and authenticity.

Website: http://tanoreen.com
Rating: Highly Recommended