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
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