dinner at Peter Luger

Peter Luger is a classic New York institution. It's in Brooklyn, and as you cross the Williamsburg Bridge, you would do well to look back at the Manhattan skyline, because when you stagger out of the restaurant after dinner, your glassy-eyed food coma stare will not be up to the eighth wonder of the world. The original restaurant was established in 1887, and the current owners are living up to the tradition of keeping it simple and keeping it good. I've never seen a written menu, but I understand that there is one. Somewhere. There's a long wooden bar where you come in, a couple of dining rooms with bare wooden tables, wooden beams, and waiters who do their best to be grouchy. They have their own beer, which is cold and good; the bar is full-service (but this is not the place for glamor cocktails), and I guess there is wine. There are other beers.

 So you order. Start with the sliced tomatoes and onions and their famous sauce (spicy, tangy, good for what ails you); a giant killer shrimp cocktail; and some thick grilled bacon, served like a little cutlet. The restaurant sells this sauce through an astounding variety of outlets, and it may very well be available at a fancy food store near you. If so, try it when tomatoes are in season (I took this photo last week and the tomatoes were good but not great and by good I only mean better than I could buy in a New York supermarket). But with Real Tomatoes, it's ambrosial. You can also eat it with grilled meat.







  

 Then there is the Steak. It's a porterhouse; it comes to the table sliced and juicy; there were four of us, and we finished it and Someone to whom I am not married took the bones home. Those are his hands in the photo above. With the steak you order sides. We always get the creamed spinach and the German fried potatoes. No reason to change. I've been coming here with family, friends, dates, and family again since I was a little kid, and this is what you get. Oh, once I was here with a guy who had the lamb chops, so I can reliably report that the loin lamb chops are also very good.

Desserts are apple strudel and a variety of things with real whipped cream and hot fudge sauce. Nothing wrong with that either.