Peter Luger Steakhouse

[ahr]

Where's Mr. Cutlets when we really need him?

[bilrus]

Thanks everyone for the driving advice. This is just one of the reasons I love eGullet.

[enrevanche]

We love Luger's, for many reasons.

On our most recent visit there we discovered something that may be pertinent to eGulleteers with dogs in their lives:

After my wife and I finished the porterhouse for two, I remarked that it was a shame we couldn't take the meaty bone home, as we have two dogs in the house (and two dogs, one bone = instant conflict, we both agreed.)

The waiter overheard us, assured me that he had a solution, and when he brought us the check he also brought us a plastic bag positively groaning with T-bones, all wrapped in a neat greaseproof package. I think there were half a dozen huge bones in there with a shocking amount of meat left on them. We thanked him profusely (and tipped lavishly.)

Our dogs' eyes were as big as saucers when we pulled these giant bones out for them at home. If they could talk, they would be urging us to return to Luger's as soon as possible.

[tommy]

Peter Luger maintains its own protected lot a few steps from the restaurant. Parking is free, though you are expected to tip the attendant. Just drive into the Peter Luger lot and you're all set. There also tends to be on-street free parking available at most times.

Driving to the NJ Turnpike via Staten Island is in my opinion the best way to go -- far prefereable to retracing one's steps all the way back to Midtown and also better than crossing via lower Manhattan. Of course you could run into a traffic disaster on any of these routes, but the odds are more favorable with the non-Manhattan strategies.

yup. the lot is right there, clearly marked, on the right as you turn off the bridge. it's a small lot, though. i can't imagine how they handle the overflow, but it wasn't a problem when i showed up. i'm sure tipping when you go in is a smart idea, but i tip when i leave a situation like that, as that's when i'm sure that the service met my standards (is my car still there?). he was pleasant on the way in, and appreciative on the way out.

getting from NJ across the island is never a pleasure. i drive into the city most days of the week, and it's always a pain in ass, with random issues popping up when you least expect it. today i opted for the holland, as i knew it would be a quick (geographically speaking) jump across to the bridge. after we got through chinatown on canal, and shot up a bit, it wasn't a problem. however, it's always a different battle, and i'd avoid driving any time during the week or anywhere near rush hour, which for all intents and purposes starts at 3 PM.

as far as getting from lugers to the Turnpike, i'd be tempted to go through brooklyn to staten island, as has been suggested. but i have no idea what that traffic dynamic is like. i will say that driving in or around manhattan is a major pain in the ass, and don't plan on getting anywhere when you say you will. from experience, i can say that i'm constantly calling NJ restaurants on the way back from NYC telling them i'll be 15 minutes late. and other times i show up 1/2 hour early.

as far as the meal at Luger's, i will say that it was one of the better if not the best experiences at a steak house that i've ever had. the steak alone, with that big pool of butter, was quite good. they must be cooking with some high heat, or magic, to get that kind of crust while keeping the interior pink.

the bacon was incredible. i don't know what else to say. if you don't start with one piece at $2.25 you're out of your head. it popped and melted in my mouth.

that sauce of theirs is the most horrible thing in the world. i suppose it's not too different than cocktail sauce (i've had the bottled version, but the only thing i remembered was that it was horrible). i dipped my shrimp in it at one point (don't worry, i spooned the stuff on my plate).

the bread, as reported everywhere, was quite decent. more so than i would have expected.

the wine list certainly wasn't up to the standards of other NYC steakhouses, but a simple bottle of chianti did the trick. nothing to complain about there.

oh yeah, and the burger was super as well. and there was nothing wrong with dipping the burger meat into that pool of fat/butter/blood/whatever.

the service was outstanding. far better than just about any other place i've ever been (well, that's a lie, but it was right where it needed to be). the guy was chill, cool, considerate, and helpful. i'm sure this might not be the norm, but this guy Steve was right on the money. frankly, i don't care if the server is gruff in a place like this. it's just par for the course, as long as the stuff hits the table without a fight. the most gruff-ish people i ran into where the two ladies at the hostess desk. they weren't nasty or anything, just uninterested and busy.

and i love the german beer hall feel. and now, after about 17 years after having my first brooklyn ale (or was it lager?), i can say that i actually *like* it. my first pint at the old Knintting Factory on houston back in the late 80's was pretty horrible. it probably wasn't the same beer, though.

all in all, if this place was in manhattan (more convenient for me), i'd go before going to S&W, old homestead, keens, mortons, and the few others i've been too. i'm looking forward to wolfgang's place, and MarkJoseph's, though.

question: what's the idea behind not having barstools? i guess that's to keep people out who aren't eating? i've not seen that in any NYC restaurant. perhaps it's for the better, as it gives people a place to wait when they're sitting around during those notoriously long waits.

Edited May 16, 2004 by tommy (log)

[picaman]

Gourmet Magazine article on peterluger.com

From the article:

"Those parties of two or more who know the kitchen well, know to order the "Steak for Two," (doubling the order, say, for a group of four). This steak (for $59) is a porterhouse, on the bone, with a disproportionately large fillet prized by fillet- lovers. Larger parties may also order the Steak for Three ($88.50) or the Steak for Four ($118). Unlike the Steak Single and the Steak for Two, however, the larger orders are not always exactly the same cuts. Yes, they are porterhouses. Yes, they are on the bone. But they feature a smaller portion of fillet than the "Steak for Two," and because a 1 3/4-inch porterhouse is not enough steak for three or four people, the kitchen puts together a collection of porterhouse pieces to make up the platters. "

To clarify my earlier comments, evidently one should order steak for two in appropriate multiples.

Jamie

[Fat Guy]

Glad you had a good Luger's experience, Tommy. If you always go for lunch, you'll most likely always have an equally great time. You may become disenchanted if you go for dinner, however -- the service and atmosphere become a lot less reliable when they're trying to turn the tables.

For those who like dipping the burger in the butter sauce, if you're not also eating steak, you can order the "chopped steak" instead of the burger. The chopped steak is essentially the same hamburger patty but on a platter with butter sauce instead of dry on a bun.

Jamie, I'm assuming that's Rosengarten writing? I believe what he means by "a collection of porterhouse pieces" is what I've been saying: that they might give you two small porterhouses on a steak-for-three platter (and, he seems to be implying, three smaller porterhouses on a steak-for-four platter). Smaller porterhouses, being cut from closer to the center of the short loin, will typically have a smaller filet portion than the larger ones cut from the end of the loin -- as you move along the short loin the filet decreases in size much more rapidly than the strip/shell does. I have, however, been served steak-for-three in one piece (as well as in two pieces) and the only time I ever ordered steak-for-four it was just steak-for-two times two.

[ahr]

Well, that might just settle things. Also, from an earlier part of the article cited by Jamie:

Peter Luger's steaks are not super thick (all the restaurant's steaks are cut to 1 3/4 inches)...

[TrishCT]

Diagonally across from Luger's is a church with a valet that offers parking for Luger's.

it sounds like you're describing a regular parking lot that caters to Luger diners, rather than a Luger valet service. while i don't mind tipping a valet, i'd consider not paying 20 for parking if a free option is a stone's throw away.

Nope. This is the sanctioned Luger's parking lot.

[Fat Guy]

Incidentally, the "smaller filet" objection to the smaller porterhouses doesn't hold much water with most serious steak lovers, because such folk tend to prefer the strip over the filet. In my experience the problem with the assemblage has been that the smaller steaks aren't as thick, not that they lack sufficient filet (which I'd always happily trade ounce-for-ounce for strip). As I said, I haven't measured, but uniform thickness strikes me as the less likely scenario given the reality of how a short loin occurs in nature. I hesitate to disagree with Rosengarten, who is a fanatical fact checker and in my opinion the best restaurant reviewer in recent times, but the precision he implies is something that I think bears further investigation.

[tommy]

Glad you had a good Luger's experience, Tommy. If you always go for lunch, you'll most likely always have an equally great time. You may become disenchanted if you go for dinner, however -- the service and atmosphere become a lot less reliable when they're trying to turn the tables.

and i can thank all of you on egullet for making it a stress-free and 100% successful meal. and yes, i'll probably stick with lunch. i can't think of a better way of spending a sunday, and a better way to limit myself to only 1 meal on a single day (something that i don't think i've ever done before this trip...well, unless you count the 1/2 ham sandwich i had at 10 am...edit: and unless you don't count 1.5 stips of bacon, 2 large shrimp, 3/4 of a hamburger, 1/2 of a porterhouse for 2, some spinach and a bunch of fried potatoes as a single meal ).

i should add that we were seated about 5 minutes after arriving. we were 1/2 hour early for a 2.45. they were still turning over tables at that point.

Edited May 17, 2004 by tommy (log)

[tommy]

Nope.  This is the sanctioned Luger's parking lot.

indeed it is. it should be noted that it's a "park and lock" situation, more than any sort of "valet" situation, using "valet" in the way that it's generally used when talking about cars/parking rather than its definition of "attendant" or whatever. i certainly prefer the former when it's just around the corner from a restaurant as it is here. as i mentioned up-thread, where do you go when that small lot is filled?

Edited May 17, 2004 by tommy (log)

[Suzanne F]

How were the shrimp done, and how were they?

[tommy]

How were the shrimp done, and how were they?

cocktail. perfectly cooked. large, but disparate sizes. i think there were 6 of them (which seemed to me to represent a good value). although, that's not so bad when you have 3 people of different sizes. not quite as impressive as Frank's over on 10th, but i use them as the standard, and don't expect anyone to come close. but yeah, great steakhouse shrimp cocktail (sauce was just ok, but a large ramiken of horseradish was served with it).

[Dryden]

With regard to an earlier comment regarding dogs and the bone from the porterhouse steak, we have for many years (30? 40? 50?) been in the habit of taking the bones home with us. My mother, and now my wife as well routinely eat them on the way back into Manhattan in the car or for a late night snack.

And if you ask for them, they will always be more than happy to throw 5-10 extras in a bag, for the dog, for a stock, for whatever. Many of them will even have a fair amount of meat on them... I always feel that whoever leaves that much meat on the bone should be shot, but hey - that's just me.

[LJC]

"And if you ask for them, they will always be more than happy to throw 5-10 extras in a bag, for the dog, for a stock, for whatever."

Sorry to sound like a parent…. But be careful eating or making stock out of bones from other peoples tables (the one that the waiters offer to throw in for your dog) it is a great way to get hepatitis.

I had a busser who worked for me years ago who contacted Hepatitis from eating leftovers from unknown guests. BTW, this happened at an NYT 3 star so just because they have money does not make them immune to diseases and viruses.

[mnebergall]

"And if you ask for them, they will always be more than happy to throw 5-10 extras in a bag, for the dog, for a stock, for whatever."

Sorry to sound like a parent…. But be careful eating or making stock out of bones from other peoples tables (the one that the waiters offer to throw in for your dog) it is a great way to get hepatitis.

I had a busser who worked for me years ago who contacted Hepatitis from eating leftovers from unknown guests. BTW, this happened at an NYT 3 star so just because they have money does not make them immune to diseases and viruses.

I think it unlikely that one could contract hepatitis from eating stock (simmered for how may hours?) made from leftover steak bones.

[tommy]

I think it unlikely that one could contract hepatitis from eating stock (simmered for how may hours?) made from leftover steak bones.

i still wouldn't do it. i'm thinking there are other options for a good stock besides leftovers that have been sitting at room temp for however long.

[bilrus]

Great beef cooked perfectly. A simple description of a place that does what it does well.

I was disappointed that the hash brown, German fried potatoes were not available for lunch, but thought the french fries were very good.

The bacon was a little fatty (I know, it *is* bacon) but had great flavor and a nice chewy texture. The tomatoes and onions were serviceable to add a light note to the rest of the heavy food. And I actually liked the sauce as a salad dressing that I bought a bottle to bring home.

And thanks to everyone for the suggestion of taking 278 to get back to the Turnpike. Mapquest got me screwed up going there, but we had no problem heading home.

[Rodney DangerFOOD]

Peter Luger is the best

and the atmosphere is great

ron silver aflac agent

[Mister_Cutlets]

Where's Mr. Cutlets when we really need him?

I was following this thread closely and then fell out of the loop for a while. But I've been here all along. In my capacity as steak-and-chop prophet, I'm often asked about Peter Luger, which is our city's greatest signifier to the meat-eating world, and constantly name-checked by any meat-eater who affects expertise. And I love the restaurant myself, even at night, even when it's busy. I love the bacon, the potatoes, the cake with the shlag, all of it. I even like the various tribute restaurants that have popped up in recent years like so many sitcom spinoffs. And of course Steven, who is along with Steingarten probably the most knowledgeable beef-eater in New York, has never wavered from his loyalty to the place, and that weighs heavily with me as well.

But I think Peter Luger has slipped.

That is not to say that the restaurant doesn't produce sublime steaks, with notes of copper, musk, blood and other ancient tastes, redolent of some bronze-age heaven. It does. But it now only produces them once in a while. I don't know why. I've heard through the grapevine that Luger no longer buys all its meat by eye on the hook, but has rather taken to purchasing whole truckloads at the Restaurant Depot. But restaurant gossip always tends to have an edge of malice, and I'm unwilling to believe this of the Speira family. However, there's no doubt that not all the meat is what it should be. Too many discriminating carnivores have confirmed my own experience that, even dressed with blood and butter, and served in the Bayreuth of Beef, the primo tenor of steaks doesn't always sing.

There are other explanations. I have always believed that Luger's hamstrings its claim to steakly greatness by slicing up the steak right out of the broiler. Those juices look good at the bottom of the inclined platter, but they would taste better where they belong -- inside the meat. (That is one reason why I like Sparks, whose unadorned steak is always served intact.) Another explanation comes down to supply and demand: there just isn't enough great prime beef to go around any more, and with competition from Lobels, Citarella, Ottomanelli's, not to mention purveyors like DiSpragga and Spitler, Luger can't be expected to serve one-in-a-thousand steaks every time out. Think how many top-flight steakhouses have opened in the past few years: Nebraska, The Strip House, Dylan Prime, City Hall, Michael Jordan's, the Penthouse club steakhouse (which is really good, btw) and now Vongerichten's place in the Time Warner building: how much prime beef is there for all those places? And that's not even counting all the great and almost-great restaurants, from Daniel on down, who serve the best beef they can possibly get?

The only problem with this latter theory is that some other steakhouses seem immune to it. I've never had a steak, or a lamb chop for that matter, at Sparks that was anything less than great. I'm told that Sparks uses the detested "wet-aging" but I find it impossible to believe from the taste of the meat there. Maybe there is some kind of alchemical magic being performed, but presumably they are bidding for the same steers as the Speiras. The last great steak I had at Luger was six visits ago -- and it was a small sirloin for one I had at lunch.

Whatever the cause, put me down in the growing list of Luger-lovers that think the place past its prime.

Sincerely,

Mr. Cutlets

Edited June 1, 2004 by Mister_Cutlets (log)

[Pan]

Mr. Cutlets, would a brief explanation of wet aging as opposed to dry aging take this thread too much off topic? If so, please post an explanation in another thread, if you'd be so kind.

[Mister_Cutlets]

In dry aging, the meat is left in a cool, dry room, where over a course of several weeks it loses up to 25% of its weight and gains accordingly in taste and tenderness, as the enzymes in the meat eat away at their own cell walls and break down the muscle. The distinctive sign of dry aging is a musky, "footy" taste combined with a coppery, mineral sharpness. Wet aging is a cheap shortcut, in which meat is sealed up with chemicals in a plastic bag, and artificially tenderized. Much of the beef you eat in second-rate steakhouses, cruise ships, casinos, etc. is wet-aged. Sparks uses a secret technique combining both wet- and dry-aging, but since their reputation and their product are both impeccable, this cannot be imputed to anything but meat-wizardry.

Josh

[wannabechef]

Thanks Mr. C! I've only been to Lugar's once and it has a legendary place in my memory. I'm gearing up for another visit soon and hope I won't be disappointed. In your opinion though, even though they are slipping, do you still think they're the best? Is a sub-par Lugar steak still better than any other NYC contenders?

Haven't been to Sparks yet but its on the list.

Thanks -

~WBC

[rich]

Is a sub-par Lugar steak still better than any other NYC contenders?

That's about all they serve now compared to what they served in the 60's and 70's.

[Mister_Cutlets]

Thanks Mr. C! I've only been to Lugar's once and it has a legendary place in my memory. I'm gearing up for another visit soon and hope I won't be disappointed. In your opinion though, even though they are slipping, do you still think they're the best? Is a sub-par Lugar steak still better than any other NYC contenders?

Haven't been to Sparks yet but its on the list.

Thanks -

~WBC

I don't think so. A sub-par Luger steak is no better than what you would get in a 2nd-tier steakhouse like Smith and Wollensky or The Strip House. Possibly worse, given the practice of slicing the hapless thing up, or even worse, flashing it in the salamander before bringing it out, which they do all the time at Luger. Sparks is the place. Other places better than an imperfect luger steak include: Sammy's Roumanian, Nebraska, Beacon, Les Halles, and numerous others.

Josh

Edited June 3, 2004 by Mister_Cutlets (log)