Peter Luger Steakhouse New York

New York . 2011 . Oct 01-05

For those who love their steaks, Peter Luger Steakhouse is a must-try when you are in New York City.   It is named by Zagat Survey as the best steakhouse in New York City for 28 years in a row! They are celebrating their 125th year this year since opening in 1887.

There are only two Peter Luger outlets in New York, the nearest and most accessible from New York City is the one at Brooklyn.   The other branch is at Long Island.

Peter Luger Steakhouse allows you to make reservations but it cannot be done online and for tourists like us, we would have to make an overseas call to make reservations.  The restaurant  is so popular that when we called one month in advance to make bookings, they could only give us an odd timing of dinner at 4:45pm.

We were late for our appointed time due to a screw up of the New York subway.

Tip: Basically, if you are ever attempting to arrive at an important appointment using the subway,  do check online to see if there are any planned service disruptions.  

We found ourselves caught in a situation where a planned train service diversion caused our journey to be much longer than expected.  In desperation, we abandoned the subway to try to hail a cab, but alas, it was raining and all cabs were occupied.

To add to our misery, there were numerous others caught in the same situation as us, and fighting with us for cabs on the streets.
We were 20 mins late by the time we rushed into the restaurant.  Fortunately, our seats had not been given up to others yet.

This is the bustling scene that will greet you when you enter the restaurant into the waiting area where guests wait to be seated.  Lots of accolades on the wall too – all 28 of the Zagat Survey accolades included!

The restaurant has an old-fashioned quaint charm to it.  But its not surprising considering that this is a restaurant with a 125 year history.

Despite the sometimes mixed reviews on the service standards at Peter Luger, our waiter (who must be the tallest in the restaurant and who looks a little like Peter Crouch) was friendly, attentive and efficient.

Perhaph it was the fact that we were the only Asians in the restaurant, our waiter had a genuine interest in us and where we came from, which made our experience all the more memorable.

The menu tend to be sparse, but well, their porterhouse steaks are so famous that you just need to tell them whether you want a "Steak for 2" or "Steak for 3" etc and how you want it to be done.

The famous Peter Luger Steak sauce.
 

Complimentary breads served before the meal.  Fresh and fragrant and  we wish we had a bigger stomach for more.


The much raved-about sizzling bacon and creamed spinach. Yummy.  This is the best and the thickest slice of bacon we ever had.  One slice is enough to feed two.  Leave some space for the steak later on.
 

The creamed spinach is smooth, not too creamy or milky and has an airy feel to it, obviously whipped nicely into perfection.
 

And this is the reason why we went through all the trouble to make reservations at the steakhouse.  The signature dish of steak for 2, medium rare, and comes sizzling when it is served.  The waiter will serve you 2 pieces for you to see if its done to your liking.  The plate will then be titled on an inverted saucer, so that the oil and juices are drained at one side.
 

Tandalizing and mouth watering.  Succulent and juicy on the inside, slightly charred on the outside.  Devour as much as you can in the first 5 mins before the steak cools, for that is the time when the meat is at its best.
 

Our desert of sorbet and cream.  This is ordinary for its price, but had such a happy time that we must order desert to top it off. 

Take note that payment is by cash or debit cards only.  Remember to also tip your waiter – 10 to 20% of the total bill should suffice.   The portions here tend to be bit large for Asian stomachs so if you are unable to finish all the food, let the waiter know and he will be glad to pack it up for you to takeaway.   They’ll give you some gold chocolate coins as a souvenir too.

Verdict:  The steaks were admittedly excellent, but the bacon and cream spinach definitely steals the show. Don’t miss out on those side dishes! 

Peter Luger, Inc (Brooklyn Branch)
178 Broadway
Brooklyn, N.Y. 11211
Reservations: 718-387-7400

View Larger Map

BY SUBWAY:

1. Take F Train downtown to Delancey Street. 

2. Go upstairs and transfer to the J, M, Z Train over the Williamsburg Bridge to Marcy Avenue (First stop over the bridge). 

3. Walk on Broadway towards the East River to Peter Luger at 178 Broadway (you should be able to see its large signboard as you approach).

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