Peter Luger's Snow Day Lunch

With the wonderful snow day we enjoyed yesterday, Dan and I saw it as the perfect opportunity to have a nice lunch - something we never get to do during the regular work week.  We chose Peter Luger's as our destination, mainly because we wanted to give it another try after a lack-luster dinner experience (in my eyes mainly,  not his) - plus, we've been hearing so much about their burgers, that we just had to experience them for ourselves.

Unsurprisingly, the place was pretty quiet yesterday and we got a table, no problem.  There was a family with kids, dining a few tables away and a few patrons in the dining room, one level up from us, but overall it was mellow.

Food:
We didn't mess around, and went straight for the burgers.  They come in their simplest form - on a fluffy sesame-seed bun and Luger's own steak sauce on the side.  That's it. No other frills.  But...if you want add-ons (which we did) you have to order them a la carte.

Peter Luger's Burger - I can wholeheartedly now say that I know what all the fuss was about. Yes...I've seen the light.  The Peter Luger burger was simply a thing of beauty -  aesthetically and in taste.  Prior to actually seeing my meal, I couldn't understand why it didn't come with any fixins, but after I tasted it, I absolutely knew why.  The quality of the simple ingredients were impeccable.  The beef is perfectly juicy and as Dan rightly pointed out, tastes well aged. 

But aside from the actual meat, which is certainly the star of the show, the bun is also very noteworthy.  Soft, fluffy and beautifully brown on top, it's the perfect vehicle for enveloping the juicy burger meat.  So much so that it really doesn't get soggy only a tiny bit at the end, but even that goes down with grace.

One other note about the add-ons.  The cheese that I got on my burger was a nice accompaniment - hearty and gooey, it was a simple American that melded beautifully with the rich burger meat.  The slab bacon Dan ordered was completely out of this world, and so large that it was great for sharing.  He gave me about half and I further cut that into little pieces that I then put on my burger.  Heaven! Each bite was a fatty, juicy explosion of deliciousness.  As for the fries - meh...those were lack-luster and kind of sparse as far as  portions are concerned. I'd definitely skip those next time, as we didn't need them at all.

Service and Cost:
In Luger's customary fashion, the service was excellent, with waiters aged as well as the meat they served.  It's said that certain foods taste better with age, and in this case it's absolutely true about the service too - experienced, impeccable and knowledgeable, it was the icing on the already decadent cake of our experience.  Our burgers were brought out about 15 short minutes after ordering, and our waiter was helpful without being obtrusive or pushy. Just the way it should be.

Costs were affordable, especially for Luger's, making their burger the best deal on the menu.  Each burger cost $9.50 and add ons ranged between $1.50 - $2.95.  Our grand total came out to $27, which really wasn't bad for the top notch quality meal we devoured.  And on top of that, we were also treated to Luger's signature chocolate coins (pictured above).  Yum....I'm still licking my fingers.

3 Meaty Mmmms
Peter Luger Steakhouse - 225 Northern Blvd, Great Neck NY 11021
516.487.8800
www.peterluger.com