Berghoff Bites the Dust

One of the aspects of aging is the sensing of the loss of permanence. The people, the places, the landmarks that have always been a part of your life begin to slowly disappear or evolve into forms no longer recognizable. In February the Berghoff, a Chicago restaurant and landmark will close. The Chicago Tribute can do a better job on the overall history, but our connection went unmentioned in the larger media story. Perhaps it was because we arrived late in historical terms for our first Berghoff meal. It was on Dec. 20, 1959. It may seem odd to be able to fix the date of a meal taken forty-six years ago, but we had been married on December 19th and worked our way into a snowy Chicago for our brief honeymoon on the morning of Dec. 20th. Tickets had been secured that evening for the touring New York production of West Side Story starring Larry Kert and Carol Lawrence at the Shubert Theatre. A dinner location was needed and not far away we discovered The Berghoff. Our own love affair has been intertwined with the restaurant ever since. Over the years we have made it a point to return to that gorgeous high ceilinged old world dining room on almost every visit to the Windy City. Draining a frosty mug of "dark" while nibbling on dark rye with real butter is a sense memory so strong that I can almost taste it now as I write this. it. The Berghoff cannot be planned. No reservations are taken, but table turnover is the name of the game. You'll get in fairly soon as long as the line doesn't twist outside the door too far. The white haired hostess at the door is imperious. The waiters, in black and white, are brusque but efficient. Your main course arrives speedily. Nothing truly exotic on the menu--some pork, some sauerbraten, some fish--good hearty German fare served hot and fast. Finish it off with a Black Forest Torte and a cup of hot coffee. There is no finer place for a meal in Chicago! I don't suspect that they will miss us, but we are sure going to miss them.