Diners are a classic American institution that have been gradually disappearing in NYC. The all day menus of everything meant you could have burgers at 10am or bacon & eggs at 3pm, reflecting the non-stop, around the clock activity of the city that never sleeps. But even though I like the idea of diners and their Happy Days aspect, since the demise of the Empire Diner, I have not indulged in one. That turkey roast dinner I so enjoyed mid afternoon at Christmas-time in 1995 is but a memory. Compared to other options, diner food now tends to be ordinary – especially when you look at superb new German imports like the Bavarian bakery in Greenwich Village.

We found Landbrot by accident last weekend. Actually it was no accident. Sean & I were on the prowl for a good coffee, and the hunger pangs from a brisk Autumn afternoon bike ride drew us directly to the yeasty smells of bakery and beer. As we walked in a waiter was serving a black forest ham & emmental ciabatta sandwich with potato salad – which we ordered without further ado. It was delicious, but if I’d paused, we may have ordered the Flaming Pie instead. It’s not what the name suggests (I visualized a German bombe alaska), instead it’s a crispy thin crust with creme fraiche, bacon and onion. Next time. Unless it’s raining, then the Farmers Bratwurst with sauerkraut & German mustard will do the trick. Of course a tapped wheat beer was the perfect accompaniment, as was coffee with Sean’s apple strudel. The menu said the phyllo pastry for the strudel was hand rolled. This seemed a stretch in an inexpensive casual cafe in the Village. But not so, the dessert was finely made to perfection, a tribute to German culinary engineering…

Craig the baker, let me know when you have perfected the pretzel croissant from The Bakery – I have a new challenge for you!