In college, I had a food-focused radio show called “Binge and Purge” that I did with my friends Jared and Michael. We focused mostly on reviewing local restaurants and one of our favorites was the German restaurant Wunderbar & Bistro in Hudson, NY. There is something about a plate full of bockwurst and sauerkraut that is irresistible to me, and Wunderbar has some of the best wursts I’ve ever had. It’s one of those restaurants that cause me to rave about it years after I eat there (hence this rant). All of us enjoyed it so much that we gave it our highest rating – “It’s so good I’d binge on it until I purged just so I could binge on it again.”

Michael recently moved to Park Slope, Brooklyn, and has been raving about Café Steinhof, an Austrian restaurant on Seventh Avenue and 14th Street. I periodically reminisce about Wunderbar and more-than-periodically crave Austrian and German fare. Café Steinhof, I was hoping, would be the answer to my Central European desires.

Coincidentally, going to Café Steinhof for dinner was a reunion-of-sorts for “Binge and Purge.” My non-meat eating sister was there, as well, and although they don’t have Tofu Wursts, they have plenty of pescatarian and vegetarian offerings. However, that’s like getting mole sauce at Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory. Even so, the sautéed brook trout ($14) with green beans and roasted potatoes was delicious.

I was so focused on what type of sausage I was going to get for my entrée, that I didn’t pay much attention to the appetizers. Thankfully, Jared ordered the chicken liver pate ($6), which came with sour cherries and cornichons. Whenever I eat pate, fond memories of my childhood come to focus — like I’m in Marcel Proust’s Swann’s Way. In this case, instead of madeleines, it’s chopped liver.

In elementary school, there were two lunch items I ate that were OK when I was surrounded by non-judgmental 8 year-olds, but I quickly put an end to once I reached middle school – matzo and butter and liverwurst sandwiches. The matzo was a special occurrence that only appeared around Passover. However, eating liverwurst and mayonnaise sandwiches was much more common. I remember adoring those sandwiches, but it was a blind love — little did I know that my favorite lunchtime meal was made with an animal’s liver. As I matured from a delirious little boy to a self-conscious man-boy, my love affair with liverwurst ended.

It was actually until only recently that I was reminded of my childhood obsession with chopped liver. Last Passover, my mother made chopped chicken liver and as I took that first bite, it was like I returned to that elementary school lunch table where I unabashedly devoured my favorite treat. My love of chopped liver was resurrected.

The chicken liver pate at Café Steinhof is delicious and would remind anyone who orders it why they are so fond of this mashed organ. Its combination with the sour cherries and cornichons adds bite to the lightness and creaminess of the pate. I was there for the sausage, but the pate was the best part of the entire meal. Frankly, it’s worth going to Café Steinhof if only just for this appetizer.

I ordered the Weisswurst ($10), which came with potatoes and sauerkraut. The sausage, made with veal and pork, was very tasty, but not very warm. The heaping pile of sauerkraut was delicious and had some pork chunks in it, which was a pleasant surprise. The potatoes were also very good and added some nice crunchy texture to the soft sauerkraut and sausage.

Michael ordered the Wiener schnitzel sandwich ($9), which came with a salad. The Wiener schnitzel was also very good, and Michael said that he really liked the salad. Jared ordered the Sauerbraten ($13), which came with red cabbage and potatoes. It was recommended by the waiter and for good reason. The meat was juicy and tender and the red cabbage was fantastic.

Café Steinhof is more than capable of filling my craving for Austrian food. The authentic sausage and meats, delicious chicken liver pate, and cheap prices will be tough to top by anyplace else so close to home. In just a few stops on the R train from Sunset Park, it’s like you’re transported to the heart of Vienna – or, in my case, to my elementary school cafeteria.

Below is my mother’s original chopped chicken liver recipe. It’s my early Passover gift to you:

Chopped Chicken Liver

2 lbs or so chicken livers
Chop a small white onion or half of a large one
Chop a few cloves of garlic

Put several tablespoons (2-4) of butter in a pan
Once the butter is melted, add livers, onions, garlic
Add 2 bay leaves
Sprinkle with pepper and salt, to taste

Cook until the livers are done and the onions are soft (make sure that this doesn’t get dried out — sometimes I have had to add a little more butter, especially if I don’t use that much to start)
Remove bay leaves

Place livers and onions in food processor and pulse several times
Add several tablespoons of mayonnaise, to taste, and pulse some more until you get the consistency that you like
Adjust seasoning, as needed (that is, add more salt and pepper, and more mayo, as needed)