Loreley is named after the legendary siren who sits on a rock high over the Rhine and lures mariners to their death. Loreley opened in the fall of 2003. The restaurant, Michael thinks, fills a gap in the gastronomic landscape of New York City, where German-Americans, although a large ethnic group, are underrepresented. Among the more than 17,000 eating establishments in New York City, there are less than twenty German restaurants, and almost none that cater to the under-fifty crowd.The traditions of the Rhineland and Cologne, where Michael grew up, have been a source of inspiration for Loreley. In addition to Kölsch, the beer of Cologne, which is served in the typical narrow glasses, about 20 major German beers are available on tap or bottled, as well as German wines. The menu includes German staples and regional foods. Being lured by this Loreley to downtown Manhattan offers the ageless pleasure of German food and drink — without the Lederhosen.