A Menu For All Seasons

Last night I had an amazing dinner at Park Avenue Winter. Though it’s a classy New York restaurant, it features what I consider to be a clear gimmick. Every season the entire restaurant changes: menu, décor, even the name. So 2 weeks ago it was Park Avenue Autumn, and in March it will be Park Avenue Spring. I was skeptical if a restaurant based on a publicity stunt would have good food. I shouldn’t have been.

It was one of the best meals I’ve had in a very long time – everything I tasted was excellent. I had the Porcini Ravioli with Swiss Chard and Gorgonzola Cream, and the Grilled Veal Chop with Green Garlic Bread Crumb Chanterelle. Both were outstanding. I also tasted the Sole, the Brussels Sprouts, and the French Fries, which were out of this world. The desserts were delicious as well, I ordered the Warm Gingerbread Cake and also got to taste the Chocolate Cube, which was exactly that, with bits of chocolate cake and mousse when you cracked the cube’s chocolate shell. I should mention that this restaurant is by no means cheap – I was lucky enough to be there for a work event. However, for a special occasion it is one of New York’s many high-priced restaurants that I would say is worth the high price.

As for the gimmick, I have to say I was impressed. A quick glance at the website will show you how drastically they change the décor – even the walls change. Not the art on the walls… the actual wall panels. Along with tables, chairs, layout, light fixtures…One of the servers, who was dressed in all white last night but of course had a different color uniform 2 weeks ago for Autumn, told me that everything changes down to the sugar served with coffee: the brown, “sugar in the raw” in Autumn, white sugar in Winter. It may indeed be a gimmick but, combined with the exceptional food, it works: I can’t wait to go back for Park Avenue Spring.