I don’t have to tell you that Chef David Burke puts as much effort into the “wow factor” as he does into selecting the ingredients and preparing his legendary Modern American fare. Dishes like Clothesline Bacon where diners cut pieces of thick artisanal bacon with scissors and Lollipop Tree where the colorful cake pops come in every flavor from cheesecake to bubble gum are legendary in New York City foodie scene as well as being crowd pleasers for families!
You can’t go to a David Burke resto without having any of his legendary Gruyère popovers that come with a “surprise side bread” that is always interesting! These jalapeño corn sticks that came with the popovers during my visit are “the bomb”–and the sweet and spicy butter that comes on the tray is soft, creamy and unforgettable. There is only one problem with any DB popover–they fill you up fast! The popovers come in sets of two and four and are simply just referred to as small or large Bread Service on the Park Avenue Kitchen menu.
Now let me tell you about a soup only available at DB restos which is a creative concoction that no one else would have ever come up with: a soup that is basically a meeting of French Onion and Creamy Tomato Soup. It’s one of those “best of both worlds” kind of item. The soup is called Tomato Soup Au Gratin and it’s a cream based tomato sauce with chunks of lightly toasted French Bread in it, then topped with five or six ounces of Gruyère and extra green EVOO. To make the presentation cute, there are random piles of alphabet pasta around the bowl. This is super filling and would make a great lunch or dinner on its own.
A popular item that you can share as an app, side or entree is the generously portioned Rock Shrimp & King Crab Spaghetti. It’s basically both classic and squid ink spaghetti topped with lemon, Calabrian Chili, Shisitos and bottarga. The tremendous amount of shrimp and crab meat is the piece de resistance here, though!
Park Avenue Kitchen has a special meat locker in the back which has walls lined with Himalayan sea salt blocks and the sea salt and aging makes all the difference in the taste of the resto’s meat. You can’t go wrong with the always crowd pleasing 8 ounce filet mignon sided with a beautiful arugula and tomato salad and the house made steak sauce.
The roasted Brussels Sprouts are in a league of their own because they are Asian glazed which gives them a bit of sweetness. The crunchiness and the sweetness are a killer combo. This is a generous portion that is perfect for two people to share–I would say that you get just under two cups of Brussels sprouts.
The French fries are also spectacular as they are golden, thick, “skin on” and have random slices of Parmesan on top! If you are someone who likes over the top fries that have lots of toppings, go for the 277 Park Ave Fries–which are topped with Camembert, lemon, prosciutto and shishitos.
Another item that people eat as an entree although it is officially an appetizer is the Tuna And Salmon Tartare which features avocado, shaved vegetable salad, gaufrettes chips and a yuzu vinaigrette. I like the way it resembles a flower but never underestimate David Burke’s ability to make any dish look beautiful.
Everyone does a double take at Park Ave Kitchen when this comes to your table! The newest in David Burke’s legacy of unforgettable desserts is the Tiny Dancer Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake in honor of the famous song by @eltonjohn. The whimsical elements are not only the sugar cookie legs but the bubble gum flavored whipped cream that has a pink tint. (I love that the whipped cream is topped with slivered almonds, too!) I think that this dessert can be repurposed for a party celebrating the anniversary of the Rockettes or Folies Bergere! For more information on visiting Park Ave Kitchen, go to http://parkavekitchenbydb. Reservations are recommended but not mandatory–and by the way, they do breakfast, lunch and dinner plus have a killer menu coming up for Easter 2024! Monday through Friday there is a three-course lunch for $35 that is NYC foodies’ best kept secret!
