November 20th, 2007
Plenty of restaurants have seasonal menus, but the newly revamped Park Avenue Café is the first restaurant to change not just its food, but its entire decor with the season. Thus, Park Avenue Autumn (transitioned from Park Avenue Summer in September) is cloaked in a Fall color palette with deep orange tones present in shiny copper gobelets which hang from the ceiling and an intricate wooden light fixture which spans the entire dining room. Prior to my visit, I wondered to myself how the idea could be executed tastefully. I envisioned silliness like paper leaf cut-outs plastered to walls and children’s hand tracings mimicking turkeys. But Avro Ko (designers of Public and Stanton Social) are talented, creating the mood in a clear yet graceful manner.
The Autumnal menu focuses on earthy ingredients like chanterelle and trumpet mushrooms, squash, truffles, apricots, figs, pumpkins, and pistachios. Each dish sounded inspiring and we had a very difficult time choosing which to order. Sauteed foie gras with roasted apricots and brioche panzanella? Prosciutto with figs? Venison with pomegranate and pumpkin seeds? Roasted chicken and pumpkin pie? What a tough decision. As we perused we ordered a bottle of Etude Pinot Noir and enjoyed a heavenly amuse-bouche of fried risotto balls with truffles.
The waiter was patient and helpful as we made our decision, making recommendations along the way where appropriate. We started with some Plymouth rock oysters and Dad had the grilled wild quail, glazed with quince and served with a quinoa salad. I had the Autumn haystack with crispy shrimp. The haystack consisted of match-stick root vegetables like cabbage and carrot with deep fried shrimp on top. The root vegetables were refreshing in their light vinaigrette and the crispy battered shrimp fattened things up a bit. For entrees Dad had the veal chop with green-garlic bread crumbs and chanterelle mushrooms. The chop was deeply flavored, tender and very lightly dusted with the bread crumbs. I adored my lamb shank, served with saffron cauliflower, mint and pistachios. This was a shank like none other with meat so juicy it fell off the bone. The saffron cauliflower was nearly pureed, a perfect pairing to crunchy pistachio nuts. After enoying every bite of our entrees we made some room for a sorbet and ice cream sampler with flavors like honey, almond, and grape.
Near the end of the meal we had some fun with the German Sommelier, who poured a glass of wine for my Dad and I for us to blind taste. The wine turned out to be a Cabernet from Columbia Valley, Washington. For the record, I placed that it was Cabernet Sauvignon and that it was neither from California nor France but didn’t make it as far as Washington State. I guess I’ve got some more studying to do :P
The beautiful setting of Park Avenue Cafe, combined with stellar food, made for an incredible meal. Near the end we spoke with Michael Stillman, proprietor, who divulged some of the features of the Park Avenue Winter (Wonderland). I cannot wait to return and see for myself.
Park Avenue Autum: 100 East 63rd Street
Cuisine: New American, Seasonal Ingredients
Food: Very Good
Service: Very Good
Value: Very Good
You Gonna Finish That? Every last bite.
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Erika,
This may be off topic, but I wonder what people who eat out a lot at nice restaurants do to keep their weight down? Many if not most of my friends in the wine industry have great workout programs. I sure do. It can be difficult when you’re on the road, but it can be done. Do you have a workout program? I’d be interested in hearing people’s tips on staying healthy in this calorie-rich environment.
Hi Steve-
Yes I work out very regularly, about 5-7 days a week. I’m also a spinning instructor on the side which helps as well. I do a mixture of running, yoga, pilates and spinning. Still, a workout can only do so much! I think it’s about balance and saying “no” to meals out sometimes. If you eat out seven days a week, working out every day can only counteract so many calories.
It’s an icky topic to discuss but glad you raised the question.
I have to say this was truly an extraordinary dining experience for more reasons than the food! An amazing step up from the original Park Ave Cafe which I always considered the “crown jewel” of the Stillman restaurant empire.
The week prior to dining with Erika at Park Ave. Autumn Sybil and I went to one of the preview showings of Mel Brook’s new musical Young Frankenstein and low and behold Mel Brooks himself was sitting just across the aisle from the two of us critiquing his own show. I bring this up only because as Erika and I was seated at the new Park Ave Cafe I was shocked to find sitting at the very next table to us none other than Alan and Mrs Stillman and Alan’s son Michael Stillman enjoying their entree at their own restaurant! After saying hello we went on to order but for some reason I felt a bit uneasy with the owner (an old friend) seated next to us and in some way watching to see if we liked what we were served!
I am happy to see that Erika gave Park Ave Autumn in my estimation 4 Stars since we really loved the inventive kitchen, the staff and the ambiance. I can’t say that Mel Brooks would be as happy with my review of Young Frankenstein.
[...] an amuse-bouche of airy cheese puffs and foie gras toasts—the puffs seemed far too reminiscent of Park Avenue Autumn’s amuse, but delicious nonetheless. For starters we shared the wild mushroom martini with spinach [...]
I went to Park Avenue Winter this weekend for a really enjoyable meal: started with venison tartare and had John Dory with black truffles. Nice side dishes also included spaetzle and beets with snow peas. Some misses though were the flavorless toast points served with the tartare and a bland plum dessert. Service was well-executed.