Park Avenue Autumn
New York, NY 10021
Phone: (212) 644-1900
11/03/2007 Posted by arhart
Two of us went around 8:45 on a Friday night and were seated almost immediately. There was a nice crowd, but it wasn't raucous at all. Our server(s) came right away and introduced us to their mushroom menu. Good stuff, but we ended up choosing otherwise. I say servers because throughout the night we had two. It's a little confusing at first, but it's also fun having two people paying attention to your table. The amuse bouche was a caramel apple and crispy sage "lollipop." What a nice way to start things off! The server helped us pick out a nice pinot noir, then we ordered the following: Apps. 1. Diver scallops and 2. Agnolotti, Mains. 1. Halibut "chop" and 2. Sea bass., and a side of haricots verts with chanterelles. Things came out quickly and precisely, but I didn't feel rushed and the service was very good at judging when to hang back or charge forward. Three types of bread came out: a mini pumpkin loaf (moist and light), a sweet onion roll (flaky with a hint of onion flavour), and some spicy flatbread. Altogether a nice contrast. Both the scallops and the agnolotti were tasty. The sauces were not overwhelming and this was especially so with the scallops (their natural flavour really came through). I liked my partner in crime's halibut chop more than my sea bass. Both were delicious, but texturally I preferred the flakiness of the halibut (not dried out though) to the chewiness (not rubbery) of my sea bass. The haricots verts were a nice addition. We decided not to get dessert (we were comfortable and wanted to converse) and the staff didn't push or prod. A few items did catch our attention (e.g., chocolate cube and goat cheese cheesecake). We lingered for another half hour and the place was still lively. Overall, I would say my experience here was comfortable, simple, and pleasurable. I would definitely make this a "usual" for me to dine at.
Pros: Attentive but not overbearing service, simple food, nice atmosphere.
Cons: Would like a little more guidance and knowledge of the wine list on the part of the servers.
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