Presenting The Faux Gourmet!

The Faux Gourmet has been on hiatus for a while. I began this blog as a creative outlet during law school. After law school, I started other blogs on other topics and no longer needed this as a creative outlet, not to mention my diminishing free time.

But I kept cooking, kept taking food pictures and garden pictures, kept wanting to share the little tidbits of what I'd made. I occasionally did this on my personal blog (to which, I'm sure, people yawned and wondered when I'd post another cat picture). But I started to miss this space. Of all the blogs I have, this format, culled over several dedicated years and incorporating that adorable illustration by Sam Wedelich (see info the left) is by far my favorite.

So I'm back!

Expect short and sweet posts. Less food porn, more recipes and tips. If you want food porn you can look at any of the 5000 million existing food blogs. I don't have good lighting in my apartment and don't have time to style plates. I just want to make something yummy and eat it. If that sounds ok with you, stick around.

Looking forward to being back in touch!

xx

The Faux Gourmet

Faux Gourmet @ Twitter

    follow me on Twitter

    Saturday, February 9, 2008

    Restaurant Week outing #3: Park Avenue Winter, Feb. 1

    Every season brings a whole new set of reasons to visit.

    Taste & See: As if I needed another reason to hit up Park Avenue [insert appropriate season], this restaurant practically demands a quarterly visit by changing everything- name, decor, layout, menus- to match the season, modeled after regions visited by Captain James Cook. I first visited with a prospective employer in Autumn:


    [Photo credit: PAW website]


    Restaurant Week seemed like the perfect time to see how Winter looks from Park Avenue.

    Winter looks . . . well, white.


    [Photo credit: PAW website]


    The antler-chandeliers and fur-panels on the wall give off a hunting-lodge vibe, not a look I usually associate with Park & 63rd.



    The restaurant feels cool and airy, all clean lines with spare glass and metal accents.




    In PAW's own words:

    "Park Avenue Winter includes a refined interpretation of the season, adding details such as lacquered panel moldings, coffers with mismatched plaster rosettes, vintage British military buttons and custom crystal and glass chandeliers. All of the polished architectural elements blend with more rustic items, such as elongated birch branches built into the lighting elements, raw leathers and white-washed woods. Winter pays homage in part to Cook's travels in the Antarctic Circle, combined with a classic drawing room aesthetic."

    I can't say I noticed the plaster rosettes or vintage buttons, but I was nonetheless impressed. Even more impressive: apparently the change was made in just 48 hours.

    One precaution: you might find the hostess & her fashionable, high-heeled crew a bit pretentious & the upper-crusty crowd a bit too used to the luxury, but don't let it put you off. Even faux gourmets like me can enjoy PAW; just save your pennies, make yourself a reservation, and focus on the food.

    You'll be able to begin with this all-important task immediately, as the bread basket is half Whole Foods gourmand, half farm-girl abundance. I prefer the carrot-raisin loafs, personally.


    Kudos to PAW for one of the most indulgent restaurant week menus I've seen-- remember, we pay $24.05 total for three courses-- printed in a hefty little bound book imprinted with a compass, PAW's logo. It included reasonable wine pairings, one of which was from a local (to my hometown) winery I've lauded on here more than once:


    Like Mercer Kitchen, PAW revisits some classics, but did so with a twist that made each dish, and the experience as a whole, far more memorable. In addition to being delicious- I won't waste time on extraneous adjectives; for once, every single dish was amazing from start to finish- the food was extremely photogenic. Hence, the outburst below.

    Starter options included Cured-Meyer Lemon Caesar Salad ($11) and Prosciutto with Asian Pear ($14).


    I chose Porcini Ravioli, Swiss Chard, Gorgonzola Cream ($16). I don't even like Gorgonzola and I liked this. Between the bread and the generous appetizer portion, I could have been content to stop here.


    But then I would have missed the exquisite (couldn't resist just one extraneous adjective) Cornbread Crusted Red Snapper ($25).



    The down-home name belies the delicate crispy crunch just laying atop the perfectly flaky fish; the rainbow bed of blood orange and green onions . . .


    The deep green olive oil and sweet rich balsamic swirled around the fruit . . .


    I can't overstate how incredible this was. I did not, however, regret giving up half my dish for a half plate of Grilled Lamb Chops, Preserved Lemons, and Picholine Olives ($32). Perfectly tender, superbly done. Yes, yes, yes!


    [Photo credit: J. Wang]

    Another friend had Roasted Chicken "Coq au Vin," ($18) and you already know how I feel about restaurant roast chicken. But I admit, this was a bit more spectacular that the aforementioned MK, and my friend was quite satisfied.


    [Photo credit: A. Bron]


    I really didn't have room for dessert at this point, but when I saw my darling little dish of Coconut Panna Cotta with Macaroons (not available on regular menu) I made room. A Jewish friend eating with me says she'll never think of Macaroons as a 2nd-best Passover dessert again.



    Also available Warm Walnut Gingerbread, Apple Puree, and Spiced Raisins and Cinnamon ($13).


    I suppose I did not uphold my promise to avoid extraneous adjectives, though for me, the food was so well done, every single adjective was more than deserved.

    3 comments:

    Anonymous said...

    JR-Loved reading and seeing your account of the fantastic meal at Park Avenue-Winter. Will have to go there when we come out some time...will start saving my pennies! Can you guess who this is?

    Anonymous said...

    JR, I enjoy your passion and writing about food and restaurants SOOOOO Much!!! I check in often!
    Love,
    Auntie R

    Anonymous said...

    Hi!!! whatsinthepot.blogspot.com is one of the best resourceful websites of its kind. I enjoy reading it every day. I will be back.