Park Avenue Wine Dinner

American.  Wine, wine, wine.  Flowing freely throughout the night.  Go prix fixe and it’s appetizer, entrée, dessert and all the red and white your heart desires.

It’s easy to fixate on how fantastic this is, but we need to talk food.  They win you over even before you’ve ordered, with their black truffle gruyère puffs, focaccia, and olive oil (complete with extra bling).

Both the cavatelli (smoked clams, n’djua, rapini) and peekytoe crabcake (citrus, elderflower, avocado) aren’t just good, they’re ovation inducing.  And then the branzino (citrus, castelvetrano olives, dill) totally brings it.  As you may have noticed, they are very fruit-centric here, so dish after dish pops off the plate.

For roasted contentment, there’s the filet mignon (wild mushrooms, Bordelaise au poivre). You’re free to add sides, and the Park Avenue latkes (two dips) are potato perfection. When you’re ready for dessert, you can ratchet up your bliss.

Their forest cake is white, creamy sweetness sheltering pistachio creme brûlée, circled by a scattering of red forest berries.  Another path to nirvana: The Park Avenue chocolate cube.  By invading this delicious, defiant shell, you’ll be richly rewarded with chocolate ancho sorbet.

Yet, beyond your meal and vino, there’s the singularly spectacular service.  The waitperson arrived with personality to spare, so each appearance felt like running into a favorite friend.  I could go on about the unforgettable lighting or warmly inviting design, but that would keep you from more important things.  Like making your reservation, ASAP, at Park Avenue Wine Dinner.