See Barney's right there? Clearly this is not a neighborhood I frequent. I had to be someplace at 7:30, so I strolled over to Central Park after work and sat on a bench to people watch.
But what was I doing around 61st Street and Lexington Avenue on a random Monday night? I'll give you a hint... see that white awning?
I was hanging around until it was time for dinner at David Burke Townhouse!!!
Yes, it's one of my favorite times of the year... RESTAURANT WEEK! Are you familiar with this wonder of culinary experiences? Their website describes it as:NYC Restaurant Week®, New York City’s original celebration of dining, dates back to 1992, when it was developed as a one time culinary program to welcome the Democratic National Convention (DNC) to the City. Though created with an eye toward delegates and other DNC attendees, the program also found a strong following among residents eager for the chance to eat at some of the City’s top restaurants for a fraction of the usual cost—$19.92 for three courses—and who didn’t want NYC Restaurant Week to be a one-time-only event.Since 1992, the success of NYC Restaurant Week has only grown. It has expanded to include both lunch and dinner offerings—three-course, prix-fixe meals for $24.07 and $35, respectively—and extended to two weeks each in the summer and winter. More than 250 restaurants participate—a cross section of the NYC culinary scene that encompasses a diverse range of cuisines and includes some of its most time-honored restaurants and buzz-worthy newcomers.
Isn't that amazing? With a deal like this, I've had the chance to eat at some very interesting/noteworthy restaurants. So last night, my good friend LCW, LH and KF met up with SFS and I for dinner. Also, I would like to give MAJOR props to LH for scoring a special booking code that allowed her to make a reservation for a somewhat large dinner party at a decent dinner hour! :)
First, we took some couples photos before KF arrived (he has a very demanding job, so it's sort of an inside joke that he's always running late). Here's LCW and LH...
And SFS and I.
And now, for the food. I have to admit... I didn't want to look like a total nerd and whip out my camera... at the same time, the plates were so amazing/interesting, I couldn't help myself... so I tried to find a happy medium by snapping QUICK shots without a flash (in the hopes that I wouldn't draw attention to myself). These may be a little blurry/yellow... sorry!
First, there was bread. How cute are these personal loaves?
The butter came to the table on a giant salt block, sprinkled with Himalayan pink salt. Isn't it pretty?
For an appetizer, SFS ordered toro (in case you don't know what that is, it's raw bluefin tuna tummy... it's supposed to be the BEST part of the fish). It came with a little dish of miso for dipping, which was covered with a little silver dome which had a juggling monkey on the top. I know the picture is terrible... just please believe me that I wanted to take it home with me! As for the toro- I tasted it... and it wasn't half bad! :)
The rest of us either ordered the Chilled Thai Corn Soup with red curry taylor bay scallops and julienne apples (on the left), or the Pretzel Crusted Crabcake and Sweet Chili Prawn with tomato marmalade, confit orange and poppy seed honey (on the right). They were both incredible! 
For dinner, SFS had the Pan Seared Wild Salmon with basil spaetzle, lemon bok choy and
smoked tomato vinagrette.
And I had the Seawater-Soaked Roast Organic Chicken with herb garden potato purée, roasted vegetables and bbq jus. Let me tell you, it was the best thing I've eaten off the bone in a while!
But the best part, for me, was dessert. SFS and I combined our dessert choices to order DAVID BURKE’S CHEESECAKE LOLLIPOP TREE (with bubblegum whipped cream and raspberries). Do these look familiar?
This is the man who created dessert on a stick... and the reason my beloved cupcake pops came into being. I owed SFS a debt of gratitude for giving up his dessert choice so we could have this wonderful little tree at our table. Aren't you in love with the special little silver holder? I tell you, if my purse was big enough...
Of course there were other desserts, like the Cube (chocolate caramel mousse and coconut sorbet on the left), but I was thrilled with the cheesecake pops (on the right)!
As SFS said, it was just another, normal, Monday night dinner... yeah RIGHT! We spent almost 2.5 hours at the dinner table, laughing, gossiping, chatting, and sharing bites of these yummy dishes. If you have plans to visit NYC this winter, I highly recommend coming during restaurant week... it'll change your life!
