brunch.org > Eggs Benedict > Reviews > New York > Park Avenue Cafe
 

	Hollandaise Poached Eggs Canadian Bacon Pancake Potatoes Garnishes Sides

100 East 63rd Street
(at Park Avenue)
New York, NY
212.644.1900
 

Churchill once said: “A fanatic is one who can’t change his mind and won’t change the subject.” With this in mind, it is to the Park Avenue Cafe we go for brunch to have the duck meatloaf, the best hangover cure second only to a good eggs Benedict. The three of us ordered three duck meatloaves as usual, and after twenty minutes of watching other peoples’ duckloaves waft past, our waiter informed us they were out. He couldn’t explain why they were out, and he wouldn’t tell us why it took so long to inform us. Suffice to say we were displeased.

Sensing an opportunity, along with severe hunger, it became quickly evident this was a chance to take the eggs Benedict for a spin. Only one dining room in our travels thus far has appropriately put the truffle slice on top of the egg, which we highly applauded. For some reason the Park Avenue Cafe chooses to put its truffles on the side, swamped in truffle oil. I could smell the oil halfway across the restaurant, and when it arrived the effect was as subtle as an angry wild boar charging, tusks ready. The Canadian bacon also tried too hard. It was almost as think as a pork chop. While the effort of putting more meat in the meal was appreciated, the result was that the perfectly cooked eggs had long disappeared before I could finish chewing the bacon. The Hollandaise sauce had a nice texture and was lemony, but it seemed to lack a full taste. Oddly, there was one large almost-pancakey thing underneath both eggs instead of the usual English muffins. At brunch.org, we recognize and reward innovation when it is successful, but recommend caution as it is a high-risk strategy. Here it didn’t pay off.

The Park Avenue Cafe is a beautiful space for grandparents and their granddaughters, often with very good food. On this visit the service was slow, the clientele mediocre, the hostess looked like she’d just left a nightclub, and they were out of their best dish. I’ll go again, but next time I plan to call ahead.

Submitted by DO Jr.
October 27, 2002