David Burke & Donatella

[robyn]

Kim, thanks for the heads-up.

Robyn: Actually, the room(s) are not at all over-the-top, but very, very classy. Definitely a place to get dressed up for, if you want to, but not that you have to.

And as I stated above, there is a truffled macaroni dish that is one of the best (and richest) things I ever ate. If you get it, make sure that you have someone to share it with, it is sooooooooo rich. (Although once you taste it, you probably won't want to give any of it up.)

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I am definitely in the mood to get dressed up. I'm sick of moving patio furniture in cut off jeans and t shirts (although I may have to do it again this weekend ). I need a few days where I can wear nice clothes - and be pampered.

That truffled macaroni sounds terrific. Can't be sure we'll find it on the menu when we're there - but - if it isn't - I'm sure <fingers crossed> that they'll have something comparable. Robyn

[robyn]

Snapshot. Ate here tonight. It was just about everything I expected - and wanted tonight. Epitome of upper east side chic. For people of a certain age (like me! - 40+). Excellent food. Nice buzz. Even Barbara Walters . Restaurant was absolutely packed when we arrived at 8 - and only beginning to thin out at 11 when we left. Too packed in that certain NY way - but one can forgive that when you're having a good time. And we did due to great food and a very friendly (although obviously very busy) staff. Only sad point is my husband got to talking to 2 very nice looking ladies sitting next to us - and we found out both of their husbands had worked at Cantor Fitzgerald and died on 9/11 <sigh>.

A few more points. The bartender was good too. We arrived 30 minutes early for our reservation and enjoyed drinks (I had a tasty raspberry martini) and delicious nibbles at the bar. We were seated promptly at 8:30 (time of our reservation). Nice table in the back room (there are 3 rooms - and the front one has the bar - that front room is much too crowded and noisey on a busy night like tonight). I hate places that keep you waiting when you're not a first seating - and we didn't encounter that problem here. And they didn't rush us out either. I can't find anything I didn't like about this place (suppose I could if I tried really hard - and I probably will when I dissect the meal in a clinical way later - but who wants to spoil a good experience by searching for minor faults when you're still feeling warm and fuzzy).

Will go into our menus in detail when I get home (got photocopies so I don't have to worry about my memory).

And to answer one of my own questions - this is definitely a dress up place. Almost all the guys had suits and ties (including my husband). If you have impressive jewelry (I don't) - this is a good place to wear it. You will also see a lot of the latest fashions that I usually see only in magazines - but worn by women of that certain age. Kind of the exact opposite of the crowd we saw walking by the H&M opening party tonight (which was definitely a size 2 jeans 20 something kind of crowd). Anyway - this is my idea of a great high end NY restaurant - and I loved it. More to follow later with food specifics. Robyn

[oakapple]

Anyway - this is my idea of a great high end NY restaurant - and I loved it.  More to follow later with food specifics.  Robyn

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It got 2* from the Times, and based on my experience there, it arguably deserved 3.

[Fat Guy]

Having dined there twice now, I've got to agree. David Burke (or is that "davidburke"?) is simply a brilliant chef. He's one of the few chefs who is a true innovator, not in the avant-garde sense but in the sense of displaying restless creativity and individuality in almost every dish. He may very well be America's most underrated chef-genius.

Then again it's not like getting a third star would make any difference. There isn't room to accommodate any additional customers, the prices are already at the three-star level, and the restaurant already has the audience it wants. It would be nice for him to get the recognition he deserves as the culinary intellectual equal of the other two DBs, but it just doesn't strike me as something he obsesses about -- he's probably much more concerned with inventing (and with earning) than with recognition.

[robyn]

OK - here's what we had. For starters - I had the sea urchin - sea urchin filled with urchin, scrambled egg and caviar. Only second time I've had a dish like this. First time was at Robuchon's Jamin maybe 20 years ago (that was urchin with a quail egg on top). I'd be a liar if I told you I could compare the 2 renditions after 20 years - but this one was excellent. My husband's starter was the lobster and green apple bisque with crispy lobster roll. When we got his dish - we couldn't exactly remember the menu - so we thought the long skinny thing sticking out of the bowl was maybe some kind of bread. Well it was the lobster roll - the single best thing we ate all night. We would have fought over it - but my husband is a gentleman and he gave me a healthy sample .

For mains - my husband had the baby halibut "t-bone" with lobster dumplings, lobster bordelaise and tomato marmalade. He pronounced it one of the best halibut dishes he's had in years (he likes halibut). He was almost tempted not to share the dumplings . I had the handmade cavatelli and braised short rib with wild mushrooms, mushroom chips and truffle mousse. Like the rest of the meal - yummy.

By dessert - we were running out of steam (remember - we had nibbles at the bar - and what nibbles they were - before dinner) - so we split a chocolate citrus bombe with fresh raspberiies and raspberry chocolate. Beautiful rather than dramatic like some of the other desserts we saw (e.g., the cheesecake lollipop tree). But we had enough steam to lick the plate clean.

Regarding wines - like I've said in other messages - I'm not the best person to talk about them because I usually like a cocktail before dinner - and only wine that agrees with me is champagne. I like Veuve. Did both of those here - cocktail (bartender's favorite) was excellent - champagne was as expected. So I'm reporting second hand from my husband - who is only drinking wines by the glass because I'm a wine party pooper. He had a New Zealand S. Blanc he knew - and was happy with it.

I absolutely refuse to get drawn into discussions/arguments about the fine points of the NYT star system - because I don't understand it. But this place would be either 1-2 Michelin stars (I'd probably give it a 1+ or 2- if there were such such ratings).

About the only caveat I have at all is avoid the tables in the front room by the bar. The bar is very crowded and it's no fun eating a wonderful dinner when people are 2 deep at the bar and bumping into the back of your chair. I don't know how one avoids that seating (we just made reservations and were seated at a nice table in the back room) - but whatever it takes - do it.

Oh - and I have another caveat. Like I've said - the restaurant was slammed that night (maybe every night?). And when we got to the table - the tasting menu was there. And after asking a few people (at the beginning we weren't sure who our main server was) - we were led to believe that the tasting menu was the only menu. But it wasn't. There was a complete a la carte menu too. Would have thought that perhaps I had too much booze at the bar - but the people next to us were similarly confused when they were seated. So I guess I'd have to say that the service was a bit confused at the beginning. But then our main server - from Paris - took over. He was excellent. And there was no confusion after that. He also had a droll sense of humor (which is hard to do when English isn't your first language). Liked him a lot.

And just for price comparison points - our bar tab was about $28 (2 drinks) and dinner was about $300 including a $95 bottle of champagne. Really not bad at all in a city where it's easy to spend $60 on a room service breakfast for 2 (assuming I liked breakfast - which I don't). Robyn

P.S. Perhaps one reason for the serving confusion at the beginning is that some of the servers were Japanese - or from other non-English speaking countries. We ran across this in London earlier this year. A fair number of really high end diners world-wide these days are Japanese - or from other non-English speaking countries (and - unlike us - they seem to buy big red wines that have to be decanted - so they are certainly valuable restaurant customers). Any respectable high end restaurant in any big city worldwide would be stupid not to have servers who speak Japanese or languages other than the native language of the city. But pairing the right servers with the right diners can take 10 minutes or so. Let's face it - there aren't many servers anywhere in the world who speak 5 languages perfectly. I want restaurants to do well - so I don't mind the occasional bit of server confusion at the beginning of a delicious meal in a great restaurant.

Edited October 26, 2004 by robyn (log)

[madziast]

the best thing about dbd is that it put fun back into dining. it's a great experience and food but without the "worship at th etemple of cuisine" feel some places impart. i've eaten there 4 or 5 times since it opened (lunch and a few dinners, including a tasting menu) and find the food generally very, very good, although i did get a couple of not-so-stellar dishes. i like the rooms and atmosphere even though yes, it can get crazy in the front but i enjoy mad energy every now and then.

but the most fun is on the plate. great presentation, great flavors, great use of humor, surprises and just tons of fun. just think of the lollipops (we usually end up sharing them with people around, it's that kind of fun place)

the manager & maitre d' are very good, too, but the waiters try to upsell a touch too hard at times

[Poots]

I'm home for the holidays from Denmark and will be dining here next week, has anyone been lately? Still operating with nothing but good reviews? Any can't miss dishes. The cavatelli and shortrib sounds great and i think i'm in for the cheesecake tree. Appreciate any suggestions.

thanks and regards,

Brian

[Lreda]

Think I'm going to have lunch here at the bar tomorrow. Anyone been lately? It's between here and BLT. Can't make up my mind.

[Poots]

Lou, i'd definitely reccomend this place. We were seated promptly at 730(our res time) after enjoying a coctail at the bar. We were seated against the right wall and i thought the tables were quite close together but i'm a big guy and still had enough room. The tasting menu was placed on the table and sounded quite good however my dining partner did not have the appetite for many courses. There were a few specials on the regular menu including some white truffle supplements but alas i did not indulge. Apps were a special of Nantucket Bay Scallops for my friend and the Lobster Bisque with granny smith apple and crispy lobster roll. I unfortunately did not taste the scallops however the bisque was very good and that roll was excellent. It was like a long thin eggroll filled with lobster with an antenna sticking out one side like a handle. I was somewhat unsure as to how i was supposed to eat the thing daintily so i just picked it up with the untensils momma made me with. Quite tasty with a little dunk in the bisque as well.

Mains were 2 orders of Homemade cavatelli with braised short ribs. We both wanted these and neither would budge. The waiter came buy with a 'white and black truffle mousse' and asked if we'd like a dollop on top of the short ribs.....we both accepted. I absolutely Loved this dish and put as one of the tops i've had in NYC(although granted i haven't been to any of the 4 star places).

Sides were tempura green beans and i'm sorry but i've blanked on the other. Dessert was 3 cheeses for my friend and the cheesecake lollipop tree for myself. The cheeses were a cows, a sheeps, and a blue. i'm sorry but i can't give you any more info. they were served with walnut bread and apricots. The first lollipop i tried was absolutely wonderful......up until i started feeling an itchyness on my tongue and throat. I asked the waitor if any of the lollipops had walnuts on them or in them as i am allergic and after consulting with someone he came back to say that 8 or the 10(?) had walnuts and that all of them were stored together. This was completely my fault as i did not ask beforehand. I fed half of them to my friend and borrowed a little of her although not on the walnutbread .

With a bottle of white(an italian around $40) with apps and a chateauneuf du pape($88 i think) with mains the bill came to around 400 w/out tip. After paying the bill we adjourned to the bar where we spent an hour drinking grappa and limoncello and enjoying each others company as well as that of a friendly bartender from Tunisia.

For those of you that smoke they keep a stretch hummer limo parked outside for the customers to smoke in. As i do not indulge i did not go in.

Service was helpful and observant. they brought over the sommelier quickly when i asked some questions and he decanted the red when he brought out the white. water glasses were kept full and the whole staff seemed surprisingly friendly.

regards,

Brian

[Lreda]

Brian,

Thanks for the review. You made up my mind and I'm on the way for lunch.

Lou

[kurl]

I ate at "davidburke and donatella" tonight and it was a truly fantastic meal. Extremely inventive cuisine, brilliant presentation, fantastic desserts, and a decent value to boot. Definitely one of my more memorable recent meals. A better writeup to follow.

[little ms foodie]

We had dinner at Db&D on Friday night before a show. I was surprised at how busy they already were by 6pm.

The whole experience was great, beautiful rooms and the service was so good. Our waiter Joe was fantastic.

2 of us had the tasting menu at $85 each, fair price I think for the food we were served. Another had the tuna tartare which he loved and the rib eye which I swear looked like it was meant for Fred Flinstone. Chicken and lamb were also had and pronounced excellent.

2 desserts were served as part of our tasting menu and a few more brought out on the house. the butterscotch pana cota is still being talked about.

Wine list seemed a bit inflated but I'm from Seattle and I don't usually see a full 50% mark up so that is just me a suppose.

I would recommend and return.

[docsconz]

Welcome to NYC, Wendy! How did it compare to Arzak?

[little ms foodie]

Welcome to NYC, Wendy! How did it compare to Arzak?

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LOL!!

Well nothing was foamed so it couldn't compare right?? But I have to say that the organic chicken egg scrambled with lobster, creme fraiche and topped with caviar, served in a huge osterich egg on a bed of peppercorns was a treat!

[docsconz]

With a little imagination I could place that at Arzak - well maybe not the ostrich egg!

[Josh]

A group of us went for the $35 prix fixe brunch at davidburke and donatella this afternoon for a celebration. This was my first visit to DBD and I was very pleased with the experience. While I'm not one for whipping out the camera when I dine, I really wish I had brought the digital camera with me for this one.

I started with the Lobster Bisque with Green Apple and Crispy Lobster Roll. The bisque was nice, but it was the accompanying lobster roll, tender lobster wrapped in a perfectly crisp 6-inch long "spring roll"-like shell, really made the dish. The addition to the bisque of bits of green apple gave tangy highlights, but I felt it could have sufficed sans-apple.

Some of my dining companions started with the Pretzel Crusted Crabcake and Shrimp Tempura. It was artfully-presented and truly divine for crabcake lovers.

For my main course, I had the veal saltimbocca. Served with mushrooms over spinach, this was as good a rendition as I've ever had. The veal was done to perfection.

In terms of main dishes, standouts among my companions were the Mustard Crusted Tuna Teriyaki and the Ginger Rubbed Wild King Salmon. Both were artfully presented and top notch. A conversation ensued about whether not the salmon was actually wild ("Tastes wonderful, but it's not red enough to be wild salmon." "Hey, maybe it's that Canadian wild salmon that's farm raised." "Would they deceive you like that HERE?"). Apparently somebody read last month's NY Times article, but interestingly enough nobody asked the server to clarify

The desserts... Ah, the desserts... The table basically decided to go to town and order one of each to pass around. Most know about the cheesecake lollipop tree (another $8 in the prix fixe...) so I won't go into detail except to say that it tasted much better than the gimmick I thought it would be, and that I could do without the bubblegum whipped cream which could kill it. The green apples from my lobster bisque made a reappearance in the Crisp Apple Tart, albeit more appropriately and with sinfully good cinammon ice cream. The creme brulee was about as good as it gets, although had I eaten the whole thing I'd have to say that the large portion size would have overwhelmed the meal for me.

So that was the food. As for the atmosphere, I thought it was a nice place. While I was weary of the crowd because of some of the things that I read, on this mid-afternoon Sunday the crowd was quite mixed. Sure there were some stuffed and plasticky stereotypes that many bemoan in their descriptions of DBD, but nothing ornery. The service was efficient -- it didn't stand out as spectacular, but perhaps it was understated by design and nothing eventful happened during the meal to really "test" it.

All in all, a good outing. Did I dine with two companions to the point of blissful gluttony last night at El Malecon for a total with tip that was less than this per-person price? Well, that's neither here nor there in terms of comparison, but yes, that is indeed a fact davidburke and donatella was certainly one of the most creatively presented fine dining meals that I've eaten in NYC, and for something that beautiful to taste so good is truly the mark of a gifted kitchen.

[therese]

Last week's Taste of the Nation benefit in Atlanta included a booth for davidburke & donatella. Any idea why?

I'm pretty sure I actually met David Burke about 10 seconds after we'd walked in. He approached me while holding this odd-looking arrangement of sweets on sticks (apparently a cheesecake lollipop tree). I declined, as it was the very beginning of the evening and I didn't want to start out by eating sweets.

Turns out the interaction was taped and used on one of the local station's evening news. I'd no idea that anybody was filming, so it was a bit odd to hear the next day that I'd been on the news the night before.

Anyway, I'm still trying to figure out why davidburke & donatella would have been at this event. Anybody have a clue?

[Josh]

Last week's Taste of the Nation benefit in Atlanta included a booth for davidburke & donatella. Any idea why?

A quick google search indicates that David Burke was the event's "National Honorary Chef". Just what exactly that is, I cannot say, but it would explain his presence and thus the booth.

Edited May 24, 2005 by Josh (log)

[gaf]

Manhattan Sunday Morning - New York Entry #14

Restaurants are industrial organizations. They consist of line workers whose job is to manufacture when required. But unlike many factories, there is no room for inventory (cakes, excepted). Production is required immediately. And unlike services such as cobblers, laundresses, or auto mechanics, one can not request customers to return later while these professionals operate on their own schedule.

Of course, high-end restaurants, like surgeons or beauticians, require reservations to provide some temporal control. Yet, until operating theaters or salons, the number of dining reservations scheduled is a function of the size of the room rather than the time necessary for focused of attention to the needs of a particular client. When the restaurant is jammed, all hell breaks loose. Restaurants are routinely overstaffed, except for those moments at which they are dramatically understaffed. These moments - typically termed "the rush" - are necessary for a restaurant to be financially successful. At the best restaurants a rush is a high for workers, allowing them a sense of flow, flying through the kitchen, but it also creates a pressured space where mistakes happen.

This Sunday some friends and I decided on a late brunch at davidburke & donatella. davidburke is David Burke, formerly at River Café and Park Avenue Café. donatella is Donatella Arpaia a former attorney turned restauranteur. The name reminds me of a hoary magic act in which Mr. burke would climax by sawing his skimpily-clad assistant in half. Could he be channeling Charo?

We made reservations for 11:30. I can hear New Yorkers snickering at these rubes. In Chicago, our day is half over. When we arrived the restaurant was empty. Was davidburke & donatella suffering from being under-capitalized?

We had the staff to ourselves, hovering to snatch our plates before we were quite done - although perhaps they were aware of the circus to come. But at 11:30 we enjoyed the tight, but pretty, room, decorated in bright swaths of red; everything from the banquettes to the servers' ties was rosy, centered by an explosion of lilies in a stunning centerpiece. By 12:30, the space revealed its flaws. The staging area for the servers was near our table, and it was apparent that the tiny corner needed a redesign with plates teetering. The room became raucous with servers charging about, nearly colliding, and forgetting to bring both the sauce for one of our courses and our bill, the latter despite the customers waited to be served. What had been a restful brunch had become rush hour. Yet, despite flaws in the preparations, I could find no kitchen problem that I could easily attribute to the crowds. I recognize the need to squeeze in customers, but next time I will play a Chicago farmer and appear at a bleary ten a.m.

On first arriving, servers placed an object in front of me that seemed a simple popover. With thoughts of Boston's Anthony's Pier Four, I tapped it expecting the souffle to collapse. The roll tapped right back. Was it a Candid Camera roll? (davidburke can be playful, as in his signature cheesecake lollipop tree with bubblegum whipped cream.) I was so confused that I asked a servers (We had four at the start of the brunch), whether this was how it was to be. Assured that it was not last Sunday's antique, I broke it open with the imagined mess. No popover this, but a faux-popover hard roll. Not bad, but not the first thing to tackle with a hangover.

One guest began with "Fresh Berry [black and blue] Granola and Vanilla Yogurt Parfait with Mango Donuts." This is a good and straightforward dish. The berries were fresh, the granola was crunchy, and the yogurt mixed nicely. Less successful were the accompanying "mango donuts." Guess: What is a mango donut? Wrong. At db&d, it is a chewy little dough ball (doball?) with a bleak and bland mango-ish sauce. Bleech.

The warm asparagus with wild mushrooms, chorizo, black olives and goat cheese would have been just fine had the kitchen merely forgotten the asparagus. These tough old stalks had no place in a fine new restaurant. That the stalks were intended was testified by the fact that the kitchen had scraped them. If one cannot find baby asparagi, why not substitute a baby carrot disguised by guacamole? The mushrooms were delightful (the morning had a fungal flair), and the goat cheese and chorizo added a nice tang.

The third appetizer was "Pretzel Crusted Crabcake Tempura with Mango and Poppy Seed Honey." Put aside intramural debates about when frying becomes tempura, and let us admit that the batter, while not soggy, was not as crispy as to make it memorable. Still the crabcake was luxurious, enriched with dabs of mango vinaigrette and what tasted to me like a cumin aoili, circling the plate in delicious dipping dots of yellow and beige. The unadvertised segments of grapefruit was unneeded, but as readers of my reports know any chef who plays with bitterness gets a free pass.

The first main dish was "Classic Eggs Benedict." Classic it was, and well-made. It was served with a couch potato serving: an oversized mound of shoestring potatoes. The crispy threads sprinkled the table with tiny nubs of spuddy goodness.

I ordered Short Ribs of Beef with Wild Mushroom Cavatelli and Truffle Mousse. davidburke is described in Steven A. Shaw's Turning the Tables as a man who loves his meat, and these ribs were stunning. This is meat that you could cut with a butter knife. As a mushroom picker I greedily consume fungi with a smile. Were the meat not rich enough, the truffle mousse would have solved any spartan quality, abetted by the earthy mushroom cavatelli. I am not usually a fan of truffles, believing little slices add more to the bill than to the dish, but this belonged. The only surprise - and not a happy one - were a small pile of rather sad and tepid porcini chips.

The third main dish is course was stellar: Sheared Brown Eggs and Dried Figs with Braised Short Rib Hash. But before my groveling praise, three cavils. Cavil one: Perhaps the kitchen had run out of those distasteful dried figs, but our figs were fresh and moist. Cavil two: Brown eggs? - how would we know unless the chef left little bits of shell around for us to check? Cavil three: I had thought that sheared eggs were scrambled, not fried. Cavils aside, db's dish was spectacular. I adore the voluptuous mix of meat and fruit, and no fruit promotes concupiscence more than the beloved fig. With db's meat fixation, this dish could be placed on my culinary rotation.

Desserts were mixed in execution. Least successful was a "Warm & Crisp Apple Tart" (with cider caramel and cinnamon ice cream). The tart was not crisp (it was warm), but warm and stale might not pass muster with restaurant consultants, although it might create a unique market niche. The cider caramel was a proper mix, and the cinnamon ice cream, if not luxuriant, was cool and spicy.

Better was a canonical version of Vanilla Creme Brulee, properly crunchy and smooth, above and below. A traditionalist could enjoy a most pleasant brunch at db&d with Organic Greens, Eggs Benedict, and Creme Brulee. Perhaps the portion was over generous at the end of a rich brunch, but had we will-power, such complaints could be shelved.

My dessert was lovely: Butterscotch Panna Cotta with Curried Cocoa Gelée. The martini glass filled with perfect whipped pudding with little shards of chocolate, topped with a butterscotch jam. At the bottom of the glass was a joyous curried cocoa liquid, which could only have been more satisfying if there was twice as much. There was not enough to infuse in the panna cotta, but my last three bites were memorable. The dish was an advertisement that desserts can be as complex as any amuse bouche.

At times I was disappointed with the service and the kitchen work, yet at its best the food at db&d was very satisfying. I enjoyed the boldness of David Burke's flavors, his mix of imagination and tradition, and his respectful veneration of meat, not always evident outside the doors of steakhouses.

New York brunch reminds me of a heartland advantage: by intelligently designing when to dine I avoid Manhattan's madding crowds, who treat the Times crossword as an austere sermon from which they are not early released.

davidburke & donatella

133 East 61st Street (between Park and Lexington)

Manhattan (Upper East Side)

212-813-2121

My Webpage: Vealcheeks

[Pan]

Is DB & D a really good steakhouse with some of the other dishes really good and some not? (Did someone say that before in this thread?)

[oakapple]

Is DB & D a really good steakhouse with some of the other dishes really good and some not? (Did someone say that before in this thread?)

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I think it's a real stretch to call DB&D a steakhouse. Burke will offer you a steak, but so will many restaurants. It's not the dominant item on the menu. Even ADNY offers an aged ribeye.

[oakapple]

Once upon a time, David Burke and Donatella Arpaia opened a hot little restaurant on the Upper East Side. The food was inventive and terrific. The space was noisy, but packed every night. Flushed with success, Arpaia opened her own place in Soho (the undistinguished Ama). Burke took over the catering operation at nearby Bloomingdale's, launched a steakhouse in Chicago, and started planning another in Manhattan.

With all of this extra-curricular activity going on, is anyone minding the store at the flagship restaurant that bears both their names? My experience last night suggests that one or both of them needs to start spending more time at East 61st St, ere DB&D becomes a sad caricature of itself. I still have fond memories of my first visit (eighteen months ago), but the restaurant is now misfiring.

This was a year-end celebratory dinner with two friends who live in Boston, but have been working in New York. We knew that the transit strike would make it difficult to get uptown, and my friends suggested that we cancel. However, I was determined to keep the date. We hailed a cab immediately, but the driver had first to drop off somebody else, which required a bit of a detour. In all, it was about a 90-minute trip from our TriBeCa office to the restaurant, more than double than normal. Exasperated with the traffic, we left our cab behind at 57th & Park, and walked the last five blocks. (FYI, taxis during the strike are charging per person by the number of fare zones crossed; we were charged $15 apiece — $5 times three zones.)

Transit strike notwithstanding, DB&D was fully booked. They graciously honored our reservation, although we were 40 minutes late. The noise level was just as I had remembered it: practically deafening. The server dropped off an amuse bouche, but we couldn't hear his description of it. We were barely able to ascertain that it contained no pork (which my companions do not eat). It was a small pastry filled with some kind of tangy meat—but what?

My companions are identical twins, and they ordered identically. They started with grilled oysters, which they described as unpleasantly gooey, and left unfinished. I had the Scallops "Benedict" ($15). This was two fried egg yolks, each atop a scallop, atop a slice of bacon, atop a potato pancake: in short, about two ingredients too many; a promising idea run amok. The bacon was tough, as if left over from breakfast the day before.

My companions did better than I for the main course. They had the Lobster "Steak" with curried shoestring potatoes ($40). They got an enormous helping of lobster, shaped like a fillet mignon, with which they were quite happy. Alas, I had no joy with the Halibut "T-Bone" ($38), which came with lobster dumplings that were both tough and gummy. The halibut was bland, and the portion was small.

Although the restaurant has been open just two years, there is already a section of the dessert menu labeled "DBD Classics," from which we ordered. My companions shared the famous cheesecake lollipop tree ($16), while I had the coconut layer cake ($10). This was the only course that all of us found successful, and the only part of the meal that I'll remember with any fondness.

David Burke was in the restaurant last night, but he was in civilian clothes, talking on his cell phone. He's obviously not minding his kitchen, and he's not minding his website either. Visit http://www.dbdrestaurant.com/, and you'll be reminded that "Thanksgiving is just around the corner." There are bugs in the site, and it takes several frustrating clicks to get to the online menu, which is outdated anyway. (The first click brings up David Burke's spring recipies, instead of a menu. The second click brings up a section called "Our Little Nest." Finally, you see the menu.)

We wondered how difficult it would be to get a taxi home. Although there are plenty of taxis out, you can't easily tell whether they're available, because the meters aren't running during the strike. As we were all rather full, we decided to walk off some of the calories, and see how far we got. In the end, we just kept walking. It was about two hours from 61st & Lex to John & Gold, or about 6-7 miles in 30-degree weather. But it was a lot more pleasant than sitting in a taxi.

As I observed last time, the tables at DB&D are packed as tightly as can be. Our table was near the front door, in front of the bar, and a long walk from the kitchen. Our server was pleasant and tried hard, but she was obviously very busy, and there were long stretches when we didn't see her. I ordered a glass of wine to go with the appetizers. I would have ordered a second glass of wine, but by the time she re-appeared the meal was almost over, and I didn't bother. They did manage to keep our water glasses replenished.

Marian Burros of the Times rated DB&D at two stars. On the strength of my first visit, I thought that the restaurant arguably deserved three. On the weakness of last night's visit, it would earn only one.

Edited December 22, 2005 by oakapple (log)

[rich]

Marion Burros of the Times rated DB&D at two stars. On the strength of my first visit, I thought that the restaurant arguably deserved three. On the weakness of last night's visit, it would earn only one.

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Good report OA. Had a meal there about a month ago - invited to early Christmas dinner by a business associate (party of eight). Your most recent experience mirrors mine.

[Fat Guy]

From the PR department . . .

"Million Dollar Fried Rice"

Seems that dbd is the latest restaurant to hop on the bandwagon of super-expensive dishes accompanied by PR campaigns to promote them.

This one, the creation of chef de cuisine Eric Hara, who worked at Tao, is fried rice with Wagyu beef, caviar, gold leaf, king crab, lobster, etc., in a fancy salt bowl.

Incorporated into the rice are perfectly-cooked lobster and king crab chunks. The meaty rice is then topped with 2 oz. of raw Japanese Kobe beef strips that cook slightly with the warmth of the rice. A tiny fried quail egg and a dollop of American caviar rest on top. Gold leaf garnish is the final opulent touch.

There’s nothing plain about this dish—including the dish itself. The Million Dollar Fried Rice is served in the restaurant’s signature salt bowls. These bowls have been laser cut from giant slabs of Pink Himalayan Rock Salt. This specialty salt was created from the evaporating primordial ocean water trapped under the forming Himalayan Mountains .  As legend has it, the salt was originally discovered by Alexander the Great when his horses began licking the walls of a cave they were resting in after battle.

The price is lucky $88

Here's a photo of the dish, courtesy of dbd:

[Megan Blocker]

$88 fried rice from a place that keeps a limo idling outside during the winter season (the better to accommodate smokers) is not entirely surprising, eh?