Park East Grill Hosts World Tour

If you are a connoisseur of excellent cuisine, or if you just like to eat well, you will agree that the best part of traveling to exotic locations is sampling the local cuisine.

However, if you are a kosher consumer, this may be easier said than done. In fact, if you are traveling for business to a very out-of-the way place, not only will you find it impossible to find a kosher establishment offering local cuisine, but most likely, you will be consuming dry tuna and crackers as substitutes for your conventional home-cooked meals.

No need to feel deprived because Park East Grill is going to bring the world’s finest foods right to you.

The Thai cuisine that my husband and I experienced last week was a totally new experience for my rather pedestrian palate. The chicken satay (skewered chicken tenders) dipped in peanut sauce presented an unusual combination of sweet and savory with extraordinary results.

This was followed by a medley of grilled marinated beef, lime dressing, lemongrass, cilantro, and fresh mint – Thai Beef Salad. The robust flavor of the spiced beef was set off perfectly by the greens and dressing, topped with delicate frissons of crisped onions.

Now, I am admittedly not a “meat and potatoes” type of girl, but the lemon grass lamb (grilled shoulder chop), cooked to the exact specifications of each diner, was nothing less than smashing. (The secret to Park East’s succulent meat dishes is the quality of the beef and other meats and poultry.) Three flavorful wines – a Merlot and two different Cabernets – accompanied each of the courses, while champagne was served with dessert.

And speaking of dessert, a delicately sweet quince tart and a scoop of tangy passion-fruit sorbet provided a satisfying end to a lovely meal.

The international dishes keep on coming. Down-home southern cooking was offered at Park East Grill through January 6, Chinese cuisine (Jan. 8-12), British delicacies (Jan. 12-19). They will also offer French cuisine (Jan. 22-26), and finally, Italian dishes (Jan. 29-Feb. 2).

Also, coming up in February, Park East will host an exclusive dinner for Jewish singles (late 20’s to late 30’s) featuring complimentary “Happy Hour” and hors d’ourves at the bar, two-minute speed introductions and a sumptuous three-course dinner with unlimited wine and champagne.

March will bring a 30-year-old single malt scotch-tasting dinner; featuring scotches valued up to $700 a bottle!

“Our scotch-tasting dinners have been very popular with the Orthodox Jewish audience,” reports Park East manager Michael Weltz.

Remember, you don’t have to wait for a special event or even a world-tour tasting dinner. All of the dishes that Park East Grill offers on their tried-and-true menus are still in great demand, and the chef is always creating new dining experiences to add to the selection.

Check out the table-top steak for two, a new addition that has already drawn rave reviews. The steaks are cooked rare and brought out with a table-top grill in order to allow the diner to customize the steak to his/her unique preferences. Or try the chocolate fondue – another, more active dining experience, perfect for dates or just for the fun of it!

With just one more month of World Tour dishes to taste and savor, you’ll want to take this opportunity to visit Park East Grill at 1564 2nd Avenue (between E. 81st and E. 82nd streets) in New York City. For further details, visit their website at www.parkeastgrill.com.