Park Avenue doesn’t immediately bring to mind thoughts of burgers and fries. The area surrounding Grand Central Station is seen more as a place to dip through quickly on one’s way to the Metro North, or a neighborhood for folks from the MetLife building to escape their daily grind for a short meal. But Park Avenue Tavern’s Burger Fridays might change that reputation some.
The restaurant serves burgers on their lunch and dinner menus every day, but they get especially creative on Fridays. Inspired by one of the many national burger holidays, every Friday the kitchen at Park Avenue Tavern serves up an especially mind-bending burger. I was lured in by past-burger reputation, as creations like the Baja Burger and the Special Barbecue Burger both sounded and looked amazing. The Friday Burger I ate didn’t disappoint, either.
Burger Ordered: The Po’ Man’s Surf & Turf Burger
The Taste: I’m typically not a fan of a surf & turf burger combination, but this one hit the mark. Topped with a lump crab cake, walnut praline jam, fried buttermilk onions, remoulade and baby collard greens, the cheese-covered patty was still able to shine. Crab cake, as it turns out, is a brilliant bit of seafood to put on a burger, as it’s crispy borders are a nice compliment to the beef’s crunchy exterior. The onions added even more crunch, and the bun (from Amy’s Bread) was absolutely delicious. Moreover, the fries were demolished as if they never existed and the spinach artichoke dip was also tasty as all get out.
The Verdict: Though I’m very curious about the standard cheeseburger, the real pull for me will be the Friday burger combos. Park Avenue Tavern is dangerously close to my office, and it will be hard for me to stay away.
Park Avenue Tavern is located at 99 Park Avenue in Manhattan, New York.
Sign up for Burger Weekly email updates!
