In the bustling culinary landscape of New York City, where brunch is less a meal and more a weekend ritual, expectations run high. Park Avenue Kitchen by celebrated chef David Burke entered the scene in December with the promise of elevating this beloved tradition. However, based on a recent Sunday visit, it seems they have some serious kinks to work out.

Our party of three were the pioneers of the day, seated at the stroke of opening time, 11:30 am. This early arrival, intended to beat the brunch rush, instead cast an awkward pall over the start of our meal, making us the sole focus in an uncomfortably quiet dining room.

The drink offerings presented a mixed bag. Mimosas, an obvious brunch staple, were competently executed but failed to distinguish themselves from the myriad versions available citywide. More intriguing was the non-alcoholic Coffee Mockhattan ($14), a concoction of Lyre’s American Malt, house cold brew concentrate, and maple. While the blend was flavorful, its diminutive size left us wanting more.

Anticipation built around the bread service ($12), a menu-highlighted assortment promising gruyere popovers, jalapeño corn bread, sweet and spiced butter, radishes, and grapes. Reality pared this down to merely gruyere popovers, which, while delightful in theory, arrived cold and lacked freshness. The accompanying butter, described with a hint of the exotic, turned out to be disappointingly pedestrian, akin to something one might pick up from a grocery store, and served almost frozen with a perfunctory dusting of paprika.

The main course further entrenched our disappointment. The 8oz DB Dry Aged Burger with Cheese ($25), described enticingly with LTO, fries, shishitos, B1 sauce, on a toasted English muffin, arrived as a shadow of its menu depiction. Lacking seasoning and sandwiched in an unremarkable English muffin (toasting status questionable), the burger was forgettable, saved only by the side of delicious fries.

A similar fate befell the DB Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Sandwich ($9), aimed at those with lighter appetites. It too failed to impress, presenting a slice of undercooked bacon and adequate scrambled eggs in a forgettable ensemble.

Having been a fervent admirer of the erstwhile David Burke Kitchen in SoHo, my expectations were high for this new venture. Regrettably, Park Avenue Kitchen fell short of these hopes in almost every regard, marking a significant departure from the cherished memories of its predecessor.

Service, or the lack thereof, added insult to injury. The lack of warmth and the apparent inconvenience our presence posed to our waiter only compounded the culinary shortcomings, leaving a lingering aftertaste of disappointment.

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With a heavy heart, I rate Park Avenue Kitchen by David Burke two stars out of five. Despite the chef’s illustrious background and the restaurant’s potential, our experience was marred by mediocrity and missed opportunities. It’s a poignant reminder that not all ventures by celebrated chefs guarantee success. As it stands, Park Avenue Kitchen has much room for improvement, and without significant changes, it is unlikely to see us return.

Park Avenue Kitchen by David Burke can be found at 514 Lexington Ave, New York, NY | 646 847 4166