BY CAROLYN ONOFREY
David Burke @ Bloomingdale’s
1000 3rd Avenue
Midtown East
212-705-3800 / burkeinthebox.com
When I stumbled upon David Burke at Bloomingdale’s, I couldn’t believe it: an affordable way to enjoy the innovative, award winning gourmet that is David Burke. Engulfed by a plethora of orange objects, my guest and I were escorted to the back past a sleek, modern bar and a few tables. By the time I walked to the back of the small space, I was already visually spent on the overwhelming orange interior (complete with mini basketballs inside the tabletops, March Madness anyone?).
Dumpling Duo at David Burke @ Bloomingdale's
First we were served a softball sized dinner roll that was more croissant than roll and had a cheesy surprise in the middle. For starters, we ordered the Dumpling Duo ($10.50). The duo consisted in the flavors, which were both Asian, and at the same time very American. Nestled in a bath of barbecue sauce, the shrimp, shiitake, and ginger dumpling and chicken barbecue dumplings tasted offputtingly similar, only differentiated by the green onions in the shiitake ginger variation.
Cheeseburger at David Burke @ Bloomingdale's
Next up was the main course, which for me, was comprised of a simple cheese burger with fries ($14.50). The burger, was surprisingly dry and utterly average. Not something that I would expect from such a renound name, especially when it took a good 40 mintues to be delivered after the appetizers. The fries however, were quite edible, if nothing special with skin and salt present in all the right places.
Dessert, another 40 minutes later came with a classic choclate cake with warm liquid center and a heathy scoop of vanilla bean ice cream. The cake, dry like it had been sitting out for a little too long was decent at best. In the end I wished that I had been at one of the great suburban chain restaurants and ordered the same. I was happy to leave. I was dizzy with orange light and music you should only encounter in a supermarket and wondering where David Burke went wrong. Having never been to another one of his brain children, I have to say I was a little discouraged. I will however, not base my opinion of the renowned David Burke on a sole bad experience and hope that when I do have the privilege of dining at his flagship, David Burke Townhouse, that I won’t be left wondering whether I have a knack for choosing this place on its off days or whether the offness is one of its chronic attributes.
