The Pavilion Union Square
I've been following the on-going saga of this Union Square restaurant opening for years. Ever since my very drink inside the now defunct Luna Park I've been itching for something good to fill the empty space. Imagine my surprise when wandering through the park Tuesday, seriously jet lagged from my 10 hour flight, I see bright orange umbrellas waving in the breeze and people who seem to be dining right on the empty patio. Pavilion had finally opened!
The main floor of the park has about 10 four person tables for dining in the front. Then up the stairs to the second floor there were even more tables for dining and a fresh, colorful bar area.
It looked so nice and inviting I decided to stay and have a drink.
There were some gorgeous looking cocktails listed on the menu. The Pavilion 75 seemed to be a favorite of the crowd made from Honey-Thyme Syrup, Gin and Sparkling Wine. I decided on a crisp glass of white from local favorite Dr. Frank.
I had just come from eating lunch about 30 minutes before but I thought I would take a look at the menu anyway. I was surprised to see such a friendly array of choices that would cater to just about any palate. That's when I decided since I was technically still on vacation two lunches in one day would be perfectly acceptable:)
My entree arrived in a giant white bowl filled to the brim with some enormous Blue Maine mussels. While their size was wonderful the broth left something to be desired...thin and watery...there was little to no wine flavor left and even the garlic seemed to fade into the background.
The Tuscan fries were a different story. Thin and crisp with a smattering of fresh herbs and salt... these were so crunchy and delicious I literally had to pry my hand away from the bowl they became so addictive.
Things started to really pick up towards the end of my meal. The bar area was now filled with an after work crowd and bartender Joel was pouring his Pavilion 75 non-stop. My initial adrenaline rush upon seeing the restaurant open was quickly turning back into extreme jet-leg so I packed up and head home. It was a great way to kick off a return to the city...hopefully I'll have a full report from our trip up and ready next week. Until then "Cheers" for the return of al fresco dining in the city!
The Pavilion
The main floor of the park has about 10 four person tables for dining in the front. Then up the stairs to the second floor there were even more tables for dining and a fresh, colorful bar area.
It looked so nice and inviting I decided to stay and have a drink.
There were some gorgeous looking cocktails listed on the menu. The Pavilion 75 seemed to be a favorite of the crowd made from Honey-Thyme Syrup, Gin and Sparkling Wine. I decided on a crisp glass of white from local favorite Dr. Frank.
I had just come from eating lunch about 30 minutes before but I thought I would take a look at the menu anyway. I was surprised to see such a friendly array of choices that would cater to just about any palate. That's when I decided since I was technically still on vacation two lunches in one day would be perfectly acceptable:)
My entree arrived in a giant white bowl filled to the brim with some enormous Blue Maine mussels. While their size was wonderful the broth left something to be desired...thin and watery...there was little to no wine flavor left and even the garlic seemed to fade into the background.
The Tuscan fries were a different story. Thin and crisp with a smattering of fresh herbs and salt... these were so crunchy and delicious I literally had to pry my hand away from the bowl they became so addictive.
Things started to really pick up towards the end of my meal. The bar area was now filled with an after work crowd and bartender Joel was pouring his Pavilion 75 non-stop. My initial adrenaline rush upon seeing the restaurant open was quickly turning back into extreme jet-leg so I packed up and head home. It was a great way to kick off a return to the city...hopefully I'll have a full report from our trip up and ready next week. Until then "Cheers" for the return of al fresco dining in the city!
The Pavilion
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