Description: One of my fondest memories of my first trip to New York would have to be dining at the restaurant at the
Loeb Boathouse in the heart of
Central Park.
It was not a perfect dining experience I’ll admit. The tables on the deck looking out over the Lake were a little too busy and the July evening was a little too light to make it into a completely intimate and romantic meal. I was also shocked that, for all its reknown and hefty price tag, the restaurant was unable to provide me with something so simple as freshly-squeezed orange juice (I had to make do with OJ from a carton).
However, in dining at the Boathouse Restaurant, what I did get was the feeling of really being at
the centre of everything. Even if the restaurant was not the greatest in the world I was located slap-bang in the middle of
the greatest park in the middle of
the greatest city in the world. (Even if one personally prefers other cities or other parks one still has to acknowledge that the popular culture of the 20th century has immortalised Central Park and New York to such an extent that they have both become the iconic exemplars of their kind to which all others must be measured). It did give me a little thrill. Sinatra of course said of New York
"If I can make it there, I’ll make it anywhere". Sitting down for dinner at the Boathouse Restaurant gave me that same frisson –
actually, all things considered, my life is pretty darn good right now.
Dining alfresco on a warm summer night I was treated to one of the world’s
picture-postcard perfect views. We were within touching distance of Central Park Lake; couples still languidly rowed its waters; their ripples disturbed the reflected vision of Manhattan’s skyscrapers towering above the park’s trees, burnished bronze in the dusk.
Other than the small issue of the orange juice service was efficient, friendly and courteous – they have a good crew of staff here. And the menu, while pricey, had enough to tempt even the most hardened dieter. I certainly have no complaints with the quality of the food here. I started with pan-fried scallops, each thick enough to be more than a mouthful. I followed this up with the
Dover sole. They live up to their watery location with what I discovered to be a well-deserved reputation for their seafood. I have to say, what impressed me about the service here was the offer to de-bone it for me. I was about to say no and work my way through it myself, as I would usually, when I thought that I might as well say yes. Our waiter then very dextrously, with the aid of a spoon separated out the white flesh from the skeleton, transferring whole fillets of the fish intact to my plate, even going so far as to prettify it a little afterwards. Very impressive!
As I say, the meal was not cheap (though then again, it was not the most expensive I had in New York City). However for that price I got a very well-prepared and served meal in wonderful surroundings. All in all, my meal here was a memory to savour.
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