Dining
w it h Draz
This is a story of love and hope. This June, the traditional month of blushing
brides and watermark celebrations, New Jersey is coming back, and so are weddings
and parties. So we celebrated with a visit to Orchard Park by David Burke,
the new restaurant located in the elegant Château Grande hotel in East Brunswick.
During a time of postponed catered affairs, construction on this newly built, New York
chic hotel was completed, and it is now a popular destination for weddings, executive
retreats and corporate events. In the center of this sophisticated, French-American
inspired hotel is David Burke’s new restaurant, Orchard Park. Like the hotel, Burke
worked through the lockdown, opening several new restaurants including the American
steakhouse, Red Horse in Rumson and Belmar Kitchen in Belmar.
wine room, exceptional furniture and open kitchen are a visual feast; and then there’s
what’s on the plate. It’s another home run from one of the country’s most innovative
chefs. Together, the hotel and restaurant are a marriage made to last.
We settled back with some extraordinary cocktails while looking over the extensive
wine list, with some impressive selections not found in most locations.
We started off with the not-to-be missed Popovers, before our appetizers arrived.
oil, tomato miso and preserved lemon.
Our second choice was the Pretzel Crab
Cake. This dish showcases Burke’s food design
skills. The rich crab is served in a raftlike
fashion, with pretzel logs tied with a
scallion string and swimming in puffed rice
bubbles. It was every bit as good as it looks,
and both appetizers are wonderful ways to
start your meal.
WHAT WE LIKED
tastes and plating of this signature style menu. The huge wine list and the
well-made cocktails. The well-trained, pleasant staff and the great acoustics;
even when it’s crowded you can hear every word.
48 JUNE 2021 | TheJournalNJ.com
BY LORI DRAZ
Orchard Park by David Burke
Orchard Park by David Burke is located at 670 Cranbury Rd. in East Brunswick (in
the Château Grande Hotel). 732-554-5714. OrchardParkByDB.com. The Dining
Room is open Sunday through Thursday from 4 pm and Friday and Saturday from
4 pm to midnight. The Bar and Lounge is open Monday through Thursday at 4
pm and Friday through Sunday at noon. . The outdoor Orchard Terrace is open
Monday through Saturday from 4 to 10 pm. Sunday a la carte brunch from 11 am
to 3 pm. The dress code is smart casual.
We give Orchard Park by David Burke five Js
Now for the entrées. We split the Wild Mushroom Cavatelli
which comes with short rib, broccolini, spring peas and
roasted garlic. The tender chunks of short ribs with the earthy
mushrooms and not heavy-handed sauce made each bite delicious.
It was a pure delight.
Diner one picked the Salmon Steak. The masterful sear on
the salmon made for a crispy and still moist steak, and its bed
of asparagus, sundried tomatoes and artichokes with a Meyer
lemon butter sauce left our diner exclaiming that this was
world traveler.
I went with the chef’s playful version of surf and turf, the
BBQ Spareribs and Prawns, served over creamy polenta, corn
succotash and topped with crispy onion rings. These tender
ribs fall off the bone with the slightest whisper. They are guarded
by two upright prawn sentries, complete with their long
antenna which extends the height of the dish like the trails of
and Macaroons. The donuts and macaroons are served on upright
kabobs with three pots of whipped cream, passionfruit
caramel and raspberry sauce for dipping. It reminded me of
the maestro’s mu-
-
well-orchestrated
evening.
We also chose
the Tin Can Cake. I
won’t reveal this
dessert’s surprise,
but it is very much
worth the try. Even
those who are neutral on chocolate will enjoy this as it’s not
gooey-sweet, and its tableside presentation is so much fun.
with chocolate sauce, caramel anglaise, Heath bar crunch, vanilla
ice cream and a touch of whipped cream.
Even though this is a large restaurant, the acoustics are
perfect, and it is so busy already that they have just opened
an additional outdoor terrace cocktail lounge. Orchard Park
offers a special burger night on Tuesdays. Wednesday is Date
continue in the evening when the tree-lined drive becomes a
romantic aisle of twinkling white lights. There is plenty of parking,
and valet is available too.
/TheJournalNJ.com
/OrchardParkByDB.com