Only open since February, has that new car smell of pristene clean throughout. It only takes a minute to assess that this restaurant is the new hot spot in Bronxville.
Arriving at 9:15 a.m., when its doors open at 9 a.m. on a Sunday and all outdoor tables were taken, Mela and I settled into a table inside next to the crystal clear windows. The soothing decor of soft blue walls—their signature color—tells me that the decorator went for a hip, fresh, modern New York City vibe. The soft rock background music, selections picked out by the staff, added to our mellow Sunday morning breakfast.
Our waitress, Kaitlyn Harrington, from White Plains, a recent college graduate, was bubbly, extremely friendly, attentive and had a cover-girl look that fits right in with Park 143.
The brunch menu, though interesting, didn't offer what our taste buds were in the mood for. No problem. We asked for an omelet of our own choosing, and after Kaitlyn asked, the chef was very accommodating to change up the menu for us. We ordered a grilled asparagus, bacon, cheddar egg-white omelet, whole wheat toast, with paprika potatoes and pancakes with maple syrup (it actually says maple syrup on the menu). The omelet was small in size, but large in flavor. A very fluffy egg-white omelet is an art and this one had it. Even the bacon inside was cooked to crispy perfection.
The paprika potatoes were a bit overly paprika-ed. The pancakes were average, nothing to write home about. The whole wheat toast was not toasted and crunchy, but soft with black lines on it. Could the bread possibly have been grilled?
That was our guess as to what happened to the toast. But that was excused because Park 143 does something few restaurants do for breakfast: They give you a complimentary basket (really a mini-springform pan instead of a basket which was a clever idea) of freshly baked mini-muffins and cut pieces of bagels, served with cream cheese and marmalade. It was a very welcomed surprise that was thoughtful and scrumptious.
I made a note of the fact that everything is served in individual plates. I counted 12 dishes when breakfast was done. The dishwasher deserves a medal, and maybe a request to consolidate some items.
Park 143 overall was an enjoyable dining experience at a very reasonable cost of $21.48 without tip. How do they do it for that price? You will have to find out for yourself and pay a visit to Park 143!
Park 143 Bistro
143 Parkway Road
Bronxville
914-337-5100
Mariann Raftery, creator of Somebody's Mom blog, cooks up comfort food recipes for families here at home, as well as sending homemade cookie care packages to our American soldiers overseas. Somebody's Mom Cooking videos at http://www.youtube.com, search "Thesomebodysmom".
