Avenue Awards

Avenue Restaurant Review:

Dining at Avenue recalls eating on the Côte d'Azur, only the food, the sun, the sand and the waves are on the opposite side of the ocean. The space is a designer’s dream, with every door and every window --- ceiling to floor --- allowing a view of the Atlantic. Starters are imaginative, but irresistible is the word for pissaladière --- a sort of French pizza for more sophisticated palates. This one is akin to an onion tart made with creamy, tangy Humboldt Fog goat cheese, fresh anchovies and olives. Entrées tempt; however, the raw bar will call your name with its lobster, clams, oysters, king crab legs … the list goes on. The menu is heavy with seafood preparations though landlubbers are not neglected, with dishes such as domestic lamb loin served with fava beans, chickpea cake and well-made Romanesco sauce, and a mint chimichurri. Sweet endings come with a small but appealing dessert list. Try the chocolate and pistachio cake --- taste the ganache, then dip your spoon into the pistachio mousse and the berry salad that accompanies. The wine list, more than 900 selections strong, draws from the great wine growing regions with a heavy emphasis on French and domestic selections. The bar is lively, due in great part to the creative modern cocktails served there.