When I picture brunch in New York, I envision a room filled with voices, one overlapping the next, the sound of silverware as it hits the plate, a hustle and bustle exuded by the wait staff and freshly prepared dishes being dispatched from the kitchen in a timely fashion. These are the factors that turn restaurants into the organized chaos that we New Yorkers call brunch.

I recently experienced a different scene when brunching one Sunday afternoon at Petrossian Restaurant, located on the west side, a mere two minutes from Central Park. Admittedly, the venue would not have typically been on my radar, however, when hungry on a Sunday, follow your feet to this low key New York landmark and experience a few hours of peaceful mid-afternoon bliss.

The restaurant name dates back to the 1920’s when it was founded in Paris by two Armenian brothers, with a passion for caviar. Caviar and smoked salmon, which the Petrossian name is widely known for, remain staples on the menu. The restaurant itself is minimal in its décor, not flashy at all and quite unique in its ability to capture the feeling of old aristocracy. The bar area is maybe the most outspoken nook of the space, where angular mirrors reveal the images of womanly silhouettes dressed in 1920’s garb and seemingly elegant in their demeanor, again a statement to this establishment’s connection to the past. With the voice of Frank Sinatra as the music backdrop, I thoroughly enjoyed my two hours spent here, in great company and, as I came to find out, with great food.

In terms of pricing, the restaurant offers quite an expensive menu for dinner and lunch. However, for anyone who would like to explore this venue and not spend their weekly meal ration, I highly recommend the Saturday and Sunday price fixed brunch ($29), which offers a choice of appetizer, entrée, desert and an abundance of coffee or tea. This was the perfect option for me, and as a first time patron I was pleasantly surprised with this low key eatery.

My personalized brunch menu consisted of the Smoked Fish and Bagel Platter - a compact portion of smoked salmon, smoked sable and a light serving of sauces – as an appetizer. For my entrée, I chose Caramelized Pear and Chestnut Crepes and could not avoid the urge to try their wonderfully appetizing chocolate and espresso layered cake for dessert.

Contradictory to what may be expected from a “platter”, my appetizer serving was a great balance of tastes and just the right portion of food. The smoked salmon was pleasantly light and subtle in taste. My choice of entrée was an interesting twist on the traditional crepe, incorporating the usual sweet filling (which consisted of caramelized pears) with a drier and flakier outer shell. The taste of sweetness and subtle flavor of chestnut nicely combined in this popular brunch dish.

As with most restaurants, the idea of presentation seems to be a top priority at Petrossian’s, and they do the technique justice by presenting each dish, first and foremost, as appealing to the eye. There was a sense of simplicity and playfulness that echoed in the arrangement of each plate presented to me. My dessert arrived in the form of a piece of layered chocolate cake floating among musical notes and sugary tastiness.

For those of us who have forgotten to, or no longer, pay attention to the artistic aspect of our dining, this was certainly a great reminder of what pleasures can come simply from the choices we make on a given Sunday afternoon. For anyone who is looking for the antidote (or a week’s break) from the traditional New York City brunch, I offer you an invitation to this historic and pleasantly mellow restaurant. Enjoy!

Petrossian Restaurant
182 West 58th Street
New York, New York 10019
Tel: (212) 245-2214
www.petrossian.com

-Review by Andrea Milovansky (amilovansky@yahoo.com)

Andrea Milovansky currently lives in New York City, where she has been for the last ten years. She works in marketing and is actively pursuing a freelance career in writing which is her true passion.