The other day my girlfriends asked me to meet them at Park Avenue Summer in N.Y.C. The name sounded familiar, so did the address and as I walked in, I had a full sense of déjà vu and yet it felt completely different. Yes, you guessed it, the last time I was here was in March and it was called Park Avenue Spring. The décor, menu and ambiance have been altered to reflect the change of the season. I happened to arrive early (not my habit) and was directed to the bar and enjoyed a glass of homemade sangria developed by the James Beard award winning Pastry Chef, Richard Leach.

The refreshing white sangria is a perfect mixture of peaches, lemongrass, kiwi and blueberries. As my more traditionally late girlfriends trickled in, we migrated to the ice bar where you can create a wonderful array of summer drinks with fresh exotic juices. Once sat we were again reminded of July by the impressive wine list, offering drinks and wines inspired by summer from around the world.

Upon being sat we were greeted with yellow watermelon and a basket of warm cornbread. The menu arrives and it screams of summer, tomatoes, corn, gazpacho squash blossoms, wild salmon, cherries, sugar snap peas, and so on. My friend ordered the salmon tartare with cured tomato and basil and possibly the best piece of toast I have ever had. I chose the tuna carpaccio served elegantly on a glass plate in which the tuna was cut into a perfect circle and lightly dressed with the perfect blend of ginger soy and wasabi crème.

My girlfriend ordered the Dover sole while the server impressively removed the bone tableside. The fish was cooked perfectly served with lemon butter. I enjoyed the Australian lamb chops with smoked cherries so much that I uncharacteristically took the left over chops home with me to enjoy later and not to share with my dog! The seasonal change provides a natural and refreshing update to this eatery, which is consistent and comfortable. My friends and I look forward to meeting in October at Park Avenue Autumn.