Gluten Free Restaurant Review - No. 9 Park

Cathy and I have eaten at a number of top restaurants...NOLA, Scarpetta, Oleana, Mesa Grill, Babbo…the list goes on and on.  All have been pretty good to “wow, I can’t wait to go back again” great.  However, my favorite restaurant of all is No. 9 Park.

No. 9 Park is the flagship restaurant in the growing Barbara Lynch empire.  The quality of the food at No. 9 Park continues to be consistently awesome as her businesses grow, unlike another famous chef from around these parts whose restaurants I used to love but now seem to be nothing all that special.

Recently, I celebrated my 23^rd wedding anniversary at No. 9 Park.  The evening started off with two gluten free rolls, which were delivered on a separate plate so there would be no cross contamination.  Piping hot, they were crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside.

My appetizer was a tuna sashimi crudo.  I wanted something light that would not fill me up and this was the perfect dish.  It was beautifully plated, with very fresh tuna.

Next came the duck.  I LOVE the duck at No. 9 Park.  Why?  I find most places that serve duck don’t render the fat enough.  Thus, the skin never gets that crispy.  I don’t know how Chef Lynch instructs her chefs on how to cook duck, but I get crispy skin each and every time, while the meat of the duck remains moist.  I mean, really…what more could you ask for?

This is the gluten free dessert I had.  A chocolate fudge “round” with some ice cream on top along with some other goodies to give different textures.  

Finally, a very nice surprise.

I should also note, that the service is just as good as the food.

No. 9 Park is expensive.  For Cathy and I, it is definitely a place to go for a very special occasion.  But here’s the thing: If you want to go someplace for a very special occasion, don’t worry about spending a large amount of money for a mediocre meal at No. 9 Park.  Mediocre is obviously not in Barbara Lynch’s vocabulary.