Our New Special Occasion Dining Fave: Red Horse By David Burke

Our New Special Occasion Dining Fave: Red Horse By David Burke

And when we say “Our New Special Occasion Dining Fave,” we mean DON”T wait for a special occasion to go! For fans of the former BLT in the former Ritz Carlton in White Plains it’s hard to imagine any successor rising to greater heights. But before we were seated in Red Horse by David Burke that opened in the BLT space in the new Opus Hotel in February, 2023, we were saying “BLT who?” That’s due to the bright new dining room design choices that replaces the former steak house testosterone with  a well lit space accented by its modern white leather seating – reminiscent of the French classic Bocuse at the Culinary Institute in Hyde Park. And dig how those hanging lamps with the red fabric chandelier shades bathe the ceiling in diffuse light.

Red Horse by David Burke in White Plains is the latest of the celebrated chef’s 18 restaurants that stretch from Manhattan’s Park Avenue to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Burke, the celebrity chef’s celebrity chef, is the only American to ever secure the Meilleurs Ouvriers de France Diplome d’Honneur. A James Beard Best Chef New York and a James Beard Who’s Who in the Culinary Arts, David Burke has won a long list of awards including the Robert Mondavi Award of Excellence and Japan’s Nippon Award.

And it shows in White Plains. Sadly, it is a rare meal where we feel every course was reaching for the stars. Even at highly rated and popular eateries. After our meal at Red Horse, it was a pleasure to drive home with the feeling that one course was better than the next – and the Chef took no shortcuts.

What We Liked

We started with the Lobster Dumplings (chili oil, tomato miso, basil, preserved lemon) which were delicious. AND the dumplings were the most perfectly al dente pasta/noodle/dumpling imaginable. Perfect little pouches of flavor and texture. We also had the Shrimp and Avocado “Cocktail” with endive, veggie chips, shaved carrots. The cook on the shrimp was spot on, the “avocado” (guacamole really) had a touch of heat, a nice build-up to the horseradish kicker in the cocktail sauce.

We loved the Roast Branzino with artichoke puree, tiny ratatouille vinaigrette, and kalamata olives – but we are suckers for anything artichoke. However, we weren’t the only ones blown away by the Bison Short Ribs with Chow Fun Noodles and wild mushrooms. Every couple adjacent to us ordered it after seeing it on our plates. I don’t have the culinary vocabulary to describe how sublime the fall apart short ribs and the depth of flavor delivered from their eight-hour cook was. But the brilliance of the dish may have been the light pickle on the pea leaves, carrots, and scallions that came with the noodles. And at $42 it was a  steal – considering I paid $42 for the first plate of short ribs in my life at Lespinasse at the St. Regis Hotel in Manhattan – 30 years ago. It was the first $40+ plate I had ever seen. And the most memorable meal of my life. This one was right up there.

Is there a dessert light enough to eat after a meal like this? We found one. The Strawberry & Banana Sfogliatelle “Lobster Tail. With toasted coconut cream, raspberry coulis, a light drizzle of chocolate sauce, and candied coconut. With all this (plus four glasses of champagne – okay it was a special occasion) and NO BLOAT! That’s a great meal.

What We Missed

You should know about the Clothesline of Bacon – three strips of black pepper/maple glazed pig with pickle and lemon, that you will see on many tables around you. A sure sign of a signature dish. It was tough to say “no” to the Octopus and Chorizo Kabobs that came highly recommended by our waiter. And the chef feels his DB Salt Aged Beef (Himalayan Salt) is so far out that he has a patent on it. Patent US 7,998,517 B2. All the steak comes aged that way from the 8 oz Filet Mignon ($53) to the 12 ox New York Strip, the 20 oz  Ribeye ($74), the Porterhouse on the Bone for 2 ($155) and the 40 oz Tomahawk, also served on a clothesline for $165.

Will We Ever Go Back?

We already have reservations for the holidays.