Park Avenue Spring (CLOSED)

Manager Michael Stillman, chef Craig Koketsu and design firm AvroKO have conceived an ode to the legendary Four Seasons, except that the design, the uniforms and the very name (it will be Park Avenue Autumn, Winter, Spring and Summer depending on—you guessed it—the season) will rotate along with the menu. “Summer,” for example, means sunny wall panels and ample clusters of flowers to go with the warm weather foods. Appetizers showcase produce (baby beet salad, corn soup) and seafood (peekytoe crab salad, fluke sashimi), often mixing both with winning results. Koketsu (who helped launch Quality Meats) nails the steak, but even more head-turning is a seared John Dory fillet, the fish’s clean taste brought to life by an audaciously rich combo of truffles (both slices and oil) and egg (poached with a fried brioche crust). Pastry chef Richard Leach, a James Beard Award winner, dazzles with a sweet corn panna cotta, complemented by roasted peaches and adorned Corn Pops. His very adult signature, moist chocolate cake and whipped mascarpone, suggests that Leach is as serious about sophistication as he is about play.