Food is fun at davidburke townhouse. There are all sorts of special surprises here. For starters, you'll get an amuse bouche and bread that's served in its own pan. Although that's not unusual in and of itself, what is unusual is the butter, which is served on a slab of pink Himalayan rock salt stone. David Burke uses them as serving plates in several presentations, including a chilled stone for butter and sashimi and a heated stone for Kobe beef. Also unusual here are the lollipop trees, which feature flavors such as raspberry, mocha and bubblegum. Highlighted on the cover of the lunch menu, they must be seen to be believed. Next on the list of interesting surprises is the beef. Unconfirmed rumor has it that Burke once bought a bull named Prime, and that all his meat comes from cows that are descended from him. Of course, Burke isn't only innovative in the kitchen; he's innovative in the marketplace, as well. For instance, he's the creator of David Burke Flavor Sprays, a line of sprayable flavors designed to maintain food's taste while cutting down, if not altogether eliminating, their fat content. With such a character in charge of your meal, rest assured you're in for a fanciful experience at Davidburke & Donatella. Chef de Cuisine Eric Hara assists in that experience, both at dinner and at lunch, when the restaurant serves two different price-fixed menus, for $24.07 or for $29, as well as a la carte selections. If you'd like to see the lunch menus, please click here. Otherwise, please read on for the dinner menu, followed by our "Appealing Highlights" and "Comfort Zone."

Ala Carte Meal:

Appetizers: Dayboat Sea Scallops "Benedict" (with chorizo oil and lobster foam, $15); Parfait of Yellowfin Tuna & Salmon Tartares ($16/with American Sturgeon Caviar, supp. $15); Market Salad (goat cheese, walnuts, Asian pear, crisp potato, bacon and "fresh snipped herbs," $15); Simple Salad of Organic Mixed Greens (with marinated tomatoes and fresh herbs, $14); Crisp & Angry Lobster "Cocktail" (crisp basil & lemon-chili sauce, $25); Lobster-Lemongrass Bisque (Thai style lobster stick & curried apple essence, $14); Sashimi Style Yellowfin Tuna on Himalayan Rock Salt (sour plum and edamame salad, $18); Hudson Valley Foie Gras 'PB & J' Tourchon (macadamia nut butter, strawberry-vanilla jam and toasted brioche, $23); Perona Farms Pastrami Salmon (blood orange, avocado & beet vinaigrette, $14); Pretzel Crusted Crab Cake (poppy seed honey and kumquat-jalapeno jam, $18).