The York in Armory Square takes an original approach to traditional American cuisine in a comfortable, upscale environment.

When you walk in to the establishment, located at 247 W. Fayette St., the former location of BC Restaurant, you immediately see the raw bar to the right. The bar features seafood items such as clams, oysters, lobster and shrimp.

There is a large, open bar space on the right side of the restaurant, providing eaters with a trendy social space, ideal for young adults. It’s very cool to see the case of oysters when you first walk in.

I recently went to The York with a few friends and had a very pleasant experience. I really liked the old-school, hip-hop music that was playing in the background. I felt like I was eating in a lounge and was very comfortable during my dining experience.

Instead of starting patrons off with a basket of bread like traditional restaurants do, The York serves them complimentary pickles. This was an unfamiliar yet interesting way to begin the meal. The pickles were overwhelmingly spice-loaded but had a balanced salty, briny flavor.

I was intrigued by the avant-garde presentation of the food. I ordered the salmon steak and it was presented beautifully. The salmon usually comes with quinoa and butternut squash but I ordered sautéed spinach instead. The spinach tasted very fresh and was cooked perfectly. The salmon was light and delicious. I would highly recommend it.

I also had the harvest salad. The iceberg lettuce was served in a large wedge, uncut. The salad was hard to eat and it was drenched in oily dressing. It didn’t seem very healthy. Overall, the salmon was the best thing I tried.

This establishment offers an interesting contrast of an old-time feel mixed with a modern twist. Resembling an Irish Pub, antique wooden tables are scattered throughout the space, while the food is served in a trendy display. Overall, it is a fine dining experience in an upbeat, industrial environment.

Its focus on classic American food with a modern twist is accompanied by internationally inspired dishes. The York takes an original approach to traditional cuisine by incorporating plates from various cultures, such as its Asian-inspired Korean barbeque sauce, its Argentinian Chimichurri and Mediterranean flavors.

The owner, Danny Vault, designed The York’s menu and kept all of the prices under $25.

Almost everything on the menu is homemade. All of the condiments are made there, excluding the ketchup. The menu changes with season. It will soon be moving from spring/summer to fall/winter and will add hearty items like heavy braises and stews. It has capabilities to make gluten-free and vegetarian dishes upon request.

It tries to be as fresh and locally-sourced as possible and instead of overwhelming people with an elaborate menu, it focuses on eight choices. This gives the kitchen a chance to focus on dishes in a well-executed way.

As far as desserts, it changes seasonally as well. For the fall, it offers a pumpkin cheesecake ice cream sandwich and apple-glazed donuts infused with apple filling over a scoop of ice sea salt caramel ice cream and pistachio dust. It also has their s’more skillet, which is a very popular dessert on the menu. It comes with peanut butter and chocolate chips served with warm graham crackers for dipping.

However, if you are excited to try this new hot spot on a date, be prepared to come without a reservation because The York will only take reservations for parties of six or more. Despite these limitations, it offers private events and catering upon request and will soon be open for lunchtime grubbing. Soon there will be a DJ that comes in on the weekends and outdoor seating will be available in the spring.

Overall, the upscale dining provided a comfortable and tasty experience.

The York can be reached at (315) 701-0636 and at http://yorkcny.com.

Published on October 19, 2015 at 12:25 am

Contact Callie: caweinst@syr.edu