Riverpark, A Tom Colicchio Restaurant

Last night we went to the opening ot the Riverpark restaurant which is located on East 29th Street and basically the FDR drive.  Hence the name.  Colicchio collaborated with the guys behind Wichcraft.  In essence, extending Colicchios brand.

The restaurant is beautiful.  Large, spacious, vaulting ceilings, outdoor space over looking the FDR drive, big wrap around bar.  Really a beautiful restaurant.  Kind of takes you out of NYC the moment you walk in the door.  Food wise, I can't really comment because there were so many people there and it was mostly pass around hor dourvres and a few tables where you could grab a plate and try somethings. 

Here is the issue, the location.  Will the restaurant be filled at lunch time with doctors in scrubs?  Perhaps when people are at different restaurants through out the city where they can't get in the door because they don't have a reservation or the line is too long, they will jump in a cab and head to E. 29th street. Knowing that the place is so large and the location is sort of out of the area that the place will have seats available. 

There is parking in the basement which is definitely an added bonus for people coming from outside the city.  Only time will tell but the rent was either super cheap and they knew or were guaranteed that around the area there would be conferences that could take place at Riverpark or they know something we don't know.  The location is just a tough one.