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By Clementine Paddleford
Back again to the "Top of the Fair," the official
restaurant of New York's World's Fair, opened one month ago under
the wing of Restaurant Associates. You know what that means,
imagination unlimited, in the service of food and all in good
taste.
A few things have been changed in addition to the management.
The enormous main dining room has been given the warmth of color,
William Pahlman taking things in hand. The room has floor to
ceiling windows which previously were separated by murals. Now
the murals are gone and instead striped draperies in tangerine,
green, orange, beige and off-white. Last year the chairs were
white backed, this season they are in tangerine. There are blue
tablecloths instead of the white. A warm and gay place to be,
with the Fair world stretching beyond in every direction.
This two-story restaurant is dramatically suspended 120 feet
in the air beneath the 30,000 square foot heliport landing, atop
the Port Authority heliport and exhibit building. Here are two
stories of dining rooms, cocktail lounges and kitchens. There
is a basement, area given over to office, storage rooms for provisions,
a bakery, wine cellar and employees cafeteria.
The main restaurant is glass enclosed offering a panoramic
view of the grounds. That isn't all. See the Statue of Liberty,
the United Nations, Central Park with its ribbons of light, and
New York's many bridges.
Go Whirly Bird
Go to the Top of the Fair by helicopter. The round trip costs
$6.50 a person but there is no admission fee to pay. No traffic
problems. It's but a five minute's trip shuttling over from midtown.
and nearby major airports offer
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shuttle helicopter service.
The port above the restaurant can handle up to 20 flights
hourly. Helicopters heading for the roof look as if they are
about to come through the restaurant. The building vibrates but
there is little noise. The place is completely sound-proofed
and air-conditioned.
The Main Deal
Dinner is table d'hote. The price of the entree taking care
of the hors' d'oeuvre service, the soup, the seasonal vegetables,
a green salad with herb dressing and a selection of deserts.
These dinners range from $4.95 for a baked stuffed baby flounder
with a sauce of lobster and shrimp to grilled sirloin, $8.95.
In between are many interesting suggestions. The roast prime
ribs of beef with rib bone, if desired, $6.95. With this a popover
pudding and fresh horseradish which is shredded on water cress.
The baked potato is big as an Idaho potato field, that's quite
some acreage. It is served with sour cream and chives.
Shashlik Caucasian, lamb on skewer, grilled with spiced onion
and tomato quarters is companioned by a wheat pilaf, $5.75. The
double cutlet of meadow veal, cordon bleu, $5.50. Isn't meadow
veal a pretty name for grass fed? Two pieces of veal are sandwiched
with a thin slice of proscuitto ham and a slice of gruyere cheese
then sauteed in a light cream sauce. The vegetable of the evening
(aside from the baked potato), fresh corn, cut from the cob and
sauteed, and green beans, these served from casseroles.
Top of the Fair is open for luncheon at 12 noon to 3 p.m.
The special, $2.95, a very good buy. Also you may have omelette
with salad and hearth-baked bread. Dinner from 5 until 10, Monday
through Friday, until 11 p.m. on Saturday and 12 noon until 10
p.m. on Sunday. Telephone 888-5500 for reservations.
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