There’s nothing better than a hot, fresh meal. When it comes to the food at 690 Park Restaurant Bar & Lounge, it’s as fresh as it gets; in fact, when the head chef saw their kitchen for the first time, he said he didn’t need the freezer. Since they are a scratch kitchen, the freezer is useless.
690 Park, in Cliffside Park, is a two-floor space that seats about 47 upstairs as well as 69 downstairs. Stephanie Dorime, marketing and social media outreach coordinator, describes the restaurant’s vibe as modern, classy, and sophisticated. It has sleek booths that are dark green, in addition to modern lighting and a black and white marble bar. In terms of outdoor dining, they have a few tables that each sit two guests.
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690 Park Owners Hakan Ar and Aydin Kurther also co-own Lulu Lounge in Edgewater and Ora Café Bistro in Clifton. The former is a native of Cliffside Park. “I joke with Hakan that he is the mayor of Cliffside Park,” Dorime laughs. “He knows everyone and loves this town. What better way to give back to your community than by opening a restaurant in town.”
An Uptown Menu at 690 Park
You’ll find high-brow American/Continental cuisine on the menu at 690 Park. Current crowd-pleasers include rib-eye steak, the fish sandwich, salmon, and burgers. “I was really blown away by this chef,” Dorime says, speaking of Head Chef Hakki Gökçe. Gökçe is a Michelin Star chef with experience cooking at top restaurants in both Sweden and New York City. “Our chef is secular and global,” Dorime describes. “He tried to incorporate that into the menu.” He’s also working on creating dessert, brunch, and late-night bar menus.
Of course, even the drinks at the bar are from scratch. “The innovative drink menu is phenomenal from presentation to taste,” Dorime says. Simple syrups, garnishes, and juices are curated by Wootak of Bar Chemistry, the 690 Park beverage director and mixology consultant. So far, guests are loving the lemon-berry martini and strawberry passionfruit mule.
690 Park is planning to host comedy shows twice a month as well as interactive dinners; such as belly dancers and magicians, for instance. They currently broadcast football games on Monday nights.
You’ll find 690 Park at 690 Anderson Avenue in Cliffside Park (Click here for directions via Google Maps). For hours and other info, click here to visit their website or click here to give them a call.
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All Photos: © 690 Park
