Ventured to a neighborhood in transition last Sunday.

We decided to attack the 5.5 mile trek through Central Park and cut through our very favorite spot, the Conservatory Garden.

Destination, Tasting Social Presents Mountain Bird at East 110 Street and 3rd Avenue.

I have never walked that far east.

The talented Chef Kenichi Tajima and his wife, Keiko, have taken over the quaint Tasting Room of Tasting Social.

The husband and wife duo of Moutain Bird have relocated to East Harlem and run the 31 seat french boutique spot.

The restaurant is tiny and functions during the day as a catering company.

Our reservation was at 11am and we beat the crowds which afforded us time to converse with the lovely server and aspiring actress, Drew Tildon.

We started out with a strong cup of brewed coffee and we were presented with a platter of tempting treats including homemade corn bread, blueberry cake and mini muffins.

David ordered the Smoked Salmon Benedict. It was the best I have ever had as I am not a fan of the typical Eggs Benedict ($16). The veggie and potato medley was delicious.

I ordered the Chicken Schnitzel and Shrimp Mac & Cheese. The chicken was perfection and a house favorite. The Mac & Cheese was creamy and the topping crunchy. The shrimp were fabulous bathed in a lobster bisque cream sauce…decadent ($15).

The menu also offers a plethora of egg dishes, french toast + chicken sausage + scrambled eggs ($13), a BBQ turkey burger with truffle sauce and fries ($15), duck leg confit +waffle+ poached egg + salad ($21), pasta of the day ($15) and a terrific quinoa salad that I was dying to try that comes with chicken, shrimp or avocado ($16/14).

We had such a good time yakking with Drew.

A dining regular who happened to be a music officiando walked in and we talked 80’s English rock bands (my specialty) and strolled down musical memory lane.

We are excited to return for dinner. The menu looks stellar.

Mountain Bird’s ambiance and tantalizing cuisine makes you feel as if you have discovered a hidden urban culinary gem.

Tasting Social is an unpretentious treasure.

We walked the 5.5. miles home and hopefully reduced our caloric intake…the journey and meal were both outstanding.

Tasting Social Presents Mountain Bird 251 East 110th Street, New York City. Dinner served Tuesday-Saturday 6-10pm. Sunday brunch 11am-3pm, Sunday Supper 5-9pm. Reservations on OpenTable.com.