For RW in the Hudson Valley, I try to follow my rule of “Thou Shall Only Dine At New Restaurants” but I usually I end up going to at least one restaurant that I have previously dined at because I am intrigued by their restaurant week menu and this year was no exception. It just so happens that my two “repeats” turned out to be my most memorable meals.
I was happy to be seated at the round table closest to the window (the tables in the dining room are a little too cramped for me). It felt like our own little section and gave Rick a lovely view of the gas station across the street. Tony ordered a bottle of Rivola wine which everyone liked (Tony ordered it because he liked the name). With four people and four appetizers we got one of each.
Don had the Asian salad which was tasty although it had a lot going on (wish there was more duck and less salad). Rick had the Tuna Carpaccio which was very good. I was pleased that it didn’t have balsamic all over it masking any taste of the fish. I had a well cooked polenta with perfectly cooked soft boiled egg with an oozing yolk. The highlight, however, was the Braised Pork Belly that Tony ordered. It sat in a sweet barbeque consommé with a brussel sprout slaw. The only thing wrong with the dish was that it was everyone couldn’t take more than one bite. As Gina Truhe later told me “it changed my life.”
For dessert we opted to not choose the cheese plate (I don’t know if Gina passed on it) or the pear as we all wanted something sweet. The apple fritters were good, chewy and delightful with a sweet sauce underneath. The Red Velvet cake with cream cheese icing and cream cheese ice cream was amazing. The red velvet cake was moist and the ice cream was delicious. However, the best dessert of the night was Braised Pork Belly. Yes, I substituted my traditional dessert with another order of the pork belly. It was sweet so why not? Not only was the pork belly delicious again, it was almost twice the size of the first one that we got. Being that it was so large I opted to share a sizable piece with Rick. As I was transferring it to his small plate, it fell one his phone. Sad, he picked it up and ate it anyway and then he then proceeded to LICK his phone to get the sweet sauce that was on the screen. That’s how good it was.
My Korean BBQ Pork Belly appetizer was delicious. It was only a 6 out of 10 on the hotness scale, but it definitely had some nice heat. The pork belly cubes were slightly charred but not crisp, cooked to perfection. My entrée of Duck Leg Confit with quinoa, pomegranate jus and mustard oil was delicious. Some places make the duck skin crispy with confit (which literally means “slowly cooked submerged in its own rendered fat”), however this skin was still wet. I found the meat to be tastier and juicier this way, so bring on the oily goodness!
My dessert was a wild blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream, which was nice, but it reminded me of the amazing blueberry pie I had in Maine over the summer which I still crave whenever I have a dessert with blue berries. Dave and Jen had some sort of chocolate-peanut butter cookie topped with whip cream and nuts. Overall, it was a great meal with a memorable appetizer and entrée.
Melting Pot (3/26): One of my high school friends, from a group of four that I had been dining out with on a semi-regular basis and Lydia, who just came back from Japan, wanted to try fondue and since I had never had it before, I thought that RW was the perfect time to give it a try. When I looked at the reviews, it only had two out of five stars. I came in with very low expectations but it turned out be a rather enjoyable (entertaining?) dinner. Our waiter was on the slow/grumpy side during the night. My friends say it is because I gave her a geography lesson. Long story short, she tried to explain the specials as the flavors of Provence. I told her I had been there recently; she replied that she has always wanted to go to Paris. I told her that Provence is in the south of France, nowhere near Paris. Anyway, I was worried that I would leave hungry, however, it was explained to me by Dana, who had had fondue before, that you can order extras of everything except for your protein. The two cheese pots were okay. Although do we really have to add cheese onto granny smith apples, uncooked veggies and bread?
For the entrees we picked the Mojo and Coq au Vin pots. Lydia and I ordered the teriyaki marinated sirloin, while my other three friends ordered the white shrimp and “Provencal” chicken. The Coq au Vin was good and the Mojo definitely had a Caribbean citrus flavor. The steak was okay, the shrimp was good but Amanda commented that the chicken was too “flavorful” so you couldn’t taste either sauce. When we asked the waiter for more bread, she gave us a blank stare and a moment of silence before walking away. The bread dipped in the Caribbean sauce was way to sour, even for me. Dessert was okay. Everyone seemed to love the chocolate covered marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate.
Ship Lantern (3/27): Originally I had made a reservation at Aroma Osteria for the same group of high school friends that I had dined with the previous night but at the last minute the person who really wanted Italian food couldn’t come. I gave the other people a choice between Ship Lantern Inn and a couple of other restaurants and decided on Ship Lantern Inn because they had a lamb dish that Lydia wanted to try. The first thing that I noticed when I entered was that all of the waiters were wearing bowties. I was happy that I was wearing a blazer and not a hoodie! The bread came out with the customary butter and this olive sundried tomato puree that was delicious.
We decided that with four people there was no reason that we couldn’t order at least one of everything. We started off with some raw oysters because Lydia couldn’t remember if she liked raw oysters (she does) and Jenn and Amanda had never had raw oysters. The pear on the salad was cooked perfectly. The smoked salmon and dill were delicious together. My quail was tender and had a sweet flavor that was served over some perfectly cooked risotto.
For dessert I was forced to get the panna cotta, which was what I wanted to order anyway. It was light and perfect. Lydia and Jenn got the apple fritters, which I thought were better than the apple fritters at Crave. Amanda got a slice of mint ice cream-chocolate ganache cake which was delicious too.
As we were leaving the waiters told us of weekday specials, and I would definitely go back and dine there again. Everything was well executed and delicious.
Overall, I was very satisfied with my HV RW experience. I was a little worried that after I had stuffed myself with burgers, thai curry, pork, duck and pho in NYC (to be blogged about later) the couple days before I embarked on HV RW that I would be too full and/or would find the food less appetizing (similar to what I experienced at American Bounty a month earlier). Even having gorged myself with wonderful food, my fears were unwarranted. HV RW was a total success and I can’t wait for it next year!!!
Crave (3/22): After being denied a chance to eat here last month, I felt that it was imperative that I eat here again because the last time I ate here there were some small bones in my salmon. Also Gina Truhe keeps raving about it on this blog and none of my tennis buddies had been there. I was the first one to arrive there (two minute drive from Marist) so I took a few pictures of the sparsely filled dining room and bathroom doors. Don commented that this was the best bathroom in the HV.
I was happy to be seated at the round table closest to the window (the tables in the dining room are a little too cramped for me). It felt like our own little section and gave Rick a lovely view of the gas station across the street. Tony ordered a bottle of Rivola wine which everyone liked (Tony ordered it because he liked the name). With four people and four appetizers we got one of each.
Don had the Asian salad which was tasty although it had a lot going on (wish there was more duck and less salad). Rick had the Tuna Carpaccio which was very good. I was pleased that it didn’t have balsamic all over it masking any taste of the fish. I had a well cooked polenta with perfectly cooked soft boiled egg with an oozing yolk. The highlight, however, was the Braised Pork Belly that Tony ordered. It sat in a sweet barbeque consommé with a brussel sprout slaw. The only thing wrong with the dish was that it was everyone couldn’t take more than one bite. As Gina Truhe later told me “it changed my life.”
We briefly considered ordering one of each entrée before we decided to order two of the lamb and the two of short ribs (I never order chicken but I considered ordering the fish). The short rib was delicious. It was tender and there were no chewy inedible tendon parts on the bottom. The lamb melted in my mouth. It was unbelievable! The accompaniments were wonderful too! The Fregula, larger and heartier than couscous was a perfect match to the succulent lamb.
For dessert we opted to not choose the cheese plate (I don’t know if Gina passed on it) or the pear as we all wanted something sweet. The apple fritters were good, chewy and delightful with a sweet sauce underneath. The Red Velvet cake with cream cheese icing and cream cheese ice cream was amazing. The red velvet cake was moist and the ice cream was delicious. However, the best dessert of the night was Braised Pork Belly. Yes, I substituted my traditional dessert with another order of the pork belly. It was sweet so why not? Not only was the pork belly delicious again, it was almost twice the size of the first one that we got. Being that it was so large I opted to share a sizable piece with Rick. As I was transferring it to his small plate, it fell one his phone. Sad, he picked it up and ate it anyway and then he then proceeded to LICK his phone to get the sweet sauce that was on the screen. That’s how good it was.
I was truly happy with my experience at Crave. It was definitely a fantastic way to start off RW in the HV.
Raccoon Saloon (3/23): I had made reservations for lunch at Back Yard Bistro and dinner at Ship Lantern Inn but due to the impending storm I canceled both the night before. However, it was barely snowing so I was able to schedule an early dinner with the friends that were supposed to go to Ship Lantern Inn with me (the original places were all booked) at Raccoon Saloon as it was close by (to Marist). We were sat next to a window that had a great view of a waterfall (it reminded me a bit of The Bear Café). I actually forgot my camera (shocking I know). All three of us ordered the chicken liver pate which was delicious. Instead of one thin slice they gave each of us three generous slices. While it was not as refined as pate from a place such as Bar Boulud, it was still delicious. It came with three toasted slices of a baguette and a decent amount of greens, far more than I expected. For entrees, I had the steak while both of my friends had the lamb shank. Their lamb was tender and delicious while my steak was okay. For dessert we all had panna cotta. It was a little bit firmer than I like it but still tasty. Overall, we were all pleased with the meal in this unassuming place.
Boitson’s (3/24): I came here with my parents and after I had the amazing Charcuterie Plate my first time here I was looking forward to a fantastic meal. Unfortunately, I left disappointed. My appetizer of fried oysters was good as usual. My mom liked her wedge salad, but my dad thought his soup was too salty.
The entrees were in my opinion, just ordinary. My dad had steak frites, with fries taking up more than half of the plate. My mom had sole and had to get a double order of string beans since the rice had black pepper in it. I had fried chicken (three pieces), green beans and mashed potato.
For dessert we had the chocolate espresso pot du crème, lemon cheesecake and carrot cake. They were okay, but my mom commented that the carrot cake was a little hard and not moist. The restaurant uses local ingredients to serve generous portions of well cooked home dishes, which was why my parents didn’t think it was worth the money as none of the dishes were memorable (my dad, however, did say that he liked the music). Also, there was nothing special on the RW menu, which would have been nice to see. I will return, however, as my friend Rick says that I have to try the deviled eggs, the dates wrapped in bacon stuffed with blue cheese, the burger and duck confit. In the future when I come back, I will just sit at the bar, order some appetizers and catch up with friends. I will steer clear of the entrees.
New World Home Cooking (3/25): This was my other repeat restaurant. It focuses on local food products with worldly flavor. When I saw that the HV RW menu had pork belly AND duck confit I had to come here! My friend Dave and his wife, Jen, decided to not order off the restaurant week menu and instead they both got bluecorn crusted seitan medallions (Dave is a vegetarian, his wife is not), which they always get when they come here. Dave also ordered the string bean appetizers which this place is known for.
My Korean BBQ Pork Belly appetizer was delicious. It was only a 6 out of 10 on the hotness scale, but it definitely had some nice heat. The pork belly cubes were slightly charred but not crisp, cooked to perfection. My entrée of Duck Leg Confit with quinoa, pomegranate jus and mustard oil was delicious. Some places make the duck skin crispy with confit (which literally means “slowly cooked submerged in its own rendered fat”), however this skin was still wet. I found the meat to be tastier and juicier this way, so bring on the oily goodness!
My dessert was a wild blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream, which was nice, but it reminded me of the amazing blueberry pie I had in Maine over the summer which I still crave whenever I have a dessert with blue berries. Dave and Jen had some sort of chocolate-peanut butter cookie topped with whip cream and nuts. Overall, it was a great meal with a memorable appetizer and entrée.
Melting Pot (3/26): One of my high school friends, from a group of four that I had been dining out with on a semi-regular basis and Lydia, who just came back from Japan, wanted to try fondue and since I had never had it before, I thought that RW was the perfect time to give it a try. When I looked at the reviews, it only had two out of five stars. I came in with very low expectations but it turned out be a rather enjoyable (entertaining?) dinner. Our waiter was on the slow/grumpy side during the night. My friends say it is because I gave her a geography lesson. Long story short, she tried to explain the specials as the flavors of Provence. I told her I had been there recently; she replied that she has always wanted to go to Paris. I told her that Provence is in the south of France, nowhere near Paris. Anyway, I was worried that I would leave hungry, however, it was explained to me by Dana, who had had fondue before, that you can order extras of everything except for your protein. The two cheese pots were okay. Although do we really have to add cheese onto granny smith apples, uncooked veggies and bread?
For the entrees we picked the Mojo and Coq au Vin pots. Lydia and I ordered the teriyaki marinated sirloin, while my other three friends ordered the white shrimp and “Provencal” chicken. The Coq au Vin was good and the Mojo definitely had a Caribbean citrus flavor. The steak was okay, the shrimp was good but Amanda commented that the chicken was too “flavorful” so you couldn’t taste either sauce. When we asked the waiter for more bread, she gave us a blank stare and a moment of silence before walking away. The bread dipped in the Caribbean sauce was way to sour, even for me. Dessert was okay. Everyone seemed to love the chocolate covered marshmallows dipped in melted chocolate.
We decided that with four people there was no reason that we couldn’t order at least one of everything. We started off with some raw oysters because Lydia couldn’t remember if she liked raw oysters (she does) and Jenn and Amanda had never had raw oysters. The pear on the salad was cooked perfectly. The smoked salmon and dill were delicious together. My quail was tender and had a sweet flavor that was served over some perfectly cooked risotto.
Lydia got her rack of lamb for her entrée, which was delicious. The meat was tender, although I think the lamb dish at Crave was better. Jenn and Amanda got the Lobster & Brie stuffed Chicken. The stuffing was delicious and the chicken was nice and moist. I was “forced” to get the scallops which were perfectly cooked and NOT sliced in half, along with some smoked salmon and caviar.
For dessert I was forced to get the panna cotta, which was what I wanted to order anyway. It was light and perfect. Lydia and Jenn got the apple fritters, which I thought were better than the apple fritters at Crave. Amanda got a slice of mint ice cream-chocolate ganache cake which was delicious too.
As we were leaving the waiters told us of weekday specials, and I would definitely go back and dine there again. Everything was well executed and delicious.
Overall, I was very satisfied with my HV RW experience. I was a little worried that after I had stuffed myself with burgers, thai curry, pork, duck and pho in NYC (to be blogged about later) the couple days before I embarked on HV RW that I would be too full and/or would find the food less appetizing (similar to what I experienced at American Bounty a month earlier). Even having gorged myself with wonderful food, my fears were unwarranted. HV RW was a total success and I can’t wait for it next year!!!
P.S. - On a sad note, Beso in New Paltz closed. Now I will have to find a new place for a perfectly cooked filet mignon, mushroom risotto and bottle of chinon wine. If you happen to go to High Falls, stop by the Northern Spy. Their “free range” tofu appetizer there is what the green beans are to New World Home Cooking and IMHO, much better.
The marshmallows at Melting Pot weren't simply dipped in chocolate, they were dipped in chocolate cookie crumb. Each was cloaked in a perfect coating of magic, crumby goodness. Yet, as good as they were, the apple fritters were about 10 times better.
ReplyDeleteAlso, as a side-note, I doubt that you even own a hoodie and I even more strongly doubt that you would ever wear one whilst dining out. Unless you could wear a tie with it.