Restaurants
Berkshire County
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Aegean Breeze
It’s not easy to find authentic ethnic eateries in our region, which is why Aegean Breeze is so refreshing. Chef/owner George Cami was born and raised in Greece and his menu is loaded with the foods of his childhood such as Melitzansoalata (roasted baby eggplant spread with garlic and feta cheese), Keftedes (meatballs in tomato sauce), and whole grilled fish like red snapper and striped bass. Make sure to reserve on Thursday nights when crowds descend for the weekly Lobster Special.
327 Stockbridge Road; 413-528-4001
Lunch & Dinner: Monday - Sunday 11:30 AM - 10 PM
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/31/08 at 07:42 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Allium
Local and seasonal is the m.o. at Allium, (which took over the storefronts once occupied by the tragically wonderful Verdura and Due) so the menu reads a bit like a wine list: those aren’t just any turnips alongside that delicious duck breast on a bed of faro ($25), they’re Farm Girl Hakurei turnips, and don’t you forget it. In the city, such fussing about the provenance of produce seems twee. Here, we like seeing our farming neighbors duly credited, especially since the chef does such justice to their stuff. Some of the concoctions may sound a tad weird (roasted cod with mussels and Italian sausage ($25), followed by a blue hubbard brullee), but they work, as does the friendly young staff, so who’s arguing?
42-44 Railroad Street; 413.528.2118
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/07/08 at 11:14 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Baba Louie’s
First, learn the code: When Baba Louie’s owner Paul Masiero (son of Guy Masiero, owner of Guido’s Fresh Marketplace) says small, he means large; when he says large, he means ridiculous. A small salad here feeds four adults. The garnish, alone, on Dawn’s Delight ($8.50 small; $17.95 family size assumes a total lack of family planning) has enough gorgonzola, julienned pears, dried cranberries and roasted walnuts on the greens to fulfill the minimum daily requirement of every known nutrient. The sourdough pizzas are thin-and-crispy-crusted below, hearty on top. Riccardo’s Famosa ($10.50 small; $15.95 large) features, in addition to tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella, chevre, sundried tomatoes, asiago, calamata olives, roasted garlic, basil and parmesan. One large pie is plenty for four moderate eaters, as long as they’ve already taken the edge off with a “small” salad. The only thing that isn’t over-sized here is the check: two couples can get out for $35 or so per pair. And that includes a large carafe of the house red.
286 Main Street; 413.528.8100
Lunch: 11:30 - 3
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10
Tell-a-Friend
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/12/08 at 02:14 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Helsinki
The decor is bohemian, the menu is eclectic, and the signature dishes at Helsinki are Old World comfort food: hot borscht with horseradish cream ($5) Finnish meatballs with mashed potatoes ($18) and Anni’s smorgasbord plate ($12) piled high with gravlax, dill sauce, salami, cheese and beet salad.
284 Main Street (through the arcade); 413-528-3394
Lunch & Dinner: Monday - Sunday 11 AM to 10 PM
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 02:33 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Pearl’s
When it opened three years ago, Pearl’s seemed too recherche for Railroad Street. Now it’s developed a mellower mojo that suits downtown Great Barrington. Even in the plush main dining room, you can order from the affordable bar menu--pulled pork sandwich ($10), grilled salmon BLT ($10) and lobster roll ($18)--which makes Pearl’s a relaxed spot for a late supper and nightcap after a movie at the Triplex. For serious dining, the full menu features Persian fried chicken ($22), caramelized sea scallops with truffes ($29) and peppered rack of venison ($34). You can even reserve online.
47 Railroad Street; 413.528.7767
Lunch: Wednesday - Saturday 12 - 2:30
Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday 5 - 10; Friday - Saturday 5 - 11; Sunday 5:30 - 10
Brunch: Sunday 11 - 3
Closed Monday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 02:45 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Route 7 Grill
After a day of skiing or snowshoeing, you want serious comfort food, and Route 7 Grill delivers. This upscale roadhouse has stunning graphics and a great barbecue menu, and a two sided fireplace that warms up this vast restaurant. The savory half or full rack of babyback ribs ($16/$24) and succulent brisket ($16) are first rate, and the sides such as roasted beets and mac-and-cheese (most made from locally grown or raised ingredients) are delicious enough to be the main event. And if there’s a wait, nothing’s better than having a draught beer in front of the fireplace.
999 Main Street (Route 7); 413.528.3235
Lunch: Saturday-Sunday, 11:30 - 3
Dinner: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, 5 -9; Friday - Saturday 5 -10; Sunday 3 - 9
Closed Tuesday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 02:24 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Lenox, Massachusetts
Bistro Zinc
You’ve gotta love a high-end Berkshires restaurant that keeps the bar open ‘til 1 a.m. Not that one would ever avail herself of the privilege. But it strikes a blow for a brand of fun that’s thin on the ground around here. Berkshire-eans tend to expect too much of Bistro Zinc. When it opened in 1999, the food was a revelation. Since then, it’s been coasting, and the competition has wised up. But if you stick to bistro fare--the steak with perfect frites ($29--if you don’t count the extra $5 they tack on for the side of spinach or haricots vertes), the astonishing 8-ounce burger on a plate piled high with onion rings, French fries, and tempura-fried green beans ($18), the roasted trout ($24) --you can have a fine time here. Lunch in the bright dining room is even better; same burger (alas, minus the tempura beans) is $5 less. A word about specials: A special can be something seasonal and lovely, such as soft-shell crab; or it can be experimental, a dish the chef isn’t sure even he or she is going to like. My advice: if you’re risk-averse, steer clear of specials. Pheasant stark naked except for the cabbage leaf it steamed in ($28)? Note to chef: sauce is pheasant’s raison d’etre.
56 Church Street; 413.637.8800
Lunch: 11:30 - 3
Dinner: 5:30 - 10
Bar: Sunday - Thursday to 11:30 or 12; Friday & Saturday to 1
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/21/08 at 08:30 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Fin Sushi and Sake Bar
Fin is an exquisite little Japanese lacquered box inscrutably sprinkled with action figures, Pokemon dolls, and plastic wind-up toys. These artifacts of Japanese pop culture set a certain tone--young, maybe even hip, though the bubble-gummy music suggests otherwise. Nobody loves Japanese food because it’s inventive: traditional fare--miso soup, sushi, sashimi, tempura--only surprises us when it’s bad. Blameless seems to be the goal--fresh, high-quality ingredients, properly handled. But the chefs at Fin seem more ambitious than most. Miso soup can taste like salt water; here it’s so flavorful you almost suspect them of slipping in a little rich chicken stock (just joshing). Crunchy spicy tuna ($8) and lobster rolls ($13) make you sit up and take notice, as do the cool lettuce cups with chicken and lo mein noodles ($10). But okonomiyaki ($12), a decoratively sauced pancake-like disk, cut into wedges, looks more interesting than it tastes, and the soggy tempura combo ($23) was that evening’s big surprise.
27 Housatonic Street; 413.637.9171
Lunch and dinner 12 - 10
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 04/07/08 at 06:52 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Firefly
Bring me your solo diners, your restaurant-food-weary, your families with young children yearning for something not-too-challenging to eat. That’s Firefly; a pleasant bakery/internet cafe by day; grown-up bistro with kid-friendly menu by night. There’s even an entire menu section devoted to Comfort Plates. So, while one in your party can be living it up with the crispy roasted half duckling with port wine fig glaze, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and green beans ($28), another can be soothing a wounded spirit with a crock of tomato-and-basil soup and a grilled fontina cheese sandwich ($13). And unlike certain other restaurants on Church Street who shall remain nameless, Firefly stays open year ‘round, for which they score extra points.
Firefly, 71 Church Street; 413.637-2700
Morning cafe & lunch: 10 - 3 Monday - Saturday
Closed Sunday
Dinner: 5 - 9 Thursday - Tuesday
Closed Wednesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 03/02/08 at 10:26 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Brix Wine Bar
Brix calls itself a wine bar, but it’s really a bistro serving superb versions of the sort of simple French dishes that were considered gourmet when Julia Child introduced them to America. Remember quiche? Brix’s version is better than anything you remember: a savory, custardy tart ($12) that is served with a lightly dressed pile of field greens. The gamy house-made country-style pâté ($9) is studded with pistachios and dried cranberries, and is served on a platter with dense rounds of baguette, cornichons and Dijon mustard. The macaroni gratin ($12), which comes with a green salad, is one of those prosaic French dishes that Julia believed were the soul of everyday French cuisine, and clearly Brix is a bistro with a soul. As a wine bar, Brix encourages tastings by offering “flights” of wine--four small glasses for $10. If you are going to a show at The Colonial or Barrington Stage (both within walking distance), let the staff know and they will pace your meal accordingly. But since Brix does not take reservations, you should arrive on the early side to secure a table in the dimly lit, narrow storefront, which means you can have a leisurely meal and, perhaps, that extra glass of wine.
40 West Street; 413-236-9463
Dinner: Tuesday – Thursday 5 - 9 (bar ‘till 10); Friday & Saturday 5 - 9:30 (bar ‘till 10:30)
Closed Sunday & Monday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 02/17/08 at 03:42 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Burger
Spice owners Joyce Bernstein and Larry Rosenthal have created an affordable, delicious, and nutritious alternative to McDonald’s in downtown Pittsfield. Inspired by the great drive-ins of California like In-N-Out Burger and Astroburger, Burger is a lofty, retro-style space that celebrates All-American fast food before it was corrupted by corporations. The classic burger ($3.99), with or without cheese, is served on a toasted pressed bun in a red plastic basket with lettuce, tomato and onion on the side. There are hot dogs ($2.49), chili cheese fries ($3.99) and thick shakes made with local High Lawn Farm milk. The service is as nostalgic as the decor: the cheerful, high school and college students who work here never stop smiling.
297 North Street; 413-997-9797
Lunch & Dinner: Monday - Thursday 11:30 - 9; Friday & Saturday 11:30 - 10; Sunday 11:30 - 8
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/31/08 at 08:03 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Spice
CLOSED TEMPORARILY
There’s a savory synergy between Spice, the culinary symbol of Pittsfield’s long-awaited renaissance, and the two recently renovated theaters within walking distance of it. Our favorite way to experience Spice is to dine in the lounge before or after a show at the The Colonial or Barrington Stage Company. The bar menu of American-style tapas—bacon-and-wild mushroom flatbread pizza ($12), mini Kobe beef burgers ($12), duck-and-corn quesadilla ($12), fried calamari ($11)—is designed for sharing: if there are four of you, order five plates and you’ll be well fed. And if you can’t finish everything, Spice will neatly pack up your leftovers neatly in the slickest doggie bag you’ve ever seen.
297 North Street; 413-443-1234
Bar & Lounge: Tuesday - Thursday 4:30 - 11; Friday & Saturday, 4:30 - 11:30
Dinner: Tuesday - Saturday 5 to 10 PM
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/31/08 at 07:47 AM (1) Comments • Permalink
Sheffield, Massachusetts
Stagecoach Tavern
As you drive down pitch-black Route 41 in Sheffield, MA, you see the twinkling lights outside the venerable Stagecoach Tavern and you wonder if it’s a mirage. As you head toward the front door, you feel as if you’ve stepped onto a soundstage at MGM circa 1941, where they are shooting a movie set at a quintessential New England tavern. Your heart skips a beat when you walk inside, because this restaurant is cozy, quirky and authentic with a crackling wood-burning fireplace. Thankfully, the food is contemporary county cuisine and the chef uses local, organic ingredients whenever possible. The salads ($6 - 7) are large and fresh, the grilled hangar steak ($24) is intensely flavorful and comes with a choice of two sides such as olive oil smashed potatoes, creamed spinach and roasted mushrooms. One regular we know skips the entrees entirely and makes a meal of the sides.
864 S. Undermountain Road (Route 41); 413-229-8585
Thursday - Saturday 5 - 10
Sunday 4:30 - 8:30
Closed Monday - Wednesday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 03:04 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
South Egremont, Massachusetts
The Old Mill
Sited by a rushing creek in a converted 1832 flour mill, this reliable Berkshire perennial has the bona fides to play up the old Ye Olde. Yet on this and every other front, there’s evidence at The Old Mill of admirable Yankee restraint. The decor, while pleasant, isn’t straining for affect; the chef, while clearly up on the latest, delivers it pretension-free (Soup of Yesterday, $7, is both witty and wise). Diners even get the chance to indulge in old-fashioned thrift: An ample first-course salad is included with every entrée. And where else can you follow something as sophisticated as pan-roasted Berkshire pork chop with caramelized apple, Calvados glaze and root vegetable hash ($26) or grilled organic salmon with citrus vinaigrette and a wild-rice risotto cake ($26) with a chocolate ice cream sundae for dessert.
53 Main Street (Route 23); 413.528.1421
Dinner: Thursday & Sunday 5 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10:30
Closed Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/07/08 at 11:03 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
West Stockbridge, Massachusetts
Rouge
Though only six years old, Rouge has a Design-Research-meets-flower-child look reminiscent of the ’60s, which may explain why Berkshire-eans of a certain age and persuasion (my own) have taken it to heart. Another lure: the food is good and generally well-priced. A huge platter of fried calamari with an excellent house aioli is a steal at $9. The baby-back ribs (“Best ever!”) with rosemary mashed and an Asian-y slaw is a serious plate of food for $24. But beware the salad specials: $13 suggests something more robust than a modest plate of greens with a restrained garnish of (alas, unripe) fruit.
3 Center Street; 413.232.4111
Dinner: Wednesday - Sunday 5 - 10
Closed Monday & Tuesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 05:08 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Columbia County
Chatham, New York
Chaseo
One downside of living in the Golden Age of American Eating is that we too often find ourselves at the mercy of a restaurateur whose reach exceeds his grasp. Not so at Steve Gallagher and Carl Berman’s Chaseo. Here the Mediterranean-leaning menu is sophisticated enough to spark our interest, but the dishes are simple enough to be prepared and served to perfection by a staff that (I’m guessing here) never matriculated at Le Cordon Bleu. A generous portion of pan-seared haddock topped with a tomato-and-garlic coulis rests on a bed of freshly steamed spinach steeped in olive oil. Flanked by white-and-wild rice and garlicky asparagus spears, it is a satisfying entree and very fairly priced ($17). The pork medallions with apples and onions ($17.50) are not so much sauced as glazed with a brown-sugar-brandy reduction and served with mashed potatoes. For pasta-holics, there’s lobster ravioli ($15.50) topped with extra lobster in a sherry bisque sauce--quite deservedly one of the most popular items on the menu.
34 Hudson Avenue (Rte. 66), Chatham, NY; 518.392.8666
Tuesday-Thursday & Sunday, 5-9
Friday & Saturday, 5-10
Closed Monday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/12/08 at 05:55 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
The Blue Plate
Tough day? Everything about The Blue Plate--its name, the intriguing Ragtime-era structure it inhabits (rumored to have been a brothel once), the Marc Rosenthal 3-D cartoon mural that greets you as you step through the door--contrives to make you smile. Though the design is knowing, with lighting as soothing as a warm bath, the net effect is suitably relaxed and unpretentious. As is the food: “American bistro with international implications.” Too whipped to tackle the otherwise appealing grilled trout with key-lime butter ($21)? Go for the comforting meatloaf-and-mashed ($12) instead. One caveat: The saucing here can be heavy-handed; you may want to ask for it on the side.
1 Kinderhook Street; 518.392.7711
Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday 5:30 - 9; Friday, Saturday & Sunday 5:30 - 9:30
Closed Mondays
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 05:38 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Hudson, New York
Baba Louie’s
If Hudson Baba Louie’s is Son of Great Barrington Baba Louie’s, then the kid is both bigger and more beautiful than his dad. But who cares? At Baba Louie’s, inner beauty is what counts. We’ve already raved about the salads, the pizzas, the prices (see Great Barrington, above). Once in a while, you owe it to yourself to change course and try the homemade vegetarian, dairy-free soup ($1.95/$3.95), the delicious panini ($6.95-$7.95) or the invariably good evening pasta ($10.95/$15.95) instead. Bring along a hungry friend; portions are huge.
517 Warren Street; 518.751-2155
Lunch: 11:30 - 3
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/12/08 at 03:14 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Ca’Mea Ristorante
Often, going to a restaurant in our area can seem like landing in the middle of Waiting for Guffman--amateurs acting their hearts out badly. Polished, well-managed Ca’Mea Ristorante is just the opposite. Two Warren Street storefronts attractively combined, plus, in season, an enormous garden, it also has a bar that’s great for dining (square, with a central bartender, it invites interchange, making it popular with solo diners and couples who’ve already heard what each other has to say). Upon arriving one Saturday night last summer without reservations, our party of four was surprised that we were able to cadge a table in the garden right away. The place was hopping, so we kept it simple--salads ($7.50) and pastas ($15 - $17) all around--and braced ourselves for a wait. Not at all. Firsts arrived promptly, and within minutes, the steaming bowls came out. Impressive. And the food? Authentically northern Italian, which is to say, delicious, if not the most inventive stuff around.
333 Warren Street; 518.822.0005
Lunch: 12 - 3
Dinner: 5 - 10
Closed: Mondays
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 03/22/08 at 07:04 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Mexican Radio
Don’t let the hardscrabble border-town name and matching décor fool you. This northern outpost of an acclaimed NYC dining spot is not low end. Everything at Mexican Radio is freshly chopped and squeezed, and the value is good (entrees, a cut well above the norm, are mostly under $20), as long as you lay off the $7-$11 Margaritas. But who does?
537 Warren Street; 518 828-7770
Lunch & Dinner: 11:30 - 11 daily
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 05:29 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Swoon Kitchenbar
Is there another restaurant in Columbia County as New Yorky (in a good way) as this smashing place? Swoon Kitchenbar owner-chef Jeffrey Gimmel, a former top toque at Michael’s, and his partner in all things, Nina Bachinsky-Gimmel, once a pastry chef at the Union Square Café, met while studying cheese making at The Old Chatham Sheepherding Co. All that training shows in the work: an appetizer of house smoked beef tongue with fingerling potato crisps and cauliflower mustard puree ($10.95); an entrée of chicken fricassee with fennel, celery root and leeks ($22.95). And for the culinarily cautious, there’s always the skirt steak with mashed ($19.95).
340 Warren Street; 518.828.9082
Lunch: Thursday - Tuesday 11:30 - 5
Dinner: Thursday, Sunday - Tuesday 5 - 10; Friday & Saturday 5 - 11
Closed Wednesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/01/08 at 09:03 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
The Red Dot
Anyone who’s curious as to the precise nature and significance of what is happening in upstate New York should check out the bar scene here. Doesn’t matter when: on a blizzard-y weeknight in February, you’ll find a confluence of young and old, straight and gay, rich and poor, town and gown, business and arts. Interestingly, all this barrier-blind conviviality hinges on the larger-than-life personality of the owner, Alana Hauptman, who treats everyone the same--as if each were, on the one hand, a celebrity and, on the other, sorely in need of a severe and profane dressing down. Fortunately, regulars would rather go hungry than leave the bar, so no matter how crowded the Dot appears to be, it’s generally easy to get a table in back. And in warm weather, there’s a garden that’s the soul of charm. Oh, and, by the way, they also serve food. Think: bistro and reasonable. While Chef Jonathan may not be out to re-invent the wheel--chicken pot pie ($14), steak with red wine shallot butter ($24)--it’s pretty #&!^%@! good.
321 Warren Street; 518.828.3657
Dinner: Wednesday - Saturday 5 - 10; Sunday 5- 9
Brunch & Lunch: Saturday & Sunday 11 - 3
Closed: Monday & Tuesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/21/08 at 07:02 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Vico
First-rate Italian food: We’ve all tasted a lot of caponata, but we haven’t tasted a lot of caponata ($7) as good as this. Regulars at Vico suffer withdrawal each summer when the lasagna al cinghiale ($23), featuring a ferocious wild boar ragu, goes into hibernation. Add flawless service, and you’d have a great dining experience, but for the harsh lighting and amateurish décor. In Hudson? Where every third pedestrian is a designer? Just open any window and yell, “Help!”
136 Warren St.; 518.828.6529
Lunch: Wednesday - Saturday & Monday 12 - 2; Sunday 11 - 2
Dinner: Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday & Monday 5 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5 - 10
Closed Tuesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 06:30 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Philmont, New York
Local 111
A beacon of promise in up-and-coming Philmont, this former filling station, cleverly reconfigured by co-owner/architect Linda Gatter, doesn’t just look like the hippest restaurant around. As its name implies, the emphasis at Local 111 is on seasonal and locally grown. Grass-fed meat (grilled steak $25) and free-range poultry (roast chicken $20) are everything you’d expect. But it’s chef David Wurth’s first courses (beets, olives and potatoes, $6; sausage and peppers, $8) and sides (wilted greens, baked tomatoes, soft polenta with cheese @ $3) that steal the show. Fortunately, grazing rights are extended to all—any three sides with grilled bread are a mere $8.
111 Main Street; 518.672.7801
Morning cafe Wednesday - Sunday 8 - 12
Dinner: Wednesday, Thursday & Sunday 5 - 9; Friday & Saturday 5 - 9:30
Closed Monday and Tuesday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 06:55 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Dutchess County
Amenia, New York
Serevan
Food as intricately flavored and nuanced as Serevan‘s tends to be served in uptight, pretentious surroundings, but this pretty restaurant (just three-minutes from the Wassaic train station) is pleasantly laid back. Why is the food so good? Owner Serge Madikian, the grandson of an Armenian immigrant who grew up in Iran, has worked alongside some of the best chefs of his generation, including David Bouley and Jean-George Vongerichten. He puts everything he’s ever learned about cooking into dishes such as Chicken Bastilla with Orange-Curry Emulsion ($21), Pan Seared Branzino with Cumin Scented Hummus and Preserved Lemons ($25), and Rack of Lamb with Madjoul Dates and Dried Limes ($29) Dessets like Orange Blossom Panna Cotta ($8) are equally exotic and delicious.
6 Autumn Lane (aka Route 44): 845-373-9800
Dinner: Thursday - Monday, 5 - 10
Brunch: Sunday 10 - 2:30
Closed Tuesday & Wednesday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 02:18 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Millerton, New York
Manna Dew
The other night at Manna Dew, a couple in their twenties played chess at the bar as they sipped Shiraz from oversized goblets, a reflection of this wine bar/restaurant’s hybrid appeal. Manna Dew encourages hanging out (there’s an open mike on Thursdays and live music on Fridays), but it also has serious culinary ambitions with dishes such as truffled mushroom risotto ($19), artichoke crusted salmon ($24), and pan seared duck breast in a pear brandy demi glace ($23). Located in an old Victorian house just a few doors down from The Moviehouse, Manna Dew stays real with a great burger ($11) and a curried tofu vegetable stir fry with coconut basmati rice ($15). No wonder fuzzy faced twenty-somethings and fuzzy-brained sixty-somethings dine here side by side in harmony.
54 Main Street; 518-789-3570
Dinner: Thursday 5:30 - 9:30; Friday & Saturday 5:30 - 10;
Sunday 5:00 - 9:30; Monday 5:30 - 9:30
Closed Tuesday (& Wednesday in the winter months)
Posted by Dan Shaw on 02/09/08 at 10:30 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Pine Plains, New York
Stissing House Restaurant & Tavern
After 20 years running the pioneering SoHo bistro Provence, Michel & Patricia Jean finally moved full-time to their weekend house in Dutchess County and purchased the landmark Stissing House, a quintessential New England inn, which just so happens to be in New York State not far from the Taconic Parkway. You can have a romantic dinner à deux in front of a fireplace in one of the smaller dining rooms or join the convivial crowd in the historic tavern. When you order dishes like onion soup ($7), pan-seared duck breast with cherry port reduction ($23) and shell steak that comes with a choice of luscious Béarnaise or pepper-cognac sauces ($28), you can’t imagine anything tasting more authentically French and appropriate to the Hudson Valley.
Route 199 & Route 82; 518-398-8800
Dinner: Thursday - Monday
Closed: Tuesday & Wednesday
Closed for vacation until March 13
Posted by Dan Shaw on 02/13/08 at 12:23 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Rhinebeck, New York
Gigi Trattoria
Gigi Trattoria is so lively and chic no one would suspect there’s a dietitian calling the shots. Owner/registered dietitian Laura Pensiero calls the food here “Hudson Valley Mediterranean.” We call it refreshing. Just when you think you know the Italian restaurant repertoire by heart, along comes crispy calamari-and-zucchini ($12.95); braised lamb shank with roasted vegetables and maple pumpkin polenta ($24.95); gnocchi with gorganzola cream and caramelized celery root ($11.50 or $16.50). For those who prefer the tried-and-true, there are thin-crusted “skizzas” (individual flatbread pizzas, $9.75 - $12.50), and an astonishing rib-eye with fries (32 oz serves two, at least, for $39.95). Don’t be put off if the place looks packed. Somehow, they always manage to seat you in a blink.
6422 Montgomery Avenue; 845.876.1007
Lunch: 11:30 - 2:45
Dinner from 4:30
Closed Monday
Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 01/31/08 at 07:00 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Salt Point, New York
La Puerta Azul
If you’re one of those people who disdain dining in strip malls, La Puerta Azul (less than a mile from the Taconic Parkway’s Route 44/Millbrook exit) will radically change your outlook. The colorful, professionally decorated interior with its locally-wrought iron chandeliers is so exuberant that you feel like you’re at a party even on a quiet weekday night. Of course, the generous, classic margarita ($8) made with fresh lime juice helps and so do the warm chips and piquante salsa that has the texture of tapenade. The dining room’s stylishness is matched by the kitchen’s: Ceviche ($10) is served in an oversized martini glass with a sauce of roasted tomatoes and citrus juices; a hearty appetizer of beef empanadas ($7) is presented on a square plate with squiggles of chipolte sauce as if it were nouvelle cuisine; the perfectly grilled organic chicken breast ($18) comes with a mellow mole sauce on the side and heavenly sweet corn rice that has been mounded to resemble a Mayan temple. The symbolism is apt because La Puerta Azul’s food is divine.
2510 Route 44; 845-677-2985
Lunch & Dinner : Monday - Thursday: 11:30 AM - 10 PM
Friday & Saturday: 11:30 AM - 11 PM; Sunday: 11:30 AM - 9 PM
Posted by Dan Shaw on 02/22/08 at 11:50 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Litchfield County
Lakeville, Connecticut
Pastorale
Karen Hamilton and Frederic Feveau have created a traditional country French restaurant--the wife runs the front of the house and the husband’s in the kitchen--that appeals to the tastes of the northwestern corner’s bourgeoisie. Located in an antique Colonial that’s been painted warm Provencal colors, Pastorale has a devoted following who come for classics like poached pear-and-frisee salad with Stilton and caramelized walnuts ($9), mouules Mariniere ($18.50), and grilled leg of lamb with spinach and polenta ($24). The restaurant offers a three-course prix-fixe menu ($28) Tuesday - Thursday.
223 Main Street; 860-435-1011
Dinner Tuesday - Saturday 5:30 - 9; Sunday 5 -8
Brunch: Sunday noon - 5
Closed Monday.
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 01:57 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Woodland
This quintessential neighborhood restaurant can be hard to find, which suits its loyal clientele just fine. Theoretically, you could dine here contentedly six nights a week (it’s dark on Mondays) because the menu is extensive so there is always something you’re in the mood for: arugula-and-goat-cheese salad with crispy lardons, delicate sole almondine, and a steak sandwich served with a mound of spinach and crispy fries. And there’s sushi, too! It’s no wonder Woodland is always packed (even during snowstorms) because no place is as reliably welcoming or consistently delicious.
192 Sharon Road (Route 41); 860-435-0578
Lunch: Tuesday - Saturday 11:30 - 2:30
Dinner: Tuesday - Thursday 5 -9; Friday - Saturday 5 - 10; Sunday 4 - 8:30
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/31/08 at 08:12 AM (0) Comments • Permalink
Falls Village, Connecticut
Toymaker’s Cafe
If you want a taste of small town life, try quirky Toymaker’s Cafe in Falls Village, the second smallest town in Connecticut with just 1,200 residents. There are two communal tables, so you are likely to meet the locals while sipping a creamy latte and savoring the sweet potato waffle, the justifiably famous house specialty, Leather-clad bikers have made this their Sunday brunch pit-stop so come early or late unless you want to join a conversation about Harleys.
85 Main Street; 860-824-8168
Breakfast & Lunch Thursday-Friday, 7 AM - 2 PM; Saturday-Sunday, 7 AM to 4 PM
Closed Monday - Wednesday
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/30/08 at 03:11 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
Salisbury, Connecticut
White Hart Inn
The tap room at the historic White Hart is a picture postcard version of a New England tavern. It’s especially cozy if you can snare a table near the wood burning fireplace (and quite refreshing in the summer when you can sit on the porch overlooking the Village Green.) Ask for the pub menu, which features a hearty chicken pot pie ($13.50), a knockout BLT made with pancetta on grainy peasant bread ($9), a robust cheeseburger with thin, crispy fries ($9.50 or $11.50 if you want salad instead of potatoes) and, for vegetarians, a luscious roasted portobello sandwich with cheese and caramelized onions ($10.50)
15 Undermountain Road (on the Village Green); 860-435-0030
Lunch: Monday - Friday 11:30 - 3; Saturday & Sunday 11:30 - 4
Dinner: Sunday - Thursday 5 - 9; Friday & Saturday 5 - 9:30
Posted by Dan Shaw on 01/29/08 at 08:06 PM (0) Comments • Permalink
