Vietnamese is “really light, clean food," Hudson Food Studio owner and chef David Chicane explains. “It’s more herb- than spice-based. When you get done with dinner, you feel good," rather than needing to take either a jog or a nap. “It’s about letting the ingredients speak for themselves." That keep-it-simple approach is evident in dishes such as bun cha — spicy pork meatballs over plain rice vermicelli, with sprouts and fermented nuoc mam fish sauce for dipping — or in the spicy chicken with lime chile, thai basil and mint. Each bright component stands alone yet harmonized, via some inscrutable kitchen thaumaturgy. Ditto the salad of pink pickled beets, flash-fried goat cheese, almonds, golden raisins, coriander and pea shoots. Appetizers, such as fresh summer rolls, fall in the $8-$11 range, with entrées running from $13-$22. Hudson Food Studio 610 Warren St., Hudson, NY (518) 828-3459 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 5-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday: 5-11 p.m.

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Jamie Larson
Jamie Larson