I’ve written about cocktails before, but this time, let’s make it official. And with that, I give you the first “sips” post: The Silver Streak.
Assistant features editor Matt Sartwell (my friend and co-host for 90-Second Weekend) invited me to the most recent screening of The Journal News Film Club at The Jacob Burns Center in Pleasantville on Tuesday. So naturally, I poked my head into the Iron Horse Grill to see what chef-owner Phil McGrath has been up to these days.
I found it’s not just Phil who’s been up to something. Bartender John Stork has also been busy. He’s got a new cocktail on the menu called the Silver Streak.
It came about after Phil’s wife Cathy took him and the kids to L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon for Phil’s birthday last year. They were sitting on the banquette and noticed the Russian-American customer and the French waiter were having communication diffiuclties. Phil, being the sociable guy he is, offered to help out. He explained the dish in question, and then got to talking with Russian-American a bit. He asked Phil if he’d ever tried Imperia Vodka, one of the it-drinks with the rich and famous these days.
Next thing you know, he sent four shots of it to Phil and his family (even though the kids are too young!). Phil said even though he drank it room temperature, it went down real smooth. He decided to order it for the restaurant.
Enter John. This was back in the fall, so he had pears on the mind. He found a pear liqueur called Poire Mathilde, mixed it with a cinnamon-simple syrup and added some pear nectar. They named the cocktail, as they name a lot of their cocktails, after something train-related: The Silver Streak.
It sounds like it might be sweet, but it’s actually very well balanced and, yes, smooth. Real smooth.
Silver Streak
2 ounces Imperia Vodka
1 ounce Poire Mathilde
1/8 ounce cinnamon simple syrup*
1/4 ounce pear nectar, such as Looza
Cinnamon-sugar for the rim
Moisten the rim of a cocktail glass and set it upside down in a plate of cinnamon sugar. If you have time, place the glass in the freezer to chill it and set the sugar. Combine the vodka, Poire Mathilde, syrup and nectar in a cocktail shaker and shake vigorously. Strain into the chilled glass.
Yield: 1 serving.
*To make cinnamon simple syrup: Place 3 cinnamon sticks, 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil and then shut off the heat. Let the cinnamon sticks steep about 30 minutes. Let cool before using.
BONUS WEB MATERIAL. This cocktail recipe may appear later in the Journal News, but this blog post will be the only place to see photos of the Iron Horse Grill and Phil’s other restaurant, The Pony Express, from the night I visited. Check these out by clicking here: A Tuesday in Pleasantville.
5 Comments
I have a question. I live in White Plains and dine out quite frequently from Tuckahoe to Greenwich. I have favorite restaurants both upscale (Mulinos, Trotters, Tango Grill, Valella, Cafe Meze to name a few….) and casual, PF Changs, City Limits Diner, Piper’s Kilt, Candlelight). I also enjoy trying new places at least once a week. I was wondering if you were interested in feedback for your column from someone who fequents a number of restaurants on a weekly basis.
Kathy
Of course Kathy  that would be great. Why don’t you email me and we can discuss it. ewjohnsonATlohud.com.
Have you ever been to Dona Maria Mexican (place) in Suffern? Thinking about hitting it this week, on the recommendation of someone we met, but e don’t know them from anyone else, so we wanted the opinion of a critic! Please!!!! Thanks!
Hi Keith,
I’ve been several times. The first three or four times were blow-you-away-amazing. The last time wasn’t so good. I’m hoping that was an anomoly.
I know our freelance writers Deven and Jill Black love the place. In fact, I ran into them there one Satursday night. It was pretty funny  there were only three or four tables dining that night, and two of them were Journal News and LoHud.com writers.
Liz