Here’s our list!

Susan Hyatt

Lynn Farrell

Bill Rubin

Casey Marra Karel

Heather (@hstarr1220 on instagram)

Patricia Kwong

and Sharon MacGregor!

Email me your addresses at ewjohnson@lohud.com and I’ll get your gift certificates to you!

And thanks to everyone who dined out. It’s been a ton of fun, as always.

Check out all our Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2013 coverage by clicking here.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Scavenger Hunt Winners! #hvrw #lohudfood appeared first on Small Bites.

Think about it for a second… Most of the traditional menus have several items to choose from, not to mention the daily specials they whip up every evening. But during restaurant week, the chef has to pare down those menus to three simple courses. Can you imagine how tough that must be? There are so many factors—pleasing customers’ wide range of tastes, balancing prices and supplies… Plus, there must be an incredible amount of pressure selecting the best of the best—in some cases, this is a restaurant’s change to get their foot in the door and show you what they’ve got.

This is what excites me… Yes, tasting the food can be an incredible experience. But I love to see what three course offerings hit menus this week.

Take 42  for example. If you’ve eaten at the top of the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains, you know Chef Anthony Goncalves is incredibly talented. I can’t even begin to think about the process of creating a paired down list from the amazing flavors on their regular menu.

Instead of taking the elevator all the way up for dinner, I decided to visit during lunch (a meal I had yet to enjoy at 42), and I must admit, I was not disappointed.

To start, Chef Goncalves offered a cold English pea soup, beet tartar and an arugula salad with candied pecans and brie triple cream. I opted for the fourth option—the fennel pollen cavatelli with lamb sausage and peppers. As the plate was placed in front of me, the smell of the smoky flavors made my mouth water. Although it was a pasta dish, it felt like a light start to the courses to come.

For courses two, I bypassed the smoked paccheri, skirt steak and salmon, deciding on the Portuguese fried chicken thigh. The cheddar cheese grits were incredibly creamy, and complimented the strong flavor of the garlicky kale. The outside of the chicken was crispy, yet moist inside. Although labeled as fried, the water explained the chicken was really baked. (Can I cross ten minutes off my cardio session?)

Dessert was certainly a treat. I’m not much of a sweets person myself, but the carrot cake trifle, oatmeal chocolate cherry cookie sandwich and the molten chocolate cake all sounded tempting. It was a toss up between chocolate and cherry ice cream, but I went with the latter and was thoroughly impressed by the taste and presentation.

42 at the Ritz-Carlton, One Renassiance Square, White Plains, 914-761-4242, www.42therestaurant.com

The post HRVW Spring 2013: Lunch at 42 in White Plains appeared first on Small Bites.

The pickled sunchokes paired with house-made ricotta and grilled bread was absolutely fantastic. Very refreshing.

Local mushrooms cooked down into a ragu and served over creamy polenta – - need we say more?

Fluffy and light ricotta gnocchi (dumplings, in Italian) were delightful. Certainly reminiscent of spring.

The unctuous bites of braised pork belly in a locally crafted beer (Captain Lawrence) was fantastic. Paired with braised turnips.

Tiramisu (in Italian, “pick me up”), did not disappoint. A pronounced coffee/almond flavor.

A semifreddo – - referred to as half-frozen and served with caramelized salted pears!

Finally, a cheesecake served with a complementary gelato finished the dining experience. All was well executed.

Tarry Lodge

18 Mill Street

Port Chester NY 10573

For reservations call

914 939 3111

You can read more reviews by Todd Matthews at WestchesterEats.com.

The post Restaurant Week at Tarry Lodge in Port Chester appeared first on Small Bites.

We ended up going the night of that crazy 8 hour snow storm in Westchester. When we arrived only a few flurries and several hours later at least 6 inches of snow on our cars! The storm kept a few people away, but the upside for us was being able to really take our time, and along the way picking up a few Scavenger Hunt points!

Their HVRW menu had many great options, so we each got different dishes allowing us to try a great selection. We started out with the Eggplant Spread  topped with feta and served with seasoned pita. I may have mentioned this in a passing, I’m Greek and have had, and cooked, just about every Greek dish on the planet. So I’ve eaten eggplant spread before, many times, and I’m generally not a fan. However, this one was quite tasty. The smokiness really came through and the seasoning just right. The feta provided just the right amount of saltiness to compliment the overall flavor. Why no one ever does that is beyond me – it’s a genius combination!

Our other appetizer was a simple Pan Roasted Portobello Mushroom Salad. I’m fond of saying in my cooking classes that there are some matches made in heaven when it comes to food, and you really should not mess with perfection. Case in point: portobello and balsamic. When you combine a portobello with a slightly reduced, and ultimately thick balsamic, you get that perfect match. The earthiness of the dense mushroom and sweetly acid vinegar makes it come alive. Topped over peppery arugula, it becomes the perfect dish! I also found out that one of the ingredients in the reduction is Catskill Mountain Honey.  (50 + 50 points!)

More after the jump … 

On to our main courses: we opted to go with fish and meat. Shari picked the Mongolian Double-cut Pork Chop with Yukon Gold Potato Puree and Honey Gingered Cabbage. The pork chop was juicy and tender, always a plus in my book. It was glazed with reduction of an Asian marinade, which worked very well. The fluffy potatoes were the perfect foil with the chop. (50 + 50 points for the honey again in this dish!)

For me the dish of the night was my Snapper, piccata-style. This dish was a very best combination of Italian and Greek. The snapper was a whole filet, that had to have come from a 1 1/2-2 lb fish. It was gigantic, and bathed in a most divine butter, wine and caper sauce. Sweet, salty and acidic over the tender white fish. The sides were as Greek as you get: Orzo Pilaf and Haricot Verts. Well, the basic green bean would have been Greek – but I was happy to see the haricots, stepping it up. Crisp tender and tossed simply with olive oil. You can’t go wrong with either in my book!

It’s a family affair at the The Beehive, with Anne (front of the house) and Peter Modroukas (Executive Chef) running the restaurant and their children executing all of this deliciousness. Dean (Chef de Cuisine) heads up the savory side of the kitchen, and his sister handling the sweet side. Valerie, the Pastry Chef, had the final plates knocked our socks off too.

We chose the Chocolate Cheese Cake and the Cannoli Cake for dessert. The cheese cake was creamy and dense, a perfect balance of flavor and texture; but the cannoli cake was just luscious. The cake part was a moist devils food and the cannoli part, made with fresh ricotta, utterly divine. The bittersweet ganache balanced the overall flavor. My only suggestion would be to just leave the whipped cream off. Not really necessary as both of these lovely creations can stand on their own!

It was a fun night, of course until we had to drive home in the snow! Our server Jana was wonderful, filling us in on the many dishes and giving us great information. (100 + 50 points ) Anne even popped over to say hi and thank us for braving the snow. It was so worth it .. Shari and I had a great time catching up, and finding a new spot. In a few weeks they will have their Greek Easter (on May 5 this year) menu posted. If you’ve never done Easter Greek-style, now is the time to try. In the meantime, get yourself to The Beehive, you won’t regret it!

Buon Appetito!

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2013: The Beehive in Armonk, a little gem off the beaten path. appeared first on Small Bites.

The best part of my eat-sploration for this blog is being inspired to travel a little further than my southernmost Westchester home-base. When I stumbled upon the Village Social, I prayed to the food-gods that the they would be participating in restaurant week, giving me a reason to head on over. It was a happy day when the lists of participant and Village Social was among them (thanks, food gods!) It would also be a good spot to meet up with my Mahopac-swelling cousin for a Sunday dinner. We planned it for the final night of Restaurant Week and to finish the foodie fortnight off with a bang, decided to try a round of HVRW scavenger hunt.

Didn’t do so well in getting too many different categories, but our points total was pretty all right!

For starters, everyone was instantly enamored with the menu. Being the dedicated blogger that I am, I entered for Sunday dinner with every intention of choosing one of the special Restaurant Week offerings. But then I saw it – the most magical combination of words in the English language – grilled cheese. Furthermore, this perfect pairing of words was joined by an additional good buddy – short rib. I am not ashamed to admit that I am too weak a woman to resist a sandwich identified as “Short Rib Grilled Cheese”. My fate was sealed, I was going off HVRW menu. Luckily, my husband and cousin were willing to go for the gold and ordered the branzino and the skirt steak options  respectively. The branzino was a first for both my husband and for me (who greedily gobbled a few bites when I could), 50 points for Gryffindor us! Another 50 for sharing the experience! We had also ordered the brussel sprout appetizer and my cousin, feeling emboldened likely do to her delicious glass of the house red sangria, bravely popped one in her mouth for the first time. Yum all around!

Finally, dessert came. Now normally, I’m not a fan of dessert. Okay that came out wrong in that it was a bold faced lie. It’s not that I’m not a fan, it’s just that my cravings always lean to the savory side more so than the sweet side. So by the time dessert comes along (save for the times when I’ve chosen to go the Restaurant Week menu route,) I am already too stuffed with salty snacks to even entertain a sugary finish. (If I AM going to get my sweet fix, it’s usually in the form of a cocktail.) At the beginning of dinner I swayed my husband’s dessert choice (in that I made it for him) intending on sharing a few spoonfuls of his peanut butter pie. BUT! When the fateful dessert menu was dropped on our table and I spied the Sumatra coffee tart was part of it, I was too intrigued to pass it up. When it arrived I instantly regretted preemptively offering a few bites to my dinner pals. It was served alongside some coffee flavored ice cream and was unlike anything I’d ever tried before. It was so unique the experience was hard to put in to words, but I tried – via video – rounding off my points tally with an additional whopping 500.

Hope you had fun reading along with my experience at this one of many impressive Hudson Valley eateries and more so I hope you got out there to tackle the scavenger hunt yourselves!

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Small Bites Back for Seconds At Village Social appeared first on Small Bites.

Tavern:

Ship Lantern Inn:

The Cookery:

Cafe of Love:

Back Yard Bistro:

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Videos appeared first on Small Bites.

The HVRW menu offered had a great selection, but they also have weekly lunch specials in addition to a robust regular menu. There is literally something for every taste. We ended up doing a combination of all three. Starting us off we tried two HV beers, Defiant IPA and Captain Lawrence. I’m not a typical beer drinker, generally red wine, but when I do I tend to lean to the lighter variety, and in this case the Captain Lawrence, which was great. The girls opted for the slightly darker and richer IPA. (50+50+50 points)

One appetizer I am completely enamored with with Shishito Peppers. I just adore them. Flash fried in extra virgin olive oil and sprinkled with a crunchy sea salt, it gives me a little shiver just thinking about them. The best part? One in every ten is ever so spicy … a Russian Roulette experience.

I’m a big fan of combining cheese and nuts, and their Goat Cheese Pistachio Pizza hits the mark. The crust was thin, crisp and a bit chewy – a great combination. Topped with Coach Farm goat cheese we garnered another 50 points!

More after the jump … 

For my appetizer I chose the simple Roasted Beet Salad with a local whipped ricotta (50 points) and crunchy roasted hazelnuts. The beets were tender and just a little past al dente. The combination of the beet, creamy ricotta and crunchy nuts were a match made in heaven. For my main course I opted for the Seafood Linguini (above) with a wide array of ingredients including, mussels, clams and shrimp. All tossed together in a zingy light Lemon Creme Fraiche sauce (another 50 points!).

I encouraged the girls to try the Nutella Banana Pizza, absolute “must-have” if you are a nutella lover. Ooey-gooey and nutty served over there perfect pizza crust.

My dessert option was the Chocolate Torte with a Hudson Valley ice cream (yay, another 50 points!) The cake was dense and wet and simply divine. There is nothing better with a cake like that than a perfectly flavored vanilla ice cream.

Our server Miguel could not have been nicer and more attentive. Giving us the 411 on all the local ingredients used and generally recommending some great lunch options. (50 points)

I was also really excited to have the opportunity to meet the Chef, Mogan Anthony, and be able to thank him in person. Every dish was not only beautifully composed but filled with amazing flavor combinations. (100 points!)

Not only did I rack up the points on this outstanding meal, but I was able to tack on another 100 for eating that evening at Half Moon! If you’ve never made it there, get it on your bucket list. It’s a great destination for lunch or dinner in Mt. Kisco.

Buon appetito!

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Spring: taking in another delicious lunch at Village Social in Mt. Kisco appeared first on Small Bites.

Here’s what happens when six food bloggers unite to enjoy a fun-filled evening during Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

DONNA MONACO OLSEN
(Writes Chef’s Tip as the Co-coordinator of Westchester Community College’s Continuing Education Taste of Westchester program)

Pictured (left to right bottom) Chef Vincent Barcelona, Patrice Costa, Maria Reina.
(left to right top) Donna Monaco Olsen, Arlen Gargagliano, Margaret Rizzuto
(Camera shy our friend and dinner companion Rinku Bhattacharya)

Roasted Beets & Arugula Salad with Pistachio, White Balsamic & Goat Cheese was my pick of the many appetizer offerings. I was thrilled to see my friend the beet appear on this menu. I had been searching for my well known HVRW menu choice these past two weeks only to find my new friend Brussels sprouts appearing in my beloved beets place (and I have had a love affair with the sprouts LONG before they were in favor). Not only was this a classic beet and goat cheese starter but they probably were the best tasting beets I have had outside of my own kitchen. They were earthy and firm (so many are overcooked and mushy). The two types appearing on the plate were small classic red and my favorite golden. Heaven on a plate! Although we tasted so many things that evening this was my favorite and I would return just for the execution of this clean and lovely starter (and I have eaten many a beet salad over the years, each one being completely different).

My choice for the main attraction, although a difficult one, was the Guajillo Rub Boneless Chicken with Carrots, Smashed Potatoes & Natural Jus (200+50 points featured dish). The flavor punch was outstanding. The rustic “smash” was chunky and held up well to the bold flavor that the Guajillo peppers brought to the dish. Usually a vegetable side afterthought, even in the most sought after dining establishments, but not so at Half Moon-the heirloom multi-colored carrots and beans were crisp and flavorful without being deluged in butter and salt.

Guajillo Rubbed Chicken

Chorizo Sliders

Our group enjoying a meal (100 points) and taking lots of pictures.

Great server who did so much for us Dan “the man,” was super and brought all that we asked for and MORE!  Here he is twice (100 points).

ARLEN GARGAGLIANO
(writes the Latin Twist column and weighs in on this fun and food-filled evening! )

Our hero of the evening, Chef Vincent Barcelona, did not disappoint at all. Au contraire; we were, in case you haven’t noticed yet, thrilled by all the dishes we sampled.  (And, yes, the view—sunset over the Hudson River—was also dazzling!)

Back to my starter pick, Pastrami Spring Rolls! I have to say that I was smitten by the salted and pepper-kissed flavors of the pastrami nestled in a crunchy-yet-flaky pastry angle cut beds, and a small bed of spicy pineapple slaw, and dipped in a Russian dressing or spicy mustard sauce. It felt decadent, but not over done.  (Ah, I think that is really perfect!)

I then enjoyed the Coffee & Pepper Dusted Mahi Mahi Filet, served with shaved fennel salad and passion fruit cream sauce (actually I need to figure out how to make that fennel salad!).  (200+50 points featured dish) And while I loved that contrast of flavors, I need to confess; like Donna, I was totally taken by the Guajillo Rub 1/2 Boneless Chicken with smashed potatoes. I think I was just in the mood for more comfort (ah, maybe because we’re not really enjoying spring-like weather yet!) and, well, I’m a sucker for roast chicken and potatoes…especially in chillier temps!

My next favorite came in the form of the sweets: the Coconut Risotto Pudding, perfectly accented with caramelized pineapple, was dreamy, dreamy stuff…and, as some of my fellow bloggers know, all I wanted to do was heat it up and enjoy it at home before bed (which, big sigh, I did the following night!).

Thanks friends, innovative and charming Chef Vincent, Dan our patient and lovely server, and to HVRW—for a great evening…and I’ll be back for more Half Moon fun on another day, for sure!

PATRICE COSTA
(Writes Behind the Kitchen Door and is an all around Small Bites contributor)

Personally, I couldn’t wait to try the Pastrami Spring Roll appetizer.  House cured pastrami with sauerkraut and Swiss cheese in a crispy fried wonton wrapper; a blending of flavors and textures, kinda like dim sum meets Jewish deli (minus the rye bread).  (200 points for reviewing one of the featured dishes in the LOHUD gallery + 50 for the pic above)  For my entree, I was quite pleased with the perfectly seared Atlantic Salmon which was nestled in the middle a colorful rainbow of sweet roasted corn, red peppers, and spinach all finished with a beet vinaigrette.

What do 3 out of 4 bloggers recommend for dessert?  Yes, I too voted for the creamy, comfy and quite luscious Coconut Risotto Pudding, and it was a very, very good choice (please sir, I want some more).  Good company (love my blogger friends), excellent food (thanks chef Gerald and the whole kitchen staff), amazing views (NYC to the south and the Tappan Zee to the north), wonderful service (Dan was the best) and simple hospitality (chef Barcelona is the master at making his guests feel so at home).  Thanks to all!

MARGARET RIZZUTO
(Small Bites Contributor, Food Photographer)

We began with a variety of appetizers that weren’t on the restaurant week menu and I am so glad we did—scrumptious!

Here’s a sampling (yes, we were only six women but, bear on mind a) we were six hungry women and b) we love food!

Duck Tacos

Mahi & Octopus Ceviche

Then there was the Coffee & Pepper Dusted Mahi Mahi Filet (see Arlen’s image above, 200+50 points featured dish)—coffee, pepper and seafood! It not only worked but worked very well!  And the shaved fennel salad with passion fruit cream sauce—wow!  My only complaint was that it sang of Spring and Spring is still not here!  Soon though right?

Dessert was a smorgasbord of delectable treats from which I selected the Coconut Risotto Pudding served with caramelized pineapple—creamy, not too sweet—so good.  Arlen has the image above for you to see, so I’ll show another that was an absolute favorite of mine, the Flan with a beautiful presentation.  For me, this was a bit of heaven in my mouth, the flavor, creaminess, richness without being over the top sweet—loved it!

Yes, already making plans for anther sunset diner, this time with the husband.  What a great way to end the week, start the weekend, get over hump day—okay, anytime is the perfect time to visit!

MARIA REINA
(writes the Seasonal Chef  column and is also all around Small Bites contributor)

Guajillo Rubbed Chicken (200+50 points featured dish)

After being sufficiently sated I moved on to dessert. The Coconut Risotto Pudding basically set me over the edge. It was loose, yet divinely creamy blend with the toasty coconut pieces sprinkled over and the caramelized pineapple. It was just exactly the right amount to finish off my meal.

Each of us not only had a wonderful meal, but we all had a wonderful time sharing it with each other. A promise was made that night to do it again, which no doubt will happen very soon. For me this has been a special HVRW not only because of that night, but collectively over the past two weeks enjoying all of the restaurants I visited.

Until the next time …. Buon Appetito!

The 411 on Half Moon:

1 High Street
Dobbs Ferry
914.693.4130

The post HVRW 2013 Bloggers Unite – Half Moon, Dobbs Ferry appeared first on Small Bites.

As you have seen thus far by all the photos shared by others, this is one of the more popular restaurants and Executive Chef Vincent Barcelona has been a big part of the promotion of this grand program, HVRW 2013.  Although Bradley and Donna Monaco Olsen have dined here on many occasions, this was a special night knowing that our friend was in the kitchen and her hands touched many things on our plates. Fellow blogger Patrice Costa is someone whom I admire – changing careers later in life and truly getting “Behind the Kitchen Door”.  She has followed her dream to be hands on with food – she is a great chef. (100 points) Chef Scott heard she had a friend in the dining room and sent out a special treat – lobster ravioli (pictured above). Not just any lobster ravioli (which I usually find too salty with a mushy filling), but the most decedent, delicious kind with pieces of lobster that you could identify and a lovely confit of tomato in a tarragon butter sauce. Thanks Chef Scott (who was camera shy), for a fabulous treat!

We have gone out each day to a different restaurant, enjoying everything we have seen and tried. We love Liz Johnson’s creativity in setting up a scavenger hunt and we have taken many pictures to share, some with great chefs, and others of their creations.

This restaurant is located in one of the most spectacular settings along the river. Our server graciously relocated us to a table near the window, even though it meant her giving up the table.  We applaud you Jessica, it made for a most romantic evening, reminiscent of our “courting” days. (50)

Enough about our surroundings – on to our food.  These are some of the highlights of our dinner on the river.

Crispy lamb spring rolls with mint tzatziki sauce.  Maple Brook Farms yogurt (50+50) created a creamy sauce to support the light and crisp rolls.  Lamb mixed with pieces of fregola (a toasted pasta similar to Israeli couscous).

Risotto and Brussels sprouts with pears - creamy and light with a touch of sweet.

Roasted Hudson Valley Chicken Scarpariello was a tasty rendition of an Italian favorite with house made fennel sausage and garden vinegar peppers over a buckwheat polenta.  The chicken was moist and we assumed it to have taken a brine bath.  The sauce was most flavorful from the fennel and vinegar combination. (50+50)

The Grilled Skirt Steak and Bone Marrow Butter was a very tender cut of beef, marinated and seared with lovely char marks.

Usually not as big a fan of the dessert course, to our surprise, they were the highlight of our meal (except of course for Patrice and the lobster ravioli).  A very tasty almond cake and a beautifully executed Hudson Valley Crown Maple Syrup Sea Salt Panna Cotta. (50+50)

Donna currently writes on Small Bites as Chef’s Tip, re-capping great cooking demonstrations in local restaurants. She is the co-coordinator for Westchester Community College’s Taste of Westchester program.  Knowing many of the chefs in Westchester, she has been enjoying getting to visit with them as they participate in HVRW with over 185 restaurants.

There is still one more day left to check it out HVRW and many of the restaurants extend their restaurant week menus.  We have loved our adventures together with friends and family these past two weeks. Happy hunting!

Total points: 550

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Harvest on Hudson, Hastings Revisited appeared first on Small Bites.

Thursday’s lunch at Harvest on Hudson was another special treat. My friend Lisa and I celebrated, seated in front of the fire place (it was chilly outside…but perfectly warm and cozy inside!), with a view of the ol’ river  that yes, took our breath away. On top of that, we enjoyed a three-course meal that, like the view, was breath taking.

Additionally, as an extra special treat, Patrice Costa, one of our own Small Bites bloggers, was working in the kitchen…AND we got to say hi and  taste the fruit of one of her labors for the day: pappardelle, the fabulous melt-in-your mouth wide and flat-noodle pasta (which was served as a bed for fall-off-the-bone short ribs!).

But, I jump ahead. Let me go back!

We started with a wonderful spring-like cocktail: The Pomegranate Cosmopolitan. Pretty, spring-like, with perfect teeny ice chips on top, and a flavor that was nicely sweet without being overwhelming, this is a drink I will not only sample again, but one I’ll also be trying to make at home! (Besides, as I said to Lisa, “this is not only delicious, it’s also really good for us!) 

For my first course, I  enjoyed (devoured!) the Risotto with Caramelized Brussel Sprouts…with bartlett pears, sage, moscato and parmesan. (Okay, I have to say, that between this meal and the previous night’s dessert of coconut risotto, I’ve got to rediscover risotto! I just wrote about rediscovering the taco on Latin Twist last week, so I guess my rediscovery trend continues!)

For my second, I had the Grilled Skirt Steak & Bone Marrow Butter…with garlicky broccoli rabe and stewed farro. Wow. This combination of flavors and textures was, in a word, dreamy.

Lisa had the House Made Pappardelle (okay, let me reiterate,  house made by our own Patrice Costa!) topped with port wine braised beef short ribs and parmesan. Need I say more?

For dessert, which felt both delightful and gluttonous (!), we enjoyed the Hudson Valley Crown Maple Syrup Sea Salt Panna Cotta, and the Almond Cake with Mixed Berries. And as if that weren’t enough, House Made Tiramisu (told you: gluttonous!). Talk about sweet endings…

So with great company, great food, great views, and great service (ah, our server Mildred was lovely, lovely, lovely…), what more could we possibly want? (I’m saying spring, but that’s just me being selfish!) 
Here after lunch, with lovely Mildred!

The post HVRW 2013: Harvest on Hudson (Lunch!) appeared first on Small Bites.

We have tried to experience new restaurants to add to our list of favorites. We are having fun sharing Liz Johnson’s scavenger hunt.  Here we tried a spot we have driven past many times. It is truly old world Italian food with the kind of red sauce that makes you lick the plate.  The servers were all fun and interactive but our waiter Alessandro brought out a taste of a house wine before I committed to this second type. What a guy! (50)

Many items looked enticing so I was surprised at Bradley’s choice of a veggie lentil soup. (He really has to be force fed veggies!) Then I took a closer look at the BACON in the description and figured it all out…It really was a very nice tasting soup, with lentils and vegetables that still had integrity. Although the lentils are small and the veggies cut rustic style nothing was mushy or overcooked and the soup was broth based, not pureed. A true homemade surprise that made you want to come back. Here is my companion truly enjoying his vegetables! (100 points)

Very old world tastes that were perfect on a snowy night, were eggplant parmigiana and lasagna (which was very light tasting with veal meatballs). The waiter told us the canned brand of tomatoes they use is from Teitel Brothers on Arthur  Avenue in the Bronx (patented). My relatives hail from there…doesn’t everyone have an Uncle Tony?

Pork Chop Milanese with arugula salad in a light lemon dressing.

Dessert was a beautiful  creme brulee, bread pudding and cappuccino. All classic and all divine!

Although it was a Saturday night, there were many families dining. They have a kids special with lots of choices and pizza too! If you are looking for good ol’ Italian cooking this is the spot! We hope to visit again soon.

There are still two days left-Bradley and Donna wish you happy hunting!

Total points: 150

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Bradley and Donna Monaco Olsen continue their adventures in blogging, flying solo this time, for a quiet lunch at Sonora. Donna currently writes on Small Bites as Chef’s Tip, re-capping fabulous cooking demonstrations in local restaurants. She is the co-coordinator for Westchester Community College’s Taste of Westchester program. Loving getting to see so many of the well known chefs in Westchester, she has been enjoying getting to visit with them as they participate in this great program, as there are over 185 restaurants to try.

Meeting famous Chef Rafael Palomino for the first time proved to be very informative. He most graciously gave us his time, and let us chat about many things going on in the restaurant world. A very successful restauranteur (Sonora is 16 years young) and cookbook author, he shared his thoughts on the food business. He is opening another restaurant (number 11) in Larchmont this Spring. He agreed to do a cooking demonstration for my program in each of the spaces. WCC is thrilled to have him as part of the program and I can not wait to hear him teach. Here he took a moment to pose for a picture before hitting the road to visit one of his other locations. (100 points)

Our great server Antonio, who went to find this chef as he was headed out the door did us a “solid”. (50 points) Here he is with a great big smile!

Antonio started us off with a lovely roasted red pepper spread and charred bread that became an awesome combination.

For the non-adventurous taster (as Bradley would try anything!), the Ceviche del Dia ~ Cured salmon, with onions, cilantro in a citrus base was something I had not encountered (50+50). I thought it would possibly taste like gravlox but it had a different texture, softer and silkier. It was very mild and delicate tasting. (Note-This dish is missing the onions as it was POKENO night with the ladies and I wanted them to still be my friends…)

Bradley enjoyed a Marinated Skirt Steak on a toasted flat bread adorned with greens for his appetizer.  Usually not a carnivore, this meat was very tender and flavorful as he has tried many steaks during the past two weeks of dining.

Pollo Relleno ~ Seared free range chicken stuffed with chorizo, goat cheese and plantain served over spinach mashed potatoes in a sherry wine reduction was beautifully plated and very unique in flavor. Bradley enjoyed the other half of this generous plate the next day too. As this was a HVRW lunch we were surprised at the large portion.

Paella Palomino ~ Seafood paella with shrimp, clams, mussels, chorizo and saffron rice topped with sofrito sauce was our other entree choice, chock full of the sea.

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Sonora, Port Chester appeared first on Small Bites.

I didn’t really know a better way of finding participating restaurants that served a vegan prix fixe meal for restaurant week than just going through the list, focusing on areas where I am likely to go, and clicking on each and every menu to see if they have plant-based dishes (or even better, the word “vegan”) on the menu, and then contacting to confirm that all three (or in this case, four) courses could be made vegan. This is how I found Myong (though another Small Bites writer wrote about a non-vegan meal there last week, as well).

I am so glad I found Myong.

After looking at the prix fixe menu online and seeing the word “vegan” a couple of times, I had contacted the restaurant through the facebook page, and was assured that I could get a completely vegan meal (I’ve been let down at other restaurants on this front before, so it’s very important to check!). When I got there, I identified myself to my server as a vegan, and she pointed out what they could do for me. A few minutes later, Chef Myong herself came out to tell me exactly what she could do, too, which was pretty awesome!

One of the nice things that Myong did for Restaurant Week is offering four courses instead of three for the same price.  You really can’t beat that in terms of value.

In addition of the four courses, they automatically bring out a dish of spreads and pita bread to start!

Edamame and chickpea dip with toasted sesame oil; jicama, apple and kale with red pepper flakes; white bean and chickpea dip.

This was fun- especially trying to explain to my friend what exactly jicama is! These were all delicious, though I especially liked the edamame dip and the jicama slaw. I was eating that stuff by the forkful once we ran out of pita bread! Of course, they are happy to give you more pita bread, but the slaw was just so good on its own!

Appetizers!

Mini-Veggie Cellophane Wraps with baby greens, cilantro and avocado and dipping sauce.

I’m not actually sure what the dipping sauce was, but it was out of this world good! I’m pretty sure mustard is involved, but whatever it was, I wanted more. Except I still had three courses to go.

Soup & Salad!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup with Edamame foam.

House arugula salad.

I had the soup, my friend had the salad. The menu didn’t actually identify the soup or salad as vegan, but all of the choices were. I didn’t taste the salad, but I sure loved the soup! It was velvety and sweet and very red-peppery tasting.

Main Course!

Myong’s Classic Lentil Pancake.

This was heavenly. The crispy rice, the spiralized veggies, the lentil pancake all went together so nicely. The sauce for the vegan version is different than the one on the menu, so make sure you identify yourself as vegan if you order this. This was a coconut curry sauce as opposed to the sesame sauce on the menu.

Dessert!

Rice pudding.

I have come to appreciate any non-vegan restaurant that offers a vegan dessert. It seems as though there’s a perception that vegan baking is hard (it’s not), but who says that dessert has to be baked? This was awesome, and completely vegan. I was stuffed by this time, but I ate it anyway!

I am so happy that I tried this restaurant, and I’m happy that I branched out of my normal comfort zone for restaurant week! When’s the next one, again?

I Eat Plants columnist Jodie Deignan went vegetarian in 2004 and fully committed to veganism in 2007. By day she’s a psychiatric nurse practitioner and by night she spends a lot of time cooking delicious vegan food for herself and her friends. She’s a bit of a picky eater, with a special distaste for mushrooms, seaweed, raw tomatoes, and eggplant, though she’s discovered along the way she’s a little more open-minded than she once thought. She blogs at The Picky Vegan. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2013: I Eat Plants at Myong in Mount Kisco appeared first on Small Bites.

Shared a photo and review. “The entree is Tortelloni di Vitello – tortelloni stuffed with veal and the meat sauce is a savory wild boar ragu. I was starving when I got this dish….mmmmm!” 50 points.

Shared a photo and review of her dessert. “Dolce (dessert) at Lanterna Tuscan Bistro – March 19, 2013. Assagio di Dolci (three cake tasting). 1st cake chocolate cake with chocolate cream filling and vanilla cream frosting. 2nd cake vanilla sponge cake with hazelnut cream filling and vanilla nougat topped with crushed hazelnuts. Vanilla cake with vanilla cream icing, dusted with powdered sugar. Very delicious.” 50 points.

Shared a photo of herself with chef Maurico Gomez. 100 points.

Shared a photo of a friendly server, Freddie. 50 points.

Ordered a cocktail made with New York spirits, and shared a review. “The Valley Orchard Martini – local ingredients: COMB Vodka from Port Chester, NY amd Sour Cherry Cordial from Warwick, NY. It went down smoothly and was really really good.” 50 points.

Shared a photo of the Chilled Fanny Bay Oyster, prepared by Peter Kelly at Restaurant X and Bully Boy Bar in Congers. 50 points.

Shared a photo of her party of one. Love this! 100 points.

Shared a photo of her appetizer, creamy Wild Hive polenta, a dish made with an ingredient from a Hudson Valley farm. 100 points.

Shared a photo of her cappuccino dessert. 50 points.

Shared a photo of a dish made with an ingredient from a Hudson Valley farm: Hudson Valley Apple and Cranberry Cobbler with apples from Doctor Davies’ Farm. 100 points.

Shared a photo of herself with Peter X. Kelly. 100 points.

Shared photos of four friendly servers, all from  Jose, Phillipe, Vernard and Henry. Phew! 200 points.

Good work Patricia! Total: 1,100 points

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Scavenger Hunt Report appeared first on Small Bites.

This past weekend we headed to  Elm Street Oyster House for a HVRW dinner and I’m happy to report theirs was not the only delicious thing we ate, but for me it was the pick of the evening. The bisque had a intensely flavored broth and was loaded with tender rock shrimp. Absolutely divine!

It was a great night out with friends and the bonus of being part of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week. You still have plenty of options to get out and taste the offerings of many restaurants. Check the restaurant list today and make your reservation. For extra fun do the Scavenger Hunt and have some fun!

Buon Appetito!

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Spring 2013: Yes, I had Lobster Bisque at Elm Street Oyster House appeared first on Small Bites.

At noon today, we’re talking about Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, where restaurants offer prix-fixe lunches and dinner for less than $30 through March 24. We want to know your best meals so far! What restaurants are serving dishes made with ingredients from local farms! Where can you find local wine, spirits and beer! And which challenges from our #lohudfood scavenger hunt have you completed? We’ll offer gift certificates for our biggest point getters! Check out the list of restaurants at hudsonvallyrestaurantweek.com and find info on our scavenger hunt at lohud.com/food.

Check out the chat here, and be sure to use the hashtag #hvrw and #lohudfood!

Tweets about ”#hvrw”

The post Twitter Chat on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week! Right Now! appeared first on Small Bites.

Bill Rubin added two more videos, including one at 42 and one at Restaurant X.

Plus, Bill racked up a bunch of points on Instagram and Twitter.
Assistant server Connor at Restaurant North. 50 points
Beet Tartare at 42. Gallery dish, but no review, so only 50 points.
His wife enjoying dinner at 42. 100 points.
A photo with chef Peter Kelly at Restaurant X. 100 points.
At Restaurant X, he ordered two dish made with ingredients from three Hudson Valley Farm (Dr. Davies Apples). 300 points.
At Restaurant X, a photo of a server, Philippe. 50 points.

Heather
@hstarr1220 on instagram
At Limoncello, she tried a roasted beet salad for the first time and shared a photo and a review. 100 points.
At Cosimo’s in Newburgh, found a New York State wine: Brotherhood Riesling. For ordering it, a photo and tasting notes: 125 points.

Susan Hyatt emailed in a photo of her server, Charles Silva at Le Jardin du Roi, right, for 100 points.

Patricia Kwong visited Guilio’s in Tappan and shared four photos on Facebook.

At Guilo’s, she shared a photo of her steak entree with a review, “first time trying this dish. Utterly yummy. Would love to have this again!” 50 points.

She also shared photos of her New York cheesecake, with a review, “I now have a new favorite sweet! No diet this week!” 50 points; Herself with chef Manny. 100 points. And a pleasant server (Gene) who, “went out of his way to make us feel welcome.” 50 points.

And! She’s got a video! 500 more points for Patricia!

And Casey Marra Karel added to her point total with a couple of Facebook photos. Enjoying dinner at Risotto in Thornwood (100 points) And a photo of her dessert! No points, but it sure looks delishy!

We also missed this facebook wall post from Lynn Farrell, who noted a New York State wine on the menu at Tombolino’s and gave these tasting notes: “The wine was delicious: rich with a top note of chocolate.” 75  points!

For a full list of restaurants visit hudsonvalleyrestaurantweek.com.

The post Hudson Valley Restuarant Week Scavenger Hunt Reports for Tuesday, March 19 appeared first on Small Bites.

We ordered straight off the restaurant week menu but did add an additional starter, the Blistered Padrones Peppers because they are irresistible and I love the little game of roulette where you wait to see who will get the really hot pepper (usually one in 17, I’m told).  Fortunately, it was my husband who got it because while I enjoy “heat” he loves it!

Dessert was a real treat, we shared a Carrot Cake Trifle which was wonderfully delicious and an Oatmeal Chocolate Cherry Cookie Ice Cream Sandwich.

I tried to get some extra points in the HVRW Scavenger Hunt by taking a video but when I went to view at home later on all I had was me saying, “it’s a wrap”—I couldn’t believe it!  Now we know why I’m a photographer and not a videographer.  So, we settled for a blurry photo of us enjoying our meal for 100 points and a very enjoyable dinner.

The post HVRW: 42 The Restaurant, White Plains appeared first on Small Bites.

This spring version is turning out to be even more fun, after Liz has decided to mix things up a little bit with a scavenger hunt. And if you are like me, I suggest you read the clues a couple of times over, because, as I was writing this post I realized I nailed a couple more clues than I thought I had earlier.

While there have been a couple of interesting stops, Moderne Barn was a lot of fun because I managed to sneak in there in between errands and was an unplanned surprise. I actually could not resist helping myself to some of the foccacia bread which was very good and set a prelude to the meal.

They had three sets of lunch options for the meal, in all categories which offered enough options without confusing the dinner. I started out with the lobster bisque and actually a glass of the Millbrook Winery, ” Proprietor’s Select Reserve” Tocai Fruilano, 2011. I am glad that this was one of the clues, since this fruity, fresh tasting white wine paired very well with my mostly seafood options. I think that it also gets me 50 points.

Speaking of local wines and spirits, they have a couple of other local options that I saw on the menu (was not able to check the others out though, however…) namely, the Kolsch from Captain Lawrence under Drafts and Ciders and the Imperial IPA also from Captain Lawrence in Elmsform in a 500 ml size. Onto, the main course I tried their Blackened Salmon Burger, which now that I think about it was a first and should get me 50 points (see how easy and fun this was).

I have always been skeptical about salmon burgers, but this one served with homemade aioli over a brioche bun has changed my mind. This came with amazing french fries with flavorful bits of thyme. It was quite a challenge to resist finishing them all.

Finally, finishing down with a tahitian vanilla cheesecake that was light tasting and paired well with the cranberry compote that it came with. The creme fraiche dollop while rich tasting was probably unnecessary. I am thrilled to see that I have scoped out another great place not too far away from home. I cannot wait to try out more this week.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Spring 2013 – Moderne Barn appeared first on Small Bites.

At the Harvest on Hudson bar, order a glass of Lieb Cellars Pinot Blanc from the North Fork of Long Island (125 points, with tasting notes and pic of the bottle) and Hudson Baby Bourbon is just waiting to be turned into a cocktail (50 points).

Harvest’s HVRW dinner menu has seven options for appetizers including Lamb & Fregola Spring Rolls (with Maple Brook Farms Yogurt – 50 points), and Hudson Valley Rainbow Carrot Salad with an amazing coriander vinaigrette (it’s damn good, and I’m not just saying that because I had to squeeze two quarts of lemon juice to make it!).

Eight choices for entrees like House Made Pappardelle with wine braised short ribs, Hudson Valley Ricotta Gnocchi (another 50 points) and Pork Milanese have kept us hopping in the kitchen.  Especially the pounds and pounds and pounds of pasta dough I’ve been helping to make for the pappardelle.  Check out our sous chef Genco Luca rolling out the pasta sheets (500 points for the video!).

The pasta ribbons are hand cut and cooked to al dente perfection

Hanging around in the kitchen, sometimes you can even get a cute chef to stand still for a quick pic (for the hunt: 100 points—complimenting the boss: priceless).

me and corporate executive chef, Vincent Barcelona

Megan is just one of my many favorite servers

For the sweet last bite on the menu, choosing between Flourless Chocolate Cake, moist Almond Cake, or creamy Panna Cotta (drizzled with Crown Maple Syrup – 50 points) will be very difficult.  The pastry area has been crazy busy keeping up with the demand.  Here’s a shot of just a few panna cotta desserts in the making

I’m hoping all these pictures have created some dish envy.  One more week of HVRW Spring 2013 to go, so come in and see what we’ve been cooking up at Harvest on Hudson (or visit our sister restaurant Half Moon in Dobbs Ferry)!

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Spring 2013: Behind the Kitchen Door at Harvest on Hudson appeared first on Small Bites.

We have gone out each day to a different restaurant, enjoying everything we have seen and tried. We love Liz Johnson’s creativity in setting up a scavenger hunt and we have taken many pictures to share, some with great chefs, and others of their creations. We have sampled five spots thus far.

Here is our family luncheon visit to Gaucho Grill (with free valet parking by the way, since parking in White Plains can be challenging at times). Only seven months young this restaurant has already been host to many including a prince and his entourage. As is Donna, one of the owners and executive chef is an Ardsley High School alum…Go Ardsley!

The décor is clean and beautifully appointed with its chandeliers, black and white motif and Carrera marble. It is a large place serving Argentinean food (good timing with the new Argentinean pope buzz!)

(Photos of our group enjoying the HVRW meal-100 points to start us off.)

 

STRAWBERRY & FIG GOAT CHEESE ~ Arcadia mix, Candied walnuts, with a Raspberry vinaigrette.

SPAGHETTINI PUTTANESCA & PESCE ~ shrimp, flounder, Gaeta olives, capers (the biggest I had ever seen), anchovies, onion, in a tomato basil sauce.

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Gaucho Grill, White Plains appeared first on Small Bites.

We have gone out each day to a different restaurant with many friends, enjoying everything we have seen and tried.  As participants of Liz Johnson’s creative scavenger hunt we have taken many pictures to share, some with great chefs, and others of their creations. We have sampled four spots thus far. Here is our friends’ Erik and Amy’s birthday visit to Restaurant North.

Stephen Mancini and Chef Eric Gabrynowicz joined forces several years ago to create this amazing restaurant and have taken Armonk to new restaurant heights. It continues to be the hot ticket and difficult to get reservations even during the week. We had to settle for an after 8pm reservation on a Tuesday in order to get a table. Super nice, chef Eric came over to our table to greet us. When questioned on what tip he could give us for ordering he simply said PORK. Known for his way with our favorite indulgence, Bradley questioned him as to why no pork choice for dessert. He stated that he was outvoted on this front but if we ordered it this way he would not only accommodate us but our order would be cheered in the kitchen! And so it was settled, the birthday boy Erik would have a pork perfecta trifecta! We were so excited that we missed our chef photo opt but had a lovely visit from a very busy chef. (missed 100)

The place was humming at full speed. They are not only known for their food but for the level of service they provide. Here is our waitress Katie who searched for an extra candle as the place is rather dimly lit for some of us who are approaching our 50th birthday. Not our friend’s as they are still babies in our eyes…(50 points to start us off.)

We tasted the Red Letter from the Wolffer Estate in NY 2010 but opted with another selection to pair with our pork filled meal as this was a very dry and earthy tasting wine.  (25+50)

Our photo of griddled pork confit with chickpea pepperonata at Restaurant North in Armonk, looked similar to the one posted on LoHud earlier in the month so we had to try it.  Part one of our pork trifecta was very tasty and fork tender (wonder how many hours it spent submerged in its own fat?) and was complimented by the bite of the peppered chickpeas which were tender but not mushy.  (250+50)

The star of the show was obtained from Meiller’s Farm. (50+50)

Our friend and fellow foodie, Kevin, decided to help us sing to the birthday couple and he tried the chicken liver mousse with swiss chard marmalade making all five us us take part in trying something new! (50+50)

We took a video (500) of us at our table trying this and enjoying HVRW (100) at Restaurant North.

Our salad was refreshing with pieces of brussel sprouts (the popular veggie this year and found on many menus – move over beets), baby cauliflower and Touissant (cheese). Featuring two Hudson Valley farms, Sprout Creek Farm and  Guy Jones for the baby lettuce head. Here is an interview with him from The Valley Table Magazine, coordinators of the HVRW program. (50+50+50)

Our photo of Meiller’s Farm beef with parsnip and gnocchi at Restaurant North (50+50) is not as pretty as the one on the LoHud preview gallery site but…it sure was amazing! Bradley’s choice not to go “pig” for one course was a good one. How to describe the tender beef slices (ordered rare) could prove to be difficult in 150 words or less as it was a deliciously balanced plate. The crisps of parsnips made for an unusual bite and were a welcome balance of both flavor and texture to the parsnip puree, which helped to boost the weight of the buttery steak slices.  It was an ample dish and the crispy yet still soft gnocchi (like a grown up tater-tot) added yet another texture. (200+50)

On this night the chef chose to serve the roasted pork over creamed arugula, and roasted baby potatoes and it was terrific as part two of our pork extravaganza! The outer part is amazingly crisp with a soft fatty undercoat that made us ooo and ahhh (it gets caught in your teeth for a bonus flavor boost minutes later). The proteins served at Restaurant North on this evening came from the Hudson Valley Meiller’s Farm (here is a review of this farm). (50+50)

Our non-meat selection was Cacio Pepe, a peppery fettuccine with a farm (unidentified) poached egg. The egg made for a creamy “al freddo” type sauce.

Our pork fest came to an outstanding finish completing the trifecta. Hands down each of us loved the desserts (usually my least favorite course except for cappuccino). These sweets (now made a bit salty) are well composed and plated beautifully, definitely not an after thought for this restaurant. We saluted Bacon Boy Bradley for the idea and Chef Eric for indulging us. Again,trying something new! (50+50)

The Oatmeal Cookie served warm in a skillet with vanilla ice cream was enhanced by the salty bits of crisp bacon strewn atop.

While a popular selection each year on HVRW menus this version was above the rest. The well executed espresso bread pudding was little cups of gooey coffee center goodness. A lovely representation of this dessert making it more complex then the norm.

Our chorus of HB2U to our friends while making a wish (probably for more pork) on the Guy Jones’ (50+50) Apple polenta cake with added bacon crumbles ended a lovely evening.

The hospitality at this restaurant is fabulous. They make each guest feel special and even send them off with breakfast muffins. They wrote a special note to the birthday kids!

Although you can see we managed to rack up quite a few points here at this fabulous restaurant we were in it for the triple play of food, service and atmosphere. Thank you chef Eric and Stephen for a special night at a very special place shared with our very special friends!

Put this one on your to do list for sure. There is still time to join us in the hunt!

Total points: 2,075

The 411 on Restaurant North.

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Restaurant North, Armonk appeared first on Small Bites.

Guy Jones Apple polenta cake. (100)
A photo with chef Eric Gabrynowicz. (100)
A photo of a dish from our photo gallery, Meiller’s Farm beef! (250)
Another photo gallery dish: salmon! (250)
A server who went above and beyond, Christie! (50)

And he sent in this video for 500 more points!

That makes 1,250 points, and puts Bill in the lead. (Why are we not surprised by this!? )

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Scavenger Hunt Reports for Friday, March 15 appeared first on Small Bites.

So, I decided to try out one of my predecessor’s favorites (and I believe what she first blogged about here on Small Bites): Haven in Pleasantville.

Haven is a small restaurant right by the train station in Pleasantville. The staff were friendly and I got prompt responses to my neurotic emails asking if I’d be able to get a fully vegan meal. Bonus points for anyone who can put up with that!

Bean dip and chips.

This is much nicer than starting a meal off with bread. These were quite tasty and my non-vegan friend seemed to enjoy them quite a bit!

Sweet potato and scallion empanadas.

I am fairly new to eating empenadas in general, and these were very different than any I’ve had before. I loved the combination of the sweet potatoes and scallion, and the black cherry “cream” sauce was delicious. I would definitely get this again! The sweet potatoes were unbelievably creamy. This is one of those things that makes me stop and ask myself “is this really vegan?” It would seem so!

Black bean “meatballs” with soba noodles.

This was one of the dishes that JL had ordered when she wrote about Haven on Small Bites for the first time, and it did not disappoint. The “meatballs” were crunchy on the outside, softer on the inside, and stayed together well (I have serious trouble with that when I make vegan “meatballs” at home). The sauce tasted so fresh, and the spinach, which was fried on the top and sauteed on the bottom, was garlicy and peppery- two flavors I happen to love.

Apple crisp with Tofutti vanilla ice cream.

It makes me so happy when I can go to a restaurant and order dessert! Now, I’m a fan of apple crips in general, but this was nice and crunchy, and it’s so nice that Haven keeps vegan ice cream around! I felt like a regular person getting to order dessert- not something that happens often when I dine out at non-veg restaurants.

Now, if we’re playing along with the scavenger hunt, I did spot a Hudson Valley wine on the menu- a Toaci friulano from Millbrook Winery. I wasn’t able to verify vegan-ness of any of the wines, so I did not try any of them. I may sit down with google, Barnivore and Haven’s menu one of these days to prepare for my next visit!

I’d also never been here before, so all dishes are new!

I’m pretty pleased with my initiation into Restaurant Week, and I think I’ve identified at least one more on the list where I can get a fully vegan prix-fixe meal. If you’ve had or seen a vegan meal at one of the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week participating restaurants, I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

I Eat Plants columnist Jodie Deignan went vegetarian in 2004 and fully committed to veganism in 2007. By day she’s a psychiatric nurse practitioner and by night she spends a lot of time cooking delicious vegan food for herself and her friends. She’s a bit of a picky eater, with a special distaste for mushrooms, seaweed, raw tomatoes, and eggplant, though she’s discovered along the way she’s a little more open-minded than she once thought. She blogs at The Picky Vegan. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week 2013: I Eat Plants at Haven in Pleasantville appeared first on Small Bites.

And here’s a look at our 10 challenges. Get the most points and be entered to win gift certificates to local restaurants!

Here’s a look at what’s new from the past couple of days:

Donna Monaco Olsen headed to Iron Horse Grill, where she racked up 350 points. She loved the braised short ribs and Hudson Valley duck and took a photo with chef Philip McGrath.

Margaret Rizzuto was at Myong in Mount Kisco, where she brought back beautiful photos of the bi bim bop, which she declared the best she ever had.

She added 100 points to her total. Margaret got another 100 points with her visit to The Hudson House in Cold Spring. She took blogger Patrice Costa along, so we’ll give Patrice those points, too!

Sharon MacGregor loved her meal at Barnaby’s Steakhouse in New Paltz, and she and her husband spied Sprout Creek Farm cheese and Millbrook chardonnay on the menuy, racking up 275 points in the meantime!

We received this tweet from DMG @mrgoodmaker, who gets 50 points for naming a drink made with locally distilled spirits:

The PInk Panther. A #local #cocktail featuring <a href="https://twitter.com/greenhookgin">greenhookgin</a> & house ginger simple! <a title="http://bit.ly/12SrxaQ" href="http://t.co/y3R9Rt6nab">bit.ly/12SrxaQ</a> small_bites <a href="https://twitter.com/lohud">lohud</a> gleasons914

— DMG (@MrGoodMaker) March 14, 2013

We have gift certificate for dinners at:

DiNardo’s in Pound Ridge
42 The Restaurant in White Plains
Alain’s Bistro in Nyack
Le Jardin du Roi in Chappaqua
MP Taverna in Irvington
The Terrace Club in Mahopac
Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse in Tarrytown

So get playing! Here, once again, are the 10 challenges and point values: Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Scavenger Hunt: Let’s Dine and Share!

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Scavenger Hunt Reports for Thursday, March 14 appeared first on Small Bites.

We are not really wine drinkers, but I did notice (25 points for noticing) a Millbrook Chardonnay on the wine list.  Instead, I had a Pear Martini.

To start, my husband had the Lobster Bisque with corn and tarragon relish.

For me, the Sprout Creek Farm Fried Goat Cheese Salad (local featured ingredient 50 points + 50 points for photo).  The menu described the dressing as honey lemon herb vinaigrette, but I am positive I tasted maple.

Main course choices are always tough, but it seemed silly to go to a steak house and not order the petite Filet Mignon for the Mr.  The beef was prepared to his requested medium-rare.  The ease of slicing and softness may have been compared to cake, but really that is not fair.  This was far more tender.

Though the Bearnaise Sauce and Au Poivre are not typically served during HVRW, we had the most attentive staff member, Alex, who brought out both sauces for us to try as well.  (Alex deserves an extra 50 points for himself.  *I certainly would have asked to include his photo, but I am ashamed to say I did not have my HVRW list with me during the meal)

I knew I would be sampling my husband’s meal so I thought I’d try the “Tre Funghi Ragu” which I’d never had before nor do I think I’d ever seen on a menu (50 points)

The orrechiete pasta were perfectly cooked, the cream sauce warm and velvety, the mushroom had a firm, almost beefy texture, the basil slightly withered and added a fragrant perfume, but the star was somehow the round of crispy, salty pancetta.  Heaven in a bowl. (50 points for photo of never tried dish)

Though Alex shared the mushrooms were New York grown, I did not note or find out the name of the farm.

The final course.   For the Mr., the “Hudson Valley Apple Streudel” (local dish + only 50 points – no farm name for bonus points):

For me, the Chocolate Lava Cake…

Alex has been wonderful to us.  He answered questions and checked on details, shared his enthusiasm for our choices and didn’t really seem bothered when I asked if the chef was available to thank and for a quick photo.

Chef Anton was able to come out for a quick hello and we thanked him for a wonderful meal (100 points).

We will be adding Barnaby’s to our list of local favorite restaurants and are sure to return.  We are also looking at another New Paltz restaurant to try during HVRW…(to be continued and see if I can add to my point total).  Thank you Alex and Chef Anton it truly was a memorable meal.

Total points: 275.

The 411 on Barnaby’s: 16 N. Chestnut St., New Paltz, 845 255 2433, http://barnabyssteakhouse.com

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post Hudson Valley Resaturant Week 2013: Barnaby’s Steak House in New Paltz appeared first on Small Bites.

We ordered straight fromt the HVRW menu which had Patrice starting with crispy Vegetable Spring Rolls while I had a Ceasar Salad with a creamy home-made dressing.

We both decided to go with the Dijon Crab Crusted Salmon, however, I had mine sans the crab.  I always appreciate when a restaurant is willing to make accommodations, which they did quite graciously.  The salmon was perfectly cooked and served with a nice array of sides including haricot vert, carrots and wild rice.

I was thrilled with the dessert selections, for the most part I’m a purist when it comes to my cheesecake but if I am going to divert—it will only be for pumpkin and that’s what was on the menu and it was delicious!  Patrice went with the Raspberry Sorbet which was quite rich in fresh raspberry flavor.

So now you might ask, where did our HVRW Scavenger Hunt points come in?  On the wine menu – we each spotted a NY wine (photographed, of course) for 50 points each!

Total Points: 100.

The 411 on Hudson House River Inn.

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post HVRW: The Hudson House, Cold Spring appeared first on Small Bites.

We started with a salad of Local Farm Greens with roasted beets, croutons, and a sherry Dijon vinaigrette.  The presentation was bright and the salad certainly followed suit.

Evan then had the Ocean Wrap which is the fresh market fish of the day in a cellophane wrap with rice noodles, carrots, avocado and cilantro.  Today’s selection was tuna served with a light spicy dipping sauce—he was a very happy man.

I had the Bi Bim Bop which is always a favorite of mine. I was surprised when it wasn’t served in the traditional hot stone bowl and mentioned it to the waiter.  He (like any good, conscientious waiter should do) mentioned it to the chef and within minutes, Myong was at our table.  I really appreciated that she took the time during a busy lunch to come out and explain that in her country (Korea) Bi Bim Bop is served in either the stone bowls or in this case, in a lovely, square white bowl.

Now one of the things I love about Bi Bim Bop is the crunchy rice that happens while it cooks in the stone bowl which I mentioned to Myong. She assured me the rice was crunchy and true to her word the rice was not only crunchy but it quite possibly could be one of the best Bi Bim Bop dishes I’ve ever had.  It was fresh without having muddled flavors, each ingredient seemed to stand on its own while still being totally cohesive and the sauce had a nice kick without rendering my taste-buds extinct for the rest of the meal—excellent, really.

Now having Myong come to our table gave me an opportunity to get a photograph with her for the Scavenger Hunt and earn 100 points!

At this point we were of course, totally sated until I saw Pumpkin Beignets with pumpkin mousse and chai dipping sauce on the menu—I couldn’t pass it up, could you?  And oh, was that good—the pumpkin mousse, the chai dipping sauce, the beignets, nothing short of perfection!

So, now that the love fest with food is complete, for the Scavenger Hunt—we totalled 100 points!  Your turn. . .

The 411 on Myong Gourmet.

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post HVRW: Myong, Mt Kisco appeared first on Small Bites.

Now we begin another HVRW, two weeks of exploring great places and enjoying creative and beautiful things to see and eat.  This year Liz Johnson has created a scavenger hunt, but I like to think of it more as a “treasure” hunt. We are blessed with great chefs who love to share their “bounty”. Now there maybe a “mutiny” when deciding on which of the over 185 restaurants to try and which friends to take along. We have made 7 reservations so far to try out some new spots and revisit a few favorites. Now that you have endured all the pirate references…enjoy our visit to The Iron Horse Grill.

One of the most gracious hosts, the chef not only blessed us with his fabulous food but sent out one of their signature drinks as a treat. Hibiscus flowers in Proseco – delicious and most beautiful as the bubbles make the flowers float and dance in the glass. All of their cocktails are a riff on train names as this restaurant is in the old train station set above the tracks. Across the street is their sister restaurant – Pony Express – a take out/eat in hot spot for a more casual meal and coming soon is Seahorse – right next door – for take out seafood fare. Are you getting the “train and horse” theme yet? Very clever!

Starting with appetizers and moving onto the main course, we shared our first of many dinners out with our great friends Doreen and Juan (pictured here enjoying his braised short ribs-100 points).

The romantic setting made photos a bit tough, (we promise to do better on the next set). You can see a lovely shadow of my finger (it is pointing to 50 points for Hudson Valley Duck).  The duck was quite tasty – moist yet crisp over a bed of smokey black beans and chorizo (photo for another 50 points).

Probably our favorite of the three entrees offered was the arctic char. While not from a local farm it was a buttery tasting fish but not oily. It was the most spectacular color orange and was served on a bed of forbidden rice (black rice). I had never tried this before (50 more for being adventurous) and it was nutty and “firm to the tooth” – al dente.  It resembled a cross between wild rice (although actually a grass and not rice) and Italian aborio rice (short grain). You can see it peeking out (50 point photo) from under the fish in a beautiful pool of delicious sauce that only Chef McGrath can make.

Here he is stopping for a moment to take a photo with us to mark our first adventure on HVRW-2013. (100)

Our desserts were fun! Blood orange sorbet over mango for Bradley and can you believe I ordered a cupcake after working so many years icing thousands of them at The Cupcake Kitchen? Dark chocolate with chocolate crunchies and vanilla ice cream.

Our terrific chef sent us a sample of his special shortbread cookies to end with a thoughtfully sweet treat.

Join us in the hunt! As this is one of the popular choices each time on HVRW, wishing you luck, but do try to get a reservation for HVRW. You will enjoy!

Total points: 400.

The 411 on Iron Horse Grill.

The post HVRW Spring 2013: Iron Horse Grill, Pleasantville appeared first on Small Bites.

Follow us on Instagram @smallbiteslohud. Follow the link for more information about the HVRW Scavenger Hunt clues and prizes. Keep snapping and happy dining!

Please visit our friends at The Valley Table for all the details on Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.

The post Hudson Valley Restaurant Week on Instagram appeared first on Small Bites.