Have you made your reservations for Hudson Valley Restaurant Week? This semi-annual salute to the great restaurants of the Hudson Valley starts today and runs through March 25th.
The spring event features more than 200 restaurants and runs the length of the Hudson Valley. Three course lunch is $22.95 and dinner, where offered is $32.95.
This year there are more than a dozen restaurants, either new to the Valley or new to Restaurant Week.
HudsonValleyEATS got to talk with a few of the participating restaurants at the launch party for Restaurant Week, hosted by Peter Kelly at his Restaurant X (a participating restaurant) and we asked them what they had planned.
Mima Vinoteca in Irvington is planning to offer the same menu for lunch and dinner. Patrons can look forward to small plates with hand made pastas. You can start with a creamy artichoke bisque, or crostini and move on to Hudson Valley duck breast over baby fennel, whole wheat penne pasta with pistachio-mint pesto, spring squash, sun dried red peppers, Parmigiano, and ricotta and other delicious sounding options. Finish it off with panna cotta, gelato or their signature bombolini. There are also 24 wines by the glass and specialty cocktails.
For Cosimo’s “The best part of Restaurant Week is making new friends with our neighbors in the Hudson Valley and beyond that haven’t had our cuisine before. They come outside of their box, they dine with us and they become friends in the future.” Diners at one of their three Cosimo’s locations can look forward to local chicken with cacio e pepe polenta and other dishes using local ingredients, topped off with exclusive desserts from their pastry chefs.
Rich Parenti of Clocktower Grill likes Restaurant week because “it’s a chance to see some new faces and build new relationships.” His Restaurant Week menu is extensive, about 90% of their regular menu (and may I add, with no upcharges for any of the dishes). Much of the pork and lamb on the menu is from their farm, and you can find it in dishes like the tomato pappardelle. But, save room for the X4 Chocolate mousse tart! It’s chocolate upon chocolate upon...
At Crabtree’s Kittle House, Chef Jay Lippin, focuses on local foods. He’s got a terrific Hudson Valley bolognaise with Highland Farm venison, Helder Herdwyck pork, Stone Broke farm grass-fed beef, and Argyle Farm crème fraiche on cavatelli pasta. He sees Restaurant Week as “a great opportunity to show off what we have.”
I’m thinking of finally trying Clocktower Grill and/or maybe the newly reopened restaurant at Troutbeck. If it wasn’t so far away, Restaurant X, where the launch party was held. The appetizers they were serving were amazing, so I’m sure the food would be great too!
What about you?
For more information about HVRW and to see a list of all participating restaurants click here.
