Daryl’s House is no “Abandoned Luncheonette”
We wanted a night out on the town! We wanted live music, a clubby atmosphere, fabulous food, and maybe a celebrity sighting, but we did not want to have to travel into NYC. Thankfully, the Hudson Valley is home to Daryl’s House, a restaurant and live music club in Pawling, NY.
Daryl Hall, co-founder and lead vocalist of Hall & Oates, is a restaurateur, interior designer and Rock and Roll Hall of Famer! From the moment we walked into his cozy club, we knew that we were going to have a terrific night. Every seat has a front row feel, and there is also a bar with some additional seating which has good sight lines to the stage. The acoustics are top notch, and there are multiple large screen televisions which broadcast the show.
The idea was first conceived when Daryl Hall invited his favorite musicians to his upstate New York home for an afternoon of music and great food! His television show, “Live From Daryl’s House” was soon born. In 2014, Daryl moved his show to the former Towne Crier and personally oversaw the refurbishing. His passion for restoring historic homes has been well-documented on his show, Daryl’s Restoration Over-Hall on the DIY network. Hall has remodeled the venue in a similar fashion to his former 1770’s home in nearby Millerton. "I've converted everything, from the tables and chairs, to the walls and ceiling, to an 18th-century style so it looks like a big version of my house," Hall said. "It's a very Early American, New England-y kind of vibe.” General Manager, Patrick Ryan, told me, “I think the club looks like you’re inside of an acoustic guitar.”
Most of the television shows include a segment in which Hall and a guest artist prepare food from different cuisines for everyone to eat. The food comes from various local restaurants and the chefs of those establishments walk Hall and his guests through the preparation of the food. It’s an Internet show that is being shown on television and filmed at Daryl’s House in Pawling.
The eclectic menu was also carefully overseen by Daryl, with chef Elena Angelides in charge of the kitchen. Our attentive server recommended that we start off with the avocado stuffed with shrimp and garlic aioli on a bed of pineapple slaw, then drizzled with a red pepper chipotle sauce.
Delectable! When I asked Patrick about Daryl’s own favorite entree, he had a quick reply…Moroccan Lamb Tagine. This North African stew of spiced meat and vegetables is prepared by slow cooking in a shallow earthenware cooking dish with a tall, conical lid. My tagine was served in a cobalt blue earthenware dish and piled high with lamb, vegetables and basmati rice. The lamb melted in my mouth, and the Moroccan spices added the perfect seasoning to the stew.
The diverse menu also features steaks, seafood, pasta and sandwiches. Some other crowd favorites include a Philly Cheese Steak smothered with onions, cherry sweet and spicy peppers and crowned with Provolone Cheese. Daryl’s Shrimp with Tomato Basil and the Half a Roasted Chicken “a la Joe Walsh” keep the crowds coming back for more.
The Saturday and Sunday brunches include steak & eggs, omelettes, waffles, brioche french toast, along with sandwiches, salads and seafood. Much of the food is locally sourced including the sausage, pork belly, and produce. Vinny’s Deli of Pawling, which has been featured on the Food Network, provides the restaurant with their homemade mozzarella and marinara sauce.
Then we have the music…Jimmie Vaughan, older brother of Stevie Ray, recently played at Daryl’s and was surprised when Steve Miller showed up and joined him on stage. Booker T. Jones brought the house down one night, too, and you just never knows when Daryl himself will appear, especially if one of his good buddies is performing.
The eclectic live music during the Saturday and Sunday brunches is free, and most other shows have only a $20 cover.
Daryl’s House currently has 7 live shows weekly and over a million Facebook hits per week.
The night I was at the Club, Feast of Friends, a cover band for the Doors played. When I closed my eyes I thought Jim Morrison had risen from the dead to sing “Light My Fire” directly to me! People were dancing around the perimeter of the stage, and all the rest of us were chair dancing. What a fabulous night on the town!
Daryl’s House is no “Abandoned Luncheonette” (aka) Hall & Oate’s 1973 album title. The Club has everything from great charm and fantastic food to the best live music in the Hudson Valley. “Times have changed,” Hall said, “and I feel more fulfilled. Everything that has happened to me over the last eight or nine years is better than any other time in my life.”
130 Route 22
Pawling, NY 12564
845-289-0185
