You know it’s a great restaurant when the diners are mostly restauranteurs! That’s exactly what Janet and I experienced when we had lunch at Ms. Fairfax in Newburgh. Janet knew every chef or restaurant owner who walked through the door!
Philippe Pierre opened Ms. Fairfax in the fall of 2015 in a spot which was once the former cafe, Martha. Pierre kept the George Washington-themed name to honor the headquarters located on Liberty between Washington and Lafayette. Ms. Fairfax was rumored to be the love of Washington’s life.
This is a small, hip, charming restaurant with French art deco wine posters, a few vintage barstools and antique stair railings which have been cleverly mounted on the wall. The large windows look out to Liberty Street which is great for people watching on a spring day.
The menu focuses on offering simple, locally sourced foods such as cured meats, fine cheeses and crepes. Janet and I shared a little of everything! We began with the grilled Shishito Peppers tossed with Cilantro and a Sesame-Soy Dressing. We devoured most of this scrumptious small plate, but we forced ourselves to save a few peppers to take home to my husband who is recuperating from rotator cuff surgery. I grilled him a steak for dinner and topped it off with the peppers. Fabulous!
We both enjoyed the Soup du Jour, a creamy tomato soup, which was perfect for a rainy April day. I couldn’t resist trying one of their Buckwheat Flour Crepes and the Ham, Tomato, Gruyere & Mushroom crepe was calling my name. The server also raved about the Smoked Salmon and Chorizo Crepes.
Janet loves Vietnamese food, so she had to try the Bahn-Mi, a Rubbed Roast Beef, Sriracha Aioli, Pickled Carrots and Cilantro sandwich. She praised the creative combination and the bread which had the crunchiest crust and a heavenly light middle.
Some examples of their dinner entrees include Lamb Kofta Patties with Cous Cous, Hanger Steak with a Spiced Tomato Farro Risotto, Chermoula Eggplant Roasted with North African Spices, and a Falafel Plate.
We were slowing down a little by dessert time, so Janet let me pick my favorite. The Flourless Chocolate Torte was tempting, but I decided on the Key Lime Pie. The pie had just the right amount of lime and the sour cherry accompaniment was perfect.
Ms. Fairfax is open for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch and offers 10 rotating taps and specialty cocktails. This restaurant may just turn out to be the love of your life!
105 liberty street
newburgh, ny, 12550
(845) 565-016
