I'll never forget the first time I went to the Hudson House of Nyack
My husband and I went out with another couple, kind of a first date, and I am not sure if it was the great conversation, the laughs or the wonderful food, but the couple soon became our best friends and the Hudson House became one of our favorite places eat out.
Since moving upstate 5 years ago, it had been awhile since I had been there, but while visiting Rockland for my birthday celebration, I was treated for brunch.
It was one of the first days that in April that the sun was out, but there was still a chill in the air. When we arrived for our reservation little did we know Nyack was hosting the first street fair of the season. The whole world was out.
Although Hudson House offers a nice list of craft cocktails, we all opted to start in traditional brunch fashion and ordered a round of Bloody Marys accompanied by an order of blistered Shishito peppers with a Meyer lemon aioli. The Bloody Marys were “my kind of Bloody Mary” filled with what, my family calls “particulates” meaning horseradish, coarse black pepper, celery salt, garnished with a celery stalk and green olive. Completely delicious, with just the right spice.
The Shishito peppers were the perfect compliment. I got introduced to Shishito peppers recently. If you haven’t tried them, it’s probably time you do. They are delicious and a healthy alternative to many of the other snacks we typically enjoy while having a cocktail. The peppers have a distinctive flavor, usual mildly sweet with a with a touch of smokiness, but every now and then there will be an exception and you’ll bite into a spicy one. And guess who did? Thank goodness my water glass was full!
The brunch menu is full of choices—one sounding better than the next, however I am an eggs Benedict person so that is what I went for. I have eaten lots of eggs Benedict in many different restaurants, but this was easy the best! The egg was perfectly poached, hollandaise sauce light and flavorful, the county ham just the right thickness and cooked a little crispy. T
he most impressive part of the dish and what set it apart from all the rest of the eggs Benedict I have had, was the homemade English muffin it was served on. It is going to make it very hard to go back to store bought, I am used to getting.
My son-in-law, Matt, ordered his “go to” for brunch too, prime sirloin steak & eggs. The eggs came out sunny-side up, with a perfectly medium rare steak with a nice crispy sear. It must have been pretty good, because when I looked up at his plate, it was practically licked clean—this from a guy who is normally a slow eater.
Marcy ordered the Hudson burger, a large ½ lb angus burger served on a brioche bun and topped with her choice of cheddar, gruyere or gorgonzola cheese. She opted for the cheddar. The burger was juicy and packed with great flavor. The fried pickle perch on top was an added bonus.
Danielle chose the peppercorn roasted turkey sandwich. It was served warm, loaded with fresh roasted turkey on a light crunchy baguette. The best part was the taleggio cheese and the way the turkey, roasted peppers and aioli all melted together.
Both the burger and turkey sandwich were served with fries, which we all agreed were the perfect—thin, crispy with just the right amount of salt.
If anybody has been to the Hudson House, you know to make sure to save room for dessert. Owner Matt Hudson is known for his desserts. They’re all made from scratch, using the best ingredients. The list is varied, offering desserts that are chocolaty, fruity, sweet, not so sweet and creamy. If you want you can watch him making them on Facebook, where he posts videos of himself making delicious creations.
It was my birthday and since we had dessert waiting at home, we did not plan on indulging. However, word got out that I was there to celebrate, and as a surprise, the waiter came out with a small mini, warm chocolate cake, a scoop of homemade ice cream and a candle. Thank you, it was amazing!
To me, one of the most impressive things about the Hudson House is that even though it has been around for at least 25 years the menu and food always stays current and on top of trends. There is always something exciting to look forward to and the food, the service and the atmosphere make it consistently a winner!
134 Main St, Nyack, NY 10960 Phone:(845) 353-1355
