My perfect summer day includes being near the water, having great views, exploring funky shops and eating yummy food served al fresco. The Rondout area of Kingston has all of this and more. Rondout (pronounced "ron doubt"), is situated on the Hudson River, at the mouth of Rondout Creek. Originally a maritime village serving the nearby city of Kingston, New York, Rondout merged with Kingston in 1872, and it now includes the West Strand Historic District.
We recently met our family at the Rondout and began our adventure at the Old Savannah Southern Table and Bar, a cavernous waterfront warehouse where we sat on the deck overlooking the Hudson and watched the boats glide past. We watched the Rip Van Winkle cruise ship chug by chock full of waving passengers and every kind of private boat imaginable. The inside bar and dining room of Old Savannah are gorgeous with floors of polished concrete, and there are beautiful exposed wood trusses and girders which arch overhead. The heavy black wrought-iron railings and gas lamps along the open balconies are reminiscent of New Orleans architecture. The cocktails were refreshing, and we chatted with some regulars who never miss having “a cold one” on the deck during a hot summer day. It was heavenly!
It was then time for a short stroll before deciding on our dinner destination. My sister and I were delighted to discover a brand new shop called Facets of Earth on Broadway. Created by the mind and hands of Morgan Mikula, all work is made in her brick-and-mortar studio and is inspired by the raw beauty of the earth, the sea and the cosmos. Morgan specializes in “custom and made-to-order jewelry for the free-spirited, raw beauty loving people! “ I couldn’t live without her gorgeous amethyst citrine candle holder which may or may not end up at my daughter’s new apartment. Very quickly, the guys had had enough of our browsing and spending money and decided they were ravenous. We decided to let Brian pick the restaurant for dinner. My brother is a chef and restauranteur at the Jersey Shore, and his go-to restaurant in Kingston is the Ship to Shore.
Samir Hrichi is the Chef/Owner of Ship to Shore Restaurant, a first-generation American, who was born in NYC to parents of Latvian and Moroccan descent. The influence of both cultures led Samir to incorporate exotic flavor profiles within his various culinary ventures, and ultimately his own restaurant. Relocating to the Hudson Valley further encouraged Samir’s interest to combine simple, down-to-earth food with subtle modern twists.
His love of personal adventure and travel to Thailand, Cuba, Morocco, Italy, and Australia further drove Samir to create a dining experience that highlights the bounty of the beautiful Hudson Valley. Ship to Shore is a take on an American Bistro with the big, bold flavors of the Mediterranean and Asia paired with a NYC style Steakhouse. “Ship to Shore’s philosophy has been relatively simple since its opening- keep it simple, keep it fresh, keep it local,” said Samir.
We always let Brian choose our appetizers, and he outdid himself. We shared the special appetizer of the evening, a Genoa Salami Plate overflowing with Roasted Peppers, Fresh Mozzarella, Roasted Patty Pan Squash, Romano Cheese and Kalamata Olives. It was almost too pretty to eat…almost!
The Yellowfin Tuna Stack was layered with Sesame Crusted, Cast Iron Seared Tuna with Avocado, Crisp Wontons, Sriracha, and Soy.
We all fought over this spectacular creation. We also couldn’t get enough of the Hudson Valley Foie Gras which was seared and deglazed with Bourbon and Mangos and served on a toasted baguette.
The entrees continued to please as we shared Linguini Carbonara, a creative combination of Smoked Pork Belly, Sweet Peas, Baby Spinach, Heavy Cream, Egg Yolks, and Shaved Pecorino Romano. Yum!
Brian had the Rigatoni Sausage Bambino complete with Baby Sweet Sausage Meatballs, Green Kale, Crimini Mushrooms served in a Roma Tomato Cream Sauce. It got rave reviews.
My husband and I chose to go the lighter route, me the Bistro Steak Chop Chop Salad, a perfectly prepared sliced sirloin on top of their very popular salad which includes kale, mixed greens, ceci beans, tomatoes, red onion, feta, olives, cucumbers, mixed with a lemon thyme vinaigrette. The perfect entree on a hot summer night.
My husband loved his BLT Caesar Salad which was topped with Smoked Pork Belly, Beefsteak Tomato, Pecorino Romano Cheese, and Croûtons. Only the girls had room to share a dessert, and we both said Creme Brûlée at the same time. We got so much pleasure in cracking that caramelized sugar top to get to the smooth, rich cream beneath it.
“Ship to Shore is always bustling with a steady stream of new customers taking advantage of the bounty of the Hudson Valley and it’s a place we would like all of the people who step through our doors to consider as home,” said Samir.
It was the perfect ending to our Rondout adventure!
15 West Strand
Kingston, NY Phone: 845-334-8887
