Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, the region’s largest dining event, is returning Nov. 4-17. This popular event, spanning 114 miles and seven counties, is among the largest Restaurant Week events in the country, bringing together farmers, chefs and local purveyors to support the local economy and showcase the farm-to-table movement that makes the Hudson Valley a premiere culinary destination.
The list of restaurants is extensive and includes some of our favorites and some places we’ve yet to try including Red Hat on the River, Tarry Lodge, X20 Xaviars on the Hudson, Wasabi and Harvest on the Hudson. During the week of November 4th, you can get a 3-course lunch for $20.95 or dinner for $29.95. Be sure to check with each restaurant for details about menu, hours and reservation policy. The price excludes beverage, tax and tip. Restaurants may exclude some days. For more information, menus and updates visit HudsonValleyRestaurantWeek.com.
For me, this is a particularly exciting time as there are a few restaurants I am desperate to try. It’s a great opportunity for foodies and people like me who are foodie wannabes. So last week when I was invited to try a local establishment on the list of participating restaurants, I jumped at the opportunity.
Plates is a neighborhood restaurant tucked on a cul-de-sac near our town’s train station owned by a chef by the name of Matthew Karp, along with co-owner Arthur Jacobson. Karp traveled around the world and collected plates where he worked and trained or was impressed. His international set of experiences led to a diverse set of culinary influences. He trained at Bouley, Restaurant Daniel, Park Avenue Cafe and Nick and Eddie Restaurant, all in NYC. At Plates, he uses fresh ingredients from gardens and farms from all over the coast and makes his own pastas, sourdough breads, confits, infused oils and vinegars, and smoked and barbecued meats. After several years of curiosity about the food, I can honestly say I want to go back. Now.
We started with a spinach and beet salad, tuna tartare and homemade ricotta crostini. I was anxious for my picky kids to try new foods, so I was thrilled when they tasted the crostini (daughter) and tartare (son). Everything was fresh and as my daughter stated about what she tried, “the food made her mouth pop.” There is a lot of sea food and pork on the menu, including the brisket tacos, none of which we eat but there were options galore for us. For dinner, we sampled their fettucini with truffle and parmesan cheese, grilled sword fish and sautéed spinach. While eating our food at a leisurely pace, we read about all of Karp’s plates from different parts of the world, in between bouts of culinary orgasms, which we were all having, mind you. The fettucini was particularly delicious and my son’s fish was, in his words, “yummy”. Other entrees include sautéed scallops, local duck, grilled local grass fed burgers, ravioli and pappardelle.
All the desserts are made on the premises, and the Larchmonster, a waffle with ice cream, syrup and chocolate on top, and the Giant Ring Ding, a chocolate cake dessert which won Westchester’s Best Dessert, rocked our world. We all entered a serious food coma when the meal ended.
For families dining at Plates, they offer $10 plates of grass fed burger, homemade macaroni and cheese, spaghetti with butter and parmesan cheese, individual pizza with mozzarella and tomato sauce and salad, plus dessert.
We’re all excited about November 4th-17th and plan to possibly return to Plates, located at 121 Myrtle Boulevard. Call (914) 834-1244 to make a reservation so you don’t miss out. I know I will.
Disclosure: The meal at Plates was complimentary to facilitate this review and promotion of the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week, but all opinions are my own.
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