Hungry For Love NYC Takes a Road Trip!

This weekend, my sweetheart and I took a road trip upstate to the Red Hook/Rhinebeck area of New York. I highly recommend this as a little getaway for anyone looking for a change of pace and scenery from NYC life. Since this is a food-oriented blog, I of course want to focus on some of the delicious meals we ate while up in Red Hook.

As part of our stay at the darling Red Hook Inn, we seized the opportunity to partake in an intimate dining experience with their renowned chef, and co-inn proprietor. The b.f. and I were told to select our dinner entrees the day before our meal, so that Nabil, the chef, could purchase the ingredients that day. Talk about fresh food. When we headed down to dinner, we were delighted to discover that we were the only diners that evening, in a room that seats less than a dozen guests. It was like nothing we'd ever encountered before, a beautiful, but quaint dining room with soft music playing, and romantic candlelight at our table. I couldn't help but compare it to those episodes of Millionaire Matchmaker, where the millionaires reserve the entire restaurant to impress their dates. We were both entranced by the lovely ambiance.

Our first course was a Mediterranean salad with fresh chopped vegetables, seasoned with a delicate yet savory blend of herbs. It was more flavorful that most salads have any right to be. Next, we were served an incredible homemade soup of carrot, parsnip & ginger. Leaning more toward a puree, it was healthy and delicious, particularly demonstrating that you don't need heavy cream bases to win over a soup nut like my sweetie. While we dined, we also indulged in warm bread, and our own bottle of Sauvignon Blanc (byob worked out fantastically).

For the main course, he had chosen the filet mignon au poivre (well done) and I opted for the salmon fillet. I had a lengthy discussion with the chef the day before about possible sauce and seasoning options for the salmon (since I don't care for pesto, their usual offering). We agreed upon a light, tomato based sauce for the fillet. It arrived with couscous, honeyed carrots and asparagus. While I felt that the sauce turned out a little too thick and heavy for the fish, the salmon itself was tasty, as were the other side dishes. My b.f. happily devoured his steak, cooked just as he requested.

Finally delivered to our table, was, in my opinion, one of the best parts of the meal, the dessert. Homemade warm apple pie accompanied by homemade vanilla ice cream. I was in heaven. The apples were moist and the crust was flaky, and the whole dish melted into my mouth much too quickly.

Overall it was a wonderful dinner, expressed in both the quality of the food, the attention to details, and the attentive service throughout the meal.

I can't conclude this post without a nod to the breakfast upon which we feasted the next morning. Most bed & breakfasts offer some sort of standard spread for their guests, perhaps muffins, toast, croissants, coffee and the like. We never expected to first be escorted out to the backyard by the chef who pointed out the hens which had produced our forthcoming eggs. Now, I find that omelets can often be hit or miss, too loose and falling apart, or so well done that the edges appear charred. I love to enjoy a firm, but gooey-insided egg white omelet. Nabil whipped up two savory egg white omelets with a little American cheese and some of the same vegetables and herbs we relished the night before. The result was just as indulgently flavorful as our dinner.

The bottom line is, if you're looking for a quaint yet elegant b&b to enjoy a weekend getaway, check out the Red Hook Inn. Besides the delicious meals, we also loved our room (spring for Room 5- it's definitely worth it), as well as the private outdoor hot tub. Pat and Nabil are so attentive and thoughtful, I highly recommend this inn.

Finally, two other worthwhile restaurants in the area are the charming Tavern at the Beekman Arms- connected to the oldest inn in America! Historic and a pretty decent brunch. I enjoyed my french toast with cinnamon and sugar, while he had another delicious omelet. We also had dinner at a new restaurant in Rhinebeck called Arielle. More French/Provençal than Mediterranean (as it tends to be described), but a rather unique experience nonetheless. I adventurously tried the 'forage' plate appetizer: herbs and vegetables gathered locally by the Culinary Institute of America students. Certainly different! The pasta pomodoro was fresh and authentic tasting. Plus, like many of the local attractions, the atmosphere was both rustic and romantic. Both restaurants are set right in the heart of Rhinebeck, a very pretty area to explore as well.

Bon Appetit & Happy Travels!