(this is as much about the restaurant as the wine, so read no further if that bothers you)
Some recent unexpected income coincided with the opening of Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and I decided Betsy (and I) deserved a treat. Blue Hill is a well-known NYC restaurant, and the owners were chosen to run the on-site restaurant at the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture, the new nonprofit education center on the Rockefeller property in Pocantico Hills. The idea is to bring people closer to the food they eat.
So last night we drove up to Pocantico Hills, past Union Church (the one with the Chagall and Matisse windows) and turned down a wide gravel road. We traveled through pastures, till we came to a complex of vast stone structures with slate roofs (once the Rockefeller barns). We turned the Corolla over to the valet (and wished it luck mingling with the Mercedes and Jaguars) and entered a huge courtyard. Took us a minute to realize where to go in, then were warmly greeted. We were seated immediately in the large dining room. Despite the high ceilings, noise levels were quite civil. Betsy loved the huge floral arrangement in the center of the room, and we enjoyed looking out the windows (pastures on one side, forest on the other). Huge old planks made up the floor.
The official opening was only Sunday, and some service quibbles are probably due to that. But the waitstaff was trying hard. The format is one can choose a
3, 4, or 5 course tasting menu , and can choose from any category (though last course must be dessert). The categories were Eggs, From the Sea, Our Pasture, and Hudson Valley Pastures. The eggs and chickens are raised on the farm, the pigs from other sustainable farms in the area (Stone Barns pigs aren't big enough yet). All of the greens are from the property, and the ramps are harvested in the forest. We decided to go with the 5 course, each having a selection from each section.
Good wine list, with very good choices from around the world. Prices are reasonable for upscale restaurant. I scanned the list while we munched on delicious yeast rolls. I settled on a Pichler GV, but they were out; I ordered a more expensive Nigl instead.
2002 Nigl "Privat" Grüner Veltliner Complex and delicious, white peaches and some lemon, with the characteristic GV white pepper. Certainly technically dry, but the fruit has a sweetness to it. A great versatile match to the variety of dishes we had coming. I know this needs time, but it's damn tasty now. A
Before the real food started, we were served wonderful yeast rolls, then a nice amuse, asparagus soup with Parmesan foam in a shot glass. Tasty, and a fun presentation.
For our first course (from Egg section), Betsy went with asparagus and I went with salmon. The sliced steam asparagus with a lemon-balsamic-asparagus sauce, topped with hazelnuts and a soft-poached egg, were fantastic. The smoked salmon was on a kind of onion tartlet, with a sunnyside-up egg. So far, so good.
From the Sea section, Betsy got the lobster salad and I got the smoked mackerel. The diced lobster with jerusalem artichokes was good, but probably the weakest dish of the night in my opinion. The smoked mackerel was a revelation- great fish with a wonderful caper sauce and sea salt,delicate yet assertive and powerful (this is the Roumier Bonne Mares of mackerel dishes).
For the "From Our Pastures" section, Betsy got a chicken roulade. Flavorful chicken wrapped around asparagus , with sauteed foie gras, served with a ramp sauce. Wonderful. I had cavatelli with maitake mushrooms. The mushrooms were great, really called for a red Burg. But I made do with the Gruner, as well as the glass of Rhone red I had ordered to go with Betsy's 4th course.
2001 Jamet St. Joseph Clear clean Syrah fruit, Betsy immediately said "pepper!" on sniffing. Blackberry fruit with a little earth and spice, balanced acidity. Nice wine. I liked the presentation- they brought on a fresh stem, with the wine in a small carafe. Poured a few ounces, left mini-carafe on table. Nice way to serve a decent portion but leave room for swirling. Oh yeah, B+
For the last course, Betsy got duck breast with baby yellow beets and spaetzle. I got the Pig ("pork is called pig because the pasture-raised pigs that roam the land simply taste better than commercial pork, says chef Dan Barber"). The most flavorful pork loin I've ever had, and a hunk of braised bacon. Served with jerusalem artichokes and spinach.
Betsy loved a passionfruit souffle, served with passionfruit icecream. I don't eat desserts, so had simple fruit plate, along with a glass of 1975 Toro Albala Pedro Ximénez (hey, Betsy said she'd drive home). Very nice PX, thick, syrupy, rich. Prunes (oops, "dried plums"), raisins, spices, and a hint of citrus. Yeehaw. B+
Overall, a very good night. The most disappointing dish was the lobster salad, and it could have been the star of the menu in 90% of the upscale places in Westchester. This is the first place since Xavier's in Garrison closed that I think of as a destination restaurant in Westchester- I think it's good enough for NYC-folk to make a trip. Not just for the food, the beauty of the setting, the history of being on the Rockefeller property, etc. make up a quite unique package.
Grade disclaimer: I'm a very easy grader, basically A is an excellent wine, B a good wine, C mediocre. Anything below C means I wouldn't drink at a party where it was only choice. Furthermore, I offer no promises of objectivity, accuracy, and certainly not of consistency.
Dale
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