The restaurant itself was not what I expected. The entrance does not seem like a restaurant, and when you're in the bar area, you don't expect the large dining area. We were the first one's there and we got to pick our table! We got a really nice comfy table facing the window. It was still light out (it was only 5:30!) so the lighting was beautiful.
My mom and I both enjoyed the Farmer's Feast. Basically, you don't get any kind of menu, but they give you a list of what's in season.
I went in with my own expectations of this restaurant because I'd been reading some conflicted reviews. What I expected was a nice restaurant that uses high quality ingredients to make delicious food. And honestly, that's exactly what I got.
There was an abundance of food!
9 amuse bouche, delicious Balthazaar onion bread with fresh butter (2 kinds, Blue Hill and Ronnybrook), homemade ricotta, beet and arugula salt, 6 savory dishes, and 2 desserts. Topped all off with chestnut macarons.
I will begin from the VERY beginning:
Fennel Soup
Fresh Garden Vegetables
Dried Garden Vegetable Chips
Anchovy Mousse
Lettuce with Chickpeas
Salsify with Pancetta
Beat Burgers with Goat Cheese and Preserved Tomatoes
Pork Terrine with Chocolate
Charcuterie (Uhh... Capocolla, Lonzino, and Speck)
Veal Shank Marrow with Paddlefish Caviar
END OF AMUSE BOUCHE.
Balthazaar Onion Bread with Blue Hill Butter, Ricotta, Arugula Salt and Beet Salt
Beets with Mache, Blue Hill Yogurt, and Pine Nut Butter
Scallops with Parsley and Cilantro Broth
Cobia with Ramps a la Greque
As you can see, the last picture is pretty dark. It was getting dark out side, so the lighting was lacking... plus, there's no flash photography in the restaurant! So the next couple of dishes will be written only... sorry if I got you excited!
Farm Egg with Lentil and Lettuce Broth
Goose Egg Pasta with Embryonic Eggs
Braised Lamb Belly with Saldify Noodles and Bordeaux Spinach, Couscous
Dessert!
Candied Meyer Lemon with Yogurt and Passionfruit Ice Cream
Parsnip Cake with Ginger Ice Cream
Carmelized Pink Lady Apple with Toasted Oatmeal Ice Cream and White Cinnamon
Everything was presented beautifully, especially the fresh carrots, lettuce, and cauliflower from the garden! I think what I loved most about the food was that the flavor of each ingredient was so well-emphasized. There were some dishes where I chuckled at the description. "Lettuce Broth"?? That sounds SOOOOO bland.... but it was far from it!
Because the farmer's feast focuses on the seasons freshest, most delicious ingredients, I was able to taste some new ingredients that I never had. Cobia is awesome! Goose egg noodles, oh yeah! And of course the farm-fresh egg from that morning in a lentil soup???? Ugh, it was heaven!
Also, I love the little story behind each star-ingredient, and how it plays a role on their farm life. I really appreciate what their mission is and what they believe in. It's unique and fun, and all the waiters showed a passion for food, which i always love!
Blue Hill at Stone Barns
630 Bedford Road
Pocantico Hills, New York 10591
Phone: 914-366-9600 (reservations and general information)
Fax: 914-366-7920
4 comments:
Sounds fantastic.
Out of curiosity, how were people dressed? I've read that shoes, nice jeans, button-down, with a sports jacket is commonplace, whereas others have said that everyone is more formal.
It really wasn't THAT fancy. I mean, some people were there for a special occasion so they were dressed up. I didn't see jeans, but no one was dressed stuffy and uncomfortably.
Thanks for that info.
Great blog, by the way. Nice photos. Great content. Keep it up!
Oh My God.
This looks amazing! I've heard of this place and, moving east from the Bay Area, have felt a lack of local/seasonal ingredient-using restaurants. Wow. I think I will have to make a little trip up there!
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