Poughkeepsie Ice House on the Hudson

It was the exact date we were married in 1987 when we decided to try "someplace new."  Well, new to us.  I asked for recommendations and someone suggested Poughkeepsie Ice House on the Hudson. We wanted something on, near or at least overlooking water and what better view than between the Walkway over the Hudson and the Mid-Hudson Bridge? We were less than one hour from home and it was a beautiful day.  I checked the menu on-line and the Mr. made a reservation.  When we arrived I was quite thankful I opted for flat shoes rather than heels as I had to park at the top of a hill and walk down to the restaurant.

A great start after a challenging day that included me having a flat tire after driving through one of the worst potholes around, which seems simple enough, but my particular model car has a locking lug nut on each wheel for security purposes.  A wonderful and innovative practice in theory.  Until one of us (I won't say which) took the car to have the tires rotated and was not given back the key when the job was complete.  So, my car had to be towed and the garage will find a way to bust off the locking lug and put on the spare.  THEN, a new tire will be ordered.  Ugh. I'm sure you need a cocktail just from this exhausting story.

Now, I will tell you about our dinner experience.

First, here was just a portion of our amazing view:

Notice the boat, trailer and truck in the background? It seems to be a public launch and so we enjoyed watching a number of boats come in and out while we were at Ice House.

Regular menu and a Special menu...

On the back of the regular menu is a list of beer, wine and sake cocktail options available.

Sake Mule

The Sake Mule is listed as:  hibiscus, ginger hard cider, fresh lime juice & simple syrup.  Try one.

I am fairly observant at this point, ok, nosey, I am really looking around and taking note of the people, the food and the servers, hostesses.  It is fairly busy, diners of all ages, families, dates, friends, some obviously celebrating special occasions.  Some order various courses, a few just appetizers, some just straight to dinner and everyone seems happy.  The overall pace is comfortable. We are able to talk and relax in-between courses, do not feel rushed, and yet we feel well taken care of, not ignored.

To start:

Crab Cakes

We split an appetizer.The crab cakes described by the Mr., "They have a good sear or crust, a good flavor and they have a lot of crab."  Our sons recently joked that he has become a "foodie."  I just love hearing him describe the dish as well as enjoy it.  To be honest, he is right.  The cakes were more crab than filler and yes, they had a nice crispy exterior.  Yum.

For those who have read Fed Well over time, you know the Mr. loves French Onion soup.  Ice Houses' version received an enthusiastic two spoons up as a review.  He enjoyed the flavor of the broth and we were both in awe of the super sized serving.  Imagine the typical restaurant crock and at least another 1/2 serving if not more.

I may pick on the Mr. a bit about having his favorites, but I am also guilty.  New England Clam Chowder is probably a dish I have sampled more than just a couple of times. I enjoy the many varieties with or without bacon, with a little bit of kick or mild, creamy or a bit on the thin side, but it should never be day-glow yellow like canned gravy and the celery should never out number the potatoes or clams.  This was a great middle-of-the-road rendition and I was happy.

Main Courses:

Cajun Catfish

Here are the Mr.'s thoughts, "I liked the fish, but it really wasn't Cajun.  The fries were good, but I really liked the cole slaw."  He can't eat the kale, but I sampled it and with the bacon, it was a winning pairing.  The fish was delicious, but could have been a bit spicier.

Ice House Seafood Platter

Shrimp, scallops, 4 ounce lobster tail, salmon, risotto and my eyes went right to the green and tender bok choy.  I couldn't wait to devour the vegetable on a seafood platter. Strange? Or a sign of the green season I've waited six months to enjoy?  I gave a bit of everything except the veggie to the Mr. to try and he nodded in approval to each forkful.  Special acknowledgement went to the scallops and the risotto.  Everything I ate was delicious, and I brought home the salmon, a few shrimp as well as a portion of the rice.

We were far too stuffed for dessert and I didn't even have an interest in bringing something home for later.  We did try to end our date night with a selfie on the water front.  It was fairly amusing and nothing we would ever share with the world, but we were Fed Well on the waterfront.