Tuthill House at the Mill - Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Spring 2015

Imagine knowing someone for all but 8 years of life...no, we do not speak to each other every day and yes, sometimes we may not see each other for long stretches, but we have pretty firm roots in each other's lives.  Shared experiences, stories, a history and the desire to stay in touch.  I had a dream about her and we decided it was time to get together for lunch.

The timing was perfect to also sneak in a restaurant that is participating in Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW) Spring 2015 and Tuthill House at the Mill was a perfect fit for us.

Tulips - my absolute favorite and they remind us that warmer weather is on the way.

A few views of the dining room right before it filled up.

We were given a stack of paperwork - HVRW menu, regular menu, wine list, cocktails, specials, oh my.

I was excited to catch-up with my friend and though I knew I was ordering from the HVRW menu, I didn't want her to feel restricted or obligated, but she went along as well AND as really great friends do, she let me sample each course.  Love her!

Tomato Soup

"I think this is the best tomato soup I've ever had," she said.  Well, I had to try it after that proclamation.  It was delicious.  Creamy, but fresh tasting at the same time.

Petite Wedge Salad

All of the ingredients were as you would imagine from this photo; bright and crisp where they should be with a combination of textures ranging from smooth to crunchy.  Though I may have pushed aside a few pickled onions (they were delicious), I made sure I ate every speck of the flavorful pork belly. An amazing start.

We talk a lot about our families.  We know each other well enough to be quite familiar with each other's families including parents, children, siblings and spouses.  A luxury to be guarded and protected.

Main courses - 

Ricotta Cavatelli

I knew even before I ordered that I would not be finishing my main course to allow room for dessert and my theory was confirmed once the generous portion was placed on the table.  A hearty dish of veggies including asparagus, peas, mushroom, and pasta in a luscious broth.  The meal was filling and quite flavorful.

My friend participates in boot camps and makes healthy food choices on a regular basis.  For this occasion though, the bacon cheeseburger won.  What's a few extra burpees among friends?

Bacon Cheeseburger Shown Topless 

(Bun removed for photo purposes)

I could not resist stealing a crispy french fry! So delicious.

Our children are in various stages of life with worries ranging from driving to wedding plans.  How did we get here? Where did the time go?  Just yesterday wasn't I learning how to do the Bus Stop (70's style disco line dancing) at her birthday sleep over?  I was skinny, hated my arms and wouldn't change into my pjs in front of anyone.

Dessert time!

Chocolate Covered Bananas!

What seems healthier than chocolate covered fruit for dessert?  

Although the restaurant was relatively quiet when we arrived, it is now humming with all seats filled and the conversation is flowing.  My friend recognizes someone two tables away and at the table next to us.  I always find meeting up with folks we know comforting though I know some who prefer to escape when dining out.

Chocolate and Orange Bundino

The chocolate base is dense, less dense then fudge yet far firmer than pudding.  The orange test is faint and the chocolate is not on the sweet side of the scale - perhaps more semi-sweet to almost bitter, but I am thoroughly enjoying it.  The cream is sweet enough and yes, I fully understand the crispy rice cereal for crunch. Lovely.

Fresh Valley Table magazines 

We enjoy our time together, away from the hustle and bustle of every day life.  We run off to our cars in the rain, share a quick hug and slip back into our routines.  We were Fed Well and I know we will share a meal, stories and some time again.

How often do regulars go to Mountain View?

How often do folks visit a place whether it is a bar, restaurant, or other business, before they turn into regulars?  Depending on your age, you may think of regulars as someone like Norm from Cheers who sat on his corner bar stool every night.  

I remember the owner of the local country gift shop used to have coffee mugs for her regulars lined up on a shelf behind the register. Made it seem so warm and welcoming, even for us non-regulars, when visiting. For them, it is the being a part of something.  For me, it is about a loyalty.  I have chosen to come here repeatedly to spend my hard earned money on what you provide - from atmosphere and service to good food and drink.  Must be why loyalty club cards are so popular. 

Anyway, I am always quite comfortable at Mountain View, it is really nearby and as I've said before, they make the PERFECT COSMOPOLITAN.  I use it as a benchmark for all others.  

So, when recently asked by a friend if we could meet for lunch, and she gave me the choice between 2 places, I quickly chose Mountain View.  

Here's what we had:

The Reuben with Sweet Potato Fries

When watching one's weight or calories or trying to eat healthier or whatever, nothing soothes the soul more than a meal that is just not "diet food."  This looked and smelled absolutely amazing and my friend was happy.

Cobb Salad with Honey Ginger Dressing on the side

I wanted to order something equally bad, but I had gone from yoga class to Dunkin Donuts as it was so I went with the Cobb Salad - it's kind of bad, it has bacon.  

Cobb salad always reminds me of the movie, "Julie & Julia."  The scene begins with Julie Powell telling her husband, "Cobb salad lunch tomorrow. Ugh."  She then meets 3 friends the next day for lunch and each orders their Cobb salad with different requests for removing 1 ingredient.  For example, "Cobb salad no egg," or "Cobb salad no bacon."  Um, maybe order something else? Loved the movie.

So, I was counting myself as a regular based on frequency of visits.  Learning number of times at an establishment may not be all that defines a regular.  My friend knew 3 of the employees and several of the customers - enough for casual conversation.  I knew 1 of the employees relatively well, 1 by face recognition and used to know 1 customer through another friend.  Hmmm.  Seems I'm a "Sort of Regular" or some outer circle or something.  Doesn't matter.  The food was great and since it was lunch I had the unsweetened iced tea.  

My conclusions:  go have lunch with a friend at a nearby place and order the fries. You'll feel Fed Well.

Avocado's Mexican-American Restaurant in Cornwall

Our older son is engaged, planning his wedding with his fiancee and at the same time looking for their own home.  Over this past weekend, we were invited to go along with them to an Open House and then meet her Mom and aunt at their proposed wedding venue site.  Very grown up.  Very special.  Very busy.

Typically when I am involved in any kind of field trip I am also planning around meal times, potential restaurant visits and food in general.  I'm not sure how this happened to me.  I only know that I enjoy celebrating with a nice meal and so when we concluded our business at the wedding venue site, I asked about the restaurant across the street and my older son remembered a nearby Mexican-American place, Avocado Restaurant.  Off we went.

Unassuming, not pretentious at all, bright and vibrant.  The photo does not fully display the avocado green paint of the building, but you would certainly appreciate it in person.

We are seated immediately and I simply love the festive colors and decor.  The peacock of restaurants.

The menu seemed endless and reminded me of the variety of dishes you can select from at a diner.  I have never been presented with so many choices at a Mexican restaurant.  If I didn't quickly eliminate dishes from my list of potential orders, I might still be sitting by the fireplace, not ready to order.

Our lovely server asks if we would like a drink and of course a Margarita is in order to maintain the celebratory feel and when ordering Mexican food, it just feels right.  Here is where the lunch really went from great to fabulous, she asked for my ID.  I thought she was joking and smiled, "Are you serious?"  She smiled and nodded.  I was glowing.  When I handed it to her, she took it and checked the date before saying, "Oh.Wow."  What she must not have realized is the two young men at the table who are over the legal drinking age are my sons.  I was flattered and if it were a ploy to increase her gratuity, I fell for it, but it felt quite sincere.

By the way, the Margarita was perfect.  I love a substantial amount of salt on the rim and prefer mine on the rocks rather than frozen.  Yum.

We began with an order of guacamole which was prepared table side and went through a number of baskets of nachos as well as 2 bowls of salsa.

For lunch we had:

Our future daughter-in-law tried a sampler appetizer platter as her entree.  Among the components were award winning avocado fries.  

The Mr. went out of his comfort zone again and ordered the Milanesa de Res.  A tender fried steak with salad and fries - familiar with a Mexican flair.

For me, Enchilladas del Mer.  

Listed on the menu as:

Corn tortillas filled with shrimp, fish and lobster meat, topped with a mild green tomatillo sauce, melted cheese and sour cream.  Served with rice and beans.

The filling was delicious and the portion size generous enough that I took home one tortilla with enough rice and beans to be an excellent lunch.

For my younger son:

 Mariscada

Described as:

A seafood casserole of fish, clams, mussels, and shrimp in a creamy tomato chipolte sauce served mild or spicy with a side of rice.

Either he missed asking about the mild option or no one asked, but his order was spicy.  He was able to eat it with an additional order of rice to take the edge off and once our server realized his order was too spicy, she removed one of his orders of beer from the bill.  A lovely gesture, no fault placed, no harm, no foul.  He enjoyed it despite the unexpected heat.

For my older son:

Carne Asada

Nothing more traditional than a perfectly prepared steak served with onions, rice, beans and more guacamole.  He is a happy member of the Clean Plate Club.

The meal was a grand success and yes, I was quite flattered to be asked for proper identification.  I look forward to my son's wedding and his launch into the world with his wife by his side.  My hope for them is that they continue to enjoy each other's company  for a lifetime, sharing meals and always feel Fed Well together.

Il Villaggio - Take Out at the Day Job

At my day job, we have a wonderful (she'd laugh at that description - she is known for being direct, not touchy/feely as "wonderful" may imply) department Admin. who will occasionally order lunch for all of us to be delivered and we then eat together in a conference room. On this day, it was from Il Vilaggio and the link to the menu was sent to each of us in a group email and if we want to place an order to have it to her by 11 a.m.  The "or else" was silent.

Like family, we have days and times when we like to face things together, bond and laugh as well as days when I can barely stand the sound of my own breathing, let alone the voices and stories of a few of my co-workers.  It's not as harsh as it sounds, really. Overall, I find our current mix and combination of personalities to be more than compatible and appropriate for the work place.  We have had many lively discussions around the conference table about politics, celebrities, nonsense, holiday traditions and our families. We have as many things in common as differences and though I'm not one for forced workplace bonding, lunch together once in awhile is fine (and it gives me fun dinner stories for at home).

Sometimes I am thankful for this option, although other times I am anxious for a break from the work day and prefer leaving the building for an hour.  When ordering from Il Villagio I have always ordered pizza and watched as a few of my co-workers enjoyed their crispy chicken salads.  

Fine, I gave in on both counts and tried the crispy chicken salad:

The fried chicken is crispy, but moist and the salad ingredients are crunchy and fresh. The foil package on the left is some squishy bread and the dressing on the side was barely touched. A winning combination of textures and flavors made me forget that basically I was eating a salad for lunch.

Even in the company of my day job coworkers, I am Fed Well with food and stories. However, I wish Monday wasn't coming up so quickly.

Mahwah Bar & Grill

Not far from a busy office in Suffern, NY is the Mahwah Bar & Grill in Mahwah, NJ. In a matter of weeks, my department visited twice.  On the first occasion, we were all in a bit of shock after learning our beloved leader had passed away, far too young at just 57 years old, and so we decided to lean on each other a bit. Isn't a meal powerful? It brings people together in times of joy and sorrow, to find comfort or celebration, as well as sustain us physically.

One of the features of Mahwah Bar & Grill that many of my coworkers enjoy is the ability to custom order a salad - on paper with check boxes next to each ingredient.  This method if fairly fool proof as the preparer can repeatedly confirm the salad choices, the diner does not have to get on a buffet line and can enjoy the same level of being waited on as the others in the group, plus the food may be fresher than if it were set out all day in a salad bar.

Some of us prefer burgers to salads - even if it is a veggie burger.

Or smothered in onions and mushrooms...

Our second trip was for a far merrier reason - we were celebrating Christmas as a department.  Our director, who shares my first name (I still turn my head when our name is called, even when I am fairly sure the person does not mean me.  This reflex also occurs when I am in a public place and hear a child call out, "Mom," even though I KNOW the voice is not directed at me.)

We begin with a few appetizers including mozzarella sticks (not shown) and

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Warm, soft, doughy pretzels which we cut in half with 3 dipping sauces - cheddar and 2 varieties of mustard.  Heavenly.  Salt is the way to my heart.

Again, a number of carnivore burger options:

For me, a popular sandwich choice, "The Godfather."  Roast beef with melted provolone and a garlic aioli.  

The Portobello

A grilled portobello mushroom on brioche with spinach and fresh mozzarella.  The sandwich also includes roasted red peppers my friend asked to have omitted.  Looks delish.

Also, on this particular outing I passed my cell phone around so my coworkers could photograph their plates for me with the least amount of intrusion.  They are mostly used to my behavior though our Director had some questions.  

A salad with fried shrimp the size of small lamb chops:

And so, we concluded our department gathering and many were out of the office for the remainder of the year after this celebratory luncheon.  I enjoyed the week of Christmas off and will only return to the office the Monday and Tuesday prior to New Year's.  Love it.

Time off to be Fed Well with family and loved ones...fabulous.

Return to Airmont Diner for Eggplant

Among the short list of restaurants and diners I frequent for lunch near my daytime job is the Airmont Diner.  The most awesome aspect about going to a diner is the extensive offerings one can have at any time of the day.  How spoiled are we?  Not only can we have a hamburger for breakfast or pancakes for lunch, we can also customize orders.  Instead of hash browns, how about french fries with gravy and cheese? Well, I was never a huge fan of disco fries, but I can't think of a time I said no to a regular old french fry.

Every once in a while I have cravings for good and bad foods.  I wish the salad could really control the damage of the yummy fried deliciousness.  Those who dabble in nutrition/innovation - could you please start some work on this possibility?

And so, the fried eggplant over a fresh spinach base with mozzarella, cherry tomatoes and yes, a side order of french fries. That's what I wanted and I have to say, I was food happy!

For my friend, an eggplant sandwich which included a side order of fries.  Again, happy on a plate.

Another fascinating and entertaining aspect of eating in a diner is the free people-watching, eavesdropping, ability to make up a story to go with the way folks seem, entertainment.  The writer side of me is constantly creating stories to go along with the folks both working and eating at a diner.  Love it,

We were away from our desks, chatting and at ease, Fed Well and content at the Airmont Diner.

Blu Mango Grill for Lunch - Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Fall 2014

New to Hudson Valley Restaurant Week (HVRW), new to Walden and newly added to our list of "go-to-top-of-mind" places.  My younger son and I decide to sneak in one last meal during HVRW and have lunch together at Blu Mango Grill.  Parking and the main entrance are in the rear of the building although you can enter from the plaza next to Dunkin Donuts.

We are seated in the modern main dining room featuring contemporary decorating touches including whimsical light fixtures and a fresh color scheme.  We are given both regular and HVRW menus and ask for green tea to begin.

I like that we are brought a pot and can refill at our own pace.

Next, we are given a food gift.  Lovely surprise.  Chicken Thai Chili Meatballs.  Amazing.  Tender, sweet and well, gone within seconds.

We both ordered the vegetable dumplings as appetizers.  The tender dough is filled with a medley of veggies and served piping hot with a choice of dipping sauces.

 Japanese Vegetable Gyoza

Our server is friendly and talks with us for a moment about upcoming special menu additions, holiday promotions and the ability for local businesses to receive lunch menus.  Unfortunately, I do not work in the Walden area during the week to benefit from this feature, but would highly recommend it for anyone in nearby towns.

Main course for me is the Ginger Tempura Shrimp as pictured above.  The panko crust was crisp and crunchy.  The shrimp were large and succulent and served with a spicy ginger sauce.  

For my son, the Eruption Roll which was described as, "Fried kani roll topped with shrimp, crabmeat and spicy island sauce."  Spicy, most definitely.  He thoroughly enjoyed and finished it.

We talk about his college education, my job, food and restaurants.  We exchange thoughts about our meals and Blu Mango.  I often ask my sons if they would return to a restaurant without me and when the answer is yes, I give the restaurant an additional favorable vote when thinking of writing a review.  So, 2 forks (or sets of chopsticks) up for Blu Mango Grill.

My son orders the fried banana dessert which I have had in the past.  The fruit is deep fried in a thin crepe like wrapping and filled with custard, topped with ice cream and whipped cream.  Delicious without being cloying.

I opt for the mango cheesecake.

The cake itself is mango flavored as well as being topped with fruit and is also served with both vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. Heavenly ending to a wonderful lunch.

I settle the bill and think how lucky we are to be Fed Well.  We visit area restaurants fairly regularly and it fulfills not only our appetite, but allows us to spend time together, talk it over and just be. 

Lunch at Wildfire Grill - Hudson Valley Restaurant Week Fall 2014

A beautiful fall Saturday is reason enough to go our for lunch, but being my sister's Birthday Eve, we had double cause for celebration.  We haven't had a "sister date" in quite some time and so we headed out to the Wildfire Grill in Montgomery.  We've both been here before and looked forward to our return.

While we peruse the Hudson Valley Restaurant Week menus, I also notice the cocktail specials on the blackboard behind the bar.  My sister and I decide on the Pumpkin Bellinis.  Seasonal and sparkly.

After just a few minutes we have made our decisions and yes, we ordered the same exact starters and main course with our only difference at dessert.

We start with the Lobster Bisque which included a lump crab meat patty...

The broth was delicate and while creamy, it was not overly thick in consistency.  The crab meat was sweet and along with the warm slices of herbed bread, served as a nice texture contrast while eating the soup.

We noticed a bridal shower taking place in one of  the dining rooms and hungrily watched as the guest plates were brought past our table.  Everything looked and smelled delicious.  I also hadn't thought of the Wildfire Grill before for private parties.  Great idea!

Our lunch arrives - the BBQ Pulled Pork Quesadillas with french fries!

I am a french fry junkie and know that I will not be able to finish my entire lunch (have to save room for dessert), but I will find a way to make sure I eat every last fry!  The pork is soft and sweetly sauced and we are happy ladies.

We talk of the upcoming holidays, holiday menus (we may try our own version of Pumpkin Bellinis), holiday shopping and seeing each other the next day for my sister's birthday celebration at our mother's house.  The restaurant is filled to capacity.

Our desserts arrive...

For my sister the pumpkin cheesecake

A perfectly sized portion placed over a swirl of maple syrup.

For me, the sweet potato waffle with ice cream also plated over maple syrup:

It was a joyous occasion to spend some time with my sister and enjoy a lovely lunch.  So decadent.

We were Fed Well by the delicious food and time alone to enjoy each other's company.