Notable Noshes Nearby: The new Bedford 234

What To Do was always a fan of the former Meetinghouse in Bedford Village. We loved the drive up Route 22, the village with all the quaint shops and it was the perfect place to grab a burger, roasted chicken or grilled salmon before a flick at the Bedford Movie Theatre. And there was always great people watching.

On weekend afternoons, it was a favorite watering hole for the horsey set after a morning pace and we had fun playing “count the jodhpurs”. Midweek we rubbed elbows with the Bedford estate crowd, and we would secretly try to calculate how much the average net worth of the room dropped when we arrived. In 2009, it changed hands and kind of lost its way, we thought.

Out with the old, in with the new (bistro)

With the opening of Bedford 234 in the former Meetinghouse space, Bedford residents Mitchell and Lynn Samberg have re-invigorated the village’s eating scene with their heirloom bistro dishes and Americana inspired renovation. CIA grad, Chef Tom McAliney’s shareable menu shows the requisite Mediterranean, Asian and Latin influences that have come to define the best of contemporary comfort food.

While we sort of missed the old white wainscoting, Mitchell and Lynn’s renovation hits all the right contemporary rustic notes with the hardwood floors, reclaimed barn wood walls and great barn doors separating the bar from the dining room. But the food, inspired by their relationships with local farmers, cheese mongers, butchers, fisherman, and eggs from their own backyard, where they keep 24 chickens, did not disappoint.

From gnocchi to grits, dim sum to potato pancakes

Mitchell and Lynn putting their heart and soul into it

Bedford 234 is the kind of place where you can get everything from matzoh ball soup to a kale and spinach salad with roasted beets, bleu cheese, pumpkin seeds and miso vinaigrette; Maple Brook Buratini with tomato, EVOO, pesto and saba to grilled shrimp and grits with pimento cheese, bacon and green onions; hand chopped tuna tartar to a daily special Mac & Cheese.

There’s a Mediterranean plate with hummus, lebneh, Israeli salad and pita; a pizza menu, a pistachio crusted salmon and farrow salad with dried fruits, olives, shaved Brussels sprouts and preserved lemon citronette; and a grass fed Bavette steak with chimichurri sauce and hand cut fries that you can order up with a side of deviled backyard organic eggs with fried oysters. Our table neighbors raved about that.

When we were there …

They currently are not accepting reservations so we grabbed a 6:00pm table on a Saturday night and it was already packed. After ordering our de rigueur bottle of New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, we jumped all over a shareable order of starters, salads and sides.

We couldn’t resist the Lobster Knuckle “Escargot.”  (The “escargot” refers to the little escargot dishes the lobster was served on – otherwise there are no snails involved here.) A brilliant choice, the knuckle meat was closer in taste and texture to the tail than a claw and less expensive than a tail. It was fun stabbing the knuckles off the escargot plate and sopping up the buttery sauce with the brioche croutons that came with the dish. This one is easy to recommend.

Then we got our Asian on with the Shredded Duck Bao Buns, a signature dish that was incredibly comforting and delicious. They were served with a hoisin sauce and pickled root vegetables that added some acidity and crunch to this sweet and savory dim sum favorite. A nice touch.

We liked that the pasta dishes came in entrée or appetizer sizes. The appetizer portion fit perfectly into our tasting menu strategy and we decided that the house made truffle gnocchi with roasted wild mushrooms, brown butter and sage was the perfect middle of the table pasta share. It was another big winner for us.

We also had a chopped salad; organic avocado fries with roasted garlic-cilantro aioli and the hand cut fries with truffle seasoning and warm tarragon aioli. All good but how did we miss the Poutine, fries with cheese curds and short rib gravy. Oy! We also regret that we didn’t have the Truman Short Ribs (look at the picture and die) with buttermilk/brown butter whipped parsnips, roasted winter vegetables, and dried cherry pan gravy. It just didn’t fit the share strategy but we’ll be back.

Lynn’s mom and dad from Florida … and the coconut cake

The highlight of the evening, however, was meeting Lynn’s mom and dad, who were visiting from Florida, and they wanted us to tell you how hard Mitchell and Lynn have worked on the place. “Sweat and blood. Let me tell you. They put their heart and soul into this place.” So, we had to pass that message along. And just to prove that there is nothing as enduring as a parent’s love they gave up their table for some paying customers and went downstairs to eat. There is no downstairs dining so we imagined them sitting on sacks of potatoes and semolina, eating off their laps. We hope they enjoyed their meal and had a safe trip home and want to thank them for recommending the coconut cake. Another recommendation that was almost as good as meeting them.

Add this to your list of top area bistros

Comfort food lovers can add Bedford 234 to their list of top area bistros that includes 121 Restaurant in North Salem, Willie Nick’s in Katonah and the Moderne Barn in Armonk. Bedford 234 will be adding a lunch and brunch menu soon and that’s when you can go after your morning pace, or if you don’t ride, just to count the jodhpurs.

(Bedford 234, 635 Old Post Road, Bedford Village, 914.234.5656; www.bedford234.com)

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