Worth the Trip: Hudson Farmer and the Fish

Worth the Trip: Hudson Farmer and the Fish

The new Hudson Farmer and the Fish is a super-cas river experience from Chef and farmer Mike Kaphan and fishmonger Ed Taylor of Purdy’s Farmer and the Fish. It’s one that you will want to check out – maybe again and again. But fans of their Purdy’s restaurant should note that this is no special occasion restaurant.

Situated on the Riverwalk in Sleepy Hollow, overlooking the Hudson and the new Tappan Zee Bridge, Hudson Farmer and the Fish takes a page out of The Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins & Dives – though the rustic, industrial chic renovation is fittingly upscale.

This cozy 45 seat-er offers counter seating for 28 overlooking the river, at the bar or the open galley kitchen where you can basically strike up a conversation with the kitchen staff. It’s a definite party scene, a place to hang out, nosh, quaff and take in the river scenery.

There’s a back room with a communal dining table that seats 17 and this is the only place where you can get reservations if you have a party of four or more. So dial up your BFFs, or take the kids, if you want a reservation in the back room. On a Saturday night we got an 8:15 seating and all the counter space was taken. When we left at 10 all the counter seating was still full up.

The menu

Best of all, lovers of Purdy’s Farmer and the Fish will recognize the menu of fresh fish, straight off the farm produce and Chef Kaphan’s inventive take on New England fusion cuisine. There are just five entrees on the menu plus a nightly special. The mains include a Barnegat Big Eye Tuna with shrimp, farm veggie, fried rice and Thai curry; Scottish Salmon with truffle cream spinach, chanterelles and sunchokes from their root cellar; Lobster Fettuccine with squid ink and farm chili Fra Diavolo; a NY Strip and Fried Chicken.

But if you’re at one of the three counters you will probably zone in on the raw bar, starters, wood fired pizza and the Fries On The Side menu – which is where you will find the Fish & Chips, Lobster Roll, Big Eye Tuna Burger and the Jenkins Farm Burger.

What we liked

We had to try the Hudson’s Clam Chowder and it was briny good, not too creamy, with lots of long clam strips. No, “where’s the clams,” here. Ditto on the Crispy Calamari (Montauk squid) with green curry sauce on the side – nice change from the usual tomato based cocktail sauce. The Fish & Chips (catch of the day) came with the most amazing wedge cut steak fries and the fresh caught halibut tasted like it was still wriggling on the line minutes before.

We also liked the Downeast Lobster Roll (warm butter or cool with cucs) that was served with creamy Polenta Fries. This is a no mayo lobster roll and the meat was sweet! The big surprise was the Sausage Pizza with fresh mozzarella and Foothills Farms Danascara – a Feta style sheep’s milk cheese rubbed with cocoa and olive oil from New York State. It was topped with Gigante’s Farm escarole and – you know they could make it as a pizza place. It was that good.

The sausage pie is one of their most popular along with the Bone Marrow Pizza with oyster mushrooms, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower and Beecher’s cheddar. (Beecher’s is a Seattle based artisan cheese-maker with a glass-walled cheese kitchen and wine bar in NY’s Flatiron district.) And we’ll have to go back for the White Clam pizza with top neck clams, parsley, oregano and chili from the farm.

What our communal table friends liked

Of course we made good friends at the communal table. They were Sleepy Hollow locals who had never been to Purdy’s Farmer and the Fish and this is clearly a major hang form them. They raved over the Bacon Rib, a starter of grand proportions that has made them serial offenders. But lately, they seem to always order the Kenendaia Farms Fried Chicken with Beecher’s Cheddar Mashed and farm slaw. Since a picture is worth a thousand words – we snapped up a photo of their order to share with you here.

No coffee, No dessert, Plenty of River

The kitchen at HFF is so small that they have to limit some of their services so don’t ask for coffee or dessert, cause they don’t serve any. However, they did bring us some lovely biscotti and they were pushing the Chocolate Martinis for dessert. And everyone at our table was buying. We told you it was a party place!

In summer there are another 24 seats on the patio facing the river. But don’t wait until summer to go to this worth-the-tripper. And definitely go in summer too.

(Hudson Farmer & the Fish, 11 River St, Sleepy Hollow, 914.631.8380; www.farmerandthefish.com/hudson)

Check out our What To Eat: Restaurant Guide for the top restaurants in Northern Westchester

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