HudsonValleyGoodStuff

Mario's Pizza in Port Ewen: Old-school Brooklyn style hot subs, gluten-free pizza & hearty slices!

 

 

We ate at Mario's Pizza in Port Ewen after we went apple picking at Dubois Farm. Wow, what a great find! We ordered a "hot gondola" sub. A hot gondola is a huge sub with Italian deli meats--salami, ham, melted mozzarrella cheese, and dressing on a crusty white bread roll. (The photo I took of the hot gondola only shows half because the other half had been bitten into by a hungry savage)

Yum! I had the spinach white cheese slice which was very fresh and tasty. They cook with love here! My husband who grew up in Brooklyn said that Mario's Pizza reminded him of the pizza places they used to have on every corner in the 1960s. We will definitely be back when we get a craving for a hot gondola. They also make Gluten-Free Pizza. Mario's Pizza, 186 Broadway, Port Ewen, NY. 845-338-1157

CJ's Italian Restaurant in Rhinebeck: Amazing whole wheat pizza with fancy toppings!

I went to CJ's Italian Restaurant at 353 Old Post Road in Rhinebeck last week, and had really delicious whole wheat crust pizza. It is hard to find a pizza place that makes whole wheat pizza so this was my first tasting of whole pizza in the Hudson Valley. It was delicious! The best part was that I didn't feel guilty eating it! My diabetic-pizza-snob husband was happy too!  

We ordered the CJ special which includes 5 toppings. I picked pesto, spinach, broccoli, black olives, mushrooms. Vegetarian and yummy! For more info visit CJ's Rhinebeck

Red Hook Curry House: Very Popular Delicious Indian Buffet & real Indian chai!

 

The Red Hook Curry House in Red Hook was really bustling on Sunday night. They offer dinner buffets on Tuesday and Sunday. Since I very rarely wait longer than 20 seconds to get a table in the Hudson Valley, I am always impressed when I have to wait 5 minutes. I knew as soon as I walked in there and saw the packed restaurant with beautiful red booths that I was going to have a really Indian buffet dinner.  Locals, weekenders, couples, families with teenagers were all feasting here. 

The buffet ($12.95 for adults) had quite a few vegetarian options, including mugalawtanny soup. For the main dishes: fish karma, lamb vindaloo, chicken tandoori, and very fresh nan. Everything was delicious and fresh. The service was very friendly too.  

Besides the food, I was very impressed with the chai.  Anybody who has visited India knows about real Indian chai. It is sold just about every where you go in India. I had my best chai in a run-down hotel in Mumbai in 1998.   It always amazes me that even good Indian restaurants in New York City have a very lame version of chai. I will ask for chai, and they come back with a cup of spiced Lipton Tea. I don't know why the restaurants don't make an effort to make the real thing.  

Newsflash: Red Hook Curry has the real chai!  I couldn't believe it! The chai here is the closest I've come to having chai in India! It is milky, strong, sweet, and re-fills are free! It was the perfect ending to a delicious India buffet. I didn't have room for dessert though the dessert offerings were small anyway.

Michael Angelo's Pizza in Phoenicia: Yummy Pizza on a Budget with Mountain View

 
I've been curious about the pizza place at Phoenicia Plaza on Route 28 for a while now. I finally stopped at Michael Angelo's Pizza to try it out. It is very low key kind of place so perfect for the family on the go. They have Tuesday and Friday night specials on the pizza. We ordered a pepperoni pizza which came out pretty quickly. It was very good. The kids even ate the crust! There is also a big bear outside with a view of the mountains so nice for a photo opp. Michael Angelo's Pizza, 5575 Route 28, Phoenicia, NY. 845.688.2033.

11 Things I Can't Wait to Do When Spring (Really) Arrives in the Hudson Valley

There are so many wonderful events and things to do in the Hudson Valley this Spring. I have been bogged down with to-do lists and endless Hudson Valley winter blues so I haven't had much time or mojo for blogging. A visit to the Village Tea Shop in New Paltz did cheer up me for an hour. I had a great time guest blogging for Small Bites for Hudson Valley Restaurant Week.  I hope next year more restaurants in the Woodstock area will participate.

In the mean time, I am looking forward to so many things this Spring. I can't wait to:

1) Get my bike tuned up at Overlook Mountain Bikes in Woodstock, and go for a long bike ride.

2) Check out the olympic-sized pool at Bard. *This has been on my to-do list for 2 years!

3) Visit Woodstock Animal Sanctuary and give the gift of a membership there to two very special people in my life.

4) Try out the Good Stuff cafe in Stone Ridge. I also want to try the new Mexican restaurant in Rhinebeck.

5) Attend the Woodstock Writers Festival.

6) Cheer on the men and women participating in the 18th Annual Trooper Biathlon in Hurley. I did ita few years ago, and highly recommend it. I was not in biathlon shape though so I finished very last.  It is a beautiful, but challenging course.

7) Taste Jolly Cow ice cream on a warm day! This week's soft serve flavor is Yellow Cake Batter.

8) Run along Cooper Lake Road.

9) Go for a walk along the Walkway Over the Hudson.

10) Walk for Autism Walk on April 10th. Hopefully it won't rain this year.

11) Enjoy a mango Margarita at the Steel House.

What are your favorite Spring things to do/events in Hudson Valley?

 

Texas Roadhouse in Kingston: Fried Pickles, Big Margaritas & Prime Ribs!

We celebrated Valentine's Day early tonight, and had a decadent comfort food dinner at Texas Roadhouse on Ulster Avenue in Kingston.  I have been curious about this place for awhile, but have never been there since they are not open for lunch during the week and my daughter has a peanut allergy. (There are peanut buckets on every table, and peanuts and peanut dust every where and written warnings about the presence of peanuts on the front door).  The restaurant was packed on Friday night. The loud country music gives it a sort of wholesome kind of rowdiness.

I was looking forward to having a margarita all week, and craving bar food! One look at the menu, I knew I was at the right place! What's not to love about a place that asks you if you want your sweet potato loaded with cinnamon butter or caramel and toasted marshmallows.

We started with the chicken wings "mild" though they tasted flaming hot to me.  My husband had the prime rib, and  chose sweet potato and Caesar salad for his side. I had the grilled salmon, but was more excited about the sides (sweet potato with toasted marshmallows & a cup of chili). 

I would definitely come back here, but it is hard not to overeat here so I will probably just save it for those occasions when I really crave fried pickles and margaritas.  I will get the prime rib next time. I had a few bites of it, and it was one of the best I've tasted!  It is very kid-friendly and I did notice a lot of families eating here. It is also a great place to celebrate a birthday as the staff do the whole clapping-singing-and-hooting thing when they bring out a birthday dessert. For more info, check out theTexas Roadhouse website. 

Hurley Mountain Inn: Tasty burgers and film location for Tootsie

A local told me about this place a few years ago when I was searching for a restaurant for a family friendly restaurant.  Movie buffs and Dustin Hoffman fans will appreciate the little montage dedication to Dustin Hoffman, located near the video games.  A scene from Tootsie was filmed here. It's not a good place to be if you're on a diet though, although sometimes they do offer a "low carb" dinner options.  I have been there when it is packed (St. Patrick's Day or Mother's Day) and when it is quiet (first week of January), and the food is always good and service is always friendly.  They also have a pool table, a pinball machine, and video games to keep the kids entertained. Any Mountain Burger creation, quesadilla, and pizza are good bets here.  It turns into a nightclub in the late hours on the weekends. (845) 331-1780, Old Route 209, Hurley. Open for lunch and dinner daily. I'm still working on finding the scene from Tootsie that was filmed at The Hurley Mountain Inn, but here is a scene from the Russian Tea Room, where Dorothy Michaels introduces herself to her agent. The Hurley Mountain Inn is a great place to take the family for a holiday meal such as St. Patrick's Day which is coming up. It does turn into a nightclub late on the weekend nights so don't get there too late with the kids! Check out the Hurley Mountain Inn website for their latest happenings.

Pete's Famous Restaurant: Fluffy pancakes and quick service--Rhinebeck, NY.

Pete's Famous Restaurant is a good reliable breakfast, brunch, and lunch place in Rhinebeck. It's a small diner style restaurant in the village, and it's usually very busy on weekends. The service is quick and friendly so you usually don't have to wait long for a table. The booths are perfect for families, and they give kids crayons too. I'd recommend this as a great spot to for a play-date breakfast. Pete's Famous Restaurant, 34 East Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY. (845) 876-7271