








My husband and I had something to celebrate on Friday night so we ate at The Local Restaurant in Rhinebeck. It has been open for a little over a year now, but this was my first time there. I have walked past it many times without even noticing it. The exterior is very non-descript. It just looks like a quaint Rhinebeck house. Once inside though, you'll see the stylish minimalist decor and candle lit dining area. There were many people eating upstairs, but we were seated in the downstairs which was empty.
It took us a while to place our order. We were indesicive. The cuisine is American eclectic. I find it always takes time to choose my meal when the food is this eclectic because the menu is full of things I rarely eat.
Finally, we ordered a B.L.T. Frisee Caesar salad, Sepascot Farm Grass Fed Beef Sliders for our "Small Plates." My husband ordered the Beer Battered Fish and Chips special for his entree. I was first going to order the Grilled Sea Scallops. But then I asked our server what was the most popular dish, and she said the duck was a real signature dish and really good. I rarely eat duck because it is a splurge dish, and besides it is hard to get duck right. I have eaten too many tough ducks! Well, I took a leap of faith, and ordered the Hudson Valley Duck "Two Ways" entree.
The salad came with fried olives, very yummy homemade cheese crackers, and really delicious dressing. The sliders were served with home-cooked potato chips. Another nice retro touch was the TAB soda that I offered instead of Diet Coke. I swear I had a 1980s flashback when I took a sip!
The service was excellent. I could see the chefs prepping my dish from where I sat. I noticed one of them making a fuss about how the french fries were being placed on the fish and chips. (Maybe one was out of place?) Anyway, it made me feel like I was one of the judges and one of those Top Chef shows, except in this situation, the chefs knew what they were doing. The presentation was beautiful, and the food was really delicious.
The duck was cooked medium rare, and was very tender. The stuff that the duck was served with was also very tasty. (Turns out the duck was cooked with oven-dried tomatoes, oyster mushrooms,rosemary spaetzel, and sweet sopressata.) I couldn't even see what it was because the room was dark, but trust me, it was good!
For dessert we had the chocolate torte with coconut ice cream, which was yummy, but had we splurged on two desserts we would have tasted the local apple crisp special too.
Expect to pay at least $100 for dinner for two here, but it is worth the splurge for that special celebration. The Local also serves brunch on the weekends, which is less expensive, and probably just as yummy. For more information visit The Local Restaurant's website. 38 West Market Street, Rhinebeck, NY (845) 876-2214