So Wednesday we did a splurge and went to BHSB in Pocantico Hills. When it first opened we had gone three times (plus one private event) but in last decade pricing has soared. But it was frustrating to have a restaurant that regularly makes Best in World lists in your backyard and not go in a decade. So we bit the bullet, and I'm glad we did.
For those that don't know this is on the former Rockefeller property, and has been a leader for 15 years in the farm to table movement. So, not a review so much as a listing of what we had. I'll post wine notes on wine board.
We walked around the property a bit (Betsy loved seeing the guard dog laying down with his sheep) then returned to lounge, where we were offered pear kombucha (actually tasty, I’m not a kombucha guy). Then to table. And the parade of dishes started. While there is a good bit of theater involved, the quality of the ingredients was astounding, as was the cooking.
(dish names from menu presented at end- every table gets a somewhat different rotation)
VEGETABLES FROM THE FARM
Charming display (board with pins sticking up) of baby radish, turnip, sweet pepper,
lettices, each with a delicate appropriate dressing
FLOWER DELIVERY
Baby fennel with a light dressing
KOHLRABI, NASTURTIUM AND PEACH
Baby kohlrabi with 2 sauces
ZUCCHINI FLOWERS, SUNFLOWER SEED AND BLUEBERRY
In a flower vase, the blueberry puree inside the flowers
PEACH AND POPPY SEEDS
Grilled slice, with abundant seeds scattered
TOMATOES ON THE VINE
With a couple of sauces (I particularly liked the tarragon)
(6 courses so far, with only the peach cooked!)
TOMATO PIZZA
Totally delicious, thin crust/flatbread
NEEDLES IN A HAYSTACK
They brought out a big basket of hay, hidden within were several very thin long cheese straws- don’t eat the hay!
CORN BURGER
The best slider of my life had no meat.
PEPPER SUSHI
Fun and funky, veggie “Nigiri”, a slice of roasted red pepper over crunchy rice with a touch of wasabi, ginger on the side
LIVER AND CHOCOLATE
Who knew? Very thin wafer of dark chocolate next to chicken liver bloc. Wow
WHOLE WHEAT EINKORN BREAD WHITE BREAD WHOLE BARBER
WHEAT BREAD
A server came up and asked if we were ready for a “field
trip” and took us to the experimental bakery, where they mill grains and try
new things. My favorite was the dense Einkorn (an ancient wheat with very low
yield, often with only one kernel per plant) . A crafty way to get us from
table to change the tablecloth from earlier sauces.
Servers brought out cloth packets with assorted silverwear and chopsticks (all previous dishes were finger food)
SUNFLOWER MARROW AND SUNFLOWER
A big stalk, the marrow (seemed to be mixed with yogurt or creme fraiche) was delicious on the sunflower bread
SUNFLOWER HEAD AND TROUT
Yum! Delicate and tasty
LAST CHANCE TOMATOES
Little clumps of end of season tomato- each different, I think one had pickled green tomato- with a fermented tomato broth, roasted garlic, and bread
STONE BARNS LETTUCE AND HAY CHEESE
They let us choose cheese aged in first cut hay vs third cut, they were different
but not sure I had preference.
CHICKEN MUSHROOM NUGGETS AND HABANADA
Nuggets of chicken mushroom, and well as actual chicken nuggets, nestled in some chicken mushrooms (raw, for decoration). A honey mustard sauce and habanada sauce (Habaneros bred without heat), as well as seasoned salt. My favorite nuggets ever (by a long shot, not a heavily contested category)
RED PEPPER EGG AND MUSHROOM
They had earlier brought 2 eggs, we each chose one (initialed), only one had been
fed red pepper. And yes it was a red yolk! Both eggs were great, but the star
was the intense sauteed mushrooms (mostly chanterelle with some matsutake)
WHOLE BARBER WHEAT LEVAIN WITH BLUE HILL BUTTER
A little break, I even liked the accompanying buttermilk
STONE BARNS WASTE-FED PORK, ARTICHOKE & TRUMPET MUSHROOM
3 perfect pork medallions, this was actually kind of huge considering it was about 20th course
CENTERCUT SQUASH AND BADGER FLAME BEET BARBECUE
Both beet and squash were intensely smoky with bbq sauce flavors, served with a
grilled kielbasa-ish sausage and all the BBQ sides- quirky takes on cole slaw,
baked beans, corn, greens, and potato salad
CHEESE TASTING PAW PAW TASTING
They brought Betsy a pawpaw dessert (only fruit native to Northeast) , since I don’t eat dessert they gave me a nice cheese plate- goat, sheep, and cow with fig paste and great crackers
STONE BARNS HONEYCOMB AND FALL FRUIT
Actual honeycomb frame with figs, apples, grapes, and more
Really great evening. Lovely space, great for conversation (quiet, no close tables), attentive and friendly service, super cool tableware (changing every course), fun presentations, and most of all great company.