Hudson Clearwater

Now that we're all back in the city for the fall, it's time to enjoy the beautiful September weather. All summer I would hear, "Let's go out for drinks - where can we be outside?" I don't think the outdoor seating needs to end yet. A few weeks ago I went to Hudson Clearwater. This hidden spot (the very attractive owners have shunned PR, don't advertise, and have no signage) has the cutest outdoor patio and lots of tasty cocktails. The lights strung above and the ivy create such a fun, pretty atmosphere to escape the city. They have a full menu, although we only sampled a few appetizers (the spinach empenada was flaky and salty and the perfect thing to nibble on with cocktails).

This beautiful concoction was a beet margarita with jalapeno. It sounds odd, but was actually pretty good, and the most striking color! Bright magenta. The first sip seemed a little off, but the earthiness of the beet juice, the spice of the jalapeno, and the zing of the lime actually go together quite well. I also felt healthy having the beet juice (even though there was plenty of tequila as well). The dark and stormy (a personal drink favorite) was also tasty. Definitely a good spot to go - get there early because it fills up!

Hudson Clearwater
NW corner of Morton and Hudson, walk a few doors down on Morton and into the courtyard.

At my sister's request, I'm going to try to start putting up more restaurant review. Stay tuned!

recette

Jamie and I had a great date last night. It started with seeing Branford Marsalis with the New York Philharmonic and it ended at Recette. I'd heard it was super romantic, so we thought we'd go for a little date. When we got there it was bustling and smelled amazing, but we had to wait half an hour for our table even though we had a reservation. Even though it started out a little rocky, I definitely recommend this place!

To start, we got salt cod fritters with a curry aioli and lamb ragu. It came in a teeny cast iron pot and we thought it was too small, but it was just enough. So rich and flavorful, with the soft and crunchy fritters and the tangy, heart ragu. I would never have guessed to pair these together, but the flavors went together very well.

For the next course, we ordered two things to share: Beef carpaccio, burrata, tomato jam, porcini puree, basil and watercress and Branzino, haricots vert and lentils, local greens, and a tomato vinaigrette. The carpaccio looked little, but it was the perfect amount of food. The carpaccio was wrapped around the creamy burrata and topped with everything else. The flavors were so amazing - the creaminess of the cheese and the tart of the tomato jelly, along with the savory taste of the carpaccio. Really a wonderful dish. The Branzino was equally good - the  fish was cooked perfectly, with crispy skin and moist, flaky flesh. The flavor was strong but fresh, and the black lentils were delicious. Since we weren't overly stuffed (in the best way!) we ordered dessert. I ate most of our Snickers Parfait, which was super tasty, although nothing outshined that carpaccio, mmmm.
I will definitely go again, but perhaps planning for a later night and making the reservation for 9:45.