Harvest-on-Hudson: Great Food, Great Views, Cheap Wine (on Sundays)

Let's face it: Valentine's Day dining is generally terrible. Restaurants are overcrowded. The food options are limited to a pre-fixe menu. Servers and kitchen staff are in over their heads. The quality is subpar. Is there anything less romantic than a crappy dining experience? Well, yes, but the point is that Valentine's Day dining surely isn't a way to sweep your lovah off their feet. This is precisely why I was surprised when I dined at Harvest-on-Hudson in Hastings-on-Hudson the day before Valentine's Day.

Yelp classifies Harvest-on-Hudson as an Italian restaurant, but the seasonal menu has more of a Mediterranean feel with choices ranging from stuffed dates (Spanish) to pasta (Italian) to roasted rabbit (Greek). They do have LOTS of Italian wines, but also offer a variety of choices from California, France, and Spain. Wine Spectator seems satisfied, as Harvest-on-Hudson won the magazine's Award of Excellence in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, and 2011. Another perk if you're a wino: the restaurants "Uncorked Sundays," when all bottles < $100 are 50% off.

Harvest-on-Hudson

The restaurant itself is a huge room with big, vaulted, wood-beamed ceilings that would lend itself well to a large event, like a wedding, but when seated by the windows, the feeling is cozy and warm. There is also outdoor seating available when the weather warms up, allowing you to dine on the Hudson near the chef's vegetable garden.

My date and I were really pleased with the food. We started with a standard charcuterie plate, which also came with a few basic cheeses (think pecorino, provolone, parmesean), but they do have a number of local Hudson Valley cheeses on the menu, which I'll definitely indulge in next time. 

I am a big fan of Cabernet Franc, but I find that they can be really hit or miss in that the earthy qualities that make it so fantastic can veer toward tasting like dirt. There aren't a whole lot of restaurants that offer the varietal from more than one winery, but I get so excited to see Cabernet Francs that I inevitably order a bottle almost immediately. So, I was thrilled when I got to try the 2006 Larkin Cabernet Franc and LOVED it. With the standard wine markup, it's not a great deal at $99, but go on a Sunday and all of a sudden it's a bargain.

As an entree, I tried the seasonal lamb stew, which was prepared in a big bowl full of big, tender pieces of lamb, potatoes, onions, and a goat cheese garnish. Sadly, now that a few months have passed, I can't remember what my date had, and I can't even remember what we had for dessert, but the overwhelming sentiment at the end of the meal was, "When can we come back?" I think you'll say the same.

A Few of My Favorite Things

Over the past two years, I've established a handful of go-to places in southern Westchester. These are in no particular order, and are just places/things I'd love to indulge in everyday:

'Sup?

1) The Bronx River Pathway - Positioned along the Bronx River and the Bronx River Parkway, this mostly-paved trail extends from Bronxville all the way up to the Kensico Dam in Valhalla through forests and beautiful stone arch bridges. Though the landscape still looks a little post-apocolyptic after last year's crazy rain and snow storms, you can often see Egrets, Wood Ducks, and other birds that I haven't Googled yet. The pathway is perfect for long-distance runs, as the folks over at the Starbucks near the Hartsdale Metro-North Station have always been kind enough to refill my water bottles, and the Kensico Dam park has water fountains, bathrooms, and lots of green grass to stretch on.

2) Khangri (Yonkers) - After living in the City for a number of years, you get accustomed to have relatively good sushi at anytime. Just over a year ago, this wasn't an option in Yonkers, but Khangri came along and rocked my world. Located on Warburton Street, right near where the Saw Mill River is being daylighted, the restaurant is nicely decorated and spacious with an extremely friendly waitstaff. The sushi has always tasted fresh, but they also serve great cooked items, including the lightly breaded and fried rock shrimp appetizer, the mushroom soup, the Chilean sea bass, and the Hibachi chicken and rib eye.

Stew's vs. Showbiz Pizza

3) Stew Leonard's Wine Shop (Yonkers) - Okay, let's be real: Stew Leonard's is a total mob scene full of wandering parents, dazed children, and weird animatronics that I haven't seen since my 5th birthday party at Showbiz Pizza. Though you still have to deal with the mayhem in the parking lot, the Stew Leonard's Wine Shop is surprisingly great. They have a huge selection of wines, though I'd like to see more from California and New York wineries, but the biggest plus of this place is that their prices are competitive. Next time you're stocking up for a party (or a crazy night by yourself), Stew's is a good option.

4) Harper's Bar & Restaurant (Dobbs Ferry) - I visited Harper's on a whim just a few weeks ago, knowing very little about the place except that they use a lot of fresh and seasonal produce from local farmers. What I didn't know is that they have THE MOST AMAZING BURGER EVER. I don't know what they've done to their meat to make it so magical, or if it's just been a long time since I've had a quality burger, but it was just plain amazing: not too greasy, didn't fall apart, and just tasted like awesomeness on a brioche bun. They also have a decent wine selection and a creative cocktail menu, not to mention are really great atmosphere with a rustic interior and relaxed ambiance. I can't wait to try more items on the menu, but I will mostly be back for the burger.

Source: Flickr

5) Cold Spring, NY - Cold Spring is actually in Putnam County, but makes for a wonderful day trip with Mom or a girlfriend. Cold Spring is a small village right on the eastern shore of Hudson and is easily accessible via Metro-North, just 1 hour from Grand Central and 30 minutes from Croton Harmon. The town is full of adorable antique shops and local restaurants in well-preserved 19th century buildings. Just strolling around the streets makes you forget how close you are to Manhattan, and on those hot, humid summer days, the breeze off the river (plus an ice cream cone) makes it much more bearable.