Page 17 - Vallet Table - Spring 2020

RŪNA Bistro
10 Plattekill Ave, New Paltz 1.845.419.5007; runabistro.com
When The Village TeaRoom closed after 15 years in New Paltz, it was no small order to fill owner Agnes Devereaux’s shoes. Fortunately, RŪNA Bistro delivered.
Arriving to the Valley by way of
Brooklyn and Ireland, proprietor Clare Hussain spent 25 years in hospitality at hotels and restaurants across the globe. While her passion for cooking developed after watching her grandmother prepare dishes in Bangladesh, her fascination
with French cuisine took hold during her hospitality education in Dublin. It’s this fascination around which she and Chef Ryan McClintock, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, center RŪNA’s menu. Their fare is simple and elegant, with appetizers beginning with escargots in garlic butter and ending with fromage.
As for ingredients, they come from RSK Farm in Prattsville and Phillies Bridge Farm Project in New Paltz to emphasize RŪNA’s focus on biodynamic, organic produce, and antibiotic-free, grass-fed meat.
“We are similar to the TeaRoom in that we serve delicious, locally sourced food,” Hussain explains. “I am a mother of young children, as was the previous owner, Agnes, and I hope to do this beautiful building justice.”
While RŪNA's easy conviviality, not
to mention its flourless chocolate torte,
is enough of an allure to stop by during
the week, the bistro makes a strong
case for brunch visits on Saturdays and Sundays, too. After all, that’s when Chef McClintock’s light-as-air crepes make their grand appearance — and disappearance, approximately five minutes after that first delectable bite. — Sabrina Sucato Open Wed–Thurs, 12–3 p.m.; Fri, 12–3 p.m., 5–9 p.m.; Sat, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5–9 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.–3 p.m., 5–8 p.m.
Roe Jan Brewing Company
32 Anthony St, Hillsdale 518.303.8080; roejanbrewing.com Know what goes great with a bike ride? A beer.
And thanks to its location just off the Harlem Valley Rail Trail, Roe Jan Brewing Company is an easy pit stop for anyone looking to refuel after a day outdoors. Owners Steve and Kathy Bluestone purchased the historic Hillsdale Mercantile Building in June 2018 and spent almost two years restoring it to its former glory, adding a brewery, a restaurant, and seven apartments on the upper floors.
Inside the restaurant, guests will find sleek banquettes and chic lighting, complemented by wood beams and walnut tabletops for a comfortably modern atmosphere. Anchoring the taproom is an octagonal bar, at the center of which is a ruby vintage grain hopper.
Under the direction of brewery operations manager Hayley Shine, Roe
Jan will serve a rotating assortment of
beers that prioritize balance, both in their flavor profile and variety; blackberry sours appearing alongside dark, smoky porters and “Hillsner”: a light, crisp lager. The open-concept kitchen features a wood-fired grill that Chef Charles Kiely will showcase with items like wood-fired lobster toast with burnt celery and tarragon aioli. Much of the menu will feature scratch-made items like homemade sourdough bread
and hamburger buns, even condiments like spicy ketchup.
As for the name? The Roeliff Jansen Kill has long been a source of pride for locals, who gave the tributary its nickname. Now, they can raise a pint to it. —Steve Fowler Open Wed–Thurs, 3–9 p.m.; Fri, 3–10 p.m.; Sat, 12–10 p.m.; Sun, 12–9 p.m.
Fatt Root
11 Wheeler Ave, Pleasantville 914.579.2552; fattroot.com
Village Social Restaurant Group chef Mogan Anthony, creator of three distinctive restaurants — globetrotting gastropub Village Social, seafood-heavy Pubstreet, and Locali, serving stellar Neapolitan
pies — recently launched the brand’s first entry into the fast-casual space: Fatt Root, in Pleasantville. The restaurant has special significance to Anthony, who was born in Malaysia: “The inspiration is from Asia, especially Malaysia and Thailand,” he says.
Inspired by “millennial concept” restaurants like Cava and Sweetgreen in New York City, Anthony wanted to translate his heritage into a quick-service restaurant with a menu of dumplings (try the egg- and-veggie Tiger Mom with trendy avocado oil); noodles, including a traditional tonkotsu ramen and dan dan noodles with Impossible plant protein; and build-your- own bowls, featuring bright, umami-bomb toppings like house-made Thai red curry sauce, green papaya slaw, crispy shallots, and plenty of fresh herbs.
“People want to have control over what they eat,” says Anthony. “It’s so easy to do an Asian concept without gluten and dairy. In Asia, these are very expensive products, so they don’t incorporate them in the food. They use spices, fish sauce, and shrimp paste to create the foundation of cooking.” And while the prices are reasonable, don’t you dare call it cheap. “I do [a lot of] it from scratch,” promises Anthony. “I don’t understand why people perceive Asian foods as cheap. That’s a lot of work.”
— Samantha Garbarini Open Mon–Wed, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.; Thurs– Sat, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.; Sun, 11 a.m.–8 p.m.
CREDITS LEFT TO RIGHT: LACE PHOTO MEDIA, MICHAEL MOHR, MATT MANCUSO
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