Page 16 - Valley Table - Spring 2024

But the itch to get back into the kitchen never really went away, so when he and his wife, Kimberly, came upon a space for rent in Sparkill, they jumped on it—and made it a family business. With 40 seats inside, Lanni’s is a cozy, romantic experience complete with low lighting that casts a moody glow off the dark floral papered walls, the perfect environment for enjoying one of their delicious—and strong—cocktails.
Kimberly, whose background is in the beverage industry, created the cocktail menu, and Vittorio Jr. cooks alongside his father, learning his painstaking craft. “I’m teaching him more mentally than physically how to cook,” says the elder Lanni, whose staff prepares each pasta dish to order and still employs old school techniques like marinating venison in red wine and juniper berries for maximum flavor. “It’s about maintaining consistency. Every dish must be the same, whether it’s the first dish of the night or the last. You
Downstate
Eswpresso drinks and traditional Mexican bites? Count us in.
BY PAULA ANN MITCHELL
hen Brandon Grimila and his business partner Fernando Cordova opened Downstate
Kitchen and Coffee on a corner of Newburgh’s Lander Street—a mostly residential neighborhood in the historic district’s east end—not everyone thought it was a good idea.
“Some people said, ‘Why Lander Street? It’s notorious for drugs and crime,’ but we knew exactly where we were and why we were there,” says Grimila. “We live in Newburgh and are inspired by the people of this city. We wanted to do something off the beaten path, cut ourselves into the fabric of this city, and rewrite the narrative of what a great café can be.”
Both Grimila, 32, and Cordova, 33, are trained chefs with exceptional credentials. Grimila, a Culinary Institute of America graduate, earned his stripes at fine restaurants such as Bar Boulud in Manhattan and Hotel Fauchere in Milford, Pennsylvania. He met up with Cordova, a graduate of the French Culinary Institute (now the International Culinary Center), at The Dutch in Manhattan, where, as station partners, they became fast friends.
During the pandemic, they launched the seasonal Promises Kept Events, an Esopus-based mobile catering company. They came up with the concept of their second venture, Downstate, while vacationing in Mexico. “Some of the best café experiences I’ve had were in Mexico, and
can’t get lazy or careless because you’re tired.”
The foie gras, lobster and scallop appetizer, handmade
squid ink pasta with colossal crab meat, and tiramisu (they only make 15 a night) are just a few standout examples of the staff’s attention to detail.
And that desire for perfection has made Lanni’s one of the hottest reservations in town since it opened lastMay.“ThisishowIliketoeatwhenIgotoa restaurant and I want people to have the opportunity to experience higher end items,” says Lanni, who shuns restaurant reservation apps in favor of speaking to customers personally when they call for a table. “We are a personal touch restaurant. We make people feel like they’re at home.”
Lanni’s Cucina Verace
645 Main Street, Sparkill lanniscucina.com \ 845.470.2505
14 TheValleyTable | March–May2024
Spaghetti alle vongole with baby clams, EVOO, parsley, and pepperoncini.
PHOTOS (LEFT TO RIGHT) BY RUNYON PRODUCTIONS; COURTESY OF DOWNSTATE