Page 20 - The Valley Table - Winter 2022

OPENINGS
Primo Waterfront
50 Front St, Newburgh primowaterfront.com
The latest addition to Newburgh’s bustling Front Street restaurant scene, Primo Waterfront focuses on Italy’s coastal cuisine. The sister location of the Wappingers Falls mainstay Heritage Food + Drink, Primo (which has been in the works for over a year), is poised to become the next hot spot on the Hudson with 180 waterfront seats, 60 indoor seats, a private dining room, and two bars.
Heading up the kitchen is Executive Chef Ralph Bello, previously of Il Barilotto Enoteca in Fishkill, a traditional Italian-style restaurant that shuttered in 2020. After it closed, Bello joined the Heritage team. Not too long after, he pitched the idea of a place that served authentic, seaside Italian fare to owner Jesse Camac. Thanks to the pandemic, there was a space available for rent and an eatery was born.
Among the tempting appetizers are elevated classics like antipasto with truffle honey and fruit compote, and burrata with smoked olives and roasted beets. Main dishes include a variety of pastas, fish, and meat entrees. A few standouts: squid ink taglioni served with king crab and saffron butter; swordfish spiedini topped with a romesco sauce, broccoli rabe, and pistachios; and NY strip steak finished with a smokey crab and mushroom butter.
We also recommend Primo’s selection of crudo, such as yellowtail with strawberry, basil, and pink peppercorn. Dining with a group? Go for the royal seafood tower, stacked with oysters, clams, shrimp, and more.
If you’ve been to Heritage, you know that Camac’s restaurants provide a casual, convivial space to enjoy great food. While the overall vibe of his new venture is a bit
more upscale in terms of service, décor, and price point, Primo maintains the welcoming atmosphere that Heritage perfected, just across the river. —Megan Wilson
Moonburger
5 Powells Lane, Kingston 845.663.2933; moonburger.com
“We are living in the golden age of fake meat,” declared former Bon Appetit editor Amiel Stanek. He’s part of the culinary team at Kingston’s Moonburger, a new drive-
thru serving exceptional vegetarian burgers, fries, and milkshakes. It’s the brainchild of owner Jeremy Robinson- Leon, a former PR exec (and Vassar grad) who represented big-name clients like Shake Shack. The idea came to him when he brainstormed ways to make people happy and give back to the planet. (His environmentalist father would be proud.)
The menu was developed by Stanek, cookbook author and food personality Alison Roman (who you may know from her insanely popular salted chocolate chip shortbread cookie recipe which earned over 8,000 5-star reviews at cooking.nytimes.com) and culinary expert Anoop Pillarisetti, who’s held top jobs at Shake Shack and Momofuku.
Moonburgers start with Impossible Burgers prepared with “double onion.” Vidalia slices are seared into the patties
on the griddle, and fried onions are added for crunch. Other fixings include dill pickles, iceberg lettuce, and a tangy mayo-based sauce with ketchup, dijon, and chopped banana peppers. Cheeseburgers are topped with Cooper Sharp American cheese. Skinny fries are available plain or with a Creole-inspired spice blend. The delicious shakes are made with oat milk from Elmhurst 1925, a former New York State dairy that switched to plant-based beverages.
The sleek building is located at the former Ice Cream Castle on Powells Lane. Moonburger’s tagline “Go Anywhere” reflects Robinson-Leon’s boundless optimism. Since it’s drive-thru only, the takeout package thoughtfully includes a QR code to help you find nearby spots to enjoy your meal. —Robin Cherry
18 the valley table dec 2021 – feb 2022
PHOTOS (LEFT TO RIGHT) COURTESY OF PRIMO WATERFRONT; BY ROSS THOMAS