3 Hudson Valley Eateries On Esquire's Best New Restaurants List

HUDSON VALLEY, NY — In spite of the pandemic, the editors at Esquire magazine managed to put together the "Best New Restaurants in America, 2020" list, and it includes three establishments in the Hudson Valley.

Jeff Gordinier, food and drinks editor, and Kevin Sintumuang, the culture-and-lifestyle director, set out — by car, not airplanes — and were able to eat at and compile a list of restaurants that impressed them.

The story of how they put the list together is worth reading, if only to compare to a "normal" year where a food critic could leisurely dine in eatery after eatery in order to get the job done.

But the thrust of this story is the two restaurants in the Hudson Valley that were singled out.

Coming in at No. 15 out of 23 of the best restaurants — there were others in separate categories — was Tarrytown's own Goosefeather, owned and operated by Chef Dale Talde.

"Talde's menu takes its core inspiration from the cuisine of Hong Kong, but he shakes up the canon with all kinds of farm-to-tabley and pub-grubish twists," Esquire said.

They specifically mentioned Talde's sweet summer corn with Chinese five-spice powder and kung pao chicken wings that are served with buttermilk ranch.

Talde thanked Esquire said it was an honor to be included in the lineup alongside so many talented chefs.

"I owe a great amount of gratitude to our customers, as well as to my partner Agnes, and our incredible team here at Goosefeather," he said in an email to Patch.

Esquire also singled out restaurants under such categories as "Rising Star of the Year," "Pastry Chef of the Year" and "Pop Up of the Year."

Under the "Restaurant Reinvention of the Year" category was Blue Hill at Stone Barns, located in Pocantico Hills.

Esquire said that Dan Barber and his Michelin-starred team were able to change to keep the pandemic from hurting his restaurant. He will give up his role in the kitchen beginning in 2021 and utilize a diverse lineup of chefs in order to connect with a wider audience.

At the very end was an intriguing category: Best New Restaurant on an Estate That Opened in 1765."

Troutbeck, in Amenia, which had a part in the Civil Rights movement because it was the site of two critical meetings of the NAACP in the early part of the 20th century, has had as its guests such literary figures as Mark Twain, Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson.

Esquire said Chef Gave McMackin, formerly at Brooklyn's Finch, took over the kitchen of the 250-acre estate hotel and is serving dishes that celebrate the bounty of the surrounding farms.

Read the entire Esquire Best New Restaurants in America, 2020 by clicking here.

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