There is something special about a restaurant that provides a menu full of intriguing dishes. The kind of place where a customer can feel comfortable ordering something they've never tried before and trusting the chef to create magic on a plate. This is exactly what The Cookery located in Dobbs Ferry, New York does.
I was lucky enough to try multiple appetizers during my dining experience and have some favorites ready to be highlighted. Starting off with a bang, the duck liver cannoli plate topped with pistachios, smoked cabbage marmellata, and mint. I was hesitant about a savory cannoli at first, but the blend of flavors was incredible. Don't be intimidated about duck liver! It has a rich and buttery taste with slightly sweet and earthy notes. Super smooth and silky, a perfect pairing with the crunchy pistachios and cannoli shell. The smoked cabbage marmellata added some sweet and smokey hints with the nice last tough of herbaceous flavor from the mint. So balanced, unique, and delicious with an eye-catching presentation.
The second starter I wanted to talk about was the made daily mozzarella served with olive oil and grilled bread garnished with thyme and vincotto. That was the best mozzarella I've ever had where I could taste the real freshness. The texture was slightly fluffy yet still so creamy. Vincotto is a traditional Italian sweet, slightly caramelized syrup that beautifully emphasized the natural subtle sweetness of the cheese itself. The sweet but mostly savory flavors hit all the right notes. And the bread was the perfect rustic and comforting vessel for a great bite filled with a variety of textures.
For my entree I ordered their market fish which was salmon that night on a bed of white beans and mushrooms with extra garnished on top. The earthy notes from the mushrooms paired with the super savory crispy skin and some natural tanginess from the bottom lemony puree was a fantastic flavor explosion. The salmon was beautifully flaky and tender, seasoned very well. It is hard to make a salmon entree stand out from how common or trendy they have become but The Cookery certainly did. My only critique would be to add an ingredient with another pop of color to take the plating to another level.
The dessert that caught my attention right off the bat was the "Stickabutta Pie" with an almond crust and house made caramel. That pie is what I now think heaven tastes like. Seriously tastes like a simple blend of just butter and sugar with a candied almond crunch. The caramel was silky and smooth and added a sweet nutty flavor, exactly what I crave in the fall.
The second dessert was the cookie tray for two served a la mode. The flavors that night was a pumpkin cookie with vanilla ice cream. The pumpkin flavor was pretty subtle but had the little kick of autumn flavor comfort. It was served straight out of the oven, nicely warm which made the ice cream perfectly melt into the cookie. My favorite bite was the corner pieces with a crispy edge covered in the melted ice cream.
A hot and delicious cappuccino dusted with cinnamon to end the meal.
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