Ever dined in a cellar or a cavern? Europe has plenty of old world establishments where you feel as if you’re dining in the last century. They’re dimly lit, cavernous in feel and the dishes are old world in their presentation and style. The states isn’t known for old world and in fact, even in New England where you can find plenty of traditional classic restaurants, the cuisine tends to slant more towards family style, romantic or what is often referred to as cosmopolitan dining.
Join us at Cellar 49 in Tarrytown New York, which I wouldn’t classically call upstate New York although some New York City friends of mine would. Tarrytown is in Westchester County but still a stone’s throw from the Big Apple — an hour or so drive away and about the same by train.
Cellar 49 was the original “cellar” of the historic Biddle Mansion, which is part of the grandiose Tarrytown House Estate, where we stayed for the night. (Be sure to read our separate write up on the property — hint hint, we loved it).
While the restaurant may be cosy and tavern-like in its ambiance, it is also energetic, largely because it draws a lot of people who have business functions here as well as weddings. I also found it to be incredibly romantic so while it is a great option for groups, it is equally ideal for a romantic night out.
The setting of stone columns and brick walls along with a rich mahogany bar and crackling fireplace creates a very warm ambiance. Top that with exquisite cuisine with one of their craft beers or unique small production wines and you’ll have a memorable experience that will beg you to come back again and again.
They’re known for unique wines as well as their local and regional ales. I was impressed by their selection and the choice was broad, ranging from the Bronx Brewery to Captain Lawrence Brewery. Other regional vendors they source their food and wine from include Greentree Packing in Passaic New Jersey, Oscar’s Adirondack Smokehouse in Warrensburg New York and Shinn Winery in Mattituck to name a few.
Since we knew we were going to stick to red meat and heavier dishes, we started off with a couple of salads. The Tavern kale salad with smoked garbanzos, corn, carrot and red onion was incredibly fresh – the root vegetables were perfect for the time of year (early October). They served it with a shallot vinaigrette. Even more delicious was the beet salad served with pickled apple, fennel (yum!!), goat cheese and pomegranate. (both pictured below)
Below are the stuffed mushrooms with creamed leeks. This was out of this world – in other words, crazy and insanely delicious however those who care about every calorie need not apply.
Barbeque duck tacos with coleslaw.
For entrees, you could order scallops served with red lentils, bacon, garlic and white wine or fish (the salmon with black eye peas, orange mustard glaze and spinach looked scrumptious), however we decided to go with a sampling of the smoked pork chop, the beef short ribs and the veal chop. Despite being blown away by all three, we fell in love with the smoked pork chop which was served with grits, chard and peach preserves. (below). They source their pork chop from Oscars in Warrensburg New York and apparently the garlic sausage comes from the same place (we didn’t have a chance to try it but heard great things from another table).
Chef Chris Hettinger and team serve the beef short ribs with potatoes, onion, bacon and mushrooms and the veal chop with smashed potatoes and asparagus. The balance and presentation of all their dishes were top notch as was the service.
You’re probably wondering what we paired all of this with given that our evening was predominantly meat. Nope, it wasn’t one of those delicious ales. We opted for our waiter’s recommendation, which was the 2012 Snowden Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena in California’s Napa Valley. YUM!! It was jammy, oak balanced and smooth and was a perfect accompaniment to every dish we ordered. BTW, they also have a great 2005 Giacomo Conterno Italian Barolo on the menu I would love to try.
If you don’t think we had enough room for dessert, guess again. While the below shot is a tad blurry because of the light, you get the idea. This culinary team get both presentation & taste and this dark chocolate nutty delight was the perfect way to end an evening with a cuppa nutty coffee. We give Cellar 49 a joyous two thumbs up and would definitely return!
NOTE – the photos are very dark and a bit grainy due to how dimly lit it was in there and we didn’t want to use flash for the sake of other guests and the photos themselves. Bear this in mind as you view these photos – we’re sorry that the photo quality in this case isn’t the best.
Details:
Cellar 49 at the Tarrytown House Estate
49 E Sunnyside Lane, Tarrytown, NY 10591
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
