If you are looking for the best the Hudson Valley has to offer then you should visit Essie’s Restaurant.
Essie’s is located in the Little Italy section of Poughkeepsie-NY.
Vibrant immigrant enclaves steeped in old world values and ethnic food are part of the American landscape. However, the locomotive age made Poughkeepsie’s Little Italy, sprouting in the shadow of a train trestle, truly distinct
Essie’s first opened its doors back in June of 2016 by CIA graduate Brandon Walker.
And you can taste that lineage and culture in each unique dish he prepares.
It is of my opinion that what makes a restaurant is indeed the temperament of its chef.
If I go to a restaurant and the chef is extremely visible and transparent my rating automatically goes up .
I recently had the extreme pleasure of meeting and speaking with Chef Brandon Walker of Essie’s restaurant.
It should be noted that I met him because I asked my waiter if it was possible.
I didn’t want to leave the restaurant without meeting the genius behind one of the most incredible meals I ever had.
Without a doubt one of the most humble pleasant chefs I had ever met.
He went on to explain the art work and paintings on the wall are of his beloved grandmother.
The restaurant is also named after her and the menu is also inspired by her by many of the dishes she prepared when he was a child growing up.
Now lets talk food.
First we started off with some crafted cocktails.
Basil,Cucumber, Mint, Margarita
BlackBerry Mojito
Next it was time for the appetizers.
For our first starter we had the Grit Croquettes.
Grit Croquettes 15
Garlic aioli
Followed by the Jimmy Red Cornbread.
Jimmy Red Corn Cornbread 7
citrus vanilla butter
After that the waiter brought out the Jambalaya Croquettes.
Jambalaya Croquettes 20
Shrimp, chicken, peppers, andouille sausage, parmesan, cheddar
Without a doubt some of the most delectable, flavorful well balanced appetizer’s I have ever had.
Following that our entrée was brought out to the table.
We choose the Chicken & Dumpling dish for our main course.
So we initially choose this dish because historically Chicken and Dumpling is a pretty hearty dish.
Therefore its typically a great dish for sharing.
Chicken & Dumpling
Chicken Confit, Lacinato Kale, Celery Root, Carrots, Onion, Poultry Broth
And although this dish was clean and light which is how Chef Walker described his style of cooking.
Surprisingly this dish was also very hearty and fulfilling.
The chefs twist on Chicken and Dumpling is brilliant to say the least.
And it isn’t hyperbole when I say one of the best dishes I have ever eaten.
In conclusion if you are looking for a unique dining experience I would highly recommend Essie’s Restaurant.
Essie's Restaurant
Food
5 / 5
5
Service
5 / 5
5
Quality
5 / 5
5
Decor
5 / 5
5
5
SUPERB!
SUPERB!