Twisted Oak in Tarrytown opened to great fanfare almost two years ago. The denizens of Tarrytown were desperate for an upscale restaurant, and chef Michael Cutney was eager to combine his Italian heritage with the farm-to-table philosophy he’d perfected at Cafe of Love in Mount Kisco.
They have made a good match. Twisted Oak has settled in to its location — the old Isabel’s — down the hill on Main Street, and Tarrytowners (and those who like to visit, especially The Music Hall) have made it a frequent stop on their dining rounds.
During our dinner, we stayed mostly on the left side of the menu, where we found creative starters and generously sized appetizers. The reason? The food is carefully sourced, beautifully plated and expertly crafted, and the prices reflect that: a pork chop was $35; steak was $30. Small plates were simply more affordable.
Plus, we like to have a few drinks with a nice meal! I started with the Upstate Old Fashion with Woodford Reserve, Orange, Hudson Valley Maple, Brandied Cherries:
Fabulous! The Old Fashioned might be my favorite winter drink.
Eggplant Fritelle with Pickled Pepper Remoulade:
Delicious. Crispy on the outside, light on the inside, with that meaty taste that eggplant can sometimes have. A nice zing from the remoulade, too.
Barnegat Lighthouse Scallops with Pork Belly, Sunflower Seeds, Husk Cherries and Lemon:
I loved this dish. Sweet, salty, soft, crunchy — a panoply of flavors and textures, all very satisfying.
Fazio’s Rabbit Meatballs with Scarlet Kale, Pecorino and Grilled Bread:
Light and fluffy, herby and cheesey. Have you ever had rabbit? It isn’t a lie when I tell you it’s sort of like chicken, but more flavorful!
Sheeps’s Milk Ricotta Gnudi with Summer Greens, Preserved Lemon and Pecorino:
This is one of chef Michael Cutney’s signature dishes, and it’s easy to see why. I could have used an extra shake of salt, but otherwise very well executed. We sopped up every last bit.
Apple Cheddar Risotto with Guy Jones Cider, Stewed Onions, Local Hops and Sprout:
Boy, we ordered a lot of white food, didn’t we! This dish was terrific, too. Each individual grain of rice swam in a warm swirl of broth, just thick enough to hold together, just soupy enough to slurp. A bowl of fall.
Happy diners:
I’m sure we’re not the only ones.
For those interested, I’m also including photos of the Twisted Oak menu:
