Now that winter is looming, it’s getting darker and colder much faster. When these changes start to occur, there are only two things I like doing more than anything else: sleeping and eating. This past weekend I chose to do the latter. This time my restaurant of choice was Drew’s on the Square in Cornwall-on- Hudson.
The first thing I noticed about Drew’s was that architecturally it is a beautiful building. There are lights strung along the outside, and you can see the candles glowing on the tables from the street. The first thought I had was that this place looks like a great date spot; it is very charming. However, tonight was not a date night for me; I was taking out one of my favorite dinner guests, my mom.
Upon entering the restaurant, there was a huge bar area that was hard to miss but stunning. We were greeted by a friendly host who actually turned out to be our server as well. He led us into the very cozy dining area and handed us our menus.
Looking over the dining choices, I saw that the food was mostly American cuisine with a French influence. With choices such as Brie en Croute (baked Brie wrapped in phyllo dough with toasted baguettes and roasted garlic), Drew’s penne with a light tomato and cream sauce, grilled pork chops with a dijon pear sauce and pan seared organic Scottish salmon with a fine herb sauce, just to name a few, I knew that everything would be delicious.
I love Brie cheese, so my choice was the Brie cheese panini with apple and spinach. With their sandwich choices, you can either receive French fries, garlic fries or a choice of salad. I thought that the garlic fries sounded too good to pass up. My mom also decided to order a sandwich, the mini French dip, with a side of garlic fries as well.
While we were waiting for our food, our waiter promptly brought us ice cold water and some hot bread and butter, which was a nice touch. As I munched on some bread, I took a good look at the restaurant’s décor. There were great black and white pictures of different landscapes spotted on the walls and the over all atmosphere was very relaxing.
Soon, our food came out and even for just a meal of sandwiches the portions were huge! I took one bite of my panini and was in heaven. The brie cheese was melted to perfection, and there was just enough spinach and apple to create an interesting blend of flavors. My mom said her mini French dip was very flavorful with grilled NY strip steak and a subtle yet tasty topping of gruyere cheese and caramelized onions on a crisp French baguette. We both thought that the garlic fries were unique and absolutely delicious.
Even though we were both stuffed, we decided that two coffees and some dessert would hit the spot. When we asked the waiter about dessert, he smiled and said that he had an entire tray he could show us. First he brought over a pot of coffee, and my mom pointed out that the wood stirrers had some crystallized rock candy at the bottom that melted into the coffee; it was such a nice surprise.
Then he brought out an adorable and very classic silver dessert tray. There were at least eight desserts to choose from, but the one that my mom and I couldn’t resist was the cheesecake. We ordered one to share. The cheesecake was creamy, fluffy and delectable. It came with three different sauces on the side to dip, a raspberry, chocolate and caramel sauce. I loved every bite.
Dining at Drew’s on the Square is almost like stepping back into the 1930s. The service and atmosphere is top notch. The staff is friendly, attentive and knowledgeable about the menu. If you have any questions such as how the food is prepared or if you have any allergies that you need to be known, just speak up, and they will be happy to accommodate you.
Drew’s offers full or half orders and a well stocked bar with a variety of drink specials, so it’s really up to you how much you want to spend. All the food is affordable and that means you can take your whole family out for a great and unforgettable meal. I can’t wait to go back.
