This past weekend, we celebrated Valentine's Day by taking a little trip to Hudson, NY.
Hudson is only about an hour, due north, from where we live. You can take Amtrak, which we really, really wanted to do- but they don't make it very cost effective. We are all about going green, but when it costs about $50 per person for a round-trip ticket and about $12 for the gas in the car- you do the math.
It was a beauty of a sunny day for a drive and we hugged the river while admiring gorgeous views of the Catskill Mountains on the way up.
Hudson has gone through quite a bit of transformation over the years. The big attraction for us, other than food is antiques.
So while that kept us very busy- it certainly wasn't the only thing we did that day.
Leave it to me to find the European flair-everywhere I go. I was able to celebrate quite a few of my favorite things on Sunday.
France
The Frenchie in me found Le Gamin, a perfect little French cafe on Warren Street in Hudson. Part French cafe, part boutique. Huge bowls of steaming cafe au lait are served in their signature bowls, made by the well-known Pillivuyt company- are also for sale.
This place is the real deal-complete with French antique signs and an old post office counter behind the bar. The crêpes were amazing as was the cafe au lait and cappucino. We will definitely be heading back there- for the omlettes, salads, croque monsieur, citron pressé, croissants and every French classic crêpe imaginable- even Nutella!
Wine
The wino in me found the coolest wine bar in Hudson. (p.m.) Wine Bar is a tiny nook with a long white and grey marble slab atop a black bar. And if the candles don't light the place up enough for you, the chatty, friendly Irish owner, pouring excellent wines and comparing European trip stories, will.
Oh and tapas, lots of tapas!! What more could a girl want from her wine bar? Oh, maybe a cool loo with blackboard paint and chalk- to write p.m. your own p.m.(personal message). I have never had the opportunity to shamelessly p.m. (promote myself) or my blog in the john before- other than talking on the phone, while, uh, on the throne, but in the end, though I was tempted, I decided against it.
Instead we left a good luck wish- in Italian of course.
We enjoyed some of the best wine here. Chris a chilled Reisling and I a smooth and smokey Spanish Rioja, each for $8. For tapas we enjoyed a plate of pecans, herbed olives, peppered potato chips and caper berries. And the never-ending glassful of grissini was a nice touch.
Not only will we be back, but we'll bring friends. Isn't that what you do when you like a wine bar? In my opinion (p.m) was p.m. (positvely marvelous).
Italy
Our original reason for heading north, was to try an Italian restaurant. Actually it serves Tuscan cuisine. The chef has cooked in Tuscany, specifically in the Chianti region. Vico, which means village in the Tuscan dialect, is only steps away from p.m. Wine Bar, which is a combo that packs a one-two punch if you should decide to visit both in the same evening.
The prix-fixe, which includes an organic green salad with shaved pecorino cheese and a sweet balsamic dressing, an entree or pasta and any dessert on the menu is a great deal at $29.
The beautiful dishes that stuck out from the menu were Bistecca Florentine (I could kill Chris for being a vegetarian as you need 2 carnivores to be able to properly devour this side of beef), Pollo Toscana, Osso Bucco, Butternut Squash Ravioli and Lasagne al Chingiale. The homemade Vahlrona Chocolate and Pistachio Gelato were rich and creamy and the Bood Orange Sorbetto was intensely flavored. The Cioccolato Sciolto was heaven on a plate.
Though we loved our dinner here, we decided that we would probably not make the trip just for Vico due to the fact that we have such other great Italian restaurants like Mercato and Il Continori, right around the corner.
That being said, we had a great dinner all the same and a wonderful day together treasure hunting and eating. We look forward to visiting Hudson again soon.
So, which is your favorite flavor of the day? France, Wine or Italy?
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Le Gamin (Country)
609 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.2885
(p.m.) Wine Bar
119 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.2833
Vico
136 Warren Street
Hudson, NY 12534
(518) 828.6529