| Poughkeepsie
Journal October 2004 Dining: Discover new taste sensation at Umami Cafe in Fishkill |
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Wild
Boar Rolls anything but boring The orange A-frame building is hard to miss from the road. The funky bright color scheme is continued in the airy interior, blue and orange walls studded with cartoons, plus an enormous portrait of a red hibiscus flower. A huge spinning globe emphasizes the restaurant's motto, ''Think globally, eat locally.'' Co-owners Craig Purdy and Jonathan Pratt launched the original Umami in 2002 in Croton; the Fishkill location was opened earlier this year. Service was focused, knowledgeable and thoughtful throughout our meal. The only flaw was in the timing -- our entrees were ready before we were done with our appetizers -- and eager efficiency gave the service a bit of a rushed feel. |
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The wine list is compact and easy to decipher. Each of the 12 offerings is available by the glass ($5-$7.50) or bottle ($20-$38). If you don't like any of the selections, you are encouraged to bring your own bottle for a $10 corkage charge. Two beers are offered on tap, from the Saw Mill River Brewery, at $4 a glass and $12 for a pitcher. The hoppy Pale Ale partnered seamlessly with most of our dishes and is worth a go. Satisfy your Thai cravings Wild Boar Spring Rolls ($6) were far from boring. Brown bits of wild boar, carrot, clear cellophane noodles, coconut and scallion were some of the elements of the scrumptious filling. The crispy rolls were served with a sweet-hot chili dipping sauce (imagine duck sauce with an attitude) and a chunky cucumber salad spiked with fresh mint. This tasty appetizer went perfectly with a glass of Paulinshof Riesling ($6). For those of you addicted to Thai food and who feel the vacuum in Dutchess County, consider coming here for your ''fix.'' Vegetarian Coconut Lime Soup ($5-$8) is available with chicken, shrimp or both, and is better than what you might find at most Thai restaurants. A tart, spicy-hot coconut broth embraces cellophane noodles, shiitake mushrooms, peas, lemongrass, cilantro and galangal (thai ginger). If there is such a thing as Thai soul food, this is it. Also to-die-for was the Truffled Mac and Cheese ($5). I admit my knees go a little weak when truffles are mentioned, and I was glad to be sitting when I tasted this. Elbow macaroni is tossed in a Fontina and Gruyere sauce laced with truffle oil then topped with crunchy panko breadcrumbs. Nutty, earthy, creamy, salty and brimming over with umami, we kept this appetizer on the table and savored it, slowly, till the end of our meal. Evil Jungle Prince ($12) is a rendition of a Thai chicken curry, in this case thickened and served like a stew. Chunks of chicken breast, peas, onions, carrots and galangal are simmered with coconut milk and served in a claypot with white or brown rice. This dish was a minor disappointment -- I didn't like the thickened texture of the sauce too much and thought that the curry needed a bit of a lift. More lemongrass, a kaffir lime leaf or two and extra curry paste might have made this choice wickedly better. There were a lot of entrees that caught my interest, but I had to see what the Seared Ahi Tuna Mini Won Ton Tacos ($15) were all about. Turns out a chilled, nicely seared slice of tuna sits atop some Asian-influenced guacamole, which is nestled in a delicate wonton skin fried in the traditional U-shape of a taco shell.The tuna is finished with a squiggle of wasabi sour cream. We loved the ''tacos,'' but I thought the tasty yet abundant guacamole dominated the dish -- a case where less would have been more. If you like buttery, rich desserts, order the Sticky Date Cake ($5), if nothing else but to try the sinfully delicious toffee sauce. The cake was moist and nutty and I enjoyed it to the last bite. My companion tried the pumpkin sundae special ($6)-- a scoop of ultra-creamy pumpkin ice cream served on a buttery graham cracker shell with whipped cream. The ice cream was alive with sweet aromatic spice and came from the Blue Pig Ice Cream Factory in Croton. Parents who feel doomed to eating at chain restaurants might note that there is a kids' menu with items such as organic, breaded chicken fingers ($6) and grilled cheese squares on white bread ($5). This keeps the little darlings happy while allowing you to eat some hip food with personality and zest! Food, specifically food packed with flavor, is the attraction at Umami Cafe. Some of you who feel stuck in a black-and-white rut might enjoy the Technicolor dishes that are offered at this restaurant, just as we did. The Poughkeepsie Journal pays for the meals that are the subjects of restaurant reviews and reviewers do not identify themselves prior to the end of the meal. Daniel Mochon graduated with high honors from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park in 2000. He is the director of wine and cuisine at the Hudson Valley's largest wine and spirits store. DINING UMAMI CAFE **** (Very good) 717 Route 9, Fishkill; 845-896-1979; http://www.umamicafe.com;asian/New World Fusion cuisine; open seven days for dinner only; Sunday-Thursday, 5:30-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 5:30-10:30 p.m.; handicapped accessible; reservations not accepted; all major credit cards accepted. Entrée price range -- $12-$16. Directions -- From Poughkeepsie, take Route 9 south. When you reach Fishkill, look for Church Street. Umami Cafe is a few doors down on the right side of the street, just before Main Street. Rating breakdown
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