The Crimson Sparrow

I dined at the Crimson Sparrow last Friday night ⁵⁄₆ with my girlfriend. I was extremely disappointed with the experience. For starters, the restaurant was completely empty, and we felt extremely isolated. This should have raised immediate red flags as it was a Friday night at 745. But we decided to stay (note: not a single person entered the restaurant the entire 2 hours we were there). Next the tasting menu was very different from the Spring menu that was online. Dish after dish we were bombarded with fish dishes that contained very pungent fish flavors (it was extremely overwhelming). Lastly the meal was completely overpriced. The quality and quantity of food did not warrant a $ 300+ bill. We dine at some of NYCs best restaurants and receive tremendous more value for similar priced meals.

Prior to booking the reservation I read several reviews on Unilocal and Trip Advisor. As others indicated, the reviews seemed pretty polarizing — Some loved it — Others hated it.
This reservation was part of a weekend celebration and visit to Hudson for my lady’s birthday so to say that I took some risk coming here with the review history and not knowing what was going to be on the menu is an understatement.
That being said, we had a pretty good experience. After the first two courses, I was worried that we would need to hit up a local diner to get our fill, but we ended up being quite satisfied by the end of the dessert course. We had reservations on a Friday night at 8:30 and it was not full — which I suppose is a good thing?
There were several courses — tiny but flavorful. We opted out of the wine and sake pairings but the selection was plentiful and hit the spot.
In short the food was good, the experience was better, and I think its worth a try if you visit Hudson to enjoy one of the many foodie focused restaurants.

OMFG. Best meal of the year. Amazing menu each visit. The staff are so friendly and invited us in the kitchen to meet the chefs.

I feel offended after spending $ 261 for dinner for two at a place that was so highly recommended on Unilocal.
First — cocktails not made right. Negroni had no orange. Kettle One dirty martini arrived color green after emphasizing «lightly dirty». Another table ordered her second and also asked the bartender to make it less dirty. To his credit he got mine right the second time.
Second — The reviews had pictures of Monkey bread and pâté. There was NO Monkey bread. I thought this was a joke. Actually there was no bread at all. Usually quality of bread and cocktails are basic signals of a fine meal to come.
Third — The amuse bouche was a small handful of watercress served on a piece of wood. Seriously. Do you know what amuse bouche means?
Fourth — Salt. Way too much in the duck entrée. The duck was succulent but sitting on a paste that was pure salt.
Dessert — Aweful. Shaved cheese mixed with corn.
I found nothing outstanding except for the glass of wine I ordered with the main. This is really not right for $ 261.
The staff was great and the restaurant beautiful but the meal was seriously lacking.

In the past year I’ve eaten at Relae in Copenhagen (1 Michelin star, #45 on San Pellegrino’s World’s Best Restaurant list), Aquavit in NYC (2 Michelin stars), wd~50 (RIP, but 12 Michelin stars in 12 years), Bhoga in Gothenburg (1 Michelin star), Madam Brazier in Lyon (2 Michelin stars), Okagesan in Tokyo (1 Michelin star izakaya with fresh local ingredients daily), and Blackbird in Chicago (1 Michelin star), and I have to say that The Crimson Sparrow stacked up to or exceeded all of them.
Chef John McCarthy’s creations use local ingredients, Japanese ingredients, and French culinary techniques to create a tasting menu experience that goes well beyond my expectations for a relatively unknown restaurant in a sleepy town in rural New York. Trained under Wylie Dufresne at wd~50, this chef knows what he’s doing. The creativity, passion, and skill shine through.
I won’t bother going through the menu point by point, since it changes weekly, but do yourself a favor and order the chef’s menu — not the shorter tasting menu. It’s worth it since the premium dishes added to the standard testing menu are probably the best things you’ll eat this year.
Weather permitting, sit outdoors at the bar facing the kitchen to watch Chef John and his new partner, Chef Ryan Tate, prepare your dishes. If you’re too big a group, grab one of the other outdoor tables to get your plates served by the cooks themselves. Private dining rooms also available indoors.
The drinks menu is extensive running from beer to wine to sake to cocktails to craft spirits (real craft spirits, not that swill repackaged from the factory in Indiana) to Japanese shochu (thank god — my favorite drink is finally appearing on American restaurant menus, at least a fine dining places like this). The bar menu looks fun and I’ll definitely come back to try that out as a casual dining experience.
On the one hand, I’m so happy that The Crimson Sparrow is close to NYC. On the other hand, I wish it were IN NYC. Then again, it’d be twice the price and the tables would be three times closer together.
Kampai!

Tried getting a res on open table which told me nothing was available for a month. Stopped in on a Sunday afternoon. Very cool looking place, loved the décor. Though the place was empty the bartender wouldn’t let me take a look around. Not the friendliest guy. Still decided to stay for their brunch ‘event’. Regular brunch got ‘too busy’ he said, so they shut it down. So they do events. A tasting menu. I get a big time chef wanting to do his thing but then do your thing. Room temp Mac n cheese n over fried oysters? NOT. I was truly disappointed. Probably wouldn’t try it again.

This place was great, big grin as we left the restaurant. I’d come back in an instant. We decided to dine outside at the kitchen bar, which I’d highly recommend. You get a great view of the dishes being prepared and you can order off the bar menu instead of being stuffed with a tasting menu. We ordered the oysters, the bison short ribs, and the fried chicken… And a few other bar menu items I can’t spell/​pronounce. All amazing. Service was very friendly and helpful and we even got a chance to speak with some of the chefs … Most of the items have an Asian theme/​flair to it. Drink menu was interesting and the bartender was also very helpful friendly. Feel like the sparrow is a must visit on a trip to Hudson

5 stars for Sunday Supper, 2 – 3 stars for Saturday dinner. Let me explain.
I’ve been to this restaurant 3 times now on various visits from NYC. The chef used to work at WD-​50 in NYC, which is a restaurant that uses lots of gastronomy, foams, dehydrated foods, etc. Not really my cup of tea unless it’s done amazingly, which it really isn;t here. It seems like the chef has bought himself a state of the art kitchen to experiment with his love of all things gastronomical. That’s awesome and the space is absolutely gorgeous (including an amazing garden).
I’ve eaten her twice on Saturday for the $ 85 prix fixe menu and the problem is that the food is just too experimental and often just not good. The last time I came here the menu was seafood and fish focused, which I normally love. However, all the dishes were ruined (to the point where i did not eat them because they were gross). It seems like Saturday is the day the chef experiments with different foods and cooking methods and Sunday is a more classic menu, and a steal at $ 45! Sunday dinner was a whole other story. Every dish we tried was amazing, and was still creative without ruining the meal by having way too many ingredients or dehydrated things on the plates. I would only recommend going on Sunday.

The best food and cocktails we had in Hudson (we made 6 different stops). We had small plates at the bar — the smoked chowder was out of control, one of the best things I’ve eaten all year. We’re planning a trip back in two weeks to do the full tasting menu.
The cocktails were fun and they have a good selection of beer, wine, and sake.

We have been eating her since they opened. It is never anything less then amazing. The Staff is great. Check out their more extensive bar menu or go for the full tasting. Either way you won’t be disappointed.

Ooof.
Everything about the Crimson Sparrow pointed to an outstanding experience – renowned Wylie Dufresne-​bred chefs, peak-​season, six-​course Fall menu. My girlfriend and I were excited. Sadly though, the reality is that this is little more than a high-​class tourist trap.
When offering a $ 75 six-​course tasting menu, one expects a level of amicable service, attention to detail, and an earnest attempt at culinary excellence. We received none of the above.
The place was nearly empty and the ambiance consisted of bare walls and a 2000s light-​rock Pandora station.
Inexplicably, the service staff was sour and dismissive and we were rushed throughout the meal. Plates were cleared before we were finished, dishes were dropped down without explanation, the check was brought while we were still eating dessert. Our server did everything short of checking her watch table side. Did I mention our reservation was at 8pm?
Over six courses, the staff clunked down octopus, carrots, fluke, squid, pork belly and pumpkin cake, each of them prepared with unnecessarily obscure, unconventional and esoteric ingredients. Portions were modest – three of the six courses consisted of one or two bites and overall most dishes tasted like someone had given a chef from an Outback Steakhouse a bigger budget and a food thesaurus. None of it was outstanding.
By the end of the meal we were bummed. As our server brought the bill while we choked back a slice of pumpkin cake that wasn’t totally unlike a dry Costco muffin, we couldn’t help but feel we had been had.
Like the countless overpriced antiques stores that fill Hudson, the Crimson Sparrow is little more than another cute spot preying on tourists desperately looking to find something special buried in a little Hudson Valley town.

Restaurants that force customers to buy a huge tasting menu are simply not that interesting to me. For $ 100 my evening could very easily be utterly ruined by very bad food. Thankfully we balked at the price and left the main dining room. As it happened we got to sit at the bar and ate the limited but very delicious bar food. The staff are very helpful and kind. The décor is a little neo-​brutalist. The name of the restaurant is just silly.

Really nice tasting menu and dining environment. Wholly recommend it if you’re ever close enough to stop by and enjoy a unique menu for a very reasonable price.
Unfortunately, I can’t locate the exact tasting menu that we had, but I recall the sweetbread and the scallop dishes to be extremely tasty, particularly the former. The plating of all the dishes was very well done, and they were all thoughtful with ingredients and unique. We were also seated outside, which was really cute and had a pleasant view; you could go and watch the chefs at work as well. All in all, a very reasonably-​priced tasting menu that was a unique experience and great food.

Food is inventive, but not well-​prepared and the wine pairings were totally off on every single course.
My husband and I went for cocktails (which are actually delicious) a handful of times until the bartender was a jerk to us.

As usual, I read a # of the reviews, including those below with 3 or 4 stars before adding mine.
Maybe the chefs don’t hit it every evening, but they certainly did on ours. I couldn’t imagine the restaurant receiving less than 5 stars.
The restaurant is small and can be less than intimate if crowded but on our Thursday evening, we were joined by a half dozen couples over the course of the night and that made it most pleasant. A bit too rainy for the outdoor patio but its setting, looking into the kitchen, reminded us of the French Laundry in Napa where we enjoyed meals in the garden overlooking the brightly lit windows of the bustling kitchen.
First of all, if you’re paying $ 75 for a prix fixe meal, add the wine parings ($ 55). The restaurant accomplished a phenomenal feat in this respect. I almost opted to forego it (my wife encouraged me otherwise) because there were two sakis among the wine pairings and I have not been a saki fan (until now). Let me just say that the pairings bring out the best in their dishes and are well worth it. My only advice is not to make the mistake (?) I did and have a drink beforehand. I had a wonderful VT bourbon with house made bitters. My God, it was so good and so attractive in its glass. But we did have to walk half an hour before returning to our car at the end of the dinner.
It’s probably a bit inappropriate to review single dishes given that the menu changes regularly and many go on and off but the bay scallops were wonderful. Tiny and rich in their broth. The duck was perectly done. Ruby red rare and intense. The halibut I found to be most rich and satisfying though my wife felt it was her last favorite dish. The octopus was indeed wonderful and I disagree with the other reviewer from this week that the chinese sausage was lost admist the preparation for it was splendid in its display on our dishes. As for the «punch» that was lost, well, I think that had our other reviewers complemented their meal with wine pairings, they would have found that punch, albeit a pleasantly smooth one.
For a special occasion, for a great meal, there is no better place in my opinion to be found in Hudson.

Not that you have much of a choice with the single tasting menu option, and their ambitious plans to change the menu on a weekly basis; but the chefs hit quite a few high notes with the meal we enjoyed.
The bay scallops was one of my favourite dishes, with an intensely satisfying uni broth to tie all the elements together. The duck breast was also probably the better of the two options offered (halibut being the other) — a generous portion, perfectly prepared, and an object of envy for our friends who got the fish.
The octopus was toothsome and tender, braised for about 2 hours and set upon a soft bed of pine nuts. Unfortunately, the Chinese sausage seemed lost amidst it all, although conceptually it would have made sense could we have tasted it. The lamb tartare and mackerel dishes were also both clean and honest dishes, although I probably felt like I was looking for more of a «punch» to catch my attention.
The peanut ice cream on the banana, peanut, honey, and lime dessert was a brilliant concoction, and probably the most memorable part of that dish. It was interesting to be offered an option of a triple cream cheese with honey as the other dessert option, and as tasty as it was, the other option was a more satisfying way to finish the meal.
The one tip I would offer, though, is if given the option (on a warm summer night), I would opt for the outdoor patio. The ambiance indoors is nice, but noticeably stuffy and less well ventilated. The patio, however, was completely comfortable and a perfect place to enjoy our dinner.

3.5 stars
I have to say that based on all of the glowing reviews I was expecting a phenomenal meal and I can’t say that I got this here. Don’t get me wrong – it was good, but it wasn’t close to totally amazing.
You only have once choice – the tasting menu.
Ours included:
–smelt fish (eh)
–scallops (ok)
–carrots with oats (yummy)
–pork belly (good)
–complimentary mushroom soup (probably the best thing. REALLY good, but too small a serving)
–foie gras (Good. $ 25 supplement for the foie gras + a glass of riesling)
Entrée: choice of sea bream or duck and we chose duck. Good, but again, a small portion.
The ambiance was chilly. The room is dark and had no character or aura to it. I bet it is a lot nicer in the summer.
I live in NYC, so I am definitely picky. This meal was good, but didn’t quite cut it.

Excellent brunch. Choice of four items per plate. Went with eggs (farm fresh), brown sugar sausage, polenta (hands down best I have had) and French toast (cinnamon swirl bread) nice sweet touch to a very savory plate.
My girlfriend had eggs (scrambled) perfectly prepared, pork belly (don’t find much deviation in pork belly) fresh avocado (lime and olive oil) done correctly (I’ve lived on the west coast and had avocado trees). For a sweet touch French toast as well.
We were graciously greeted and upon finding they had no seats available beyond reservations, seating at the bar was offered.
Service by the bartender was prompt, professional and drinks were well recommended and correct. The bartender took his time and catered to our questions and likes. Also very clearly recommended the better choices on the menu. Thanks to him the polenta was ordered.
Really appreciated the clean bar and lack of clutter. (Being a bartender myself, you notice these things).
Ambiance of the bar was engaging, though a touch gothic it was still very well coming and enjoyable. Looking forward to checking out the full dining area.
We are very much looking forward to a return (with reservations).

Having grown up in Hudson I had heard about this place from both local and weekenders alike. After a couple of tries we were finally able to book a table for four for brunch a few weeks ago. The brunch menu offers an impressive list of options of which you can select four for a price that is hard to «digest» at only $ 16. By far the best value I would think you find anywhere in the Hudson Valley. All items were delicious with their take on scrambled eggs being my highlight in addition to their unique bloody Mary’s. We are dying to drop in for dinner the next time we are visiting Hudson and continue to spread the word about this place. A must to all to experience!

What a fantastic dining experience. I had high expectations because of the glowing Unilocal reviews, but there was still room for me to be further impressed.
I made a reservation for 6PM on a weeknight, but that was honestly unnecessary. My date and I were the first and only ones there at that time. We chose an indoor seat because I was feeling chilly, but I regretted that when I saw how beautiful the outdoor seating area was. All subsequent diners did choose to eat outside that night. (Hmmm, my only suggestion for this restaurant would be to invest in some heat lamps for outside dining.)
The décor is rustic, with exposed brick, worn door frames, etc. The kitchen is open with a large glass window so that diners can sit and watch as their food is being prepared.
Service was fantastic. We were greeted by all of the restaurant staff, and people were checking on us on a regular basis.
We ordered the 5-​course Tasting Menu ($ 50/​person), and also paid extra for the foie gras and dessert, but skipped out on the wine pairing (+$ 30).
1) Pistachio, Grape, Sunchoke
2) Celery root, Crème Fraiche, Black Olives, Chicken Skin
3) Morcilla, Eggplant, Tomato, Basil
4) Rhode Island Squid stuffed with Lamb on a bed of White Beans and Piri Piri
5) Gnocchi with a pesto sauce and caviar — complimentary from the chef!
6) Foie gras with hazelnut, chocolate, and toasted english muffin — supplemental $ 20 cost. So worth it. This was hands down my favorite course of the night. The savory soft taste of the foie gras went so well with the crisp muffin.
7) Salmon with Rye Berries, Sweet Potato, Currants, Kale
*or*
Duck, Mushroom, Pine Nut, Onion
8) Dessert of ice creams (including a rosemary one), and 3 cakes.
This was the best food I’ve had in quite some time. The flavors and textures contrasted and complemented each other so well, and the plating was well done. I could see how some people might be weirded out by the food here. (My words of advice to you: go find a greasy diner to eat in.) The portions are on the small side, but by the end, I was actually quite satisfied with the amount of food we had received. The price is actually quite a steal for the quality of food that it was. Dining at this restaurant would be so worth the trip from NYC. Heck, this place is worthy of a Michelin star (if only it were close enough to NYC to qualify for one…)