Molly T.
Yelp
What a stunning addition to the Catskills dining scene. This review is for the *restaurant only* but if the rest of the Klocke Estate experience is anything like the dinner offered here, I'm certain the five stars will extend to every aspect of this place. I can't say I remember where I first read about Klocke Estate and I low key want to gate keep it because I am selfish and want easy access for myself, but word will be out soon enough if it isn't already. Every aspect of the dining experience at Klocke Estate is impeccably curated; from the design and decor to the impressive mixology program to the farm-to-table-inspired food menu. I hope to be back during the day to experience the full beauty of the estate as it was both dark and rainy when we were here so the views were minimal.
We come up to Hudson from NYC a lot and have the same repertoire of restaurants when we're here. They're all fantastic and we've yet to tire of them but we're always excited when there's a new opening. We knew we were in for something different when our navigation system brought us up a steep and windy hill (kind of eerie because it was raining quite a bit but also very cool and cinematic) to the estate. Again, I'm sure the views are great in the daytime but the inside was stunning enough we weren't too concerned about views once we were in there. The bar area is shining and vast, as a bar at a distillery should be. The dining room is elegant and refined with creative elements woven in.
Though the food menu is what ultimately brought me here, I was just excited to dive into the cocktail menu. The menu is creative and varied, beautifully curated as everything here seems to be. To start, I got the The Wanderer (Agave de Cortes Mezcal, Salers Bitter, Cocchi Americano, Tarragon, Cucumber) which is a variation on a white mezcal negroni, one that is particularly herbal and vegetal. Crisp and clean and a little bitter, everything I was in the mood for. My partner got the Good As Gold (La Diablada Pisco, Barr Hill Gin, Saffron, Lemon, Egg White, Sumac) because he jumps at any chance of ordering a Pisco Sour, and he said that this was possibly the best Pisco Sour he'd ever had. Extremely high praise. I then got the The Draper's Guild (Park VSOP Cognac, Rittenhouse Rye, Sweet Vermouth,
Cointreau, Lapsang Souchong), which was like a smoky and slightly sweet Manhattan. My partner got the Everything You Want (Ki No Bi Kyoto & Tanqueray Gins, Blanc Vermouth, Granny Smith Apple, Miso, Lemon, Soda) which we both loved. Instead of typical food-dessert we split the Vikings Don't Cry (Dudognon 'Reserve' 10 yr Cognac, Good Vodka, Linie Aquavit, Cold Brew, Cacao) because an espresso martini with aged aquavit is an espresso martini I can get behind. We both loved this one too - all 10/10.
Food-wise, we stuck with mostly smaller/shareable-type dishes and split one main. We ended up sampling pretty much an entire grocery store's worth of produce by the time the evening was done, and in a variety of ways. Like everything here, the food is refined and perfectly executed. Eats, below:
Little Gems w/ cucumber, radish, red onion, turnip, fines herbes & yogurt vinaigrette, dukkah: A
Super light and fresh salad to start of the meal with some generous wedges of lettuce and a delicate yet flavorful dressing.
Beets and Melon w/ mint labneh, cured olive, pistachio, sorrel: A
We had just tried a beets and melon dish a few weeks ago somewhere else and that one was good but this one was better. Few things are better than good summer melon, this dish being no exception. Sweetness from the beets and melon, nuttiness and earthiness from the pistachio and sorrel, and some herbed labneh to top it all off.
Le Petit Aioli w/ summer vegetables, chilled shellfish, farm egg; A+
This was the wild card of the evening and I'd say it's probably best to order with more people (there is a bigger size too), we did our best on it because it was so good. A huge portion of veggies, a hardboiled egg, and chilled shrimp over ice, served with three different aiolis for your dipping pleasure. Such a fun idea and so tasty. A very impressive variety of veggies here and hard to pick a favorite, though I found myself going for the purple and white radishes often.
Duck Breast w/ caramelized fennel, leek soubise, peach mostarda: A+
The main event, for good reason. This had everything you'd want in a perfect duck preparation: beautifully executed meat, sweetness, various highlights of root vegetables. A visit is worth it for this dish alone.
Roasted Carrots w/ carrot top chimichurri: A
In hindsight we did not need these because of the veggie party earlier on, but they were still delicious, and nice to try some cooked veggies after mostly raw stuff. The chimichurri was delicious and also economical which is always appreciated.