Situated in an 18th-century mansion built by the Van Cortlandt family on the shores of the Hudson River, Monteverde is a delightful restaurant graced with Old World ambiance and Old World hospitality. The main dining room, with magnificent hand-hewn beams, has a large fireplace that exudes a welcoming warmth and adds to the room’s charm. An additional dining area, a glassed-in porch adjacent to the main dining room, affords a sweeping, unobstructed view of the river.
One fine starter is the seafood crêpe which I found exquisite with its rich, creamy sauce. Others are the vichyssoise and the onion soup au gratin. My dining companion, however, enjoyed the appetizer-size version of the scampi Monteverde, lightly seasoned shrimp, tender and moist.
For veal lovers, the saltimbocca alla romana is an excellent main course consisting of paper-thin slices of prosciutto, grilled over the tenderest of veal and bathed in a smooth, perfectly seasoned wine sauce. Another stand-out is the veal scaloppini with
If you and your dining partner are of like minds, make that palates, main courses prepared just for two can be divine. The chateaubriand bouquettiere with a creamy sauce bernaise, the roast duckling flambé, or the rack of lamb with sauce poivre will easily satisfy two.
Just when my companion and I thought we couldn’t manage another mouthful, the dessert menu arrived and, somehow, we managed. Cherries flambé over vanilla ice cream is spectacular and refreshing, and the airy and rich mousse au Grand Marnier is out of this world. For two, there are the superb crêpes Suzette or zabaglione (a whipped egg yolk concoction), with or without fruit. Excellent cappuccino ended our fine meal in a glorious setting.
MONTEVERDE RESTAURANT AT OLDSTONE
At Routes 6 and 202 West, Peekskill
(914) 739-5000
