Anthony Bourdain does the Hudson Valley

[applesauce23]

Seems like an interesting episode. I'm especially intrigued by the Ixtapa taco truck in Newburgh.

http://newyork.grubstreet.com/2010/01...

[al b. darned]

I've been a Bourdain fan since the beginning, but I must say this show was lame and boring. Almost as boring as the Romania show. The backyard segment in New Paltz should have been cut. In fact the whole show could have been left out. And Bourdain and Rhulman having high tea? WTF!!!! Highly disappointed!

[phDuh]

I have been a big Bourdain fan for a long time, but I think he's 'jumped the shark' since he got married, had a kid, quit smoking, and became worried about his mortality. I still love him.....but I'm just sayin'.

[Solstice444]

What happened to the taco truck in Newburgh? It wasn't in the episode! Did I accidentally fast forward through it or something?

I generally agree with everyone's comments. Indian Point shouldn't even have been talked about, Mohonk is certainly beautiful but not a food destination, they could've chosen better restaurants, etc. They could've gone to a local farm or something like that. I liked the Polish segment.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

The taco truck scene was cut and also a visit to an apple orchard. The orchard scene is on their Travel Channel site if you'd like to see it. It also included an odd scene with an author.

Sometimes Bourdain does these oddball or freak shows. It got the impression that is what he did with this episode.

Here's a link to what I would have done. http://wp.me/pOdi8-1

[Solstice444]

I agree with you, they should've definitely visited a farm. And the high tea segment was definitely odd.

[GIOny]

If it's on again could someone let me know, I'm really interested in seeing it. TIA

[famdoc]

You can watch it on surfthechannel.com

[applesauce23]

it's on right now...will be repeated at 11....

[Fred19]

It was a shame that he did not go to any of the nice restaurants in Kingston, Woodstock or Saugerties. It should have been called the Lower Hudson show, followed by a Mid-Hudson episode.

~Fred19

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I agree, I don't think it really showcased the food of the Hudson Valley. Seemed like a lost opportunity. I also don't know why Indian Point had to be such a promonate part of the episode and each commercial break had to include a radioactive crab? It made the Hudson Valley look really bad.

The show really only featured two food destinations.

[famdoc]

And, his visit to Mohonk was not really about the food.
Historic? Yes. A food destination? Not really.
Why waste time in the broadcast there with so many other food destinations available?
I have to think that someone in the Mohonk management knows someone at the Travel Channel, since it was little else than a commercial for Mohonk.

The program is slipping, I believe. The recent episode on Brittany also missed much of the point of Breton cuisine (although he covered crepes and shellfish).

[bob gaj]

i *hugely* disagree.

first, although it's not the show i'd have shown, it was watchable. people north of kingston would have a better gripe than others; the hudson valley, for better or worse, is considered westchester up to albany. and there was nothing about the area north of there.

it's the travel channel, and so it's a show which revolves around food but also is about travel. in that context, mohonk fits in perfectly. it IS a travel destination. it is unique, viewable once you get to the edge of new paltz. from the travel perspective, it's perfectly logical to include it - and doesn't require any payoffs or anything like that. seemed to me that mohonk was drinks and small stuff and scenery, and that focused on the strengths, wasn't like the X2O setup.

my main criticism was the backyard cooking in new paltz, even if his daughter provided comic relief. when he does that in a foreign country, it makes perfect sense - get out of the main area, see how the locals live, etc. but new paltz? you've got a great chef, but not food / cooking that is unique to the region.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I agree, the Mohunk segment made sense. However I don't think he showed the place in a very positive light.

I also think he completely missed the essence of the Hudson Valley. While X20 is a very good restaurant I'd hardly consider Yonkers the heart of the Hudson Valley. If he's going to include Yonkers why not the Bronx? I just wish he would have gotten a little further away from the city.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

He really only covered 2 food destinations. While I understand its more of a culture show than food, the Hudson Valley is a great food destination and I don't think he captured that.

[iluvcookies]

I watched this too and came away with the feeling that Mohonk Mountain House was the inspiration for "The Shining".

[wincountrygirl]

Yup - I think that was the point. They mentioned Stephen King is a frequent visitor.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

Thanks for the link. I saw the episode preview last night and was wondering where he would visit. I have to say I'm a bit disappointed. It doesn't seem like he's going to many places. While a visit to the CIA is to be expected he did this in a past episode so I don't see the need for a repeat visit.

Mohonk, while beautiful, is a waste of time for a food show.

Does anyone have a picture of that taco truck? There used to be one in Wappingers Falls on rt. 9 but it disappeared. I wonder if its the same one.

[priscilla56]

I haven't seen the previews but could it be the taco truck on Warren Street in Hudson?

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I'm not familiar with that one. Either way I'm looking forward to the show.

[Giant_Cosmonaut]

Na man, im fairly sure its not the same truck, i don't have a pic of it but ill try to grab one tomorrow and post it.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

thanks, was just curious

[CarolynHV]

I hope this was taped way in advance...the best time to hit the Hudson Valley for local food and fantastic foliage is autumn...not the grey of winter. Rhinebeck would've been a better choice than Mohonk. Maybe he's tired from all the traveling and just wanted to chill in the rocking chairs on the balcony.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

Yeah I almost get the impression that they needed an easy to shoot (cheap) episode. Each season seems to include one like that. One year it was Food Porn, another it was the Street Food. While those were compilations using old footage at least this is new.

I still don't think are doing the Hudson Valley justice based on the list. I wish they would feature the area the way Istanbul was done.

[famdoc]

Just got back from Mohonk, where we spent a weekend. Agree, this is not a food destination, but we enjoyed a few items that were quite good: house-cured salmon (Sunday brunch) was excellent, creamy lentil soup (Saturday lunch), fried clam strips (Saturday dinner...before you extol the virtues of this dish on the CT coast, these were actually fresh, moist and tasty), striped bass (Friday dinner).

Of course, for the money, Mohonk should be a gourmet's dream. However, for what it is
(a family resort and a place for rich New Yorkers to get away for a weekend), the kitchen is acceptable and tries very hard to please. I was quite impressed with the wine list and found a few real values (a 2004 Gigondas from Domaine de Gayas, $60).

[MsDiPesto]

I wish he made it to Kingston and spent some time at Fleisher's meat market. I don't understand the idea of Mohonk as a food destination either. I wish Coppola's in Highland was still it's old self, with the dad, Vinnie, cooking. Tony would have enjoyed that! IMHO.

[bob gaj]

i realized after my post, when i mentioned it to my wife, there's one HUGE place he should have hit...

more like the catskills, but in the name - hudson valley foie gras.

given tony's love of the stuff, i can't believe that didn't make it in the show.

there's also the caviar place up the road in kingston as well...

yeah, i've heard coppola's used to be much better. in fact, it's where i went with my wife our first time out, back when the hudson valley's restaurants were REALLY sparse.

[MsDiPesto]

Yeah, they were in a storefront in Highland back then, if you asked, Vinnie would make a dynamite Vitello alla Piemontese. If you were a regular, he'd send out a plate of Zucchini Fritti Misto. The kind of place where you finished the meal wiht filtered coffee and a shot of sambuca.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

Tony has been to Hudson Valley Foir Gras in a past episode. I'm pretty sure it was the Christmas special a few years back.

[bob gaj]

thanks for that...i try to avoid watching retrospective, christmas, thanksgiving shows if possible, so if it was in there, i'd liktely have missed it.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I missed it too when it first aired. It wasn't till I say it listed online that I checked it out. They actually called it a Hudson Valley episode so it got my attention. You didn't miss anything. It was a throw away episode.

[wincountrygirl]

When will this episode air? Thanks!

[cubanat]

in regards to mohonk- the crew & tony need a free place to stay don't they? the nevele was booked I guess...

[sbp]

I didn't see the episode yet, but I've got to say I'm astounded if he featured Mohonk Mountain House and didn't slam the food. It is horrible. Any place charging those prices and claiming to offer a 5 star experience should be too ashamed to open the dining hall with that dreck.

[famdoc]

His visit to Mohonk was not about the food (unless you consider tea and canapes food). It was about the history of the place and the fact that the Catskills were once a center for such Victorian resorts where wealthy New Yorkers played. As I said in my other post on the subject, I am a bit suspicious that his visit was a covert advertisement: perhaps the Mohonk management offered him and his staff a few days, with spa services and the like.

BTW, I was at Mohonk recently and had a few darn good meals. Not gourmand, but good. And, the wine list is really respectable (an 05 Gigondas from a reliable producer for $60, would have been $100 in most NYC restaurants).

[wincountrygirl]

We were at Mohonk and tea time was NOTHING like what was portrayed on this show.Cookies and long lines. The food was acceptable at diiner if you did the "fine dining" option and the wine list was ok. Breakfast was good, especially the coffee, but I found lunches to be absolutely disgusting. Lot of food,though! But the freshly carved turkey was very institutional tasting as were the other items. Barbeque option was a bit better.

[hudsonvalleyfoodblog]

I highly doubt that the Mohonk scene was a advertisement in disguise. If it was I doubt we would have seen a wave of blood going down their hallway. There is no way the Mohonk house was happy with that. While I think he was complimentary of the place he also portrayed it more as a house of horrors then a luxury resort.

[bob gaj]

thanks for the link; bourdain's one of the few food related shows i watch....

but my thought was not the list i'd have selected. mohonk is a terrible choice, even with the view, for the food show. i don't know the polish place in goshen, but why not ellenville? you've even got the built-in background of former catskills place, with the jewish bakery place and abandoned campgrounds in north / west directions...

tacos in newburgh? if you're there, the better focus is peruvian (which is quite scarce) @machu picchu, come to poughkeepsie for the mexican fix.

and obv. kingston's got a bit of ethnicity to it as well.

just initial thoughts...

[wincountrygirl]

I agree. Mohonk is NOT a food destination, although they think they are. Lots of food does not good food make.

[applesauce23]

i think it's supposed to air on 2/8...probably at 10.

i was also very surprised that they chose to go to mohonk. definitely not my first choice...or my 10th. i'm not a fan of overpriced mediocre food...

[wincountrygirl]

Thanks for the info. We stayed at Mohonk a couple of years ago and opted for the "formal" dinner which was ok at best. Lunch, though was truly awful - very institutional tasting food.

[legendarystarbolt]

The Polish place in Pine Island is fantastic. My fiance's family has been getting stuff from there for about 20 years. The article makes it sound like a restaurant but it's more like a deli with a few tables.