I'm not gonna lie--this whole dinner was part of a very specific mission. I was craving ribs, and…read morewhen I saw this place not only had them but also served hibiscus lemonade, I made the executive decision to have my family drive to Poughkeepsie from our bed & breakfast just to check it out. Worth it? Mostly, yes!
Food: 4/5
We tried a little bit of everything, the Seared chicken breast - Hands down my favorite dish of the night. Perfectly cooked, well-seasoned, and flavorful. Followed by the Bacon, egg, and homemade biscuit - A close second! The biscuit was dense and satisfying, and it had a really unique pesto-like sauce on top that made it memorable. Some other shout outs:
1) Orecchiette veggie pasta - Orecchiette is hard to find on menus, so I was delighted to see it here. It was a nice light option among our heavier dishes.
2) Jerk ribs - OK, so this is where my expectations and reality didn't fully align. They were well-cooked, but I'm a saucy girl, and these weren't as slathered or juicy as I'd hoped. That said, the rest of my table really enjoyed them.
Also, that hibiscus lemonade? Chef's kiss. Refreshing and flavorful, and exactly the kind of detail that makes a place stand out to me.
Service: 4/5
Now, here's where I was really surprised: one person was running the whole show. The head chef was managing the kitchen and the front of house--no servers, no extra help. Just him. For the amount of work that entails, he crushed it. Was it a bit slower than a staffed restaurant? Of course. But honestly, it gave the whole experience a humble, homegrown vibe that I appreciated. Also, it meant a lot to support a Black-owned restaurant and actually connect with the person behind the food.
Final Thoughts:
While we came for dinner, I could tell from the menu (and the vibe) that this place is really known for brunch. I'm genuinely curious to come back during brunch hours to see how the energy--and menu--might shift. Either way, it's definitely worth a visit if you're in the area and looking for a spot with heart, flavor, and soul.