Zak Pelaccio is well known for the curveballs he’s tossed at New York City’s discerning palates, having brought Asian accents to barbecue at Fatty ‘Cue and explored the cuisine of Malaysia at Fatty Crab. His latest twist comes from taking the current trend of farm to table back to the countryside. The locals in Hudson, New York may have been surprised by the arrival of a big time city chef but they quickly warmed to the idea especially as his is a level of dining their town had never seen before.
Hudson, which is just two hours north of Manhattan, is known for its antique shops lining spiffy Warren Street. It’s a city that’s seen its share of booms (whaling being an early one) and busts before being rediscovered in the nineties by New Yorkers fond of “antiquing”. What followed those years was a renaissance driven by city folk looking for a taste of the country but with a sophisticated aesthetic. And that’s where Fish & Game comes in.
Residents buzzed with anticipation when it was announced that the former carriage house and blacksmith shop on South 3rd Street was being restored. Many had known it as home to the Verdigris tea shop, which for years operated a tea salon with a B & B upstairs before decamping down Warren Street to smaller digs. The building was bought by Patrick Milling Smith, a film and TV producer who owned a farm in the area called Fish & Game Farm. Pelaccio, a resident of nearby Chatham, was introduced to Smith and a partnership was born.
Stepping inside the reconditioned space, you immediately sense everything is in perfect alignment thanks to a meticulous restoration. A sturdy wooden staircase divides two rooms, to the left a lounge with leather seating around a fireplace and a six seat bar beyond. From a perch on the sofa, you can peer into the kitchen which is open to the dining room on the other side. Dark wood beams support the ceiling, tying together the rooms seamlessly. The dining room features a large wood burning fireplace with a hand-forged rotisserie and sturdy black walnut tables. If you’re looking for romance, request one of the two-tops that allow you to sit next to your companion. The room feels airy and bright with large arched windows that allow light to flood in before sunset. Whimsical touches abound like a wild boar’s head protruding from the red velvet wall in the entryway and a stuffed goose perched in a corner. These bring a sense of nature to the space.
Start with a cocktail, fashioned by veteran Pelaccio collaborator Kat Dunn, who often uses infusions crafted by his wife, Jori Jayne Emde. While attending boarding school in Idaho, Jori learned about the curative benefits of vinegar and wild ginger from a local Native American woman. She later put that knowledge to use when developing Lady Jayne’s line of specialty Worcestershire and fish sauces, as well as several vinegars. “Where There’s Smoke There’s Fire” is a delicious way to begin, with hints of smoke from a mighty mescal and spice from chili-infused Aperol, a touch of fresh lime and a dusting of ground sumac from the owner’s farm. The “Amarcola,” a zesty mix of rye, amaro and cherry heering with a dash of Fernet will satisfy brown spirits fans. This is grown up stuff, perfect for revving up the palate. A seasonal concoction “She’s So Peachy,” white peach infused pisco, Cocchi Americano, lemon and shiso, was dangerously drinkable, velvety and smooth. We could have downed it by the pitcher.
There is just one menu, consisting of eight courses that immerse you in the season, with ingredients sourced from surrounding farms and purveyors, grown on the restaurant’s namesake farm or foraged from the forests and fields around the town.
Our late summer meal commenced with perfectly ripe heirloom tomatoes with house made burrata and a slice of peach, the best reason for loving summer. The excellent house baked bread helped sop up every juicy, creamy bit. Pelaccio can’t help but weave in his signature Asian influences by pairing corn with sour sausage, a northeastern Thai specialty. A touch of jalapeno brought the heat tying sweet, sour and spicy into one. Toothsome pici pasta (think of it as thick spaghetti) with goose from a local farm was rustic and satisfying.
Wood oven roasted black bass juxtaposed hot and cool, with a Hungarian wax pepper supplying some heat, and cucumber and yogurt bringing it down. Pork, spit-roasted over the fire in the dining room earlier in the day, was complemented by the sweetness of local grapes. The salad that followed was garden fresh but overwhelmed by the pungent house fish sauce; a simpler dressing would have let the greens shine. Freshly made cheese with strawberries paved the way for dessert that was the sort of home run you crave as summer fades to fall – a delicious wood oven roasted peach served in a mini skillet.
You’ll want to pair your meal with a wine or even two from the exciting, adventurous list. When asked about the list, which is heaven for a wine geek, full of bottles from the Jura, Friuli and less traveled locales, Pelaccio merely says “it’s what we like to drink.” When we inquire about one wine, he says that if we don’t like it, he’ll drink it. We liked it. Sorry, Zak.
