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Rain Water Grill, Hastings on Hudson

January 20, 2010

We took the kids to try Rain Water Grill (19 Main St. in Hastings on Hudson, NY) Monday night, after learning that it had been opened by the parents of one of A.’s friends. We’re not familiar with Hastings (it looks like a cute town to walk through), but found the restaurant easily and were glad to see a municipal parking lot next door (25¢ per half hour, but not on Sundays or holidays).

I adore the way this restaurant is decorated — chocolate brown wood, slate blue walls, and just an overall comfortable but stylish vibe. There were some whimsical touches like these salt and pepper dishes (different on each table) as well. Upbeat jazz was playing in the background, causing G. to periodically dance in his seat. “It sounds like the music from The Princess and the Frog!,” he said. It’s the kind of place you feel comfortable taking the kids, yet the adults get a nice dinner as well. There were other tables of families and some of just adults (including a birthday dinner) while we were eating.

J. ordered a burger with caramelized onions and Gorgonzola (there are several gourmet combinations on the menu, or make your own), which was served on a brioche bun with hand-made french fries that were excellent. The burger passed muster with my tough critic as well — the basic, unadorned burger is 10 oz. and $11. I had a Pear Salad ($10) plus chicken, which was mixed greens, sliced grilled pear, dried cranberries, Gorgonzola, and candied nuts in a balsamic vinaigrette. The salad itself is an appetizer, and you can add chicken, shrimp, or steak for another $5. That’s literally what they did — they plopped a grilled, sliced chicken breast (perfectly cooked) on top of a smallish, starter-sized plate of salad. It was a little awkward to eat because the plate was crowded. I would have preferred that the +$5 turned the salad into a true entree, on a larger plate with a little more greens (the other ingredients were plentiful enough already, I thought).

We ordered plain pasta for the boys, but there was a miscommunication with the waiter and he brought two dishes of sauced pasta instead. He insisted, once, that that was indeed what I had ordered before he offered to bring out two corrected meals quickly. Which he did — they were out fast enough that the kids didn’t even have time to kvetch about it. He was really on his game, because when it came time for the kids’ sundaes (they came with the meal), he brought them each a shot glass of chocolate syrup that they could pour on themselves — very prescient of him, especially since one boy wanted it and one wasn’t sure. I was impressed that he thought to do that, and his attention to our kids’ needs (OK, strict preferences) made our meal easier and more pleasant. And amusing, when A. tried to convince J. to drink the chocolate syrup straight from the shot glass.

We all really enjoyed the dinner. The food was carefully prepared and very fresh, and I’m sorry Rain Water Grill isn’t closer to our home; it’s a place we would definitely choose again.

If you go, note that some of the prices on the online menu are slightly lower than the menu we were given in the restaurant on January 18.

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Filed under: Restaurants

Tags: chocolate, dinner, food, greens, Main St, menu, NY, OK, Pear Salad, Rain Water Grill