Do you ever catch yourself daydreaming? I mean really daydreaming…like caught in a stare, out to lunch, off in lala land. Because I have literally been daydreaming about this big, warm gooey plate of risotto for a month now. Yes, that’s right, a whole month. This creamy creation is a plate of pure, unadulterated love. And you can have your very own plate of this oooey gooey goodness at Hudson Clearwater.
Hudson Clearwater opened a few, short months ago in the West Village. It’s one of those great, hidden gems…and I mean literally hidden. The entrance to this speakeasy style restaurant is tucked away behind a small, green garden door. If you don’t know what you are looking for, there’s a good chance you will miss it. But once you finally arrive, you know you are in for a real treat. After you make your way through the courtyard, you are greeted by an open kitchen and sunken dining room. A restaurant with an open kitchen is like a golden ticket from Willy Wonka to tour the factory…and who doesn’t want to be Charlie Bucket for a night?
Unfortunately, I was seated nowhere near the kitchen. We were seated downstairs in a small room that sort of felt like an unfinished basement. Needless to say, I would have preferred to sit in the dining room. I forgot all about where we were seated when I got the menu…which I had carefully perused before dinner. The second that menu hit the table I knew exactly what I wanted to order. The Squash Risotto with seasonal vegetables, sunchoke chips, and pomegranate seeds had my name all over it. So picture this: creamy risotto filled with morsels of butternut squash so tender they melt in your mouth, crispy Brussels sprout leaves that lived on the equator of caramelized and almost burnt and vibrant pomegranate seeds that were like little bursts of happiness.
I would tell you about the arugula salad I had to start, but it was snooze-fest; amateur move on my part, I know! One the bright side of boring, it wasn’t bad. So, go to Hudson Clearwater, try the risotto, and order a different appetizer!
447 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
212.989.3255
Bite Sized Banter 