Tales of the "Rabbit and Turtle"

The Rabbit and Turtle is a dual concept eaterie on Main Street in the City of Poughkeepsie. It offers two different concepts for dining, in two different dining areas.

“The Rabbit” is the front dining room. It is dominated by a long bar that mostly fills the long, narrow room. Tables are lined up along the opposite wall if seating is desired, but the concept here is grab a drink, something great and quick to eat, all while hanging out. It is a great place to gather with friends and family.

“The Turtle” is the back dining room. A separate menu is provided here. You are encouraged to hang back, slow your breathing and enjoy the entertainment of your meal. The room is large and spacious, but oddly decorated. There is an aura of chic but upon closer inspection, it is largely outfitted with repurposed items. This works in the front bar area, maybe not so much in the back room.

My first visit was in the back dining room. The menu here was minimal with very little suggestion as to what was being offered. Fortunately, our server knew the menu very well. We started with the Yellow Fin Tuna ($15) and the Forest Floor ($14). The Forest was a composed salad. The base was a circle of pureed of vegetables about one half-inch thick. It was the color of a dark, mossy forest floor. To create the “forest,” the puree was studded with asparagus, morels fiddlehead fern tips and allium flowers. It was certainly the most entertaining dish I have ever been presented with.

The menu listed yellow fin tuna, foie gras, chives and smoke for our second appetizer. It sounds refreshing and delightful. A small bowl arrived to the table filled with billowing smoke. Our server released the lid with some flair and left us with the aroma of a small campfire. The contents of the bowl were thoughtfully plated. Thin slices of tuna held finite shavings of the delicate foie gras. There was a drizzle of chive oil in little pools on the dish. But the delicate stars of this dish were sadly overwhelmed with the heavy, acrid taste of the smoke. Even the copious mounds of powdered olive oil in the dish held no memory of what it originally tasted like.

Again, we had to lean on our server for a better description of the menu to select our entrees. We opted for the King Salmon ($27) and the Sirloin Flap ($28). Each was decoratively plated. The beef was tender and perfectly pink in the center. Small florets of roasted Romanesco dotted the plate which was heavily pooled with a puree of watercress. Our salmon was also visually stunning. The deep pink of the perfectly cooked salmon was stunning in the vibrant green pool of pureed ramp greens.

A must try for dessert is the Chocolate Burger ($10). I hesitate to over-describe it here and potentially not do it justice. I will say, though, the chef does wonders with ganache and sugar cookies.

My second visit to the front dining room, or “Rabbit” was congenial. Service here was definitely faster, less of a wait for food and drink. They understand you are coming in for quick sustenance. The menu is comprised of more traditional bar food. But don’t let that food you. It is still “amped” up and not really the norm.

The Disco Fries ($12) were basically chili fries, but instead of the crispy potatoes being smothered in chili, they were enrobed with sweet sloppy joe sauce. The cheese was different too, nutty, rather like Gruyere or Swiss. Also consider the Smashed Burger ($15). This was made with house-ground short rib meat instead of traditional ground beef. This produced a juicier and much more flavorful patty. A mound of caramelized onions and Muenster cheese topped this gorgeous burger.

Of course it wouldn’t be a pub without a great selection of both small batch brews as well as beer by the bottle. They shake a nice mixed drink and had several wines by the glass.

The Poughkeepsie Journal pays for the meals that are the subjects of restaurant reviews and reviewers do not identify themselves prior to the end of the meal. Theresa J. Marquez, Producer for the Poughkeepsie Journal, graduated from the Culinary Institute of America in 2005 with high honors. She has worked for Cooking Light magazine and is a local personal chef and culinary coach. Contact her at enjoy@poughkeepsiejournal.com; Twitter: @ChefTheresaPJ; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tmarquez.PoJo.

DINING REVIEW

Rabbit and Turtle Pub | Restaurant

*** (Good)

302 Main St., Poughkeepsie

845-345-9964

http://www.rabbitandturtlepubrestaurant.com/; New American; Hours: Lunch, Noon to 3 p.m., Tuesday through Friday; Dinner, 5 to 9 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday; Brunch, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday; Closed Monday.

Ratings Breakdown

Food ***

Ambience ***

Service ***

Value ***