STakeholderS' - Doczine

herlife | cravingsJake MoonRestaurant and Caféby greg aidala | photography by angela beddoeThis restaurant is not good…it’s actually fantastic. Do I haveyour attention? Good! So pull up a chair to my literary table,relax and enjoy how the review of Jake Moon Restaurant andCafé in Clarksville, New York, came about.My friend and his wife–who reside in Las Vegas–stumbled ontoJake Moon Restaurant and Café this past summer during their yearlyvisit. They raved about it–and when I was asked to write the monthlyrestaurant review for HERLIFE, I threw three establishments intothe pool of choices and Jake Moon won out–and I’m glad it did. JakeMoon is owned by the well-respected Daniel Smith (whom you mayremember as the Executive Chef at the now-closed Nicole’s Bistro indowntown Albany).My companion and I arrived at 7:30 on a recent Thursdayevening with a bottle of Spanish wine. That’s the first quaint appeal toJake Moon—it’s BYOB. I dig that—it made me feel like a rebel. Ourserver, Monica, greeted us and led us to our table, which definitelyhad that café feel to it, but ultra cozy. The walls are painted in a softyellow, which are complemented by pictures and crafts that match thequaintness of Jake Moon. Daniel informed us that Milton Glaser (whois famous for creating the I Love NY logo) created the Jake Moon logo.How cool is that?!As we were seated, a basket of bread was placed on our table. Thebread–which is baked on property–consisted of three choices: dill,sourdough and multi-grain. Each choice of bread had its own uniquetaste which melded well together. For appetizers, my companion and Ieach had a cup of the Lobster Bisque which possessed a zesty yet palatabletaste that made for a perfect choice on an early fall evening.For further appetizers, we delved into the Eggplant Rollatiniwhich consisted of spinach, three cheeses and marinara. Then wemoved onto the Baked Goat Cheese Pillowwhich was complemented with a rhubarb chutney and arugulathat simply melted in your mouth. The highlight of the apps was theRigatoni Amatriciani which is actually an entrée choice, but Danielthoughtfully served it to us as an appetizer. This is a classic Italianpreparation using Jake Moon’s own garden fresh yellow tomatoes,bacon, garlic and basil. Super good!For entrées, I decided on the Butternut Squash Risotto (vegetarian)which was served with braised Toscana kale and toasted almonds. Thedish was very light, yet filling, with the toasted almonds adding to thatautumn feeling. My companion chose the Baby Pork Osso Bucco servedwith grilled polenta. The meat was tender and done to perfection.For entrées, I decided on theButternut Squash Risotto(vegetarian) which was served withbraised Toscana kale and toastedalmonds. The dish was very light,yet filling, with the toasted almondsadding to that autumn feeling.My companion and I did not hesitate when it came to the dessertchoices. We shared both the Coffee Toffee Pie and the Apple StreuselPie, and decided that we could go back just for the desserts alone.Our overall experience was splendid. So if you’d like an out-ofthis-worlddining experience without leaving Earth, visit Jake MoonRestaurant and Café. It’ll be one small step for your travel, one giantleap for your appetite. ■For a great dining experience, visit Jake Moon Restaurant and Caféat 2082 Delaware Turnpike in Clarksville, New York, call them at 518-768-2570 or go online at jakemoon.net.18 HERLIFEnewyork.com