Sweetgrass Grill, located on Main Street in Tarrytown, opened its doors Friday, April 17, for dinner.
The owners, David Starkey and Theresa McCarthy, say Tarrytown is the best location for a restaurant.
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Theresa McCarthy, co-owner, head chef Tommy Lasley, and David Starkey, co-owner. |
"We knew Paul, the previous owner, was nearing the end of his interest in running a restaurant and we approached him," said Starkey.
Tommy Lasley, the head chef, said Starkey had ideas for the general theme of the menu rather than actual items. There were a few months of discussions and what evolved was a seasonal menu.
"We’re trying to focus on getting most of our ingredients from the Hudson Valley when available," said Lasley. "We have to out-source from other areas but we’ve taken the time and effort to source food from vendors that we know."
All animals are treated ethically and all seafood is sustainably raised with the added benefit of not being a detriment to the environment. "We’ve taken the time so when we serve the food, we can feel proud that we know where it came from," said Lasley. "We know how the animals were treated, how the vegetables were raised, how the seafood was harvested and we can feel proud about giving it to customers, so they, in turn, can feel good about eating it. There’s goodwill the entire way."
This used to be my most favorite restaurant until a week ago. I had taken my friend from NJ (Ridgewood) for lunch last Saturday. She was really impressed with Tarrytown. I was thrilled when I got a reservation the same day!
I had filled my friend d how great the restaurant service and food were at the Sweet Grass Grill!
Then we gott this waitress , young, , long blondish hair, never seen her before and we are kinda regulars there. By the end of the meal I figured that she exhibited very ‘entitled’ and discourteous behaviors, and didn’t care if she did her job well!
After we got our beverage, I had to repeatedly ask for milk and wait again to get sugar. ( I was told that the Bussers don’t bring any food item!!).
it took her a looong time to come back.. I wanted to order the omelette of the day and asked her what was in She said, “Oh, I think it has spinach”. I said great. Anything else? She said, maybe other things. I don’t know. (Not let me go in and check or, ask the chef!). When I asked if it had any cheese, she said “Maybe,… maybe some kind of cheese”. When I asked her if she could find out what kind? She reluctantly agreed to check… Took her a while agein before she told me the cheese was cheddar… It took forever to get the food to us. The omelette was cold and leathery! I had also ordered the Beet salad ( one of my favorite dishes there with the dressing on the side- I remember asking for the cashew dressing I had loved!) But the salad came doused in balsamic vinegar, which I had expressly requested to not add. She then offered to bring the salad without dressing. I agreed. However, the Beets were soaking in vinegar at the bottom of the superficial layer of Arugula which was free of dressing. The waitress said that she didn’t know if there was any other kind of dressing available. I apologized to her (not the other way around!). I was losing my will to stay on, but had to because I had brought a guest!
I asked if I could just have some olive oil and a piece of lemon. withGuess the there new incompetent cooks as well! Very mediocre tasting food. My friend hated the buckwheat pancakes..
Then, to add insult to injury, the short bald headed gentleman, who was the manager (at least that day) came over to our tables and said in a very bossy manor, “ Here’s some oil”! Slamming it on the table. “What more do you want”? Be quick he said , dumping the piece of lemon on the table. “ I have no time!
Most memorable or should I say, most forgettable experience, and a devastating let down with rude and incompetent waitress, manager and cook!!! No intention going back there!! I usually tip 20% but I still paid a 15% tip, which I regret doing!
Appalling experience where I was not treated as a valuable and regular customer!!!
Usha Raghavan