Eats
Della Cucina 100 Park Ave, Hillsdale
201-722-8880 // delladucinanj.com
Della Cucina, an Italian restaurant serving “authentic Southern Italian cooking and New York-style pizza,” has opened at the former Cortina’s location. The restaurant is owned by the family that also owns Posa Posa in Nanuet and Pizzeria Mandara in Wyckoff. All of Della Cucina’s recipes are straight from the family’s kitchen, direct from their hometown of Positano, Italy. Expect a combination of fresh local ingredients and quality imports from Italy. Start with the pizza bread or a selection of antipasto and then indulge on a variety of traditional Italian chicken, veal and shrimp dishes. Looking for something a bit more casual? Aim for Della Cucina’s bruschetta sampler or the vast salad menu. The 100-seat BYO restaurant is open seven days for both lunch and dinner.
Communal Kitchen 162 Main Street, Nyack (NY)
845-535-3133 // communalkitchennyack.com
Communal Kitchen, the new restaurant from first-time chef/owner Jed Gidaly, has opened in Nyack. The hotel and country club veteran is making small plates of local food, small production wines, and handcrafted cocktails in the former Cafe Barcel space. The menu features local and organic products from the Hudson Valley Region, with many items being sourced right from the town farmer’s market. Gidaly hopes to keep the menu as local and seasonal as possible, and interesting enough that diners always remain intrigued. While the food is contemporary American, Gidaly says the dishes are creative and eclectic, ranging from small, sharable plates to larger entrees, not to mention charcuterie, artisanal cheeses and “glass jars” with interesting items such as Berkshire potted pork, chicken liver mousse and duck rillettes. The bar features handcrafted cocktails, small batch liquors and their own barrel aging program; a wine preservation system; and a selection of local craft beers. Communal Kitchen is open 6 days (Tuesday through Sunday) for dinner and additionally brunch on Saturday and Sunday. Continued on pg. 132
September/October 2015
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