Bonding With Great American Food At The Hudson Bond!

By: Anne M. Raso

I just had to check out The Hudson Bond this week—I noticed that lots of commuters stop there on their walk from their offices to the Port Authority and the décor was a pleasant surprise. It’s modern but with a lot of natural wood and high ceilings—and there is even a patio/atrium out back for smokers (probably one of the only ones allowed in the city these days). There are gorgeous elephant shaped topiaries on the back patio--which seems to serve as a bit of a man cave even though it is very elegant. There are big screen TVs all over The Hudson Bond but the sound is often turned down while dinner music plays—while I was there, I heard both electronica music and a best of disco era R&B collection. The crowd tends to be business people in their 30s, but by no means is it a “meet market.” It’s comfortable, spacious and non-pretentious.

Bar Area

My dining partner and I ordered several dishes to share. We started out with the acclaimed Steak Tacos ($14) and then moved onto the Buffalo Chicken Tacos ($11). All taco plates are served with two tacos made in 8” diameter soft white shells. The steak tacos featured very flavorful marinated flank steak, mashed avocado, homemade salsa and fresh shredded cheddar cheese and were quite satisfying. The Buffalo Chicken Tacos were spicy (you could definitely taste the Tabasco in there)—they consisted of tender braised and pulled chicken, shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, crumbled fresh Bleu cheese and homemade ranch dressing. The flavor is like that of a really good “hot wing”—I loved these chicken tacos and would definitely order them again on my next visit. I adored the “kick” at the end and the juiciness of the pulled chicken!

Spinach Salad

We then decided to get “healthy” and try the Spinach Salad ($17) which was about three cups of super-tender freshly picked baby spinach tossed with a very light (almost fruity) white vinaigrette dressing, candied walnuts, Craisins and crumbled pieces of goat cheese. I will be coming back to Hudson Bond to eat this as a “light lunch.” We then tried the Avocado Frites ($10), which are actually “crisped” (aka quick fried) mashed avocados that are breaded and served with a tangy Southwestern Ranch sauce. These definitely have appeal to guacamole lovers—the avocado in the center of the fries is almost as soft as guac but hot in temperature!

Herb Roasted Hen

We both had the wonderful Herb Roasted Hen ($23), which was half of a Cornish hen with golden crispy skin and lots of fresh rosemary. It’s a simple yet gorgeous dish and there is no way anyone could resist that delectable skin—so throw away the idea of being healthy and removing skin on poultry for one night, LOL! The mashed potatoes are done in a traditional recipe but the chefs keep their “mash” light on the seasoning. I loved the bed of ultra-tender sautéed spinach that the hen rested on as well!

Panna Cotta Taster

We ordered a side of Broccoli Rabe ($7) to share; it was tender and well seasoned with garlic and OVOO. The portion was quite large; I would say it was full 1-½ cups. I like the way the BR was spiced just right; the garlic was not overpowering. Our meal concluded in a “tasteful” way with the Panna Cotta Taster ($5). This is a tiny (1/2 cup) portion of rich lemony vanilla cream panna cotta topped with both strawberries and blueberries. The consistency was richer than most panna cotta—it almost tasted like cream cheese folded with whipped heavy cream. It was delightful and refreshing—and the small portion was actually very filling!

The Hudson Bond is the type of restaurant that has “regulars”—and you might just become one yourself once you taste their fresh classic American fare! It’s a great place for foodies to “bond” over things like their special pub plates and their “already legendary” Lobster Mac And Cheese.

The Hudson Bond
215 West 40th Street
New York, NY 10018
(212) 719-1200
www.thehudsonbond.com
Cuisine: American