
The river towns of the Hudson Valley have been undergoing a renaissance in the last decade. New energy, art galleries, craft brew pubs ,distilleries, and great restaurants are helping lead the way. Embracing the natural scenic beauty of the river and the great architecture found in these towns, the revival of places such as Peekskill, Beacon, Hudson and Newburgh is great for visitors and especially for foodies.
With its waterfront location on the Hudson River and panoramic views of the Hudson Highlands, Newburgh is part of the dining revival in the region. Front Street has attracted many fans with its numerous restaurants, bars and river walk. Just one block up the hill from the river is an excellent recent entry into the restaurant scene, the Liberty Street Bistro. Situated in a historic 19th century brick building, Liberty Street Bistro could easily be in a hip neighborhood in Brooklyn. Across the street is a park and is the site of Washington’s Headquarters.
Liberty Street Bistro takes you on a culinary journey with its blend of new American cuisine with hints of French and Italian influences. Local Hudson Valley products are sourced when possible. The restaurant which opened in 2016 features clean modern decor, neutral color palette, Edison bulb lighting, exposed brick walls and dark leather seating.
The Chef/Owner Michael Kelly brings years of experience to the restaurant including his training at the Culinary Institute of America, and stints at top New York City eateries.
The dinner menu offers diners the choice of a 2,3 or 4 courses selected from the unique menu. All the food is made fresh in house, with a lovely presentation on interesting dishes and pottery.
We started off the meal with some cocktails from the bar and enjoyed the Mango Margarita and the Liberty Street Mule, which is a variation of the Mule and uses blueberry puree and topped with fresh blueberry. A nice twist on the Mule.
Starters: We sampled two items including the Pemaquid Point Oysters from Maine (delicious) and the Chilled Carrot Soup with Tarragon oil, which was an interesting dish.
To get a feel for the whole menu we continued with Course 1 from the four course menu. The Roasted Beet Salad was excellent with fresh beets, mache, creme fraische, and candied walnuts. The other selection was the Crab and Asparagus, a soft crab served breaded, with asparagus and a poached egg. A creative combination of ingredients. The crab is small so it will not fill you up.
Course 2: Chorizo Imbarcazioni which is light pasta boats filled with chorizo and accompanied by marscarpone cheese, tomato foam and Nasturtium flowers. A really great pasta dish that is not filling, and the unique combination of ingredients make this dish one of my favorites of the evening. We also tasted the Wild Mushroom Risotto with 3 types of mushrooms (maitake,oyster and brown beech) and it was bursting with flavor.

Chorizo Imbarcazioni
Course 3: for the main course we ordered the Taglatella al Frutti di Mare, pasta with octopus, mussels, clams with broccoli rabe . It was served in a unique black oval bowl. Though not a overly large portion, the Italian influence was evident and the seafood was fresh and delish . We also ordered the Triple Seared Beef with a Yukon potato gratin, roasted veggies in an au jus gravy. A well presented and filling dish.

Taglatella al Frutti di Mare,
Course 4. If you opt for dessert (and you should!) there are some nice items including the Pear Tart with pear sorbet, almonds, and pistachio . A lovely dessert and with an appealing presentation. We also sampled the Profiteroles, a delicate and soft blend of mint creme anglaise and chocolate ice cream. So good !

Profiteroles
The food is inventive, fresh and tasty with small plates so you can enjoy many of the great tastes that each course offers. Liberty Street Bistro is a fine addition to the river towns dining scene in the Hudson Valley and you should put in on your dining list.
PRICES: 2 COURSES: $36, 3 COURSES: $49 4 COURSES: $61 COCKTAILS: $13-15 WINE BY THE GLASS $8-13
LIBERTY STREET BISTRO
97 LIBERTY STREET NEWBURGH NY tel 845.562.3900
web; http://libertystreetbistro.com
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