Castle Hotel and Spa at Tarrytown is a very unique and special place in Westchester County and houses within its stone walls, Equus Restaurant.   The restaurant has operated for years and was once known for its upscale classic French cuisine.   The restaurant is now under the direction of a new Chef de Cuisine, Keith Suarino.  Chef  Suarino is a graduate of the French Culinary Institute, and sharpened his culinary skills in Italy working at La Madia.  He draws his diverse culinary experience from positions at restaurants such as Eataly in NYC, Spigolo and Rubirosa.

The menu is focused on Mediterranean fare with  Italian and Spanish influences, with an emphasis on light, healthy dishes made only with the freshest ingredients and locally sourced when possible.  The new direction for the menu is a welcome and should attract a wider audience to Equus.

We enjoyed a wonderful lunch at Equus and were joined by Chef Suarino who spent time explaining each course and his experiences and hisculinary philosophy.  If you have not been to the Castle, it is a magnificent place.  A stone castle that was once a private home sitting high on a hill in Tarrytown with views of the Hudson River Valley below.  The long drive way leads you up to the impressive entrance which serves as the entry way both to the restaurant and the hotel.

The restaurant is divided into several spaces, the intimate bar room (where we dined), the sun filled conservatory, and the elegant Oak room with its massive stone fireplace.  There is also dining on the stone deck overlooking the garden and the valley in the distance.  This is a very special place.

For lunch we started with the Grilled Octopus, served with purple and sweet fingerling potatoes, gigante beans, peperonata, and black olive puree.  The octopus was perfectly prepped and grilled to perfection and this was a perfect way to start the meal.

Also enjoyed (from the special menu) was the Coconut Curried Shrimp, which was very tasty, not breaded and fried , but  was light and flavorful.  A good choice, and could be a regular menu item.

There was a Spiced Pumpkin Bisque soup on the menu which is prepared with aleppo, toasted marshmallow, and sage.  It looked wonderful but we did not indulge as we wanted to save room for the main course.

Our main course was the Broiled Black Cod, served with a soy yuzu marinade, picked turnips and a wild mushroom shiso broth.  This was a departure from the Mediterranean  menu, as the dish picked up Asian tastes with the marinade, but it was light, healthy and delicious.  Well done.

The other dish we enjoyed was the Butternut Squash Risotto, a delicious and filling bowl of risotto with pomegranate, melted shallots, baby kale and candied bacon.  The fusion of flavors in this dish was so interesting and was perfect for lunch on a fall afternoon.

We shared a dessert and chose the S’mores Cheesecake.  A marshmallow cheese cake with graham cracker and chocolate sauce.  The filling unlike many cheese cakes was light and airy and was a great way to top off our lunch.  A pleasant presentation as well.

Equus at the Castle is a wonderful restaurant in a unique and fantastic setting.  It should be on your list of  places to dine.  Chef Keith Suarino  has infused new energy into this classic restaurant with a menu of innovative dishes. Menu changes seasonal.  Price fixe menus also available.

Equus Restaurant

at Castle Hotel and Spa

400 Benedict Avenue Tarrytown

tel.914.631.3646

web: https://castlehotelandspa.com/attraction/equus-restaurant/

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