Lunch at the Culinary Institute of America

I am excited to announce that I have scratched ONE thing off of my senior bucket list so far – lunch at the Culinary Institute of America.  The Culinary is about four minutes down the road from my campus, yet I never got around to eating in one of their five star restaurants.  This is mostly because reservations book up weeks in advance and the menu is a little pricey, as you can imagine.  However, my parents have been wanting to go every fall for the past three years, as the Hudson River Valley is gorgeous this time of year. 

There are four restaurants: American Bounty, Caterina de’ Medici (Italian), Escoffier (French), and St. Andrew’s Café.  We ate at the American Bounty because it happened to be the only one opened on Saturdays.  The menus change with each season, so ours was full of pumpkin and cranberry flavors.

I started with a bowl of butternut soup with goat cheese and pecans…YUM.  I ate around the goat cheese because I’m not a big fan, but everything else was delicious.  Everyone in my family chose a different entrée, because everything looked too good and we couldn’t decide!  We shared grilled apple and mustard glazed pork chops, sautéed hanger steak, sautéed chicken breast, and roasted lamb chops.  Everything was outstanding and the presentation was remarkable.  I felt like I was a judge on Top Chef!

For dessert, we shared the special of the day: pumpkin cheesecake with raspberry sorbet on the side, and hazelnut ice cream with holiday cookies.  Both were outstanding.

My favorite part of the meal, however, would have to be the warm apple cider.  They had three different flavors of black currant, white peach, and raspberry.  My suggestion – go with the white peach.  I finished it before my entrée came out, it was that good!

Not only was the food incredible, but the ambiance was like nothing I had ever seen before.  Attire is business casual and all the tables and place settings were beautifully arranged.  In the front of the restaurant is a large glass window which allows the diners to watch the chefs in the kitchen preparing their meals.  Talk about pressure on the cooks!

American Bounty Restaurant

We left the restaurant so stuffed that I could barely make the walk to the car.  Everything was delicious and it was a great experience, but I would definitely be prepared to enter a food coma for the rest of the day.  They don't skimp on the butter or strong spices, so if you aren’t used to eating heavy food, like me, I would suggest only ordering one course.

Again, I would definitely recommend dining at any of the CIA restaurants on a special occasion.  It was a great experience, especially during the fall when the view of the Hudson River from the CIA campus is glowing from the orange and yellow leaves. 

If you are worried about the cost, though, and don’t have Mom or Dad stopping by to foot the bill, don't worry.  The Apple Pie Bakery Café is located in the main CIA building and serves yummy pastries, desserts, and café cuisine, without reservations.  The prices are affordable – much like any other café around town, but the quality is outstanding, naturally.  We passed the café on our way out, and the cupcakes on display looked so good that I was almost hungry again.  Almost.

Marist College seniors - add this to your bucket list asap.  Make your reservations today at http://www.ciachef.edu/restaurants/default.asp or stop in to the Apple Pie Bakery Café anytime for a sweet treat!