At the corner of North Buckhout St. and Main St. in Irvington, overlooking the Hudson River, is Hudson Prime Steakhouse, owned by husband-and-wife team Gino and Floria Uli. Hudson Prime has been in business since June 29, 2021, and in this nine-month period the Ulis have found success.
Though the Albanian-born restaurateurs are ambitious, going so far as to open a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic, their high spirits are upheld by realistic expectations and an understanding of the current restaurant landscape. The idea to open a restaurant in Irvington first came about a year ago, and the impetus was as simple as the landlord approaching the Ulis with a good deal on the spot at a price the couple found agreeable.
This type of straightforward decision-making is in character for chef and co-owner Gino Uli, an affable and adventurous yet no-nonsense individual who sees the prospect of opening during uncertain times as a good opportunity. Though conscious of the effects Covid-19 and resulting mandates have had on customers”™ habits, Uli had faith in “the will of the people to come back out.”
This confidence is reflected in the physical building itself. Its exterior is no-frills, but when entered an elegant interior sporting mainly soothing dark colors and stately chandeliers hanging from above welcome guests, with a collection of wine prominently displayed near the entrance to the kitchen. On the western portion of the restaurant, one may view the Hudson River through the large set of windows. From this vantage point, peering downward, one can spot the patio, which accommodated customers still wary of indoor dining this past summer.
Hudson Prime has also enjoyed staffing stability. Where many restaurants continue to struggle with the Great Resignation and low worker morale, the steakhouse has been fully staffed since day one.
But a pleasant location and even motivated workers can only elevate an establishment so far. The Ulis know that a steakhouse ultimately lives or dies by the quality of its steaks, and this is an area Uli has not neglected ”” he has amassed experience over the decades, citing his background in Mediterranean cooking as instrumental in the creation of exquisite dishes.
Some of the choices offered include the Thick Cut Bacon, marinated in bourbon honey glaze, which serves as a succulent appetizer. The A5 Wagyu steak is a customer favorite, with beef sourced directly from Japan.
However, Uli acknowledged the difficulties experienced in their budding business. Chief among them was the reemergence of Covid-19 as a major threat ”” the “summer of freedom” last year when Covid-19 cases declined immensely was cut short with the arrival of the Delta and Omicron variants of the virus.
“This holiday season, we knew we were going to be dead,” Uli said of last December”™s operations. “That destroyed everybody”™s holiday season in restaurants.”
Today, the restaurant is dealing with supply-chain issues and inflation.
“When I opened up, 20% of my menu was missing and to this day, there are a bunch of wines that are missing,” he continued. “A case of chicken used to be about $60. Now it”™s about $130.”
But despite the hurdles faced now and likely awaiting them, Uli predicted a bright and exciting future ahead. Having opened during such tumultuous times and weathering some of the worst the pandemic has thrown the business world so far, the restaurateurs are no doubt emboldened and optimistic about what lies ahead for them.
The biggest addition is the near-future arrival of an in-house meat market that will be open on Saturday mornings. Hudson Prime”™s butcher will help customers select high-quality meat to take home.
“If you”™re barbequing at home and you want to impress your friends and your guests that you have over, you bring out a steakhouse meat instead of supermarket meat,” Uli said.
