GPS and I ”“ not a good fit, honestly. We probably shouldn”™t be allowed in the same car together. I confidently enunciate “Go to The Sailhouse in Tarrytown” into my iPhone, and nearly end up at a “house for sale” in Yorktown. Luckily my astute passenger and lunch guest senses something is amiss as we head in the wrong direction over the AmVets Memorial Bridge and saves the day ”“ and our lunch.
Our actual destination, The Sailhouse restaurant, was formerly the Washington Irving Restaurant and Bar but is now under new ownership and management. The old awning is still in place and the restaurant is not signposted from the street so, even with a reliable GPS, you still need a bit of luck to find it. (On a second visit, I typed in “238 Green St.,” with much more success.)
Friday lunchtime and the restaurant parking lot, when we found it, was almost full ”“ a good sign. Up the ramp we went, past some boat club memorabilia and entered the restaurant”™s bar room, to be greeted by a chirpy barman, who asked how she could help. “Table for two?” I ventured warily ”“ warily, because it was now well after 2 p.m. and some restaurants get funny about that sort of thing. “Go right ahead,” she said.
So we went right ahead and promptly found ourselves in a large private room with one long table running down the middle, 30 women seated, and all of them all suddenly looking up at me expectantly, as if I had come to make a speech. For an instant, I had the sensation of being in a bad dream where you forget your lines in the school play. What on earth was I going to talk about? A topic of local interest, surely. The Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, which I can see reflected in a mirror? The pleasures (and pitfalls) of too much Rosé at lunch?
Reality check. Er, sorry for the interruption, ladies. My guest and I backed out smartly and this time exited the bar through the intended door, the one leading to The Sailhouse”™s terrace, right on the water, with its stupendous view of the river and said Mario Cuomo Bridge.
This really is some terrace. Seating 200 in total, it divides into two sections, one half under a more permanent canvas cover, the other shaded with attractive patio umbrellas. It also happens to be situated at a perfect point on the Hudson, capturing a frame of the Manhattan skyline, 22 miles downriver.
Laid-back and casual during the day, the vibe really amps up with live music early evening, as I found out on a subsequent visit, reaching almost fever pitch around sunset ”“ the sunsets from the terrace being pure Insta-magic.
Full disclosure: one of Sailhouse four partners is the uncle of a Westfair colleague, and I had been tipped to ask for manager Sean Degnan (who is another partner,) if there was any difficulty in getting a table, as the restaurant does not currently take bookings for parties of less than six. Well, there was no difficulty as such, although ”“ and full disclosure again ”“ we were left wandering around the terrace like lost souls for a good two or three minutes until a friendly server came to the rescue and offered us the last outdoor table for two.
Spared a mayday appeal to manager Sean, we nevertheless met him soon after we had sat down, and he shared the excitement building around the restaurant since its takeover, talking about some of the dishes. He described the menu as having a “nautical” leaning and especially recommended the salmon BLT wrap and the crab cake po”™ boy. He pointed out the generously-sized “double” burger and the house-made black bean and quinoa veggie burger.
Among the dishes we sampled over that first and then a second visit, fried calamari with aioli, baked clams with baked crab and breadcrumbs and a generously packed lobster roll were the standouts. A vast portion of piping hot, golden fries ”“ shoestring fries, I would have called them ”“ and a tower of onion rings, like golden bracelets, were also formidable. Salads, tacos and quesadillas flesh out the menu. A glass of white wine or Rosé, or perhaps a cocktail or two to start, followed by ice cold beers, from a great local and national selection, is a good way to go in terms of drinks.
One small observation: The Sailhouse”™s menu is relatively short, which is fine in my book, since I”™m all for doing a few dishes but doing them really well. But given the locale and also Sean”™s actual mention of a nautical theme, I would have welcomed fewer fried and baked dishes and more raw or steamed ones.
That said, Sean also mentioned that the menu is a work in progress, with some more recognizably “entrée-ish” entrées likely to be added soon.
There”™s going to be more live entertainment, too, through the week as well as at weekends. Expect bands like the New Jersey-based Beverlees (who played at the grand opening party in April,) as well as local acoustics bands and performers like soul, blues and gospel singer John Mervini, who apparently got quite a party going on Mother”™s Day, May 14.
With or without music and whether you eat or not, sitting on this magnificent deck through the summer months with a drink in your hand and watching the river flow sweetly by is always going to give you the feeling of being on vacation. There”™s even a (sort of) kids”™ club, an area at the edge of the deck where kids can play games like cornhole and giant Jenga while you get on with the serious business of relaxing.
For more, visit thesailhousetarrytown.com.
