Recently, I shared a post where Andrew highlighted the most popular menu items in the restaurant from last year. A lot of you were excited about it and reached out to share YOUR favorites with me (which I always love), but you also asked what MY personal favorites were. Growing up in the bakery & restaurant, I’ve tried it all (for the most part anyway, it’s harder to do so these days living in a different state and all) and so I figured that today, I’d share my number one favorite items from the different menus in the restaurant, from behind the bar and from in the bakery. Let’s see if we have anything in common!
Let’s start in the bakery … because that’s where I started. I was 12 years old when I first started working behind M&D’s bakery counter. I wasn’t allowed to pour coffee or slice bagels, but I could weigh cookies and put cakes in boxes like a champ!
Favorite Bakery Item: Cheese & Fruit Danish (as long as the fruit is cherry)
I LOVE THESE! The move, in my opinion, is to heat it up jussssst a tad and then fold it in half so that the cheese and fruit come together in one glorious bite. Don’t get me wrong, I’m also a major fan of pretty much every other pastry we offer, but these are far and away my favorite. Have you had?
Okay, let’s move over to the juice bar. This didn’t come around until after my local days at M&D were over, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t sampled as much as humanly possible on visits back to Pawling.
Favorite Juice Bar Item: The Automatic Reply
Anything that combines fruit and vanilla has my heart at first taste. Mmmm can somebody teleport me to Pawling so I can have one right now? Have you tried out the juice bar?
Favorite Brunch Item: Strawberry Cream Cheese Pancakes
These are a classic at M&D. They’ve been on the menu for as long as I can remember and if I’m at brunch, these are on the table. If not as my main order, as a table snack. What? You don’t order entrees as appetizers when you’re out with friends? I highly recommend you start. Anyway, I compare every pancake ever to these. The syrup is really important too. It’s gotta be warm and it’s gotta be pure. Perfection. Tell me you’ve had these before!
Favorite Lunch Item: Steak Quesadilla
This one may surprise you but something about our quesadillas just pulls me in over and over again. I like a lot of spice though so I always ask for pickled jalapenos to be added to the inside. I also like to replace pico with extra guacamole (because M&D guac is the best) OR salsa verde if we have it.
A very close second for me is a simple large house salad with a big piece of grilled salmon on top. I used to despise salmon UNTIL I had it for lunch during a shift many moons ago. Our M&D crew cooks it just perfectly.
Favorite Dinner Item: ………..
This one is for sure the toughest because this is the menu that changes most frequently! For a LONG time, my favorite was the shellfish pasta. Then, it was the lobster risotto. Then, the coulotte steak. All of these are still drool worthy in my book and I am pretty sure they’re all still on the menu (due to popular demand, not by just me.). But I’m also known for making a meal out of appetizers (my mom and I do this a lot together).
The burrata – I mean – it’s heavenly. With that tomato jam?! Avocado egg rolls? A must when I bring friends to dinner. French onion soup – I could eat it daily. We used to have this date appetizer with salami – AMAZING. We also used to have a pasta with tomato water over top – it was light and just the right amount of salty and something I ordered on a regular basis when it was available. Oh my God, we also used to have pecan crusted catfish pretty regularly and THAT was high on my list too! And the Ultimate Burger! Do you remember the one with foie gras?! Hi, yes I’ll have that every night this week. Medium rare. Thanks.
Yea … dinner is a tough one. If I HAD to pick just ONE item …
I can’t. I’m sorry. It’s too hard! I give up!
Favorite Dessert Item: Chocolate Center Bread Pudding
Did you know we use our pastries that were leftover from that day to make each evening’s bread pudding? I’m pretty sure that’s why it’s so amazing. It’s really like multiple desserts in one. Plus … chocolate. This is my mom’s favorite too.
Favorite Bar Item: La Riviera
I’m not sure if this is still available or not but it is/was GOOOOOOD. It’s a tequila based cocktail with passionfruit and SPICE! I love sweet and spicy in a cocktail and this one could never disappoint. Andrew is seriously THE master behind the bar and I can’t think of cocktail he’s created that I haven’t liked but sometimes you just get hooked! Close seconds include the Tea for Breakfast (a gin based cocktail that was actually featured at my wedding) AND our old chocolate mousse martini. This was straight up dessert in a glass complete with hot fudge and whipped cream vodka. Amazing.
Here’s my mama enjoying a La Riviera as well – we like a lot of the same things!
So?! Do we have any favorites in common?
Rebecca McKinney
I wanted to create this blog for a few reasons. First and foremost, to share tips, tricks, and knowledge about the food and beverage industry in general but also to help people see a different side of the restaurant world. Every restaurant has a totally unique culture and world within it. I want to help open people’s eyes to more than how fast the service is or how easy or hard it is to secure a reservation.
So, thanks for stopping by! I welcome your ideas, input, and feedback and hope you enjoy!
Eat well & travel often,
Becky McKinney
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