Jean-Georges Goes Country…

Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges
Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges

I spent last Sunday at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s picturesque 19th century country house.

Chef Jean‑Georges latest venture is a casually elegant restaurant ensconced in the picturesque town of Pound Ridge, New York.

Inn Entryway
Inn Entryway

Last February, Jean Georges took over the tried and true Inn at Pound Ridge and brought city chic to the country. The inn is the 23rd restaurant in the Jean-Georges empire.

Our excursion to the country started at 5:30am. We had a 7am appointment with Global Entry Trusted Traveler Network at Newark Airport. We picked up the car at our Manhattan garage and snaked our way through the Lincoln Tunnel to another country…New Jersey.

My husband’s GPS took us in circles…on and off Interstate 95.

We found the office tucked into a corner of the International  terminal. We had our Q&A, completely confused the officer with our plethora of addresses and were dismissed with hopes of receiving an approval email within the next two weeks.

We were out and about and I decided to cross the George Washington Bridge and head to Connecticut on a gorgeous fall day. The Merritt Parkway was awash in autumnal colors.

I had read about the new and improved Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges located just across the Connecticut  state line in Pound Ridge, New York.

Scotts Corners, NY (population 711)
Scotts Corners, NY (population 711)

We did a drive by and picked up Mommy Dearest and cruised up Long Ridge Road to New York State. We were early so we coasted through Scotts Corners, an adorable little town next to Pound Ridge and Salem with a population of 711 residents. My wedding flowers came from an amazingly creative florist in Scotts Corners.

We pulled up in front of the quaint inn and were greeted by several valets. Would a Lexus be acceptable gauging the Ranger Rovers, Bentleys and Maseratis?!

My mom has been dining here for over 40 years, frequenting the original Emily Shaw’s restaurant which then morphed into the Inn at Pound Ridge. I have thrown some lovely soirees at the inn in the past.

inn entry

The interior is completely redone except for the original hardwood floors. I loved the metal reception stand…awesome. The self-impressed host and hostess could use an attitude makeover.

inn interior

After an unexplained wait we were led to our table in the main dining room. We were offered the downstairs dining area with the doors thrown open exposing a beautiful  backyard, but there were too many steps for my mom to navigate.

We settled in and were presented with a pu pu platter of celebrity sightings. Sitting next to us was Megan Ryan, with a surprise guest appearance by the pregnant Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds. Soon after, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kirschner moseyed in.

Our server was delightful and very suburban. I love that the wait staff dons checked shirts and jeans.

The decor is inviting with rough stone, taupe leather and iron filigree. Pendant fixtures with paper shades are hip and happenin’, although waiters and diners must duck and weave to avoid a collision.

The inn is a casually elegant restaurant which introduces a truly seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine, led by chef Blake Farrar and his wife and pastry chef, Melody Farrar. The ingredients are sourced from the Hudson Valley and New England, whenever possible.

Ricotta
Ricotta

We kicked things off with an absolutely delicious house made ricotta with crushed cranberries, olive oil and homemade grilled sourdough ($10). The ricotta was arranged around a shallow pool of extra virgin olive oil and outside the lines was a delicious cranberry preserve. It was scrumptious and we sold it to our left side neighbors.

Chicken Sandwich
Chicken Sandwich

I then ordered a grilled organic chicken sandwich with avocado and Chipotle dressing on ciabatta ($18). It was uninspired and my family questioned my selection.

Ahi Tuna Burger
Ahi Tuna Burger

David devoured a Yellowfin tuna burger with miso mayonnaise, shiso, and Yuzu pickles ($21). He was overjoyed and we all indulged in his crispy french fries.

The grass-fed burger with bacon, gruyere, russian dressing and Yuzu pickles ($20) looked delish. Gourmet pizzas are also available.

Fettucine with Caramelized Brussel Sprouts
Fettucine with Caramelized Brussel Sprouts

My mom selected a half order of fresh fettuccine with caramelized Brussels sprouts, basil-pistachio pesto ($13/19). It was wonderful…al dente and the brussel sprouts were perfectly prepared. The half order was very generous.

Tuna Tartare
Tuna Tartare

Our dining partners to our left were kind and allowed me to take photos of their food before digging in. The lovely family enjoyed their tuna tartar appetizer with avocado, radish and soy-ginger sauce ($18) as well as slowly cooked salmon salad with carrot-ginger dressing, orange and sesame ($28). The kale salad with parmesan dressing, croutons, mint and lemon fell flat ($15).

Kale Salad
Kale Salad

With Mommy Dearest it is all about dessert even when she professes to being satiated. We ordered her the salted caramel sundae with candied popcorn and peanuts and hot fudge sauce ($13). She was ecstatic.

Sundae
Sundae

The Inn at Pound Ridge is an utterly delightful way to spend a weekend afternoon and is well worth the scenic drive from the tri-state area. It is a picture perfect destination and, let us not ignore the fact that the food and service are both very good.

Inn Backyard
Inn Backyard

Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges 258 Westchester Avenue at Route 124 Pound Ridge, NY. Lunch: Mondays through Fridays, 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dinner, 5 to 10 p.m. Reservations on OpenTable. Best to book. Valet parking only.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

*