When it comes to eating, sometimes the little things can set a dish entirely off. Let’s take this eggplant parm monster of a sandwich pictured above; to hit this baby out of the park, everything has to be perfect from the sauce, to the bun, to the eggplant. But Chef Jody Hunter does it right—her homemade sauce is out of this world, the eggplant is breaded to perfection, and the chef tracked down (tried and tested) the perfect roll to house it all.
Chef Hunter is no newbie to the restaurant scene—she previously worked at Sweetgrass Grill (Tarrytown) and dabbled a bit at Blue Hill at Stone Barns (Pocantico Hills). But she is new to The Mill, which opened almost one year ago. She’s brought not only a new menu to the eatery, but also her philosophy towards food, acting as a liaison between farms and the restaurant to offer the best local ingredients.
While The Mill was no stranger to sourcing locally (they get a little help from their friends at By The Way Bakery for the dessert menu), what general manager Jeremy McLellan did need was a powerhouse chef—one that could work the kitchen like Chef Alexa Wilkinson at the eatery’s sister restaurant in Tarrytown, The Tapp. But while The Tapp pours their signature cocktails to a slightly younger crowd, The Mill’s crowd of local moms stop in to sip wine by the glass. And these moms (and their community) are devoted to sourcing locally.
So let’s bring this full circle—we’ve got a hip bar-restaurant, a farm-to-table chef and diners looking for great local food. It’s the perfect recipe…
Chef Hunter and McLellan worked together to create a menu they both envisioned—while Hunter is happy with the farm fresh ingredients, McLellan is content with offering dishes that nod to more New England seafood shack flavors. The “Angels on Horseback,” for example, are a must—the bacon wrapped oysters have a slight horseradish kick (pun intended) ($10).
If oysters aren’t you’re thing, opt for the tomato and basil pesto mussels ($12) or the sweet chilli shrimp tacos ($12). Forgo seafood altogether with the eatery’s house BBQ rub ribs ($9), and ask McLellan to pair them with the perfect craft brew (The Mill has quite a few of them).
Like most bars, The Mill has items to share—there’s grilled octopus, pizza, and (of course) wings—but they all have Hunter’s touch. The Pato Catalan pizza, for example, combines duck confit, grilled onions and ricotta cheese for a not-so-average pie. While these dishes are certainly perfect for a quick bit, if you’re in it for the long haul, save the sharing for dessert and order some of The Mill’s main dishes.
Yes, the incredible eggplant parm sandwich (billed with the description “come on, you know you want it” on the menu) is worth mentioning twice ($14). The inspiration behind the new IntoxiKate hashtag #toplessphoto, it’s hard not to think of this sammie as #foodporn. With crispy eggplant covered in the perfect cheese to sauce ratio, you’ve got all the flavor and little to no mess (although, prediction: you will be licking the homemade sauce that does make it on to your fingers right off).
If you’re not down with the parm, don’t worry. There’s plenty of other entrée favorites IntoxiKate approved. The personal clam bake ($19) offers steamed clams, grilled chorizo and corn on the cob in one dish. Order the chicken kabob ($16) for a taste of Moroccan spices with a side of cucumber herb yogurt salad and pita bread. The oven fried cod sandwich ($17), is also a huge favorite.
One can’t do The Mill justice without mentioning the drink menu (they did just win Best of Westchester’s Best New Bar). The craft beer list, creatively showcased on the chalkboard wall next to the bar, advertises what’s available on tap and by the bottle. Pick up the drink menu, and you’ll notice an inventive, seasonal list of creatively-named cocktails (and McLellan’s sense of humor).
The Will & Grace (pictured above, $12) combines George Dickel white whiskey, St. Germain, blueberry syrup, lime, and plum bitters. The Cerveza Sal Tocino is on the opposite side of the flavor spectrum, using house made bacon fat salt (um, yes please!) and lime with a Modelo Especial ($7).
{The Mill: 583 Warburton Ave. , Hastings-On-Hudson, 914-231-7772, themillhastings.com}
