Hudson, NY: BackBar
BackBar
Hudson, NY
As we strolled weekend-getaway style down Warren Street, there was a building, that, although set back, stood out. The clinking of glasses and blurred conversations, along with the faint heartbeat of a song, poked their way through the distance between building and street creating an inviting cloud that hovered over the establishment. From an outside glance, it's an antique store, but the neon sign dimly buzzing over the door to the left suggests otherwise. Down a dark narrow hallway, past a large car-wash sized window with stately antiques peeping through, you come to a lively bar that seamlessly transitions to an outdoor patio space.
As we’re seated at a brightly colored communal- style picnic table, a father with a craft beer in one hand runs over to an old train antique with his toddler daughter. “See that’s the engine.” Both his and her eyes widen with excitement on the last syllable.
When it comes to restaurants, especially in newly gentrified towns like Hudson, it’s become the norm for one to out-hipster the other, but BackBar truly feels unique and cool without trying, and the food does not fall to the wayside of the eclectic atmosphere.
Waiters hustle between tables belting out retro tunes on the loudspeaker, genuinely having fun.
“I wanna dance with somebody! I wanna feel the heat with somebody! This one’s my FAVORITE!” our waiter exclaimed from his handlebar mustache, with a joyful focus, as he skipped back inside with new orders to deliver.
As we settled in, we noticed the menu was, lo and behold, a dim sum menu! Each item sounded equally enticing and seeing another dim sum menu-I often get dim sum in NYC- I’m left to ponder why all restaurants don’t function this way. To dim sum virgins, the menu typically comes with a small pencil so you can check off the number of each dish you’d like, then hand it off to the waiter. Easy peasy.
What was equally exciting was that the dishes were labeled, almost all having that beloved “GF” stamp next to it. I wiped my brow and licked my lips scanning the menu once more like I meant it. My husband and I went with the Dry Fried Green Beans with black bean sauce, Dumplings, Fried Chicken Thighs with “pickled stuff” and Crispy Tofu with a tomato eggplant curry.
As we waited for our food, we ordered some drinks. My husband’s Savage Garden was the perfect watermelon elixir to refresh your mouth and spirit on a hot summer’s day, and my Dreamsicle Slushy was strong.
The menu is filled with entertaining lines. It encourages you to buy the kitchen staff a beer because “Lubricated chefs cook awesome food!” Another quote, my favorite of all: I’m too drunk to taste this chicken- Colonel Sanders.
I mean, of all quotes to print on your menu, why not use one that says nothing about the food at all and have it be from the KFC King himself?
Our waiter came out, our order in his hands, and in a completely non-ironic stoner type of way asked, “You guys want some food?” before setting the colorful plates down on our table. We now had a couple sitting next to us with a mellow black lab that was the center of attention to the tables around us. He perked his snout up taking in a whiff of our meal with a nod of approval before he retreated back under the table in the shade.
You know that feeling when you’re full, but you can’t stop eating what’s in front of you because it’s that good? That was the experience with our meal. I couldn’t pick a favorite because it was all so good, but if I really had to pick, it would be the tofu. It was cooked just right; firm with a crispy outside and soft pillowy inside, the eggplant and tomato conserva adding a nice sweetness. Each dish brought its own distinct flavor to the table and was a star in its own right. The chicken thighs had a dream coating on them that was so crunchy and light, and the dried green beans were the perfect balance of a light coating of black bean sauce (jajangmyeong) and toasted shallots that hit all the right notes, just like our waiter.
I’ll leave you with one last unsolicited opinion from BackBar’s menu, which says nothing about the food, but possibly everything at the same time? “Old School is the only legendary modern comedy.”
I couldn’t agree more, BackBar.
I’ll be back soon. In the meantime, let’s all go search “Will Ferrell” on Netflix and snag an AirBnB near Warren for next time.
