Black Rooster Bistro — Restaurant in Hudson

For starters. I have a sincere appreciation for cooking, food, local spots, and fine cuisine. I cannot explain how sincerely I will never come back here. The ONLY reason for 1 star was because the service and wait staff were exceptional, otherwise, this would be a 0. I am taking into account that this is a new and relatively under marketed spot. With an apparently seasoned chef though, I must say, I expected so much more from a menu and the food itself. We were greeted immediately and sat right away. Which, actually, is a red flag if you're downtown Hudson on a Friday night at 6:30 PM and there's only 2 tables with customers at them in the entire place, especially for a new spot. The bar was empty. The restaurant was empty. The decor was so flat and also empty. I will chalk that last one up to being a new spot though and that can take time. The employees were begging for something to do. They were. So. Bored. That poor bartender must have cleaned those glasses 15 times while I was there. After we were sat, we were promptly waited on. The service was outstanding. The person I was with ordered a Caesar salad, which was decent. But there was not much of a trace of traditional Caesar salad as it was a lighter and fresher take on it. Again, I understand that but it was too far on that side of the aisle for me. Still not that bad though. I ordered the mushroom soup. Which had elements for certain of Winzerstube's. It really lacked depth though and needed a pinch more salt. There were no salt or pepper shakers to be found on the table. Winzerstube did serve theirs with crackers which was a nice touch to that soup for the flavor profile. The entree was nothing short of terrible. I am so disappointed. The person I was with got the walleye. The aioli served with it was good. The vegetables looked like they were just made from a bag of frozen birdeye. The walleye resembled 2 fish sticks with absolutely zero flavor. It was honestly not an attractive plating on a side note. But even with the vegetables and aioli on the bite with the walleye, it was so incredibly bland. The portions were overly small in comparison to the price, even if it is a small plate fine dining type. I ordered the flank steak which was ordered medium rare. It was cooked to order. But they absolutely destroyed it with a cumin based oil. Maybe a take on a chimichurri, but I mean the ONLY thing I could taste was cumin and salt and it was thick in the steak. Made for a really unpleasant bite at times. It was awful. It was maybe a few oz of meat pushed way off to the side of a plate then the rest of the full size dinner plate was covered in over salted French fries soaked in the cumin oil. If this is ever they referred to as "cafe steak sauce," that's pretty confusing as most dishes aren't 1 part meat to 1 part steak sauce. This whole bill was pushing 100 dollars after tip for both of us. We ordered no drinks besides 1 diet coke, as the food needs to speak for itself at places like this. So overpriced for the quality of the food. I would love a rustic fine dining spot in Hudson to break up what we already have. This is really,...

Selfishly I want to keep this a hidden gem, but our first experience was too good not to share and make sure these owners get the credit they deserve. On a frigid Sunday night the restaurant was largely empty, but there was still a good vibe and the staff was super welcoming and happy. We came hungry and thirsty so we started with the mushroom soup, dumplings and pork belly - and we'd order all again, especially the dumplings. To drink - I had their smoky old fashioned (comes with the smoke locked in via wood top) and my wife had the proper lady. They only feature regional liquor/etc - so we quite enjoyed the different take on drinks - and we'd order both again.

For our main courses, we ordered the scallops (had a special prep that day) and I had the duck breast (the lamb and pork tenderloin were #3/4 options for me that didn't make the cut). The scallops tasted fresh and their chutney and sauce were excellent. My duck was prepared perfectly with a crispy skin and spot on med rare interior. The sauce and berry topper was perfect. On Sundays they have $5 glasses of wine (basically half price or more) on a selection of about 10 different wines. We had the cab (I had more than a few glasses) and the Pinot Noir. Definitely coming back on a Sunday because honestly this was such a great deal and wasn't the typical lighter pour you often see with discounted drinks.

For dessert, we went with the caramel brownie with ice cream. All made in house and the bourbon caramel sauce was dynamite.

All in all - we've always had our favorites in Hudson/Stillwater, but I'd put this at or near the top of the list. The service was fantastic - ask for the former server from Agave Kitchen that now works here - she is so nice, attentive and personable - made our experience that much more enjoyable. Almost all of the menu is priced between $10-$30, which is so reasonable for the quality and quantity you get. In looking over the menu and seeing some other tables order - they had 3 different sandwiches I want to try for lunch sometime (burger, bologna and fried tenderloin) and definitely want to come back for the ribeye. Although i know the owners adjust the menu a bit depending on what's in season/etc - so guess we'll have to go back soon (twist my arm).

If you plan to go - they are located in the basement of a building on the main road (across the street and down half a block from Agave) and have a huge bar and 4 or 5 booths that make it fun for groups - on top of ample other bar/dining room space. They are closed Mon/Tues (at least in the winter) and our server said Fri/Sat nights were a lot busier, so plan ahead - but if you go on a Sunday and like a little discounted wine (I sound obsessed) - we had no problem getting a table.

Didn't get to meet the owners this time, but so happy to have a unique and original new restaurant in Hudson. Will definitely be coming back and recommend you give...

The man and I went here for the first time last night, to celebrate his birthday. We've been wanting to go here for awhile, just haven't carved out the time. I'm so glad we took the time to go.

The space feels so intimate and warm as soon as you walk in...low lighting, warm wood tones, very comfortable. We made reservations prior, which was probably a good idea for a Saturday evening, as the place seemed popular at that time. As we walked in, we were greeted by a very attentive person from behind the bar immediately, guiding us to the host station (or we could decide to sit at the bar if we wanted).

We were seated immediately by the very kind and friendly host. Nicole, our server, was very quick to come over to tend to us, and because we hadn't been there before, she explained how their menu is locally based, told us the specials, and that certain drinks could be ordered as mocktails (an option that we loved).

We each ordered a Smoked Lavender Paloma, one with alcohol, and one without. Probably one of the best cocktails that I've ever had. Loved the smoke!

All of the food was truly an experience.

To start, we got the ricotta dumplings, as well as the soup of the day. The flavors all worked together perfectly with the ricotta dumplings, you have to get all of the flavors in each bite! The man loved the soup, and said that it was a highlight of the meal.

For the mains, we ordered the Bistro Burger and the short rib special, and shared both. Both of these entrees were amazing. The burger was cooked perfectly, and the sliced cornichons on there were a hit at our table lol. Cute and flavorful! The short rib over parmesan risotto was very good. It could have had a bit more of the red wine demi glace, in my opinion, but I personally like a lot of sauce, so that's just a preference on my part. The short rib was so tender and flavorful, and the risotto was absolutely perfectly done.

The burger came with fries. The fries were so good! Still crispy, even after letting them sit for awhile when we ate the rest of our food first! May be the best fries that I've had at a restaurant. When expo brought our food, they asked if we wanted mayo, ketchup, or mustard. We said yes to all lol.

I have never felt the need to comment on a condiment before lol. The mustard was the best mustard I've ever had. It's literally just mustard. Dipping the fries in that mustard was divine. I can't explain it. It must be the passion and love that they put into all of their food, and it spills over to the mustard.

Thank you for a wonderful...