The Ridge by Mill House — Restaurant in Town of Lloyd

My husband and I first tried the Ridge in early April, shortly after opening, and were very impressed by the food and the service. On that visit, we were seated in the back dining room and it was beautifully decorated and felt intimate. That night, we had the pork belly and deviled eggs apps. We really enjoyed the pork belly (so much that I ordered it again on our most recent visit) and while the deviled eggs were well seasoned and filled, the eggs themselves were ice-cold, maybe the only mis-step in an otherwise really good meal, because it’s not pleasant to eat a firm, ice cold boiled egg. My husband had the rigatoni which was meaty and hearty, and I had the diver scallops, which were outstanding, so much so that I only have a blurry picture because I was too concerned with eating. The dish was so well seasoned and the scallops were perfectly cooked, and the combination of creamy barley and crispy bacon was perfection. Since I’m lactose intolerant, I couldn’t eat most of the desserts, so we ordered the Parker House rolls for dessert. We left quite satisfied and glad that we found a new restaurant to add to our list for special occasions. Fast forward to our most recent visit on Saturday night. I originally planned to go to another restaurant to celebrate my birthday but then changed my mind based on The Ridge’s online menu. My husband made a 6:30 reservation and we arrived on time. This is when it got slightly weird-the hostess seemed confused, asked for our phone number, then asked if someone had a birthday, to which we confirmed yes, it was my birthday. Apparently they had another reservation for a party of 2 under the same name as my husband, and they had asked them if they had a birthday (which they didn’t). Ok? This time, we were seated in the main dining room to the right, which was still very intimate despite the size of the room. The restaurant was already packed, and we took a minute to look over the drink menu and I ordered a cocktail. Then the manager came over a few minutes later and took our food order. We decided on the pork belly app again, and I chose the duck entrée and my husband had the salmon. I finished my first cocktail and the appetizer finally showed up, after the waitress said “I don’t know what’s going on in the kitchen tonight.” Well, clearly the restaurant was busy and the kitchen was backed up. The manager again came by and took my order for a 2nd drink, and then our entrees came out at 7:15. The duck was good, incredibly tender and falling apart, the refried red beans were fine, maybe needed more salt, and the mole was indeed bitter and paired well with the salty duck. It was a good dish, not great, but all of the components went well together. I just wish there was a bit more seasoning. My husband’s salmon was good and well cooked, and flaky. Again, I couldn’t eat most of the desserts, so we opted for the Parker House rolls again for “dessert,” and my husband ordered a coffee, which was delivered without milk/cream. The waitress jokingly asked “you don’t need cream, right? Because I’d have to go downstairs and around the back.” Well, he did need cream, which someone else brought him. The check was delivered and clearly our waitress was busy, but service was inattentive in general. We left and my husband remarked why would they bother to confirm it was my birthday but then not do anything. I understand you can’t put a candle in a plate of rolls, and I’m an adult so I don’t need people to sing to me, but they didn’t acknowledge it all. I distinctly remember them singing to someone on our first visit. Overall, the second visit wasn’t as impressive as the first, definitely not on the service but shout out to the manager who stepped in, and the food was good, but it took a while to come out, and I liked my entrée, but wasn’t wowed by it. I had a good time, but we’re not in a hurry to come...

Bold flavors, succinct menu, and refreshed aesthetic; The Ridge is on the cusp of true excellence in Hudson Valley dining.

Flavor is prominently featured in every dish we tried. Our meal began with the Braised Oxtail Crepes and Lobster Deviled Eggs. The Oxtail was tender, flavorful, and perfectly complemented by its snuggly blanket of cheeses—a wonderful introduction for anyone unfamiliar with oxtail. The Lobster Deviled Eggs were pleasantly surprising, avoiding the overly fishy taste common to many seafood dishes in the area. The lobster was subtly complemented by vinegar and old bay aioli; however, diners expecting a pronounced seafood flavor might find it understated.

Our drink selection stood out impressively. "That's My Jam," featured on the After Drinks menu, was sweet but perfectly balanced by raspberry liquor, making it a delightful choice both during and after dinner—I anticipate ordering it regularly. The Honey Bee, another sweet cocktail prominently featuring fig syrup, was equally tasty, although very sweet; thankfully, the peppercorn spice added a welcomed depth. However, it lacked the advertised honey-peppercorn rim, which was disappointing.

I was pleased to discover the Mocktail menu had genuine thought behind it, a rarity at most establishments. The Falcon offered a crisp, subtly sweet jasmine tea blend ideal for warm outdoor evenings. Bluebeary Bliss, combining blueberry and thyme, was expertly balanced by maple syrup, though ginger syrup notes were somewhat subdued.

Beer and wine options reflected the standard Millhouse selection, but an exclusive beer tailored specifically to The Ridge would add an exciting dimension.

For main courses, we ordered The Ridge Burger, Fried Chicken Sandwich, and Swordfish Skewer. The Ridge Burger showcased rich, meaty flavors, enhanced beautifully by raclette cheese, perfectly toasted brioche buns, and crunchy pickles. The accompanying fries were notably excellent, reminiscent of an elevated McDonald's classic. In contrast, the Fried Chicken Sandwich, though fresh and crispy, relied heavily on spicy mayo for flavor. Its accompanying salad was disappointingly minimal and lacked visual appeal, especially compared to the burger’s fries. Offering fries or improving the salad could significantly enhance this dish.

The Swordfish Skewer was impressively executed, featuring delicately cooked fish paired with three standout sauces—particularly the spicy mayo and Calabrian chili oil, which I'd enthusiastically request again.

Desserts concluded our meal with mixed results. The Apple Brown Sugar Strudel was exceptional, carefully composed with crisp textures, balanced temperatures, and apples perfectly cooked to maintain their integrity and flavor. Conversely, the Ricotta Cannoli Crepes suffered from imbalance; the overly bold cherry flavor overshadowed subtler cannoli and pistachio components, with the crepe creating a fatty aftertaste and mouth-feel that diminished the experience.

Service throughout our meal was attentive, albeit slightly slow, likely due to the restaurant's growing pains. The Ridge's refreshed interior retains a charming outdoorsy aesthetic, elevated to feel sophisticated yet welcoming.

Overall, The Ridge delivers a commendable dining experience defined by bold, carefully crafted dishes and thoughtful presentation. It's an ideal spot for those who appreciate bold but balanced flavors and quality ingredients, though price-conscious diners may find the menu somewhat higher than other options in the Hudson Valley. While minor shortcomings persist, I'm genuinely excited to explore their brunch offerings, which will ultimately solidify this 4 star review or lock in as a 5 star Hudson Valley restaurant.

Edit: Tried brunch, loved it all. 5 stars...

I had a very interesting experience with The Ridge this Saturday. We, the party of 4, reserved the table there for my stepmom's birthday, which we indicated in the reservation. She and my father just came to visit for 2 months after long years of not seeing each other plus the birthday, in short, we wanted to celebrate. The Ridge is located in quite a remote area, so we were thinking we would be ones of very few customers but were pleasantly surprised at the popularity of this place, when we arrived. The restaurant was almost full, both inside and at the patio. We got seated almost right away, the lovely waitress, Taylor, greeted us and brough us cocktails. We ordered ceviche, short rib, chicken liver pate and octopus for appetizes. All appetizers were very good; my husband raved about octopus in a unique dressing. So everything was going fine until it wasn't. The main course dishes, 2x duck confit, 2x steak) came to our table in 2 batches, 2 ducks first, and we needed to wait for some time for the steaks. You would think that because they were on a grill and needed to be finished. No, they came to our table cold, like 1.5h on a plate cold. The duck garni, which were spiced lentils also were cold, the ducks were OK, I was told. I addressed the issue with the waitress and she called the manager. Jeremy, I was told was his name, took the plates and came back in 2 minutes with the same plates with warmed up food. I'm assuming he zipped it in a microwave! He gave us 2 pcs of dessert to make up for the subpar experience. Now, look, I don't want to be the person to downgrade too much because we had a great time otherwise, but hey! that was a special occasion, and it is not fair to the customer to serve cold food, especially steaks, that should be made to order. I had never had a cold steak in a restaurant before until now. I understand the challenge of staff having to prepare quality food in a timely manner under pressure of a full house. You just need to organize better, don't plate ahead of time. Cold lentils and warm duck are not good enough, so is not a cold steak. I'm hoping you take this feedback in a...