The Horned Dorset Inn

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Absolutely unbelievable. What an amazing, interesting and unique dining experience. Our group was blown away by the surprises delivered by this restaurant. I mean how in the heck do you stumble across a classically trained French chef (trained in Paris), who has worked at some of NYC’s top spots (Danielle/​Aureole), then ran his own place in Rincon, Puerto Rico, and ended up back home in the middle of nowhere (no offense)?!
Atmosphere:
very quaint older house. wonderful atmosphere. Perfect dining ambiance. wonderful fireplace and subtle classical music playing. perfect.
Service:
Fantastic. Classic French service. Complete, non-​intrusive, very informative and gracious. (I believe out server was Paul– he was great).
Food:
Show stopping good. Take the server’s lead. We did cheese (local and fantastic), seafood stew, Tuna and dessert. Not one dish disappointed. All were simple yet complex in structure. interesting highlight for me was the vegetables served with the tuna. wide variety of winter vegetables prepared simply but perfectly (very impressive give the wide variety presented).
Wine:
Wine list was decent although fairly limited but was passable. Again we took our server’s lead on selection and were pleased.
Overall:
Just a wonderful and very surprising experience. Kudos to the chef and team here. I’ll definitely be back (although they apparently close for extended periods, so check before heading out there).

Amazing atmosphere with wonderful service. Next visit we plan to enjoy the live music.

A formal restaurant without the stuffy waitstaff! This restaurant was approximately 1 ½ hours from my house, if it were closer my hubby and I agreed we would probably put it close to or at the top of our list.
You start with house made crackers and a crock of cheese onion soufflé. That was reallly good!
I wanted to do the Chef’s Tasting Menu but my husband would not agree to do it and the whole table has to do it. So it was on to the menu to decide…
I had the butternut squash lobster bisque. That was excellent. The squash taste was pretty strong but I love butternut squash, so that was fine with me! Both entrees came with a house salad which had blue cheese and a light vinaigrette, which was good.
I ordered one of the specials-​salmon in a champagne horseradish sauce. It was excellent. My husband had the filet of beef, which was very tender and cooked perfectly! It had a mushroom sauce. Both entrees also came with vegetables (carrots, zucchini, squash, green beans) and potatoes. The beef had a greater amount of the sides with it.
All in all a very good meal. Not the best I’ve ever had but one of the best that I’ve had in Central New York!

I like… The food is fantastic, the location has an old charm to it that has become rare and the owners are truly passionate about the food they serve. They use produce from their own organic gardens and work with local farmers and artisans for their meats, cheeses and other. I like that! I think that sais a lot about a place.
Reservations are recommendet, but they always accomodate walk-​ins. The service is attentive and unless you get a «new server» very knowledgable and attentive. A tasty little cheese soufflé will always be served free with crackers and there is your teaser! The price of the food overall is on the mid to high end, but totally appropriate for the high quality you get. Your choice if you like to add that fine bottle of wine, the cognac after your meal (in an appropriately warmed glass) or endulge in a true espresso. Beverages are always more expensive than buying it yourself — so what! It is the experience of having a great meal in the end (hopefully the company added to it) and the Horned Dorset never disappoints us.

We love this place — like a little trip to Europe! The cuisine is local, fresh, and inventive. The ambience is excellent (and we had a classical guitar player the night we were there — non-​intrusive, but Julian Bream type music — very good)! The service is incredible! Prompt, but also well-​paced with the entrée orders. My husband proposed to me there over duck confit. Sheesh — how could I say no? Also — they know organ meats! We don’t see them on the local menus very often, but think again about sweetbreads, liver, etc. Reservations are necessary, as they seem to not open all rooms at the same time. Probably better for maximizing service. Forget about the $$$. This is an extraordinary dining experience. We drove about 60 miles… but less than a trip to Provence. Same dining experience. You gotta go at least once!

My wife and I had the opportunity to eat dinner at the legendary Horned Dorset Inn in Leonardsville, NY.
It was a celebration of 7 years of marriage and we decided we wanted to do something a little different, and since I had never had the chance to made it down to the Horned Dorset to see for myself what all the fuss was about, it was a perfect opportunity.
The Inn has four rooms, and while we did not stay the night, I found myself thinking about the next time I want to «get out of town» and making the mental notes that this place would be fun to stay at.
After the tour of the grounds, we sat down to an amazing dinner. When we entered the restaurant we met the wine steward, and our waitress for the evening Geraldine. She is from France and had come to Puerto Rico last winter to work at the other location of the Horned Dorset. When it was time to open last spring, she came north to experience life in Upstate New York. She was a wonderful waitress and a charming young lady.
Dinner started off with an Amuse-​Bouche of a warm cheese soufflé and homemade crackers along with smoked salmon, it was quite tasty and set the standard for the rest of the meal. The menu features two soups, five appetizers, five entrees each with petite and king cuts ranging from $ 21-​$ 37. The Horned Dorset uses many fresh local ingredients including many from their own garden, and supports many local farmers by purchasing much of their meat in the area too. The menu is topped off with four dessert selections and a cheese plate of local cheeses.
We decided we were going to be a little adventurous to help us get over the seven year itches and try the Chef’s tasting menu. Roberta and Kingsley’s son Aaron Wratten is the executive chef and he created the menu, but he is working in Puerto Rico right now. I’m not sure who was in the kitchen last night, but Matthew Herzog and Timothy Welch are listed on the menu as chefs too. So putting our palates in their hands, we were ready to go with the Chef’s Menu. Last night the menu was $ 77 a person, and it was well worth it.
The dinner began with warm rolls and a lobster bisque that was tasty and creamy. Soon after we finished the soup, an appetizer of grilled cepes and warm asparagus salad arrived. The mushroom was very good and the asparagus, cooked to perfection, was nice and tender. That was followed by the surprise of the evening, a zucchini flower stuffed with salmon mousse. Wow! When it hit my plate I was a little suspicious of it, but it was so rich, and flavorful and it left you wanting more, but quite satisfied at that little chef’s creation. Following the zucchini flower, a seared scallop with saffron risotto, tomato and lemon aioli was presented. The scallop was large and cooked perfectly and the risotto would have made Chef Ramsey very proud. A homemade kiwi sorbet cleansed our palate before the main entrée was brought out. Garnished with a warm mushroom jus, a nice tender medallion of local veal was accented by sautéed potatoes. The veal was very tasty, and it was the first time in a long time either of us had the chance to enjoy veal. That was followed by a plate of local cheeses. I found two of the cheeses to be very nice, and I’m not usually a fan of goat cheese. The third cheese I’m sure has its fans, but I’ll pass on it next time. My wife who does not eat goat cheese, tried all three like a champ, but decided that the cranberry and light cracker garnishes were much better suited for her tastes. The meal was all wrapped up with a nice neat bow when dessert was brought out. A rich, decadent Chocolate Marquis with homemade strawberry rhubarb ice cream sealed the deal. The strawberries and rhubarb were both from Roberta’s garden and it was a nice ending to a fantastic meal.

Now, I like the Horned Dorset and I am thrilled that it is so close to the cabin. It is nice to be able to get dressed up a little for a good meal and impeccable service.
Service: Absolutely the best. They make you feel like you are the ONLY customers they have though it can get crowded. They are methodical about describing the specials and will repeat whatever you missed as many times as you wish. They are never ruffled. They are quick to greet, to serve drinks and seem to know the right amount of time needed before every course. Greet to drink, drink to specials, specials to order, appetizer to main course, etc. Impeccable.
Ambiance: Lovely. However, due to the popularity and small staff I guess, only one room will be open at a time (of the two big ones) and one can feel a bit overwhelmed by people around all sides. Pity us we were seated (very obviously the only kweers in the place and the only interracial couple) right smack dab in the middle of the room at a table that said «Here we are world!» That being said, it wasn’t long before the cocktails worked and I didn’t care anymore.
The gardens are nice to look at before din din… stop by and check em out. Maybe they need a bit of TLC.
The food: Well I have had amazing meals there. Last summer I had sweetbreads… never had em before, and they rocked! OMG! Amazing. Everything is fresh and most of it local. I may be wrong on that, it may all be local. Picture a chef running down a hill across the road from the vegetable garden of the owners, back to the kitchens, with a handful of fresh ingredients for you. THAT happens. That is how fresh things are there in season. Watch out for the cheesy dish they serve before dinner. It will push you just too far over the edge… I am not really a snob but Town House Crackers? Might as well serve Ritz.
Prices: Considering it is going to be the best night you have had a long time and the best food in the area for MILES AND MILES don’t even worry about how much. The drinks and wines are pretty inflated but isn’t that always the case?
Run to the Horned Dorset and feast. Feel like a prince for an evening. Enjoy.