How often do you earnestly get to feel like the king of your castle?  Well, maybe sometimes late night at Burger King but let’s not give paper crowns all the power.

 

Equus at Castle Hotel and Spa
400 Benedict Avenue, Tarrytown, NY  10591
http://castlehotelandspa.com/equusrestaurant.aspx

I found a straight up majestic castle to take my mother to for her birthday brunch. My family loves a good historic hotel, and this delicious fortress is not only a restaurant but also a hotel and spa. Dating back to before the turn of the 20th century the property was purchased by newspaperman, playwright, and businessman General Howard Carroll. Constructed to resemble fortifications in Wales, Scotland, and Ireland the finished product had a massive 45 rooms. If you are interested in knowing more historical tidbits, visit the webpage here. I’ve also included a photo of the menu above which capitalizes on complimentary choices.

I’m entirely smitten with their pre-meal bread offerings. I’ve often said that if I had a last meal, I would be a major biatch of a foodie and request perfectly baked warm bread with butter, and these Mediterranean style offerings were a delight. Served alongside three kinds of butter including one with pistachio and delicious hummus with olives they had me at “would you like a roll”. Indeed sir, indeed I would.

The prefix brunch includes an appetizer, main course, and dessert for $58; and you even get a complimentary glass of champagne. So, the price is worth it. Opting for the ricotta and beet ravioli to start I was blown away. Honestly, my favorite part of the meal were these bite size vegetarian ravioli that were not only breathtakingly plated but one of the most satisfying bites I’ve had in a long while. Sweet and savory, drenched in a light buttery sauce; hats off to the chef.

The crab Benedict was my main choice. Crisp and well made with a cardinal hollandaise and served alongside a local green salad. It was tasty. However, I couldn’t help but be envious of the beautifully prepared duck served with butternut squash and honey nut glaze, on top of grits, that nested on my mother and aunt’s plates. Luckily, I had the opportunity to try a piece, and it was lovely.

On to the perfect conclusion. I went with the “New Year’s Resolution” for my final act. As seen above, a colorful explosion-mandarin creme aux, lemon shortbread, cranberry gel, mandarin jelly, and a light cranberry sorbet it was a sweet surprise.

If given the choice I would have gone with what was behind door number two or as it’s aptly titled on the menu: “Citrus Bliss”. A sliver of cheesecake with candied kumquat, lemon curd, and white chocolate chantilly.

It is the east….and Megan is the, well, girl standing in the slightly shady area that is receiving no sun.  There is something so wonderfully magical about romping around the grounds of a faux castle on a Saturday afternoon. I took the opportunity to Little Mermaid thrust my torso over the stones of this castle wall in a post-meal saunter.

If you are looking for an upscale brunch and a magical jaunt into another time, spend the afternoon at Equus restaurant.  It’s beautiful, charming decor and pleasant wait staff won’t make you regret it.  You may even be tempted to recite some Shakespeare.