A Southerners Delight



A night at the Raccoon Saloon

I’ve been in New York for 6 months now and cannot curb my craving for “southern” comfort foods. Since moving here, my diet has changed from meat and potatoes to strictly Italian, so I was happy to see something other than pasta on the menu.

From the outside, the Raccoon Saloon looks like an old saloon you’d see in the movies. The western style decor inside fits the theme perfectly. The view of the water from our table was so perfect, it looked like a Bob Ross painting.





We chose Chicken Satay as our appetizer, which is skewered strips of chicken simmered in a peanut sauce. I’m not a big fan of peanuts, but decided to try the dish anyway. To my surprise, the sauce was not overly peanut flavored. The dish was so delicious, Bill and I decided next time we’ll just order the Chicken Satay.

Being the manly “anti-veggie” man that he is, Bill ordered the “Best Burger in the Hudson Valley.” Bill skipped the lettuce and tomato, but his burger was still a mile high. You know it’s a good burger when it’s so juicy it drips!
Being from North Carolina, I know my way around a good piece of chicken. So, I order the Oven Baked Chicken, which is stuffed with herb dressing and served with mashed potatoes and veggies. The chicken was succulent and the portion was ample. I love mashed potatoes and these were so light, fluffy and perfectly seasoned. After stuffing myself with chicken and potatoes, I started in on the crisp, sautéed veggies.

  Bill and I were stuffed after the entree. Cue our waiter delivering a towering slice of carrot cake to the next table. I almost fell out of my seat trying to sneak a peek and whiff of the decadent dessert. Although I was about to pop, I ordered the carrot cake anyway. The carrot cake had three thick layers of cake filled with carrot shavings and raisins. My favorite part of the cake was the cream cheese filling that surrounded the cake and held the three layers together. The cake was perfectly moist and delicious. Although I was full, the cake was the perfect way to end the meal.