North Plank Road Tavern Restaurant Review in Newburgh: New American Food and Dining in Orange County

There seem to be two trends in restaurant naming these days: One is to simply call the place by its address, and the other is to conjure up images of a warm welcome by adding the word “tavern,” even if the setting is about as tavern-like as a corporate cafeteria.

In the case of North Plank Road Tavern, the “tavern” part is well-earned — the roadhouse has been a haven for hungry and thirsty travelers since 1801, when it was a stagecoach stop, and barely missed a beat during Prohibition by becoming a speakeasy. One proprietor early in the last century, a Mrs. Sauer, evidently enjoyed being there so much she stayed on as a ghost (sightings not guaranteed, but there’s a framed photograph of her on the wall).

There’s a little problem with the “North Plank Road” aspect, however, as Newburgh officials took the “north” part off the address a few years ago, but kept it on the road sign. Not to blame MapQuest — which I should know better than to trust anyway — but when we were hunting for the tavern in torrential rain on a recent night, we wound up at a bagel joint. After a few fruitless turnings-around, we called the restaurant for directions, which I scrawled on a scrap of paper that my husband (acting as navigator) managed to lose two seconds after I handed it to him. What with the flooded roads, steamed-up windows and near-zero visibility despite windshield wipers turned up to “frantic,” we inadvertently crossed the bridge to Beacon before the scrap of paper was found. So it’s a tribute to the charm of the place that our heated discussion about which of us was an idiot came to a halt the minute we stepped in the door. The promptness of a waitress bearing drinks didn’t hurt either.

Grilled manouri cheese dressed with Mediterranean chimichurri, olives, and herbs is a popular dish. Above, Chef Tibor Kogler (left) and owner Thomas Costa in the bar

From about 1998 to 2011, the tavern operated as Beebs. Prior to that it was run for nearly two decades by Thomas Costa, a Newburgh native with the genial air of a natural-born host. When Beebs closed, Costa came out of retirement and spent a year renovating the building before reopening as North Plank Road Tavern last December. The place is dripping with old-time ambiance, from the narrow entry hallway to the small dining rooms with sloping wood floors, beadboard ceilings, and plaster walls painted to resemble planks and stone. A carved mahogany bar salvaged from Newburgh’s old United States Hotel dominates the dimly lit, pocket-sized bar. There’s even a small patio where you can eat when the weather is good. It’s all very inviting.

Chef Tibor Kogler took over the kitchen in May and keeps the New American menu fresh by creating dishes inspired by whatever ingredients he finds each day. Kogler is a fresh-ingredient fanatic, who forages for mushrooms and wild greens during the summer and fall, but also visits farms four or five days a week to buy directly from our more innovative growers. The menu posted online offers a clue about the roster — maybe five appetizers, a couple of soups and salads, and six entrées including chicken, beef, pork, and pasta dishes — but expect inventive changes in preparation.

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» Visit North Plank Road Tavern in Newburgh, NY
» Go to www.northplankroadtavern.com
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We started with the very good house-smoked trout, which was so lightly smoked that the delicate taste of the fish came through almost like sushi, yet was flavorful enough to match the bed of lemon-spiked yogurt it sat on. (Kogler said later that he believes most smoked fish is overdone, so he uses a light wood like apple to control the smoke-to-fish flavor.) Marinated beets and goat cheese were an enjoyable pairing, although the beets were slightly too assertive for the sprinkling of pistachios and Brussels sprout leaves to make much of an impression. 

Our server presented me with a very serious-looking steak knife before she brought out my grilled hanger steak, but the slices of meat, perfectly done, were so tender that a dinner knife would have been fine. Kogler’s rich, kicky take on a Mediterranean chimichurri sauce — with oven-dried tomatoes and pepperoncini added to the usual garlic, parsley, and so on — was a terrific topping. The roasted fingerlings were wonderful, too, but being in a meat-and-potatoes mood, I’d have liked a less dainty serving.

The standout dish of the night was garganelli pasta with mushrooms and house-made duck confit. It smelled so enticing, we sniffed the air for a few seconds before tucking in. Silky egg pasta, rich duck confit, nutty beech mushrooms, peppery leaves of arugula, and a sprinkling of Romano cheese to top it off — the whole thing was bursting with flavor.

A pretty strawberry shortcake with marinated berries and whipped cream dressed up with maple syrup was moist, fresh, and as good as it looked — the perfect summer dessert. There’s usually a choice of three desserts, two of them driven by what’s in season, and the third — little drum roll, please — beignets! Never trust anyone who doesn’t like beignets. Kogler’s are irresistible little balls covered in cinnamon sugar that come with two dipping sauces, a custard, and a chocolate ganache. (I loved the custard.) They were so good, I didn’t even complain about the rain on the drive home.

North Plank Road Tavern
Lunch and dinner Tuesday through Sunday. Appetizers $8-$12; entrées $17-$25.

» Visit North Plank Road Tavern in Newburgh, NY
» Go to www.northplankroadtavern.com
» Go to the Hudson Valley Restaurants Guide
» Go to the Hudson Valley Food & Drink Guide