53 E. Main Street,
Trumansburg, NY
607-387-4433
http://www.hazelnutkitchen.com/
Downtown Trumansburg is about 20 minutes away from Ithaca up Rt 96. For those who shelter themselves in the Cornell bubble, this town will feel like a total different universe. However, within this "universe" (and many others) is a hidden (literally) gem called the Hazelnut Kitchen. We did a good amount of reading on this restaurant and their unique sample menus that changed frequently were always intriguing. If you look at their websites, they document several photos of their dishes, especially the desserts!
We arrived for a 8:30 reservation. Reservations are highly recommended for this restaurant due to its seating capacity and popularity (and the fact that it's only open Thursday-Sunday for dinner). Although we were about 15 minutes late, we still had an intimate table right near the window. The restaurant was simply decorated, with nonmatching chairs and tables, antique paintings and lighting fixtures. There was a large chalkboard with daily specials that were so popular that they ran out of a few by the time we arrived at the restaurant for our late reservation.
The menu was filled with dishes using organic and locally grown vegetables and meats. For starters, we ordered the creamy local corn chowder with bacon, dill and "new" potatoes, along with the cold soba noodles with spicy peanut dressing mixed with local greens, cucumbers, carrots and toasted sesame seeds. Both dishes were presented beautifully, and given in large portions for appetizers. The chowder was popping with flavor from seasonal sweet corn, which was balanced with the smokiness of bacon. The soba noodles were more subtly flavored, only hinting at notes of peanuts. With our starters, we got a bread basket that had fresh-baked rolls and slices of olive bread along with herbed-garlic butter. The bread was warm, fresh, and soft.
For entrees, we decided to share two, as we often do, and we ordered the Prince Edward steamed mussels with shrimp, and chorizo in a creamy garlic broth with roasted red peppers, tomatoes, basil and sweet corn in addition to the grilled fillet, which came in a red wine reduction. Both dishes came with some iteration of fried potatoes: on top of the seafood stew was a stack of matchstick fries drizzled with smoked paprika aioli, while the fillet was served on top of hand-cut fries that came with a malt vinegar aioli. Along with the entrees, we ordered a side of succotash, a hodgepodge of corn, beans, spices and potatoes.Overall the meal was a true balance of many different flavors.
Here is a full review:
TASTE
Siddharth:
7.5/10
The dishes were very diverse, but all complemented the overall seasonal and modern American theme that the restaurant seemed to be going for. The chowder was probably the strongest dish of the night. It was sweet, smoky, and extremely flavorful. It was more of a cream soup than a chowder, though, as it lacked the body that true chowders are renowned for. The soba noodles had good texture, but the flavor profile was a bit too subtle for me. I felt that a dash of soy sauce may have awakened the tastes that were hidden in this dish, but as it was, they were simply cold noodles with the essence of peanut. The entrees both suffered from a lack of salt. The seafood stew was still quite good, having a very interestingly spiced broth. While the shrimp were overcooked, the mussels were outstanding, as was the chorizo, which appeared to be made fresh/in-house. The shoestring fries on top were great, as was the aioli they were drizzled in. The steak was cooked perfectly to order (medium-rare), and this is a considerable feat for a restaurant these days. Still, the outside was a bit over-charred, and the red-wine reduction should have figured more prominently in the taste. As noted previously, the steak also lacked salt, which surely would have been a saving grace. On the other hand, the malt aioli that accompanied the fries was incredible. It was packed with the flavor of malt vinegar, while providing the creaminess and "dippability" that an aioli should. I found the concept extremely innovative and well-executed to boot. So, overall, the meal had a lot of high points, but the lack of salt really prevented this from being a few points higher than 7.5.
Tricia:
8.5/10
This rating is a bit harsh, given the great corn chowder, the mussels and the aioli sauces, but the lack of salt was a real turn off in most of their dishes. The cold soba noodles were too heavy and starchy without the salt. Overall, this dish still had its good intentions, mixing in colorful vegetables with an Asian flair with the sesame and peanut flavoring.The corn chowder was probably the only dish that was perfectly done. The corn was sweet and maintained its crunchy texture mixed in with the creamy and starchy base from the pea-sized potatoes and smokey bacon. The addition of the dill, though not an obvious spice to add for the typical chef, made the chowder taste homemade and summery contrasting to the smokey bacon. I found the grilled filet to be too charred for my liking and also under-seasoned. The mussels were perfectly cooked, but the shrimp was overcooked to the point of being rubbery. Thankfully the fresh-made chorizo was spicy and delicious. The matchstick fries and the paprika aioli were excellent, a total upgrade from ketchup on fries. I really enjoyed the succotash though.
MENU
Siddharth:
9.5/10
Unlike many Ithaca eateries that promote local eating in a hollow manner, Hazelnut Kitchen's offerings were all well-thought out and composed by someone who really cares/knows about food. Neglecting the lack of salt, the menu choices are outstanding and rival the selection of seasonal menus found anywhere. Though we skipped dessert, the choices there seemed incredible (we only skipped it because we had planned to make goat cheese caramel brownies right after dinner!). Their menu changes daily or weekly, but a look at their samplings on their website will give you an idea of how creative the chef is.
Tricia:
9/10
I thought the menu was quite creative. All the starters centered around the fresh and organic produce but not limiting you to a salad. Every entree featured good protein but was accompanied with homemade vegetarian sides that you might not see in most restaurants. How many restaurants in the Northeast serve succotash as a side? And matchstick fries? The dessert menu was quite intriguing as well with goat cheese cheesecake, and lavender pot de creme. Unfortunately, as Siddharth said, we already had our own dessert-making plans!
AMBIANCE
Siddharth:
9/10
Reservations were a bit tough to come by. They had only 2 available times when I called (5 and 8:30). The place is pretty busy it seems. Still, the ambiance is cozy and intimate, if a bit dark. It's a great date spot for sure. The location in Trumansburg is interesting as well; the downtown strip has several other restaurant and is a nice well-lit drag. Defintely a nice place to visit in the Tompkins County area.
Tricia:
8.5/10
On a Friday night, this place was pretty popular, especially for the late eaters. We sat a nicely lit table near the window, gathering a great deal of the street lights. Had we sat somewhere else in the restaurant, it would have been too dark to see our food. From our picture, the lighting wasn't as bright, but I guess it allows a more intimate setting and mood.
SERVICE
Siddharth:
8/10
Service here was polite and responsive. The experience is in no way hurried, and the overall experience is drawn out, perhaps providing time for dishes to be prepared from scratch. The waitstaff was knowledgeable enough about the menu. Nothing special, but they certainly made us feel comfortable.
Tricia:
8.5/10
The service is quite laid back and our courses were spaced apart for quite some time. Perhaps the waitstaff wanted us to take in the whole restaurant experience because I don't think it was because they were very busy. But our server was very friendly, very accommodating and social.
VALUE
Siddharth:
8/10
The prices were all in the low $20 range. I think this was relatively fair, given that everything seemed to be freshly cooked. The appetizers were served in generous portions, and the entrees were not small either. Cheap eating is far and few between in the Ithaca area in a lot of ways (when it comes to nicer eating), and Hazelnut Kitchen is right around the median for the area. Still, the prices here are reflective of a slightly more fine-dining experience than the actual ambiance delivers on.
Tricia:
7/10
The entrees were all above $20 which I think was because they were serving organic and locally grown produce and meats. The best valued dish we had was the corn chowder, the others, I feel like Siddharth could have cooked it himself and buy the same ingredients for a much cheaper price. But perhaps I'm just spoiled from Siddharth's cooking.
Overall, this was a good restaurant, but the lack of salt left a bad taste in our mouths (cheap pun). We'd give it another chance, because finding such a well-thought out menu in Ithaca is not that easy. Dessert itself may be worth re-visiting for!
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