NYTimes Gives Rye Brook’s Härth Warm Review

New York Times food critic Emily DeNitto rated the Hilton Westchester’s new restaurant Härth as “worth it,” in a review published Dec. 7.

DeNitto described the restaurant, which has been open about three months, as a place where the waiters are “exceptionally friendly,” the food is fresh and well prepared, the seating is comfortable and the view is charming.

The steak was described as so tender and flavorful that the author hesitated to try the house-made steak sauce, but then was glad she did, as it offered a perfect balance of sweet and savory.  

The wood-burning oven and fresh ingredients also drew accolades from the Times critic.

“(…) This is not a bland, corporate experience. Mr. Velazquez, who was born in Puerto Rico and trained under a French chef for years in Miami, is bringing a farm-to-table sensibility to Härth,” DeNitto wrote of executive chef Rafael Velazquez.

DeNitto mentioned that the beef is from Weschester’s Hemlock Hill Farm and described offerings from another fresh vendor.

Other vendors include Wild Edibles, the source of seafood like the sweet scallops that were wrapped in smoky bacon and were served with creamed corn and snappy green beans. Perfectly seared salmon came over an open-faced lobster ravioli, both in a sweet onion cream — and lobster was again present in the mac and cheese that accompanied the rib-eye, creating a sophisticated surf and turf combo. Combinations are one of Härth’s strong points.

At the end of the very positive review, DeNitto mentioned that the waitstaff was very gracious and friendly, but could use a little more training and that some of the dishes have some kinks to be worked out. 

Here is what DeNitto reported under “What We Liked”:

Margherita and shrimp flatbread pizzas, peekytoe crab toast, burrata cheese, Caesar salad; seared salmon, bacon-wrapped scallops, dry aged rib-eye, Delmonico steak, cardamom-crusted lamb chops, roasted chicken, s’mores pizza, lemon pie, dulce de leche cheesecake.

Read the full New York Times review here.