Roaring success

Matilda (Hensonville, NY)

GETAWAYS • Catskills

The Backstory: Six months after bowing inside the new Henson hotel in the Catskills, Matilda has unquestioningly upleveled the Upstate New York dining scene. The restaurant is the latest project from NYC chefs Jeremiah Stone and Fabián von Hauske Valtierra — known for their warmly industrial aesthetics, minimalist plates, and puffy cream-engorged doughnuts at the Lower East Side’s Wildair and Bar Contra. Here, the longtime culinary partners have joined forces with local hospitality mavens Ely and Danielle Franko in building this cool kids destination in the shadow of Windham Mountain.

The Experience: On a recent fall visit, the restaurant checked all the boxes: cozy roaring fireplace, earthy-modern farmhouse motif, seasonal and local ingredients. The chefs rely on nearby farms even more than they do in New York City, a focus readily apparent in Matilda’s offerings.

To eat, brown butter poached honeynut squash covered in a blanket of microplaned Comté and black truffle is a dangerously addictive (and rich) indulgence. In an umami-spiked salad of radishes, potatoes, and turnips, the anchovy vinaigrette-dressed ingredients are sliced into wedges of the same proportion, making it impossible to know which you’re eating. But the showstopper is the chicken, an ultra-juicy Amish bird that’s been semi-deboned and slow-roasted until its skin becomes crisp as a potato chip. It’s served in slices, to be savored with one of a selection of excellent natural wines or a cocktail from sciencey drink-designer Dave Arnold’s inspired list.

Why It’s FOUND: Matilda is arguably serving the best food anywhere Upstate, reason enough to make the two-and-a-half hour drive from the city to the Catskills. –Kat Odell

→ Matilda (Hensonville, NY) • 39 Goshen Rd • Thurs-Mon 5-10p • Reserve.