It’s ABC Country, as Jean-Georges Launches His Rehabbed Inn at Pound Ridge

          Jean-Georges Vongerichten spent last weekend feeding friends and family, wooing weekenders and locals, and revving up the staff for the opening tonight of his 37^th restaurant The Inn at Pound Ridge by Jean-Georges.

          For a while he was calling it ABC Country. And so it is. Jean-George’s new venture upstate could have been tonier and grand. Instead he’s borrowed the farm-to-table menu from ABC Kitchen. The waiters wear the same checked shirts and aprons. And he’s riffing on popular favorites downtown: Roasted kabocha squash toast with fresh ricotta. Baby beets with yogurt. Crackling calamari with Yuzu dipping sauce (not pretzel-dusted).

          Occasionally the kitchen is cautious. The burger here has yuzu pickles instead of being paved with jalapeño as it is in Manhattan. Beautifully-cooked shrimp and avocado salad is reassuringly familiar for ladies who lunch. And the obligatory kale comes with Parmesan dressing, Serrano chili and mint. I definitely didn’t taste chili flakes on the grilled broccoli rabe.

          Nearby Waccabuc has been the chef’s weekend retreat. But when the new owners of what was once Emily Shaw’s Inn came calling, he couldn’t resist the challenge. “I’ve never done anything historic,” he said.

          I tried not to stare at Martha Stewart after reading in The Times Style Section about the two dozen creams she uses to keep her skin pampered. I tried not to be annoyed she didn’t even nod in recognition. Not enough moisturizer on my part, I suppose.

          Built as a residence in 1836, the inn required extensive rehab and design touches from Thomas Juul-Hansen, the architect of Jean-Georges’ flagship at Trump International. There’s a banquet room lit only by candles, lots of reclaimed wood, real knotholes in tables, shaded lamps hanging in spots where customers are guaranteed to hit their heads. I managed to duck. Jean-Georges and company president Lois Freedmen led tours of the 250 seat duplex restaurant, with its terrace hidden in icy blackness for now.

          At ABC Kitchen I usually order the mushroom pizza with an egg.  Here we shared black truffle with fontina (almost worth the hour drive from town, our driver said), Maine lobster with oregano and chile, and prosciutto-wrapped Berkshire pork chop. (I should have said I wanted it medium rare-to-rarish.) With the peanut and popcorn topped salty caramel sundae in a puddle of chocolate, we knew we were home.

258 Westchester Avenue, Pound Ridge Between Old Pound Rd and RT-137.  914 764 1400

Photographs may not be used without permission from Gael Greene. Copyright 2014. All rights reserved.

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