Sapore (Steakhouse) - Fishkill, NY - 1/17/08
Sapore is a steakhouse but I think the name has led to some confusion. When the name was mentioned to people not familiar with it many concluded
that it was a Japanese restaurant. Sapore is actually an Italian word which means 'Taste'. The menu at Sapore is that of a traditional steakhouse with
a few Italian specialties. The biggest Italian influence can be found in the comprehensive wine list.
Upon entering the front door I was immediately impressed with the decor. There is a large dark wood bar to the rear of the room with leather arm
chairs in the front. Dining rooms were situated to the left and right of the bar/foyer. It was a snowy night so it was very warm and welcoming. While
the setting was very masculine, as you’d expect in a classic steakhouse, it didn't over power you or feel stoggy. The Italian influence is definitely felt
throughout the restaurant which really softens it up a bit. The menu is huge, literally. It was probably a foot and a half long. The menu and wine list
were combined as one so I guess that explained the need for an oversized menu. We just thought it was a big awkward at first. The menu and the decor
set the expectation of fine dining. It’s rare to find a steakhouse of this caliber in a small town like Fishkill. You could tell that there were several
business dinners in progress. The place wasn’t packed but it was full enough for a snowy night. However the dining room on the right was not in use
at all.
I started the meal with Lobster Bisque and my wife had the Tomato and Mozzarella salad. The bisque was decent and I appreciated the fact that there
were several chucks of lobster meat in the soup. However I do think the consistency would have been improved had it been passed through a sieve one
more time. It’s a simple step that results in silky smooth bisque. The mozzarella was very good but it’s hard to get really good tomatoes this time of
the year. Included with dinner is a family style house salad which was accompanied by a small bowl of gorgonzola cheese. The salad was well dressed
and included cucumbers, olives and tomatoes. The cheese was a very nice touch. I think they missed an opportunity by not serving us our first
serving of salad and then leaving the bowl for us to help ourselves. I don’t have a problem with family style but in this setting I think it would have
been nice.
Wine service was handled flawlessly. We ordered a nice bottle of Barbara de Alba which without evening knowing it was from the same producer of a
bottle of Barolo we had in our own wine fridge at home. We didn’t realize it until we saw the label. They used very nice stemware and a decanter. The
bottle and cork were left on the table on a nice silver tray. I was very impressed and you can tell that wine is one of their strong points. For the main
course we both ordered the steak with my wife trying the Filet and I ordered the Bone-in Ribeye. This is my favorite cut at a steakhouse. I think it’s
the most flavorful when cooked correctly. The filet is tender but in my opinion doesn’t offer the same complexity of flavor. In addition to the steak we
tried two classic sides of creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms. The ribeye had nice charring on the outside but was a little over cooked for my
liking. I ordered it in between rare and medium rare and I felt it was much closer to medium. My wife’s steak however was cooked exactly how I had
ordered mine. So part of me wondered if they mixed it up. Either way it was still a good quality steak and the price was pretty reasonable if you ask
me. The sides were just ok. The mushrooms lacked flavor in my opinion and the spinach was just ordinary. Usually we don’t eat desert but we shared
the citrus vanilla. It was fantastic and reminded me on a creamcicle. I’m glad we finished our meal with desert. We had hoped for a cheese course but
that was not included on the menu.
The serve was attentive but lacked the attention to detail that you’d find at a top fine dining restaurant. It might sound like I’m nitpicking but I am
comparing Sapore to other steakhouses I have experienced. When we first arrived we were not offered to check our coats despite the presence of one.
We even noticed another table at their coat on the floor next to their chair. Its little details like that which can set a restaurant apart. Overall we had
a very enjoyable meal. The menu had several other options that I’d like to try including a game menu. The specials also sounded interesting, one
which included pan seared foie gras and another with papparadelle and a pheasant ragu. In my opinion Sapore is an asset to the community. It can
help set our area apart from others. I think they have some missed opportunities but the potential is there. I expect to go back again.
Sapore is a steakhouse but I think the name has led to some confusion. When the name was mentioned to people not familiar with it many concluded
that it was a Japanese restaurant. Sapore is actually an Italian word which means 'Taste'. The menu at Sapore is that of a traditional steakhouse with
a few Italian specialties. The biggest Italian influence can be found in the comprehensive wine list.
Upon entering the front door I was immediately impressed with the decor. There is a large dark wood bar to the rear of the room with leather arm
chairs in the front. Dining rooms were situated to the left and right of the bar/foyer. It was a snowy night so it was very warm and welcoming. While
the setting was very masculine, as you’d expect in a classic steakhouse, it didn't over power you or feel stoggy. The Italian influence is definitely felt
throughout the restaurant which really softens it up a bit. The menu is huge, literally. It was probably a foot and a half long. The menu and wine list
were combined as one so I guess that explained the need for an oversized menu. We just thought it was a big awkward at first. The menu and the decor
set the expectation of fine dining. It’s rare to find a steakhouse of this caliber in a small town like Fishkill. You could tell that there were several
business dinners in progress. The place wasn’t packed but it was full enough for a snowy night. However the dining room on the right was not in use
at all.
I started the meal with Lobster Bisque and my wife had the Tomato and Mozzarella salad. The bisque was decent and I appreciated the fact that there
were several chucks of lobster meat in the soup. However I do think the consistency would have been improved had it been passed through a sieve one
more time. It’s a simple step that results in silky smooth bisque. The mozzarella was very good but it’s hard to get really good tomatoes this time of
the year. Included with dinner is a family style house salad which was accompanied by a small bowl of gorgonzola cheese. The salad was well dressed
and included cucumbers, olives and tomatoes. The cheese was a very nice touch. I think they missed an opportunity by not serving us our first
serving of salad and then leaving the bowl for us to help ourselves. I don’t have a problem with family style but in this setting I think it would have
been nice.
Wine service was handled flawlessly. We ordered a nice bottle of Barbara de Alba which without evening knowing it was from the same producer of a
bottle of Barolo we had in our own wine fridge at home. We didn’t realize it until we saw the label. They used very nice stemware and a decanter. The
bottle and cork were left on the table on a nice silver tray. I was very impressed and you can tell that wine is one of their strong points. For the main
course we both ordered the steak with my wife trying the Filet and I ordered the Bone-in Ribeye. This is my favorite cut at a steakhouse. I think it’s
the most flavorful when cooked correctly. The filet is tender but in my opinion doesn’t offer the same complexity of flavor. In addition to the steak we
tried two classic sides of creamed spinach and sauteed mushrooms. The ribeye had nice charring on the outside but was a little over cooked for my
liking. I ordered it in between rare and medium rare and I felt it was much closer to medium. My wife’s steak however was cooked exactly how I had
ordered mine. So part of me wondered if they mixed it up. Either way it was still a good quality steak and the price was pretty reasonable if you ask
me. The sides were just ok. The mushrooms lacked flavor in my opinion and the spinach was just ordinary. Usually we don’t eat desert but we shared
the citrus vanilla. It was fantastic and reminded me on a creamcicle. I’m glad we finished our meal with desert. We had hoped for a cheese course but
that was not included on the menu.
The serve was attentive but lacked the attention to detail that you’d find at a top fine dining restaurant. It might sound like I’m nitpicking but I am
comparing Sapore to other steakhouses I have experienced. When we first arrived we were not offered to check our coats despite the presence of one.
We even noticed another table at their coat on the floor next to their chair. Its little details like that which can set a restaurant apart. Overall we had
a very enjoyable meal. The menu had several other options that I’d like to try including a game menu. The specials also sounded interesting, one
which included pan seared foie gras and another with papparadelle and a pheasant ragu. In my opinion Sapore is an asset to the community. It can
help set our area apart from others. I think they have some missed opportunities but the potential is there. I expect to go back again.
| Sapore 1108 Main St Fishkill, NY 12524 (845) 897-3300 |
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