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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