We’d passed The Odeon while walking down to the Frederick so, after we’d checked in we decided to go there for lunch.

Condé Nast Traveler has an interesting piece titled The Odeon at 40: An Oral History of the New York City Institution The classic New York City restaurant celebrates 40 years in Tribeca in which it says (among other things):

Whether you live in New York City or are just passing through, space is always of the essence. Even the most luxurious hotel rooms are smaller than you’ll find elsewhere. The result of living with limited square footage is that one’s “home” often extends beyond any apartment, enveloping daily haunts—that go-to restaurant, the coffee shop around the block, the bar you always find yourself ending the night at. For many New Yorkers over the last 40 years, The Odeon has been all of those places.

Founded 40 years ago today by Lynn Wagenknecht, Keith McNally, and Keith’s brother Brian McNally, the trio brought a much-needed café to the corner of West Broadway and Thomas Street in Tribeca, a neighborhood then filled with artists and writers—the people that we look back on four decades later as the tastemakers of a turning point in the city’s history. From the wood paneling and the classic, brasserie-styled red banquettes, to the bar that spans the northern wall of the restaurant, every design detail of The Odeon transports guests to an earlier New York.

Taken with a Sony RX100M3

Last Tuesday I went into New York City (Manhattan) to have lunch with an old friend and her daughter. She was meeting someone at the UN at 4:00pm so we decided to have lunch at a Georgian (that’s Georgian as in the country not the state) restaurant a block away from the UN. It was very close to where I used to work, but it wasn’t there before I retired, and I had never tried it.

The ambience was great, the service was friendly, and the food was exceptional. I’d definitely come again.

Taken with a Sony RX100 III except for the last one which was taken with my friend’s daughter’s phone and then edited a bit by me.

Finally I got to my ultimate destination: Ramenesque, which describes itself as follows:

RameNesque opened her doors in October 2013. A Manhattan Village styled Ramen restaurant with a unique interior design that fits Chef Nikki’s concept in creating a Japanese Causal Dining & Café atmosphere. RameNesque offers Peekskill a variety of Japanese cuisine.
Homemade style Shoyu Ramen, Miso Ramen, Tom Yum Ramen, Dan Dan and Vegetarian Ramen.The kitchen staff makes a daily batch of soup that simmers daily for several hours. No MSG, artificial ingredients and ready made products. Only fresh produce, natural flavor enhancers such as seaweed, and love for healthy & flavorful homemade foods are allowed in RameNesque kitchen.

It was a lot larger inside than it looked from the outside. Their menu can be found here.

So how did I like it? I felt like something spicy, so I ordered the Tom Yum Ramen. In case you don’t know what Tom Yum is Wikipedia (which also provides more information) describes it as follows:

Tom yum or tom yam is a family of hot and sour Thai soups. The strong, hot, and sour flavors make it very popular in Thai cuisine. The name “tom yam” is composed of two Thai words. Tom refers to the boiling process, while yam means ‘mixed’. Historian Giles Milton contends that the origins of Tom Yum can be traced back to India, where there is a variation of hot and sour shrimp soup known as “sour prawn soup”. In Thailand, Tom Yam is available in various types, with the most popular being “Tom Yam Nam Khon,” or Creamy Tom Yam Soup, and “Tom Yam Nam Sai,” or Clear Tom Yam Soup. This soup features a variety of main ingredients, including shrimp, pork, chicken, and seafood.

They asked how spicy I liked it and I answered very spicy. That’s my preference. and I often find that Asian restaurants tone it down for westerners so if you want it spicy you have to ask for very spicy. This one was just right. I really enjoyed it.

The beer was a perfect accompaniment.

Taken with a Sony RX10 IV

I was by now very, very thirsty. I could have maybe staggered a bit farther to get to my eventual destination, but I found myself passing this place. It’s called Whiskey River, and it specializes in a variety of whiskeys and, more importantly CRAFT BEERS. How could I resist?

A Westchester Magazine review (A Curated Menu of Epic Eats Is Blowing up in Peekskill) from May 2020 described it as follows (note that this is a very short extract from a much longer review):

All in all, Whiskey River has hit the ground running despite some serious hurdles in the market. They’ve partnered with local all-stars Blithe Bagels for a Mother’s Day gift basket and are already working on more team-ups and limited-time menu options. The food is outstanding, the drink options are copious (and quality), and for all that the prices are shockingly reasonable — only $12-$16 for most entrées in large portions, and $15-$20 for jumbo cocktails (though you can snag an 8oz happy hour margarita until 5 p.m. for just $5).

Local foodies will definitely want to check out this rising star in Peekskill’s downtown scene by putting in a take-out order now. By the time restaurants reopen, we’re not sure you’ll be able to get a reservation.

I didn’t have anything to eat (I was going to another restaurant after all), but I did have one of the craft beers. I don’t remember what it was called, but it certainly tasted good. But then again, by that point probably anything would have tasted good. Maybe even pumpkin beer (my all-time worst beer).

Taken with a Sony RX10 IV