Hudson Clearwater is a perfect place for a casual lunch or brunch (even if the food isn’t a particular standout). There’s ample seating, especially when you combine the outdoor seating in the front, the inside of the restaurant, and the patio in the back. The space is generous, comfortable, and very open. I love the back patio in particular and highly recommend sitting there when the weather is warm. The umbrellas in the front and back will keep you shaded, but if you want to be in direct sunlight, you can just move the table and chairs accordingly.
It’s a really serene place overall and the service is just as calm in the best possible way. The servers are attentive, but flexible and super chill. The restaurant seemingly hires people based on that vibe, which is nice. Nothing was ever loud, frantic or rushed. It’s a calming place.
Hudson Clearwater makes many of their pastries and breads in-house, including the English muffin they use for some of their breakfast sandwiches. The croissant and multi-grain toast come from Bien Cuit. I didn’t try the toast, but it honestly looks spectacular. Our server asked if we wanted a side and we declined, but in hindsight, we should’ve obliged.
We tried the grapefruit brûlée, which comes garnished with mint. The caramelization on top was very light and not too noticeable. It would’ve been nice to amplify the effect to bring out the sweetness. They serve you a half large grapefruit with a grapefruit knife and spoon. Grapefruit is so high maintenance and it takes forever to eat it. But it’s such a classic brunch option that isn’t on enough menus these days!
We also ordered the fried egg & cheese sandwich and the red quinoa bowl. The fried egg & cheese comes with your choice of tomato & avocado or bacon and is served on their house made English muffin. You can get the egg done however you’d like if you don’t want it fried. The sandwich is pretty standard and nothing special, but a solid choice. The English muffin is the star – it’s quite delicious.
The red quinoa comes with tatsoi, cucumber, poached egg, manchego, and almonds. We opted to get yogurt instead of the pear vinaigrette that typically accompanies the dish. The yogurt they have is one of the best I’ve ever tried. It is so rich, so creamy, not incredibly tangy, but with a touch of sourness. I asked what it was and our server immediately went to ask the kitchen. She came back with a picture on her phone of the container. It is a lebanese kefir lubne. SO good. The manchego cheese was a nice touch to the dish.
Their ketchup (which I use on eggs) is also particularly delicious. In general I’m a fan of just classic ketchup – you know, Heinz and what not. Fancy ketchups tend to be terrible in comparison. I don’t know what this ketchup was and neither did our server, but it was really good. Not very sweet or acidic, but super smooth.
Overall, the food at Hudson Clearwater is good, but not spectacular. But I really like the vibe of the place. That vibe, combined with solid food and good service, make it a place worth trying.
