This article was contributed by Gia Nina, food enthusiast in the Hudson Valley area.
Hello, my dear friends and welcome back to A Bite With Gia. Here we discuss the best places to eat in the Hudson Valley. Stick with me and you will be completely equipped to have a wonderful night out any day of the week.
This week we find ourselves in Mahopac, NY — a city is surrounded by beautiful lakes and hills with spectacular views. Here we find a treasure of fine dining called My Cousins. This restaurant has a beautiful story.
The owner, David Gallo, founded the restaurant in 2021. David started in the restaurant industry as a dishwasher, and worked his way up through every position in the business. Through acquiring plenty of hands-on experience and later working at a fine dining restaurant, David learned how to run and operate a Michelin-star restaurant where he leads by example.
David had a cousin called Jay, and they had both wanted to open a restaurant of their own. David describes his cousin as someone who made everyone feel welcome. He called his restaurant, “My Cousin’s” in memory of his cousin Jay. Between the story and the location, My Cousin’s makes for a wonderful night out. Just as David intended, the restaurant is welcoming — you feel like you’re amongst family when you walk in.
Success
You are now signed up for our newsletter
Success
Check your email to complete sign up
I first discovered My Cousin’s in the most interesting way. I had finished my delivery job in the Mahopac area, and it was time to eat. I searched Google for great food nearby, and was directed to a dark and dingy restaurant. There were no customers at all — not even at the bar. The host was clearly bored, as if he had had nothing to do for hours; and when I asked if the place was usually busy, he told me; “Sometimes on the weekend only.”
As I looked around I saw that the tables were not clean, although they were set with clean silverware. There was some kind of quarrel going on in the kitchen. All these were clear indicators to me that I should leave. Luckily, across the street, I saw a nicely lit-up restaurant. There were cars in the parking lot and people inside enjoying their meals.
So there I went. The hostess greeted me with a warm smile, and welcomed me in. I saw people sitting at the bar and at tables enjoying themselves. The menu had many enticing dishes and I couldn’t resist the smothered pork chop.
This is a thick 16 oz. premium center-cut pork chop baked, smothered with apple, onion and bacon compote, and served with mayonnaise potatoes. I was not disappointed.
Some of the other menu items include Atlantic salmon, chicken Melanie, classic burger, farro salad, French onion soup, Grandma’s cauliflower patties, and artichoke dip. The tables are comfortable and the space is well-decorated. It was overall such a pleasant experience to eat there.
In the past, I have dined at uncomfortable places because I didn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings; but honestly, in these hard times, we cannot afford to waste our hard-earned money in a place we will not enjoy. If you find yourself sitting in a restaurant where you don’t get a good vibe, leave.
But you certainly won’t feel that way at My Cousin’s restaurant in Mahopac. This is a place that will make you welcome and entice you to stay.
954 Route 6
Mahopac, NY 10541
845-648-2600
Tuesday through Saturday 4:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Closed on Monday
I cannot wait to see what the next week will bring: What delicious food am I going to eat next and, of course, where am I going to bring you to share A Bite With Gia?
