I finally ventured into Beacon's hottest new restaurant -- OII -- this Friday. Confused by the name? It's pronounced Oh Two. The restaurant, with an eclectic cuisine combining small plates and regular entrees, has been written up in the New York Times, Hudson Valley Magazine, the Poughkeepsie Journal, and other publications as the place to eat in Dutchess County.
Our experience was good, but we felt the owners were trying a tad too hard to be trendy. We stuck with small plates, enjoying mini tacos, a small pizza with poblano peppers and pepperjack cheese, and shortribs with some yummy barbecue sauce. I briefly looked at their wine list, which changes regularly, and went with vinho verde, a good choice on a steamy summer day. The food was presented beautifully and tasted quite good. Everything we ordered had a spicy kick to it. Three small plates left us full, but with room for dessert. My husband tried the warm chocolate cake, which was beyond decadent and served with homemade mint ice cream. I had a key lime soufflet tartlet, which was excellent (many restaurants try and fail at key lime desserts, in my opinion).
The bill came out to just over $60, which I felt was fair given the setting (local artists display their work here) and the bistro ambiance. I give OII a thumbs up, but I feel their service should be just a bit more warm. Beacon is becoming a trendy spot, but it isn't Manhattan yet, so the restaurant should adapt a bit more to the setting.
http://www.oiiny.com
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