Rainwater Grill, a spacious and neighborhood-friendly restaurant in Hastings-on-Hudson, is an easy 10 minute jaunt down Broadway from our local rivertowns. Briarcliff resident Tony Fortunate and his co-partner Ken Lauro, Jr., owner/managers, knew each other for years at Mighty Joe Young’s in Hartsdale before they created their dream restaurant, Rainwater. Their vision has become an inviting, comfortable bar space and dining room where friends and family can relax, enjoy their “elevated American food” and have a good time socializing.

Walking in, you will find the lively bar to the right and the welcoming restaurant to the left. On weekends, when reservations are essential, it’s a hard choice to know which way to turn. Rainwater’s bar features a stunning waterfall as its centerpiece, and is presided over by the award-winning mixologist, Lauro. He has stocked a compelling array of single malt scotches, single barrel bourbons, cordials cognacs and ports. In addition, he has created a delightful list of 15 martinis: anything from a pear-tini (Grey Goose La Poire Vodka, Amaretto, Simple Syrup and Sour mix) to the Lemony Lemon-Drop (fresh squeezed lemon juice, Stoli Citrus Vodka, simple syrup, shaved ice with a rock candy rim) and everything in between. His specialty mixed drinks are not only intriguing, but good conversation-starters.

“Hastings Tastings,” small plates available at the bar Monday through Thursday, have fast become a special Rainwater feature. Customers enjoy sharing multiple plates or just having a light meal, choosing from an ever-popular bar choice of homemade potato chips, served with blue cheese fondue, or hangar steak crostini, boneless chicken wings, buffalo shrimp, roasted beets or Portobello skewers. Slider choices may include meatball parmesan, caprese (homemade mozzarella, beefsteak tomato and basil), or ranch chicken. Tastings are a convenient and convivial way to enjoy a meal whether with friends or dining alone, especially barside. Fortunate wants Rainwater to be a place “….where a couple can go out and have a small plate and drinks at the bar, or families or friends can dine together in the main dining area, linger over drinks and enjoy a full menu. Many enjoy a relaxing cocktail at the bar and then move into the main dining area.” Rainwater’s space provides that option and has regulars who enjoy both.

Chef Eddie Martinez changes his menu seasonally, but likes to keep his signature dishes available for customers who can’t live without them. A lobster grilled cheese sandwich –Maine lobster sautÈed in herb butter, with Swiss, brie and Monterey Jack cheese – served with baby greens, is a heavenly favorite, as is the lobster mac and cheese, redolent of truffle oil. Both dishes melt in your mouth, oozing comfort along the way.

Before the first course, Rainwater’s Italian-style bread is best sopped up with Chef Martinez’s home-made dipping oil, a perfectly calibrated mixture of extra virgin olive oil, tinged with parmesan cheese, herbs and a hint of red pepper. For appetizers, the Prince Edward Island Mussels, steamed in beer, with chorizo, julienned leeks, sliced garlic crushed red pepper, and finished with herb butter, is a hearty choice. Grilled calamari, a welcome change from the ubiquitous fried calamari, is simply flavored with extra virgin olive oil, fresh herbs and lemon zest and accompanied by scampi sauced crostini.

All dishes are reasonably priced, and only two entrees, the Maine lobster and the ribeye au poivre top $20; even these are a bargain. Rainwater’s seafood putanesca – P.E.I. mussels, shrimp, monkfish and calamari - is served over spahetti dressed with calamata olives, anchovy fillets tomatoes and fresh herbs. And the hangar steak, grilled to order, comes simply dressed au jus, accompanied by hard-cut fries and asparagus.

Rainwater’s vegetarian menu displays thought and creativity; several choices are offered in appetizer or entree size, which is a unique advantage for both vegetarian and non-vegetarian diners. One specialty that has fast became a favorite, is the fried avocado. Tempura battered and with a chopped mango salsa, this avocado dish is a perfect culinary combination: the avocado’s smoothness, enveloped in a crunchy exterior, is complemented by a sweet and slightly spicy mango “aioli”. It’s a perfect melding of flavors and textures. Vegetarian spring rolls, soups and flatbreads round out the menu, as does eggplant provencale and an unusual mushroom “pillow” – one large mushroom filled ravioli topped with pomodoro cream sauce.

Fortunate and Lauro have five children between their two families, so having a children’s menu was important from the beginning. The kids menu, at $8, includes a beverage and an ice cream sundae. Children can pick from a number of kid-friendly choices, and any allergies are always accommodated. All desserts at Rainwater are home-made, so chocolate lovers, cheesecake afficionados and fruit crisp fans will all be happy. In addition, Rainwater is open for lunch, offering a variety of its dinner and tasting menu choices. And Sunday brunch, ordered a la carte, has earned high marks with its offer of unlimited Bloody Marys or Mimosas. Intimate private parties or events for 125 often fill the restaurant on Saturday afternoons.

Rainwater strives to be eco-friendly, and the decor reflects that mission. With grass covered wall treatments, sea grass chairs, wood pieces in the bar area creatively adapted for re-use as tables, Fortunate and Lauro have included all the decor elements to provide a vibrant and casual place. You will always find one of the partners on hand to greet you and make sure your time at Rainwater is relaxing and enjoyable.

Rainwater Grill

Hastings-on-Hudson

19 Main Street

478-1147

Mon.-Thurs. 11:30a.m.-10:00p.m.

Fri. 11:30-11:00 p.m./

Sat. 5:00-11p.m.

Sun. Brunch: 11:30-4p.m.,

Dinner: 4-9 p.m.

Bar stays open until last customer leaves!

Closed Saturday afternoon for private parties.

Catering available/ Parking: street and nearby lot.

www.rainwatergrill.com