Seneca Falls, N.Y. — Though merely a side dish, the summer vegetable succotash at Sackett’s Table in Seneca Falls was as much of a feature as the grilled halibut fillet that sat on it.
Bright red in hue and flecked with yellow corn kernels, the flavors were fresh and dominated by onion, bell pepper and the thickened tomato paste that lent its color. It was bright and tangy with hints of earthy beans, the perfect foil for the fresh fish it accompanied. The simply-seasoned halibut — a special ($28) on the Saturday we visited — was light but firm, with flavors of salt air, and held up nicely on the grill.
We often mention side dishes in passing, as they generally merit little more discussion than a sentence or two. Sackett’s Table is an exception, as each item we ordered featured bold, individual flavors that worked together in harmony when presented on the plate.
Owners Brent and Maria Maynard opened the restaurant in 2021, bringing in James Beard award-winning chef Patrick Higgins from the Inns of Aurora to run the kitchen. The restaurant takes its name from Gary Sackett, the 19th century resident who built the row of brick buildings at Bridge and Bayard streets, at the corner of which the restaurant now sits.
The restaurant attempts to source as much of its ingredients as possible from local farms, including the Maynard’s own Sucker Brook Farm in nearby Waterloo and their Finger Lakes Farms network.
And let’s talk about that meat selection for a minute. When you walk into the restaurant from its main entrance, you find yourself in a butcher shop. Two cases full of beef, poultry and lamb welcomed us on our visit. When it was time to order our entrees, those meat cases came back into play.
One doesn’t just order a steak at Sackett’s Table. You actually go to the meat market and pick out your steak from the case. The selection is dependent on what’s on hand at that time, so the bavette — a cut we enjoy — was out. Instead, we took the dive on the tomahawk ribeye, a ridiculous-looking cut of meat with massive bone dovetailing from its side. Diners pay market price plus $18, which covers cooking and the sides (our approximately two-pound steak was $65.84, including the $18 charge).
The tender steak was grilled just to medium-rare and seasoned only with salt and pepper, allowing the grill smoke and natural beef flavors to stand forth. Ribeyes are well-marbled, so there was plenty of rendered fat to keep the meat juicy and permeate the bed of chive polenta on which it sat.
The porridge-like polenta tasted like fresh corn — it was locally sourced — and butter, with a punctuation of oniony chives. Creamy and light, it merits consideration as a standalone entree and is a dish I will attempt at home. A tangy kohlrabi slaw placed on top of the steak added acidity, brightness and crunch.
Starters were equally as thoughtful.
In the mushroom escabeche ($12), tangy vinegar-marinated mushrooms were sauteed and cooled before being tossed with frisee. It was served over a bed of herbed ricotta, which softened the bitterness of the greens and vinegar. The mushrooms were meaty and hearty, with a fresh earthy flavor that complemented everything in the bowl.
Copious amounts of butter and cream in the bechamel sauce provided a base for the French gnocchi ($13). Red wine sausage was sautéed and tossed in the sauce along with the largest and lightest gnocchi we’ve had in a long time. The fennel- and wine-flavored sausage was tempered by the bechamel, which all paired harmoniously with the pasta.
Though molten hot at the center, the fried green tomatoes ($13) offered a hint of sweetness from the core of their beer batter. It was accented by the bacon-onion jam spooned over top. A ramekin of jalapeno hot sauce resembled a chili oil but imparted a smoky punch of heat.
We looked past the creme brulee for dessert and settled on a pair of tarts ($11 each). The lime tart offered a juicy, lip-puckering filling, while the chocolate-hazelnut version was full of dark cocoa and subtle nut undertones. Both were topped with fresh strawberry slices and were served on the same light, buttery crust.
Intimate is the best way to describe the dining room, as six tables and an eight-seat bar fill a modest space. Two additional tables sit outdoors.
The kitchen’s gamble on mixing bold flavors pays off, selecting bold ingredients and letting their best selves stand out. We didn’t find conflicts in any of the dishes, as everything was very thoughtful right down to the presentation.
And, it all works, from the fruit-forward cocktails to the pick-your-own-steak to the anise-scented whipped cream on the chocolate-hazelnut tart. The eye for detail at Sackett’s Table, married with high-quality, fresh ingredients, elevates the farm-to-table dining bar for others to try and reach.
The Details
The Restaurant: Sackett’s Table, 23 Bridge St., Seneca Falls; 315.257.0024.
Takeout/Delivery? Takeout is available by calling the restaurant.
Reservations? Yes.
Credit cards? Yes.
Outdoor seating? Yes.
Noise level: Manageable. The dining room is intimate, but conversation was easy to have.
Access to the disabled: There is a step up to the front door, but it is rather easy to get around. The restrooms have plenty of space.
Parking: On-street parking is available on Bridge and Bayard streets.
Special diets? Vegetarians and pescatarians have options, as do those on a dairy-free diet. Though gluten-free options are many, the kitchen also bakes bread and the risk of cross-contamination is high.
Children’s menu? No.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday 5 to 9 p.m.; closed on Sunday and Monday.
Cost: Starters run between $10 and $13, and most entrees are in the $20 range. Steaks are market price plus $18 for sides. We attempted to try as much of the menu as reasonable to showcase the restaurant. Dinner for two with alcoholic beverages, starters, entrees, dessert, sales tax and 20% gratuity was $265.64.
Jared Paventi is a restaurant critic for syracuse.com and The Post-Standard. You can reach him at jaredpaventi@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter. Sign up for our free weekly Where Syracuse Eats newsletter here.
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