X2O Xaviars on the Hudson

It can be disorienting on your first visit, entering a giant glass cube bracketed by iron girders and projecting out over the Hudson River. The views are startling, from the Tappan Zee Bridge to the north and southward toward the sizzling firmament of Manhattan. Built on a derelict pier that had been a Yonkers eyesore for decades, X2O Xaviars is the latest triumph in the stellar career of chef-entrepreneur Peter Kelly (he also has Xaviars and Freelance Café & Wine Bar in Piermont.)

Kelly’s idiosyncratic cooking style ranges from the baroque (big eye tuna tartare with Sicilian pistachios, Moroccan dates, aleppo pepper and an edamame coulis), to a marvelously straightforward aged rib eye steak for two with béarnaise sauce. As exhilarating as the setting can be, the hard surfaces can make the place as soothing as a sheet metal plant. On the same premises is a snazzy cocktail lounge that serves sushi, called the Dylan Lounge.You’ll find an exceptionally rich international wine list, at princely prices. Servers are accommodating … when they can hear you.  -- Bryan Miller