GIGI'S FOLDEROL II--Westtown, New York

Gigi's Folderol II, 795 Route 284, Westtown, NY 10998 (845) 726-3822

Gigi’s Folderol II, another little gem tucked away in a little place, Westtown, NY, is definitely worth the trip—even if it’s long. No kidding. This is a restaurant where you are treated as an old friend, and you are made to feel comfortable and very welcome.

Getting to Folderol means a lovely drive through the country. We hit a detour because of some bridge construction. The detour was a winding road. Suddenly our heads almost jerked off our necks; a herd of camels ran by. But that’s a story for another time.

The building, itself, dates back to the 1850’s. Take the time to be an observer. Looking at the wood plank floors, and hearing its history is worthwhile.

The décor is lovely. Candlelight and flowers at the tables and comfortable seats that allow for lingering add to the mood, vaguely romantic. Music on Friday and Saturday night by pianist Richard Wiggins (affectionately known as Wiggy) adds a calm, delightful feeling to the room. But don’t think that Folderol’s lure is its gracious ambiance or its history. Folderol’s lure is its food.

We had the pleasure of meeting Virginia and Dion, the owners. Our server, Valerie Mallia was an energetic supporter of Folderol who made sure we were introduced. She also gave us wonderfully accurate advice on menu selection.

Without segue, I’ll go back to an earlier visit when Rob and I ordered rack of lamb.
“How would you like it done?” our server asked.
“Huh?” we answered.
“You’ll like it the way you like steak,” he said.
Now, Rob and I were never asked by our mothers how we liked our lamb or any other meat, for that matter. They cooked it until it rivaled hockey pucks for hardness. Little did we know…. It was glorious. That was a terrific Folderol experience!!!!

Back to this latest dinner. Folderol bills itself as French-Eurasian. That’s a lovely combination in terms of menu choices.

My description of our appetizers will be enough to make your mouth water. Maui Spring Rolls—chicken, ginger, and bok choy filling with passion fruit balsamic dipping sauce. Escargots en Croute—with spinach, sweet peppers and saffron sauce. Baked Brie in Puff Pastry—served with pecans and fresh seasonal fruit. There we were, sipping Knob Creek or Cosmopolitans, and nibbling on some of the best appetizers we’ve ever tasted.

Look at the description of the entrees we chose. The always outstanding New Zealand Rack of Lamb with an herb Dijon crust and juniper berry demiglace, Asian Five Spice Roasted Duckling with fruit glaze, Waikato Veal Rack with roasted figs and a Cabernet demiglace, and Chicken Breast with panko crust stuffed with fontina cheese, asparagus, apricots and roasted red pepper served with an apple cider reduction. Everything was about as good as it gets. Everything was served attractively. It seems that at Folderol, nothing is left undone that might make the diner feel comfortable and pampered in every way.

If there was a downside to the Folderol experience, it was that there was no room left for dessert, tempting as they were.