Remember how in the days of vinyl we’d buy a “45” for the hit song and then end up liking the B-side of the record better? There’s a little bit of that going on behind the naming of the new eatery located at 62 Main Street in the village. “The B-Side Grill is kind of like ‘the other side’ of what you may expect,” says co-owner George Vlamis. The restaurant specializes in breakfast, burgers and ice cream, but it’s not a diner. Everything will be made fresh and creative specials will be offered along with a lot of breakfast items that aren’t seen everywhere else.
Vlamis and his business partner, Louis Milano, are both New Paltz-raised guys who attended New Paltz High School. They’re both experienced restaurateurs, with about 30 years of combined experience in the restaurant business. Milano is also a musician who plays in a local band, Tomorrow’s Alibi.
That love of music is reflected in the B-Side Grill’s rock ‘n’ roll decor. Colorfully painted walls are embellished with “45” records, posters and photos of famous classic rock musicians, and a bass guitar hangs near the entrance to the kitchen. The B-Side Grill is casual dining, pretty much an ideal spot for the college students in town, but Vlamis says they’ve chosen the menu to cater to all of the different types of people who live in New Paltz, and the tourists, too. “This is a four-season town that offers a unique variety of people from all walks of life. We love how the college is here, but the town has a bunch of beautiful people who like to eat all across the board.”
So to satisfy all of those types of appetites, the B-Side Grill will offer a range of menu options they’re calling “American classic with a new-age twist.” There are items for every type of diet from vegan to gluten-free along with comfort food like hot dogs, house-made chili and the double-patty burgers made with fresh, never-frozen certified Angus beef. As the restaurant grows — they’ve only been open a matter of weeks at this point — they plan to expand their vegan options, says Vlamis, especially in taking their line of vegetarian burgers into the vegan realm.
Breakfast is a specialty of the house and it’s served all day and night. In addition to pancakes, French toast and waffles with homemade fresh fruit compotes, classic Eggs Benedict is served as well as some unexpected variations on it, like The Cali Benedict, poached eggs on a toasted English muffin with tomato and avocado under Hollandaise sauce. B-Side omelettes reflect that rock ‘n’ roll theme, with The Paul McCartney a healthy veggie option made with egg whites, spinach and peppers and The Motown Philly filled with seasoned shaved sirloin, cheese, peppers, onions and mushrooms. Unusual breakfast items include a bruschetta-inspired concoction of scrambled eggs, tomato, fresh mozzarella, fresh basil and a balsamic reduction served on garlic toast points. The Breakfast Ramen includes rice noodles, spinach and bacon with a deep-fried tempura battered soft boiled egg.
Then there’s the array of hard ice cream and specialty sundaes and milkshakes available along with fresh fruit smoothies, which can be made with soy or coconut milk for a twist. And Vlamis says they’ve already arranged to have one of the front windows of the restaurant replaced with a service window so they can offer soft serve custard to people walking by on the street. That’s scheduled to happen within the month.
Beer and wine is expected to be available by summer.
B-Side Grill opens every Saturday and Sunday at 8 a.m. and Monday through Friday at 9 a.m. They stay open until at least midnight every night; later if business calls for it.
More information is available at (845) 256-0100, www.bsidegrill.com or B-Side Grill on Facebook.
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