Pub Grub Has A New Hub
Crossroads Gastro is a perfect crowd-pleaser. While owner and operator Chef Waree Dinsay has always loved experimenting and introducing new food to her clients, her latest restaurant represents an effort “to feed everybody.” The pub-style menu that Crossroads offers is packed with delicious comfort food and classic American eats. They serve sliders, wings, burgers and beer, all prepared with creative twists that bring new dimensions of flavor to established classics.
Take her Angus beef sliders for example: Waree serves her small burgers with a house-made chipotle barbeque sauce that is both sweet and tangy. It blends wonderfully with the spicy garlic aioli that’s also spread on the sandwiches. This flavor contrast is simple yet incredibly effective, the heat of the aioli balancing the saccharinity of the barbeque sauce
and vice versa. The soft-shell crab burger, one of Crossroads’ top sellers, utilizes Waree’s signature smack sauce to bring a unique tangy taste to an old favorite. Small touches like that encapsulate Crossroads’ mission statement of “no more complicated stuff” while still allowing Waree to flex her creative cooking talents.
The same could be said of Crossroads’ many vegan and vegetarian options. Waree’s healthy alternatives are straightforward yet inspired. The portobello mushroom burgers are piled high with fresh veggies like jalapenos and bell peppers, capturing the taste of a veggie burger without using any artificial ingredients. While other restaurants aim to create meatless burgers using complex chemicals and substitutes, Waree achieves the rich filling feel of a burger with homegrown vegetables specifically chosen to complement each other. Her vegan buffalo wings are made with pieces of cauliflower lightly fried in a Korean-style batter and smothered in a spicy house-made sauce. Rather than try to recreate the taste of boneless wings, she uses fresh ingredients to craft a uniquely tasty alternative.
Chef Dinsay worked as a line cook at a kitchen in Pearl River before launching her own restaurants. Her experience crafting “gastro pub-style” cuisine shows. Her chicken wings are perfectly fried and satisfyingly crunchy. The burger and chicken parm sliders are delicious, and her French fries ought to be considered the industry standard.
Though Waree began her culinary career making traditional Thai food, she has quickly mastered American and Americanized Mexican and Italian-style cuisine. She is inspired by her three growing children: “This type of comfort food is what my kids would eat.”
Crossroads has been open for only half a year and is already a major success. “[We’re] better and better every day,” promised Waree who had established a loyal following of hungry customers well before opening her newest location. “They love my food,” she said proudly.
Those looking to enjoy Waree’s more traditional recipes can do so at Crossroads. Everything on the menu at Grub Asian Fusion, her Thai restaurant only a few doors down from Crossroads, can be walked over to the new restaurant which is licensed to serve alcohol. Crossroads is perfect for those looking for more affordable quality dining and is perfect for families with small children. The restaurant has outdoor seating and is open six days a week from 11AM–10PM. Crossroads Gastro is growing fast and already looking to add more servers. Anyone who wants to enjoy quality comfort food should stop by Crossroads Gastro, one of Rockland’s best. Your taste buds will thank you.
