Bull And Buddah

     Starting from the complementary parking lot this restaurant shows promise. I was impressed that for the low, low cost of nothing, the patrons of Bull and Buddha were able to park in a private lot and this saved the hassle of driving around the block and then trekking back to the restaurant. The convenient and sometimes taken for granted parking lot certainly started my experience positively.
      Walking into the restaurant took my breath away. The rich smell of cooking meat and Asian spices were almost debilitating. Each table passed showcased edible artwork that had been placed in front of each guest. Although the table for two was too crowded to encompass all that was set in front of us including 3 menus, and we got sat right next to the bathroom in a bit of a cubby hole the dining area was cozy and festive. The hand painted Asian style murals that decorated the walls are stunning and perhaps the only downside to the artist's depictions was that they temporarily slowed conversation while they were admired.
      The server we received was very friendly as a person but it seemed as if even though he was trying, being a server was just not his bag. We received a lot of the things we ordered a little less quickly than what we would have preferred but it was all well worth the wait.
      We started the evening off with a specialty drink and a beer for him. The Thai Martini I enjoyed was a mix of green tea vodka and coconut milk. It was certainly an interesting mouth feel and a creative idea. He enjoyed a Dead Guy Ale that we were surprised to see on the menu. The beer and specialty drink menu clearly had some thought put into it.The wine list had very reasonable by the bottle prices and were from many areas. The more expensive wines were a separate list which allowed some one looking at price separate wines in their price range more easily.
      The special menu offered many sushi choices which we thoroughly took advantage of. We received a bowl of edamame hummus and won ton chips along with our sushi rolls and the spicy mayo we special ordered made the crap roll really pop . The tastes and textures of each piece of sushi were so well paired that I have no doubt in my mind that the kitchen staff and the Creator of the menu has a love of food and a passion that has brought them to this industry. My strong opinion on the kitchen staff continued through the rest of the meal.
     When the shitake and crab crusted fillet Mignon was sat in front of me surrounded by wassabi mashed potatoes and tempura fried onion rings, i was taken back. The presentation paired with how much I had built up the meal in my mind left me speechless and salivating. The meal was certainly not disappointing. The steak was prepared to the exact medium I had ordered, the portions were huge and I left feeling full and completely satisfied with the check total. It was comparable to some of the more inexpensive restaurants in the area and the food was the best for the fine dining restaurants I've dined at in Poughkeepsie.
      Without hesitation, I would highly suggest this restaurant. The interesting take on surf and turf is undeniably one of the top places I would recommend to take a guest to if you want to impress them without stressing your budget. If you only have a few nights with someone special, dedicate one of those dinners to Bull and Buddha.