The Local Spotlight Presents Five-Star Dining at Freelance Café & Wine Bar — Where Regulars Return and Newcomers Are Welcome

Tonight, I ate one of the best-tasting meals of my entire life. I've lived in Piermont for the past 12 years and have dined at countless restaurants around the world. But tonight, my dinner simply blew me away.Each bite was so inspiring that I found myself reciting a restaurant review out loud to my dinner companion (my husband), and I’m not even a food critic. But if I were, I’d give Freelance Café five stars on this one dish alone. What was the dish? You’ll have to read the full article to find out. But first, let me introduce you to Freelance Café & Wine Bar.

Freelance is one of the longest-standing restaurants here in Piermont. Peter Kelly opened Xaviars in 1987, and then two years later, launched Freelance right next door. In 2016, Jason Wang bought the building, including the two restaurants. While Xaviars ended up closing later that year, Jason kept Freelance, both the name of the restaurant and the staff, and updated the menu to reflect more modern eating habits. Gone were the heavy butter sauces and in came new American cuisine with a French influence. Some of the original popular dishes — like Big Eye Tuna Tartare — remain, but many new ones were created, with a specials menu coming out every two weeks highlighting what’s in season.

Jason and his wife, Yifen, immigrated to the United States from Shanghai back in 1992. They first settled in Seattle where they opened an Asian restaurant. When their daughter graduated from NYU in 2015 and wanted to stay in New York, Jason and Yifen decided to move to the East Coast to be closer to her, and in doing so, they discovered Piermont. “I love the people and the community here,” said Jason.

When they bought Freelance, they decided to keep the staff who were already there. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it,” said Jason. In fact, everyone who works there to this day began under Peter Kelly. Joe started in 2014, along with Benny, and Memo came a year later. Omid has been the bartender for the last 12-13 years. Milton, the head chef, began working in the kitchen 26 years ago, and Nicky, the sous chef, has been there the longest, for 34 years. Omid reflected, “There’s a style here. I knew it worked, because we all like working together. Most of us here are the core. Xaviars closed, but we still have this connection with all the people who worked there.”

It says a lot not just about the staff, that they wanted to continue working together, but also about the new owners, Jason and Yifen. They stepped into an already established restaurant, but had the foresight and leadership to allow what worked with the original restaurant to continue to flourish and grow. “We are one people; one family,” said Jason. And the fact that they all showed up on the day when my colleague and I came to interview them speaks to their deep connection with each other and their pride in this restaurant. They believe in this place and in each other. That’s what enables Freelance to endure. “Long staff, long restaurant,” believes Jason. And the bond that they share as one family manifests in the exquisite flavor of the food that they create, the warm environment that they provide, and the fulfilling experience that the people who dine there receive. All great chefs know that the one ingredient every dish needs is “love.” At Freelance Café, the people who work here truly love what they do together, and the customers can feel it.

Now experience what I ate on that momentous night:

It started with a bite into a crispy, grilled Brussels sprout demi-round, its salty rich barbecued flavor immediately sending happy warm tingles to my brain. The next bite was two-fold: first crunching through the panko bread crust, then sinking into the soft, delicate, mildly sweet flesh of the cod. But the last bite was what sent me over the edge: I twirled my fork around the soba noodles soaking up the mushroom broth and brought it to my lips. As soon as it entered my mouth, my brain started to malfunction, wondering how in the world I’d never before tasted anything so delicious. The broth was the definition of umami: rich, profound, creamy, complex, and striking the perfect balance between saltiness and a hint of sweetness. Even after there was no more food left in the bowl, I continued to scoop up every last spoonful of the broth — it was intoxicatingly delicious. Perfection on a plate like this Panko Crusted Cod is what brings loyal patrons coming back to this restaurant, some for as long as 30+ years, as well as a chef from another local restaurant who regularly dines here on his night off. Come to Freelance Café & Wine Bar, and experience exquisitely fine dining right here in Piermont.

Start with the miso soup which will warm your belly and cleanse your palate. Then move onto the fried gyoza dumplings where one bite into the crispy edges brings you to the chewy interior for a multi-textural sensation. Follow it with the freshest sushi of your heart’s desire. While the fan favorite is Tuna Millenium — tempura-encrusted seared tuna with creamy wasabi sauce — Doug encourages patrons to try everything, and the best way to do that is to choose omakase, a chef-curated tasting menu.

Doug relies on a hardworking team of chefs and staff, all of whom have worked with him at his previous restaurants, some for as long as 15 years. The service is welcoming and attentive, and the chefs prepare each dish with precision and care. To Doug, “Food tastes like your personality. As you press [each sushi roll], it comes through. You put your personality and heart into the food.” At Sabi Sushi, that comes with a depth of life experience that is hard-earned and valuable.

“I think back when I was a refugee and cooked then to survive. I was a kid, but I needed to eat.” That Doug was able to take a skill that he had no choice but to learn and turn it into something that would enable him to thrive and achieve success in this country is no small feat. It’s the American dream.

From left to right: Milton, Nicky, Joe, Omid, Benny, Yifen, and Jason. (Not pictured: Memo)

By Shauna Wennerod

Local Spotlight — Freelance Café

Read the Story and Bid on the Auction Item