On the corner of North Buckhout St. and Main St. in Irvington, overlooking the Hudson River, is Hudson Prime Steakhouse, owned by husband and wife team Gino and Floria Uli. Hudson Prime has been in operation since June 29, 2021, and during this nine-month period the Ulis have met with success.
Although ethnic Albanian restaurateurs are ambitious, going so far as to open a restaurant in the midst of a pandemic, their good humor is buoyed by realistic expectations and an understanding of the current restaurant landscape. The idea to open a restaurant in Irvington first came about a year ago, and the impetus was as simple as the owner approaching Les Ulis with a bargain on the spot at a price the couple found pleasing. .
This type of straightforward decision-making is unique to chef and co-owner Gino Uli, an affable and adventurous yet sensible individual who sees the prospect of opening up in times of uncertainty as a good opportunity. Although aware of the effects that Covid-19 and the ensuing mandates have had on customer habits, Uli was confident in “people’s willingness to return”.
This trust is reflected in the physical building itself. Its exterior is no-frills, but once inside, an elegant interior sporting mostly soothing dark colors and stately chandeliers hanging overhead welcome guests, with a wine collection prominently displayed near the kitchen entrance. In the western part of the restaurant, the Hudson River can be seen through the large set of windows. From this vantage point, looking down, one can see the patio, which welcomed patrons still wary of eating indoors last summer.
Hudson Prime also benefited from staff stability. While many restaurants continue to struggle with great resignation and low worker morale, the steakhouse has been sold out since day one.
But a nice location and even motivated workers can only elevate an establishment so far. The Ulis know that a steakhouse ultimately lives or dies by the quality of its steaks, and that’s one area Uli hasn’t overlooked – he’s racked up experience over the decades, citing his experience in Mediterranean cuisine as a determining factor in the creation of exquisite dishes.
Choices include thick bacon, marinated in honey bourbon glaze, which serves as a scrumptious appetizer. The A5 Wagyu steak is a customer favourite, with beef sourced directly from Japan.
However, Uli acknowledged the challenges faced in their fledgling business. Chief among them was the re-emergence of Covid-19 as a major threat – last year’s ‘freedom summer’, when Covid-19 cases fell dramatically, was cut short with the arrival Delta and Omicron variants of the virus.
“This holiday season, we knew we were going to be dead,” Uli said of operations last December. “It has destroyed everyone’s holiday season in restaurants.”
Today, the restaurant faces supply chain issues and inflation.
“When I opened, 20% was missing from my menu and to this day, a whole lot of wine is missing,” he continued. “A crate of chicken was about $60. Now it’s around $130.
But despite the obstacles they face now and likely await, Uli predicted a bright and exciting future. Having opened their doors during such tumultuous times and having weathered some of the worst the pandemic has seen in the business world so far, restaurateurs are undoubtedly emboldened and optimistic about what lies ahead.
The biggest addition is the upcoming arrival of a homemade meat market which will be open on Saturday mornings. Hudson Prime’s butcher will help customers select high quality meat to take home.
“If you’re barbecuing at home and want to impress your friends and guests, you pull out steakhouse meat instead of supermarket meat,” Uli said.
