SINCE John Crabtree and his family took over Kittle House 20 years ago, the fine-tuning has never stopped. Not only are the dining areas constantly refreshed, but the kitchen renews itself as well, as Gregory Gilbert, the chef, and Anibal Romero, the dessert chef, take advantage of seasonal markets to add continuing excitment to their dishes.
The newest addition to this seemingly complete establishment is the wine cellar's private dining room, with a view not of the manicured grounds but of one of the world's great wine cellars. More than 5,000 selections are stored behind the cellar's glass doors. The room, which has a sommelier on hand, is dedicated to groups that want to learn about or that are already serious about matching wine with the exceptional food served here.
Ingredients and artistry distinguish this kitchen. Organically and locally grown products are used whenever possible, and garnishes like foie gras, caviar, lobster and truffles, are generously applied. A dainty lagniappe is composed with a jeweler's precision -- perhaps a wafer of smoked salmon with horseradish cream and sevruga caviar or tiny shrimp with celery rémoulade or a miniature timbale of some rich complex mousse. An ice sculpture is rescued from the depths of kitsch and taken into the reaches of art. One hated to disturb the structure: glistening oysters touched with green tea and lemon grass mignonette perched on crystalline ledges. And many desserts looked like beautifully wrapped gift packages.
The results of three visits seemed to indicate that the very few dishes lacking finesse came from the menu of daily specials: salad with dry meat purportedly ostrich, salty corn soup, medallions of bland venison and overdone pompano. Stay with the regular table menu, and dine royally on almost everything else.
Fragrant orange zest countered the earthiness of supple Hudson Valley foie gras; shellfish ravioli, in a pool of heady black truffle broth, held a whole succulent scallop topped with lobster mousse; and one huge smoky prawn paired perfectly with a mash of buttery avocado and chopped shrimp.
In a magical combination, tangy goat cheese and subtle heat from horseradish underscored the sweetness of yellow and red beets (carpaccio). As though to prove its versatility, duck arrived as foie gras mousse, sausage and prosciutto, a mound of celeriac slaw cutting the richness nicely.
Tasty as it was, free-range lamb suffered in the company of other entrees. Gently roasted squab came with a luxurious mushroom flan and a bit of balsamic-port wine sauce, a lovely balance of sweet and tart; and even better was a brace of quail stuffed with black bread and foie gras and accented by lingonberry vinaigrette.
Lobster (out of the shell) with roasted corn salad; a thick fillet of juicy sea bass atop delectable taro root puree; and yellowfin tuna in coriander crust were all outstanding.
Garnished with fresh fruit, a selection from an extraordinary assemblage of cheeses could make a fine ending. Ask the kitchen to choose from those perfectly ripe at the moment. But then there were the opulent desserts to consider. Among the seductive lot, potent fruit tart, a cunning beribboned pastry ''package'' wrapping molten chocolate, anise-touched crème Chantilly over a berry-filled crepe, not-too-sweet pecan pie and ultra-creamy cheesecake.
A hefty wine book lists more than 5,000 brands; for the casual diner, however, a short list describes some two dozen pleasing wines, many in the $30 range.
An à la carte dinner averages $48 without drinks, tax and tip. The restaurant is off Route 117 and north of Reader's Digest Road.
Crabtree's Kittle House
11 Kittle Road, Chappaqua.
(914) 666-8044.
EXCELLENT
ATMOSPHERE: Elegantly appointed dining areas with well-spaced tables -- some with views of illuminated trees -- update the restaurant's rustic dark-beamed core: a late 18th-century barn. Stunning mahogany bar in the Tap Room. Jazz Fridays and Saturdays. Helpful, knowledgeable service. Twelve guest rooms. Valet parking.
RECOMMENDED DISHES: Shellfish ravioli, carpaccio of beets, duck ''tasting,'' grilled prawn, foie gras, squab, sea bass, lobster, quail, tuna, cheese assortment, all desserts.
PRICES: Lunch, sandwiches and salads, $9.50 to $14.50; entrees, $13.50 to $18.50. Dinner, entrees, $17.50 to $35.50. Tasting menu (main dining room), $65, Sundays through Fridays; $75, Saturdays. Tasting menu (wine cellar) for groups of 10 to 16, $75 per person Sundays through Fridays; $85, Saturdays, plus wines ranging from $25 to $10,000 a bottle, with many wines available by the glass. Brunch buffet, $28.50.
CREDIT CARDS: Major.
HOURS: Lunch, Mondays through Fridays, noon to 2:30 p.m. Dinner, Mondays through Thursdays 5:30 to 9:30 p.m.; Fridays and Saturdays, 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.; Sundays 3 to 9 p.m. Brunch, Sundays, noon to 2:30 p.m.
RESERVATIONS: Necessary; well in advance for the wine cellar.
WHEELCHAIR ACCESS: Street level.
