Purdy's Farmer and the Fish has Revolution-era touches

Owner Edward Taylor, left, is the fish and chef-owner Michael Kaphan is the farmer at their new restaurant Purdy's Farmer and the Fish in North Salem. / / The Journal News
 
Revolution-era touches - wide plank floors, low, beamed ceilings, a fireplace big enough to stand in - give a historic patina to Purdy's Farmer and the Fish - the former Purdys Homestead - but a renovation has lightened the atmosphere considerably, making it feel more like a Cape Cod seafood restaurant. Walls were removed from cubby-like rooms to create an open space, dominated by a large stone fireplace at its center and with a color scheme that is fresh and bright. The bar has been relocated to the far side of the restaurant to improve flow.
The scene: Family-friendly with a lively crowd at the bar and groups at tables in the dining room.
The food: Lobster rolls, tuna burgers, fish and chips, plus upscale dishes - wild striped bass or the house East Coast Pan Roast, with mussels, steamers, shrimp and squid. A daily catch is prepared in a spicy tomato sauce. Entrees range from $14 to $36.
Good to know: The "farmer" is chef-owner Michael Kaphan, who studied agriculture at SUNY Cobelskill. The "fish" is Edward Taylor, who owns Fish, a restaurant in Greenwich Village, and Down East Seafood, a wholesale company in the Bronx. Their plan is to grow produce and herbs for the menu on the property, and eventually open a country market selling locally raised meat, vegetables and flowers.
Details: 100 Titicus Road, North Salem. 914-617-8380, .
Margaret Rizzuto contributed.