"Lil' Deb’s Oasis in Hudson is full of serious food and wine in a place that makes a point not to take itself too seriously. It's an eclectic dive from the outside, but once you sit down at your neon-lit table, you’ll realize that this isn’t a fun bar that serves good food. It’s actually a spectacular restaurant that feels like a house party, where everyone is hot and interesting and the Latin-adjacent dishes will satisfy every carnal desire you could ever have about fried fish. photo credit: David A Lee photo credit: David A Lee The neon lights and maximalist presentation of the food makes eating at Debs feel psychedelic. It’s refreshing to find a place so unabashedly invested in desire, food or otherwise—their slogan is “your pleasure is our business." Drink descriptions read like cryptic Connections solutions, with tasting notes like “tiny pants," and there’s a green cocktail on the menu called the Garden Orgy. The atmosphere is fun and welcoming enough that we’d want to be regulars even if the food was just OK, but that’s certainly not the case. The menu is full of hits and acts as an extension of the restaurant’s flirty sense of humor. Dishes are described as “tropical comfort food,” and the result is a meal that’s indulgent and a bit messy—you’re encouraged to dig in with your hands. Plates like rich pork belly tostada have a bright citrus peppercorn glaze, and the slightly oceanic dashi risotto brings a hint of heat and acid from preserved lemon and sesame chili crisp. And you’ll want to order whatever whole fried fish they’ve got. It’s a sensual (and mandatory) experience, digging into the crisp, piping-hot flaky goodness and dipping it into the citrusy sauce. photo credit: David A Lee photo credit: David A Lee photo credit: David A Lee Lil' Deb’s is also a hub for the local queer community that’s inclusive to everyone. They host monthly queer performance nights and every item price ends in a cheeky 69 cents (proceeds are donated to social justice and mutual aid orgs). All of that translates into a warm, kitschy atmosphere that makes everybody feel at home. Food Rundown photo credit: David A Lee Loaded House-Cut Fries These are mostly just a vehicle for charred onion aioli, a generous dusting of cotija cheese, and herbs and chiles. They’re a more-than-welcome snack after you’ve taken down a pitcher of cocktails, but not a must-order if you’re trying to save room for more seafood. photo credit: David A Lee Tartare The seafood in the tartare rotates, so you might get tuna or another fish depending on when you stop in. We really love the tender scallops, and the chile onion relish and frizzled leeks bring some fun texture to the party. You’ll be fighting with your friends for the last salty prawn chip to scoop all of it up. photo credit: David A Lee Dashi Risotto This bowl feels like something your sous chef hook-up would drunkenly whip together at 2am, and we mean that in the best way possible. The mushroom dashi and nori make the risotto earthy, and each bite feels like being tucked into bed with a dozen fluffy blankets. The sesame chile crisp keeps things texturally interesting and also lends a nice kick. photo credit: David A Lee Pork Belly Tostada There’s a lot going on with this little tostada, which is piled high with cabbage herb slaw and white beans. The rich pork belly is nicely balanced by the zingy citrus sichuan glaze and the acidity of pickled onions, but the mountain of ingredients means that this quickly devolves into a deconstructed fork and knife situation as the tostada breaks apart. The flavors are great, but it’s almost too much effort and mess for the payoff. photo credit: David A Lee Whole Fried Fish The fish they use for this dish rotates with whatever’s fresh, but it’s guaranteed to be crisp, plump, and steaming. Trust your server when they tell you to dig in with your hands—it’s the best way to combine the flaky fish, bright herbs and greens, and ginger vinaigrette all in one bite. photo credit: David A Lee Cocktails Some of the cocktails on their drink list change with the seasons: we’ve had a pisco-sour-like drink called Rite of Spring and a wintery chrysanthemum drink called Glacial Bloom. They’re all pretty easy to drink in between bites of fries or crispy fish skin, but the Garden Orgy is a favorite and consistent player on the menu. It’s a riff on a margarita that tastes very green, as if you bit into the stems of a wedding bouquet (in a good way), and has a nice kick from the spicy infused tequila." - Anne Cruz
