Bob and Noelle Schwab

Pub on Nine: Locals Flock to New Year-Round Bolton Pub

By Mirror Staff

Friday, November 9, 2012

Bob and Noelle Schwab met in a Dallas, Texas restaurant called on Pub on Main. Call them sentimental, but when they opened their own pub in Bolton Landing, they wanted to honor it. Hence Pub on Nine.

Actually, Pub on Nine is on Route 9N, which Bob is fully aware of, having spent summers and weekends in the area for more than thirty years.

The couple moved to Bolton year-round in 2006. Arriving during one of the heaviest snowfalls on record, they found a community willing to embrace even newcomers and the Wooden Barrel, a pub at the bottom of the hill where they felt at home.

“We loved the Barrel,” says Noelle. “We like to go out dancing and listen to music, and there were few places like that. We saw its potential.”

While Bob’s background is in civil engineering, Noelle’s is in restaurants, so they were willing to take a risk and re-open the Wooden Barrel as a music and sports pub.

“We opened in January,” said Noelle. “Local people have given us a lot of support, and the other restaurant owners, people like Peg and Mark Turner from the Diamond Point Grille and the Foys from Cate’s, have been incredibly helpful.”

The Schwabs began booking bands almost as soon as they opened their doors and now host music Wednesday through Saturday nights. As of this weekend, bands will play on the deck starting at 5 pm.

“We’ve learned that if you book the right bands, the people will follow,” said Bob. “We book popular bands like Blue Moon and Bobby Dick. We have jazz, rock, country, whatever people want. We’re trying to learn what people like. We’re here for the customers, not ourselves.”

While the Schwabs knew their beer taps, their wide-screen TVs, karaoke machines and bands would be draws, they’re pleasantly surprised by the popularity of their food.

“Fifty percent of our business is food,” said Bob. “We attribute that to the skills of our cook, Chet Huck.”

“We started with the basics of a pub menu and elaborated upon that,” said Noelle. “In addition to burgers and wings, we have a hot pastrami sandwich and a Cuban that have both become popular and great soups and salads.”

Service from the kitchen is available until 11 pm. The bar closes at 2 pm.

The Schwabs used the winter to get the kinks out of the operation before the summer crush.

“We’re beginning to attract unfamiliar faces, and we make sure they feel as welcome as the locals are” said Noelle.

“The fact that we have so much parking is a draw in itself,” said Bob. “We’re especially convenient for anyone staying south of Bolton Landing.”

Tags: Bolton Landing, Food & Drink, Lake George Dining, Pub On 9

Stephen Pelletier and Emily Mikesell in Lake George Dinner Theatre's "Skin Deep"

Lake George Dinner Theatre’s ‘Skin Deep:’ Perfect Fare for a Summer Evening

By Anthony F. Hall

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Compared with comedy, dying is easy, the old adage goes. It’s one worth remembering when dismissing or dissing sitcoms, summer movies, the collected works of Neil Simon or, for that matter, dinner theater. The Lake George Dinner Theatre’s current production, “Skin Deep,” had its audience quaking with laughter, which is not something you or I could make happen. So give credit where credit is due: “Skin Deep” is well-crafted, well-executed comedy.

In ‘Skin Deep,’ Sheila Whiting (played by Monica Cangero) arranges a blind date for her over-weight, under-sexed sister, Maureen (Emily Mikesell), with a shy, over-weight Italian-American named Joe (Stephen Pelletier) who operates a restaurant in Brooklyn with his brother. Contrasted with Maureen and Joe are Sheila and her husband Squire (Dennis Holland), prosperous and, with help from the gym for Squire and plastic surgery for Sheila, good looking. Will Sheila and Squire learn that beauty is more than skin deep? Will Maureen and Joe find each other? What do you think?

“Skin Deep” is, of course, predictable. As the producer of the Lake George Dinner Theatre and as a director, Terry Rabine knows what his audience wants, and he delivers it. This is show business, and he’s a professional. The predictability of “Skin Deep” is, in fact, a testament to the skills of the playwright, Jon Lonoff, the director and the cast. The punch lines fall, the laughs and the applause arrive, just where they should, something that could be achieved only by a writer, director and cast with impeccable timing.

Moreover, predictability is in the nature of contemporary three-act comedy. It’s not here to subvert or call into question the order of the universe, it’s here to affirm its essential justice. “Skin Deep” does that, delivering love and happiness to those who have earned it.

The Lake George Dinner Theatre’s primary audience comes from group sales and bus tours, but every year we see Lake George residents, seasonal and year-round, who make it a point to see the latest show at least once a summer. And with good reason: Rabine and his predecessor, Vicki Eastwood, have a record of producing affordable, accessible, light entertainment, perfect fare for a summer evening.

The Lake George Dinner Theatre will present ‘Skin Deep’ at the Holiday Inn in Lake George through October 29.

Dinner shows are scheduled for every Wednesday through Saturday nights; luncheon matinees are scheduled for every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with special Saturday matinees throughout the summer. The box office is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm and can be reached at (518) 668-5762 ext. 411.

Tags: Arts & Leisure, Holiday Inn, Lake George Dining, Lake George Dinner Theatre

Table Talk: La Bella Vita at the Sagamore Resort

By Blaze Marshall

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Dining out is always a special occasion for Yours Truly. No preparation, cooking and cleaning up, but rather a time to relax, be with family or friends and experience the variety of culinary offerings that this area has to offer. Whatever level; casual, chic, low, middle or high end, it’s great to sit and enjoy!

On this night out Companion and I were celebrating the end of my lengthy vacation. Albeit a fine vacation, I was home and eager to soak in the beauty of Lake George as well as some special food. We chose The Sagamore Resort’s main dining room; La Bella Vita, located in the interior of the hotel and formerly called The Sagamore Room.

Gone is the Trillium, which was across the lobby. Mister Brown’s Tavern, The Club Grille, and Lakeside Pavilion are still there. General Manager Tom Guay told us there is a new on-the-lake restaurant planned; just his description of it and the magnificent views whets your appetite.

Under the Sagamore’s new ownership, Ocean Properties and Preferred Hotels & Resorts, the entire property has been elevated to one of America’s foremost resorts with impeccable service, numerous new amenities and, of course, unequalled views of “The Queen of American Lakes” and its surrounding mountains.

One should make a special trip to the hotel’s new bar and lounge; Caldwell’s granite bar top, brass, oak columns, comfortable table seating inside or on the deck and a back-bar with a huge China cabinet that rotates the brands customers call for. A very impressive start to anyone’s evening out or for the enjoyment of a casual cocktail.

La Bella Vita’s dining room is elegant and tables are set with fine crystal and linen, and some are terraced to afford better views outside. A long porch covers the southern side and in warmer weather, that location would have been our choice. The dining room was half-full with families, some golf foursomes and other guests. La Bella Vita exudes a somewhat casual atmosphere to appease all takers.

We drew Martin for our waiter and were seated by a young man who three years ago dove into Sandy Bay to retrieve Companion’s friend’s eyeglasses. What a small, but wonderful world!

We had a commanding view from our window table, looking south toward Dome Island, dusk setting in over a perfectly calm evening. A breath-taking beginning to any meal!

La Bella Vita’s menu is extensive, creative and ala carte. Martin delivered a wonderful basket of hot rolls and flatbread along with a delightful bottle of Hogue Cellars, 2007 Pinot Noir; crisp and fruity with a great body, from the Columbia Valley.

Antipasti choices include a wild mushroom risotto, bruschetta, prosciutto crusted white prawns and black mussels with garlic, Pernod and grilled Ciabatta.

There are also offerings of “Boards,” one filled with a variety of cheese, nuts and jam, another with Italian meats and a third offering a combo of both.

Insalate (salads) and zuppe (soups) include a white bean, Caprese, a Pompeii wedge of iceberg, Italian bacon, tomato, roasted red peppers and Beldi olives with a gorgonzola dressing. Tonight’s soup was creamy lobster bisque.

The dining room at La Bella Vita

Entrees range from five pasta choices including orecchiette with country sausage, rigatoni with chicken, eggplant and olives to spaghetti pomodoro with basil and fresh mozzarella. La Bella Vita’s Chef, Emily Hill, is a CIA grad from New Hampshire and is in her third season at the Sagamore.

She offers several specialita della casa including east-coast halibut with fresh tagliolini, a ‘two pound’ garlic butter poached Maine lobster, stew of coastal shellfish, grilled lamb chops and a ‘house’ surf and turf with grilled treviso, cipollini onions and two sauces.

Other choices include classic Italian dishes for the less adventurous including veal or chicken parmigiano, saltimbocca, veal scaloppini and herbed chicken or veal piccata.

Companion and I lingered over the view and the ambiance but succumbed to an appetizer of shellfish portofino; an elegant chilled tureen of jumbo king crab, Maine lobster and shrimp accompanied by a spicy red sauce for dipping. This appetizer easily serves two.

Ms. Medicine enjoyed a roasted beet salad that had both red and yellow beets, toasted pistachio, local goat cheese, citrus and arugula leaves with aged balsamic. I had my usual caesar that was crisp romaine, ciabatta croutons, imported reggiano cheese and some extra white anchovies. My caesars to date could fill the Rome Coliseum, and I am rarely disappointed. Tonight was no exception.

For entrees we both hit a home run ala Bella Vita. Companion’s wild salmon Florentine was finished in white wine, lemon and capers over wilted spinach and parmesan risotto. A large, tender filet done exactly right to the taste.

Yours Truly rarely sees braised short ribs and did not pass up the chance to try the Sagamore’s short ribs ragu; slow-cooked in a light tomato sauce with pappardelle pasta. The large flat noodles hold the sauce and the melt-in-your-mouth ribs were braised to perfection. This entrée is by far one of the most enjoyable that I have had.

The service was impeccable, water replenished throughout, wine poured but not without asking and an unannounced visit by Chef Hill to our table, was greatly appreciated.

La Bella Vita is not just for a special occasion. It is for anyone who appreciates gourmet dining, excellent service, a wonderful ambiance and an unsurpassed view of Lake George.

This combination keeps thousands coming to our area each year to enjoy, and here we have it, right in our backyard!

Tags: Blaze Marshall, Bolton Dining, Food & Drink, La Bella Vita, Lake George Dining, Table Talk, The Sagamore

Melody Manor in the 1950s

Villa Napoli: A Restaurant in a Historic Bolton Setting

By Anthony F. Hall

Monday, July 4, 2011

In 1959, a restaurant opened on what had once been the grounds of one of Lake George’s most extravagant estates, William Becker’s Villa Marie Antoinette.

The mansion overlooking the lake had been destroyed in 1953 and the property subdivided into several cottage colonies and motels.

One of the motels was built on the site of the mansion; that became Melody Manor, named in honor of the mansion’s apse-sized pipe organ.

On an adjacent lot, where formal gardens once bloomed, a restaurant was built.

For years, the two businesses co-existed side by side, sometimes easily, sometimes not.

In the 1980s, the owners of Melody Manor, Walter and Marcella Hamm, purchased the restaurant and united the two properties.

Today, the Hamms’ daughter Rose and her husband Damien Alessi own and operate both the motel and the restaurant.

Now called Villa Napoli and offering classic Italian fare, the restaurant’s 50^th anniversary is being celebrated this summer.

In fact, the Alessies are not only celebrating the 50^th anniversary of the restaurant but ten years of working together as partners.

Says their daughter Elena, who will be a sophomore at Villanova this fall, “For all the time they spend together, they get along pretty well.”

That certainly appears to be the case, despite or because of the fact they riff off one another’s comments like a well-rehearsed comedy duo.

“We work together as a team,” says Rose; “We have separate jobs,” Damien adds. “We have separate buildings,” offers Rose, as though revealing the true source of their successful partnership.

Damien has the last word: “In the restaurant, Rose is the boss; actually, she’s the boss everywhere.”

Rose, however, credits Damien with the idea that transformed an unexceptional restaurant known as Leonard’s into Villa Napoli.

“At the time, there was no real Italian restaurant in Bolton Landing,” says Damien.

“Damien had a good sense of what people were looking for,” says Rose.

Damien & Rose Alessi

At the time, Damien had yet to join Rose in the business; he was the Sagamore’s Spa director.

Both of them had come to Bolton Landing in the mid-eighties; Damien to work at The Sagamore, Rose to work with her parents.

“I thought it would be a great place to raise a family,” said Rose.

“Norman Wolgin says that it’s only because of him that I have a wife, a family and a business,” Damien says of the former Sagamore owner who recruited him to move to the Adirondacks.

Coming from a big Italian family from Queens, Damien might have brought with him some of Villa Napoli’s first recipes, but Rose was the restaurant’s first true chef.

That came about somewhat by accident. One season early in her tenure as the restaurant’s manager, a chef left in mid-summer.

Determined not to allow her business to depend upon notoriously temperamental chefs, Rose entered Adirondack Community College’s Culinary Arts Program and interned at The Sagamore’s Trillium.

Her vision now shapes the restaurant’s menu, style and spirit.

“Villa Napoli is an extension of my home, my garden, my kitchen,” she says.

On any given summer evening, approximately a third of the restaurant’s patrons are guests at Melody Manor.

“People come here for the quiet, the serenity and some of the best views of Lake George available; that hasn’t changed since the 1950s,” says Damien.

What has changed, he says, is the demographics of Bolton Landing’s visitors.

“This used to be a blue collar resort town,” he says. “Our parking lot was once filled with station wagons. Now it’s filled with Land Rovers.”

To meet the expectations of that market, the Alessies re-invest in the property every year, and, of course, maintain Rose’s high standards in the restaurant.

“The food is made with love and care, with fresh, local ingredients,” she says. “I want our customers to leave Villa Napoli happy. They deserve the best.”

Tags: Bolton Landing, Damien Alessi, Food & Drink, Lake George Dining, Melody Manor, Rose Alessi, Villa Marie Antoinette, Villa Napoli

Adirondack Brewery's Bobcat Blonde Lager

Higher Profile for Local Brewery’s Adirondack Beers

By Mirror Staff

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

The only beer wholly brewed and bottled in the Adirondacks is the product of Lake George’s own Adirondack Pub and Brewery. It’s even brewed with the lake’s own water, which is, of course, renowned for its purity and clarity.

John Carr opened the Adirondack Pub and Brewery in 2000. At first, Carr brewed his beer in back of the pub and sold it on site. But it wasn’t long before local bartenders were being asked to put the beer on tap and brew festivals were giving it awards.

Thirteen years later, the brewpub’s beer is being bottled in a converted laundromat on a village alley and sold throughout an eleven-county region of upstate New York under the name ‘Adirondack.’

Adirondack Brewery's Dirty Blonde Ale

Earlier this month, Carr announced that DeCrescente Distributing Company had added Adirondack to the list of national brands it delivers to markets and beverage centers.

“DeCrescente has been a phenomenal partner,” said Carr. “They choose their brands carefully, and they’re committed to them.”

To meet the increased demand, Carr has purchased two new fermenting tanks, each capable of brewing sixty barrels or 21,000 bottles of beer.

He’s installed a silo at the brewery that can hold 40,000 pounds of grain, enough for 250,000 bottles of beer.

And he worked with graphic designer Linda Wohlers to create distinctive packaging that not only promotes his beers but Lake George and the Adirondacks as well.

“Every variety is identified with a story about the Adirondacks,” said Carr. “Our product is a tribute to the Adirondacks.”

Carr says Wohlers carefully researched every story.

Cynthia & John Carr

The Native American on the cover of the Iroquois Pale Ale, for instance, is an authentic Iroquois in historically correct attire. The Bobcat Blonde is named for a bobcat that spent three consecutive summers near the fire tower cabin of a warden. The Headwater Hefe, a Bavarian style Hefeweizen, pays tribute to the headwaters of the Hudson River in Lake Tear of the Clouds. And the Dirty Blonde Ale is, according to Wohlers, “an ode to the many summer romances that have taken place on the shores of Lake George since the early 1800s.”

“I wanted to create labels that not only caught the consumer’s eye, but also told a unique story that was symbolic of the Adirondack region,” said Wohlers.

With the expansion of the brewery’s capacity, Carr is now able to provide five local residents with year-round, full-time jobs.

He also plans to keep the pub and brewery open year-round for tours and tastings. Maybe Adirondack will become known as the beer that made the Adirondacks famous, and Lake George will become a year-round destination for craft beer lovers. John Carr hopes so, anyway.

Tags: Adirondack Pub & Brewery, Beer, John Carr, Lake George, Lake George Beers, Lake George Dining, Lake George Food & Drink, Linda Wohlers, Local Brewery

Farmhouse Restaurant owners Kim Feeney and Kevin London

Farmhouse Restaurant’s Owners Leading a Revolution on Lake George

By Anthony F. Hall

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Kim Feeney and Kevin London, co-owners and operators of the Farmhouse Restaurant at Top of the World, share a passionate conviction that people have a right to good, healthy food.

They’re quiet revolutionaries. And the revolution, which may have begun as a protest against globalization and now addresses issues like biodiversity and climate change, is a quiet one.

But it’s changing the way we think, taste and talk about food.

The banner may have been raised first, in this country at least, in restaurants like Alice Waters’ Chez Panisse. But the revolt has spread to community-supported farms in places like Essex County and even to public school yards, where students raise their own fruits and vegetables.

It came to Lake George in 2005, when Jim Feeney, the owner of the Top of the World golf course, invited his daughter Kim and her boyfriend (now husband) Kevin to open a restaurant at the resort.

Last year, the two helped establish a local chapter of

Slow Food, the movement dedicated to preserving and supporting traditional ways of growing and producing food. It began in 1986 as a reaction against a plan to open a McDonalds near the Spanish steps in Rome. It’s now an international organization with 100,000 members and 1,000 local chapters.

Last fall, Feeney and London were named delegates to the movement’s biennial international conference in Italy.

Both can discourse eloquently about the politics and economics of sustainable agriculture, (Feeney has a degree in agricultural economics, London was a protégé of David Barber, a founder of the Stone Barns Center for Food and Agriculture on the Rockefeller estate in Westchester County), but they realize that if they’re to win converts, it will not be though pamphlets and posters, but through the food they serve at their restaurant.

“If the food weren’t good, or if the service were poor, people wouldn’t return,” they say.

The Farmhouse, (which once was a farm house when Top of the World was one of the largest farms in the area) is, “seasonally inspired; we grow our own produce, and the menu changes every day,” says Feeney.

The couple maintains a one-acre garden and, to compensate for the short growing season here, two greenhouses. What they can’t produce themselves, they buy locally.

The restaurant features artisan breads from local bakers, cheeses from places like Thurman’s Nettle Meadow Goat Farm in Thurman, organic fish and meat from nearby farms, New York wines and locally-crafted beers.

“The label ‘organic’ means nothing to me if I don’t know where the food comes from,” says London, the restaurant’s chef. “We’re proud of our producers, and we list them on the menu.”

He finds his suppliers, he says, through the recommendations of other producers, at farmers’ markets and Slow Food conferences. “I base my menu not only on our produce but what’s available from my sources,” says London.

The distance between the producer and the table can be a long one. His goal, London says, is to narrow that distance, “to shorten the food chain as much as possible.”

He wants to be involved not only with the farmers who supply him with beef and chicken but with fishermen and coffee growers. The results of the couple’s efforts have been a region-wide reputation and the loyal following of regular customers.

But Feeney and London acknowledge that their’s is not the usual Lake George fare. “We’re not just out of the box, we’re a hundred miles out of the box,” says London.

Because they knew that the kind of restaurant they wanted to create was not necessarily one that could succeed in Lake George, and was unlike any to be found at a traditional golf resort, they initially resisted Jim Feeney’s request that they come to Lake George.

The couple were living in New York; Kevin was working as a chef, Kim as an investment banker. They met at Cornell.

By 2005, though, they were ready to leave the city. Jim Feeney was willing to allow them to plow under an acre of meadow for use as a garden and agreed to give them free rein in the restaurant.

They became partners with Kim’s family. If, after five years, the restaurant was not a success, they would move on and the Farmhouse would become a more conventional clubhouse dining room.

“My parents were excited that family-members would be running the restaurant, but it was a leap of faith for everyone,” says Kim. But it is in such leaps of faith that revolutions begin, even quiet ones.

Tags: East Side, Farmhouse Restaurant, Kevin London, Kim Feeney, Lake George, Lake George Dining, Lake George Restaurants, Slow Food Movement, Top of the World

Table Talk: Jack’s Bistro

By Blaze Marshall

Sunday, May 15, 2011

“Don’t judge a book by its cover!” You’ve all heard that one. Jack’s Bistro hardly even has a cover. A lone glass door, set back in an alcove between two stores is all one can see from busy Upper Glen.

A small unobtrusive free-standing sign as well as a door on the side of a blank wall is hardly noticeable. What was Jack Gates thinking about when he chose this location behind Victory Lane and a vacant storefront?

It could be that he thought his 30 years of experience in the restaurant business, his wife Diane’s decorating talents and two of his sons’ interest to carry on his tradition would prevail. Anyone who frequented the DeSantis’ Howard Johnson’s, the Red Coach Grille or the short-term Seven Steers would know Jack Gates. He worked from the bottom up and developed a reputation as one of the area’s top managers.

So, after a stint in food service at Skidmore, he decided to open his own restaurant, Jack’s American Bistro in June of 2004. The location is certainly on a busy corridor, but it took companions and me some coaxing and searching to seek it out on a blustery Wednesday night.

Opening that side door into a beautiful foyer was totally unexpected. Then through a hostess stand, small party area and into a bar and lounge hardly one would expect.

Cozy, warm, lots of oak and soft lighting immediately makes one feel welcome and surprised. Wanting to soak up more of the atmosphere, the High Command, Mr. Mixologist, and I all chose to have a libation at the bar. Another good choice as Terri introduced herself, gave us a platter of wonderful cheese and crackers and poured our chosen wine in a mini-individual carafe.

She recited from memory all the specials, poured Mr. Mixologist his beer, and pointed out three taps of Cooper’s Cave’s choices. Another favorite local business of mine. Terri never skipped a beat handling a full bar, knowing everyone’s names and serving Yours Truly an appetizer of escargots, heaped inside a toasted bread boullé, swimming in a very rich butter, garlic and white wine sauce. Great presentation.

Jack Gates made a personal appearance at this point, greeting everyone, and introduced his son David, the manager. His other son Christian is the chef! A family-owned Bistro!!

Today’s specials were a chicken with rosemary, Hungarian goulash, pork Ricotta and a fish entrée Corvina. A fish from Costa Rica likened to sea bass, which is currently pricey and endangered.

Bistro specialties on the menu include blackened chicken Oscar, seafood marinara, baked salmon en papiote, a steak au poivre and a herbed rack of lamb.

Jack’s personal favorites are listed as baked brasiola, chicken cordon bleu, roast turkey dinner, pork chops with an apple cream sauce and sautéed calves’ liver and onions. My mama would have been here at least once a week for that one! All entrees come with a house salad, extraordinary hot rolls and olive oil for dipping, fresh veggies and a choice of a daily side dish.

We ordered at the bar and were seated by our waitress, another Terri. Tables are set with linen, nicely spaced, candlelit and amid a dining room adorned with potted trees. Very comfortable, casual and totally unexpected behind that green door!

High Command opted for a chicken cordon bleu that was a full boneless breast rolled and stuffed with ham and Swiss cheese, baked and served atop a nice Honey-Dijon sauce to kick it up a notch.

Mr. Mixologist chose pork tenderloin sliced on the bias accompanied by an orange-glace sauce.

I went with one of Jack’s specialties; a honey-lime shrimp. Six large shrimp marinated in honey and lime and finished with a Cilantro lime butter. They were served in a crudite and had just enough sauce to not overpower. The menu said “baked” but they were nicely barbequed and scored a hit with Yours Truly.

All entrees were accompanied by a house salad of mixed greens, tomatoes, cukes, onions, peppers, garlic croutons and real chopped bacon. Some great red-smashed garlic potatoes and butternut squash completed our meals.

We had to pass on desserts, although the bistro offers a peach melba, banana’s Foster for two, tiramisu and tonight a bread pudding with vanilla cream sauce.

The menu states simply that a bistro by definition is a small restaurant or tavern specializing in modest, down to earth food. This place does all that and more.

My understanding is that on Fridays their happy hour is one of the best. No wonder, as I would rank Terri’s enthusiasm, proficiency and friendliness right up there in the top five mixologists award. And I had one of them with me!!

Take time to seek out Jack Gates’ bistro. Park on the side and enter through the green door. Take time to enjoy the atmosphere and the food.

This book doesn’t even need a cover!

Tags: Blaze Marshall, Food & Drink, Jack's Bistro, Lake George Dining, Queensbury, Restaurants, Table Talk

The Algonquin staff in the late 70s

Remembering the Algonquin’s Patsy Smith

By Kate Baker

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

I spent some of the most hilarious moments of my life sitting at a table in the Algonquin, after hours, listening to Patsy Smith tell stories. The customers were long gone, but the stories of the day were fresh and fantastic. Patsy was the best storyteller I’ve ever known, and the customers of the Algonquin were her raw material.

Who will ever forget the newly-arrived group who insisted on a front table with “a view of the riv-AH”? Her telling of their tale lasted 10 minutes, was much-embellished and devastatingly funny. All her stories were like that. As we sat around that small table, coming down from the adrenaline rush that is restaurant work, Patsy’s stories would make us laugh until we cried.

When I first started working at the Algonquin, I was Patsy and Teddy’s babysitter, and Patsy was a young mother and waitress for Teddy’s mother, Peg. By the late 70s, however, Patsy was front and center in the restaurant and had become the heart of the Algonquin. Teddy kept the kitchen and she managed the front of the house. When I asked my brother, Art, for stories about Patsy, he gave a quick smile. “What are you remembering?” He gave a full grin, “Patsy was the go-to person at the Algonquin when you needed something done.” She was everywhere, yet you could always find her when you needed her. (Hear that, Arthur?)

Patsy and Teddy Smith with family at East Cove, Lake George

She instilled in the Algonquin staff a work ethic that endures to this day. We split our tips, and that worked in the Algonquin because Patsy made it work. That, along with the shared work, made us the tightest restaurant group I’ve ever seen. We wouldn’t have dreamed of calling in sick unless we were near death, and the most common phrase heard among us was, “Anybody need anything?” She had a cleaning schedule that she made sure was followed – as a result, the Algonquin was the cleanest restaurant I’ve ever worked in. We dusted and polished those wooden chairs every week, for God’s sake. Tables were scrubbed down, shelves emptied and wiped, windows were polished several times a day. This kind of side work typically engenders complaints, but who would complain when Patsy was cleaning harder than any of us?

There is a whole generation of us, trained by Patsy, who are offended by dinner dishes still on the table when dessert gets served. Who see dirty wine glasses as carelessness in the extreme. Who move a ketchup bottle closer to the edge of the table as a message that we want it removed before we pay the check. Who cringe when a server puts a tray down on the table. Who don’t enjoy playing meal roulette. (Who had the cheeseburger? Who had the chicken salad?) Patsy wouldn’t have tolerated such sloppy service, and it still makes us itchy.

She took care of us, too. A couple of regulars started a cruel game out of making their waitress cry. Week after week, they would torture one of us until there were tears or they left. After a month of this, Patsy cornered them and told them if one more server cried, they would be banned. The ridiculous requests stopped.

She was the first face most people saw as they entered the “A”. She kept the wait list, since there were no reservations. I looked at the list often, and was amazed years later at how often people told me that Patsy always moved them up the list. If she really did, it was invisible. Before DWI became part of the lexicon, people waiting an hour or two for a table would enjoy many cocktails. Navigating this minefield of slightly (or very) drunken, hungry customers became her specialty. Serious problems were handled with dignity and intelligence. And we got to hear the hilarious story of it afterwards.

We all miss you, Patsy.

Tags: Algonquin, Bolton Landing, Bolton Landing Dining, Food & Drink, Lake George Dining, Patsy Smith

Table Talk: Black Watch Steakhouse

By Blaze Marshall

Friday, April 1, 2011

Talk about renovating one restaurant into another and you would have to have experienced the transformation of Bill Brown’s Fiddleheads into the new Black Watch restaurant. It is simply amazing!

Talk again about the resurgence of downtown Glens Falls as a dining destination and you must include Jason and Susan Baker’s Black Watch near the top of the list.

Fiddleheads was always one of my favorites. Bill Brown put his heart and soul into making it one of downtown’s classiest dining spots. A homey, friendly atmosphere with top notch crab cakes, probably caught in his own boat. I suspect he tired of the daily grind. He did what he did best, and yearned to capture the great outdoors, particularly fishing.

Along came the Baker’s who had a restaurant in Greenwich and the Black Watch was born.

The storefront entrance belies the classy interior with a large suitcase, a menu board and yes, some Black Watch wallpaper, and a bottle of wine.

To the left of the hostess stand, a full bar now winds its way around the downstairs dining room hallway. The lower level dining room has not changed much. The brick wall is still exposed, wood table tops and some classy paintings are also familiar.

Upstairs is the new “Tower Room,” formerly the Brown’s apartment. A carpeted staircase leads to the 8 or 10 tables appointed with fresh linens and candlelight. Upscale dining with a service bar and even a coach for waiting or perhaps desserts.

Black Watch Steakhouse is located on Ridge Street, downtown Glens Falls

Two hostesses greeted us at the door and we were escorted to our table upstairs. The dining room was full and we were promptly welcomed again by Jessica, our waitress-in-waiting.

Jessica delivered some warm rolls, menus and ice water. The rolls were accompanied by a tureen of soft parsley-chive butter that was a knockout. NASCAR Nut and I devoured them in less than a lap.

The Black Watch menu exudes local, fresh, farm raised ingredients and creativity. There are a la carte steak selections, entrees and a chef’s tasting menu available with or without wine pairings in 5, 7, and 11 course varieties. They are priced accordingly.

Tonight’s farm du jour offering was a 26 oz. steak called a “Tomahawk.” We were able to observe this interesting cut being sliced tableside by our neighbors. It was shaped as such; thick bone-in and I heard raves from the nearby patrons.

Appetizers range from a whitefish and crab cake to a braised pork belly with caramelized onion relish, orange emulsion and smoked bacon. There are also shucked oysters, a shrimp cocktail and a beef-trio consisting of Carpaccio, tartare and black and blue.

Salad choices include caesar, chilled root veggies and chevre as well as fresh mozzarella. Also offered is an interesting lobster bisque with pumpkin seed, pumpkin oil and pumpkin butter. How about that for a special on Halloween?!

NASCAR Nut, Companion and I chose two caesars and a Bibb and Brie for our salad choices. The latter consisting of Argyle’s Little Field Farm bibb lettuce, pancetta crisp, roth case buttermilk blue cheese and dollops of tomato brown butter vinaigrette.

Our caesars were cold mixed greens, slivers of domestic romaine, a white anchovy and roasted garlic vinaigrette. The mild white anchovy kicked it up a notch but the dressing was very light, hardly noticeable. We asked for crushed black pepper but Jessica said it was not available and delivered two shakers of salt and pepper to our table.

Miss Picky Eater chose her usual steak from a selection of ribeye, New York strip, filet, porterhouse 16/32 oz. and a Kobe flat iron 8 oz. She opted for the 10 oz. filet.

NASCAR ordered a side of house made gnocchi, done perfectly to accompany his filet which he declared “One of the very best ever.” Tender, juicy and plump done just right medium as ordered.

Miss Picky Eater however ordered her filet well done, yet had to send it back as it was served medium rare. Perhaps the chef is sending a message that steak is at its finest not well done. In the meantime she enjoyed a one-pound olive oil baked russet potato. The second time her filet was delivered it was brown throughout and well charred on the outside. Miss Picky Eater was pleased.

Companion’s 12 oz. New York strip au poivre was dry aged, very flavorful and cooked to perfection. It had a little more than its share of fat but we all agreed her dog Gumby would be pleased with the leftovers. It was accompanied by crusted fingerlings, charred leeks and mushrooms.

Yours Truly received his osso buco of limousine veal in a steaming covered tureen. Three very generous cuts swimming in a tomato and saffron broth, fennel and aromatics. This was a true delight! For my sides, I enjoyed fresh carrots, fingerling potatoes and pearl onions. A great presentation and great experience.

We also shared a side of asparagus with banyuls hollandaise. Although this is one of the veggie a la carte selections for one, it is generous enough to feed two. The menu also includes other creative entrees of filet Oscar, a pork rib chop, crusted rack of lamb, diver scallops and a Freebird Farm half roasted chicken amongst others.

NASCAR Nut and Companion split a rather ordinary crème brulee with some wonderful fresh roasted coffee.

Jessica delivered very friendly, professional and caring service throughout dinner. I have but one regret and that is that I wish I had asked for more rolls with that wonderful butter! I was pleased we were able to garner a table in the “Tower Room.”

The new Black Watch is a classy, professional and interesting culinary journey. Two levels of dining is a challenge for the wait staff but the “runners” delivered. Jason Baker; the chef and his wife Susan; the pastry chef, have brought to Glens Falls another level of dining experience.

That downtown is tasting better all the time!

Tags: Black Watch Steakhouse, Blaze Marshall, Glens Falls, Glens Falls Dining, Lake George Dining, Lake George History, Ridge Street, Table Talk

Lake George Howard Johnson’s Among Nation’s Last

By Mirror Staff

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

The Howard Johnson’s restaurant in Lake George, owned and operated by the DeSantis family since 1953, is now one of only three restaurants in the entire country bearing that name.

At the height of the chain’s popularity, more than 1000 restaurants lured travelers from the highways with the brand’s distinctive orange and blue colors.

The closing of Connecticut’s last Howard Johnson’s was announced last year . Howard Johnson’s restaurants survive in Lake Placid and Bangor, Maine, as well as in Lake George.

According to Joe DeSantis, there are more reasons to retain the brand than to abandon it.

“The Howard Johnson’s name still has a lot of appeal for many travelers,” DeSantis said. “Our breakfast business remains very strong.”

Moreover, DeSantis said, the brand’s new owners have announced plans to revive the popularity of Howard Johnson’s restaurants.’

“They want to reintroduce Howard Johnson’s ice cream and to open new restaurants,” DeSantis said. “We welcome that and any new standards they might introduce.”

The Lake George Howard Johnson’s also benefits from its proximity to DeSantis’ Hampton Inn and Suites, Lake George’s newest hotel, DeSantis said.

Tags: DeSantis Family, Food & Drink, Howard Johnson's, Lake George, Lake George Dining, Lake George History, Lake George Restaurants