Paradox Lodge ~ Lake Placid, NY

Tasting Notes


The Paradox Lodge
2169 Saranac Avenue
Lake Placid, NY 12946
(Phn) 518 534 9078

Freshly Foraged Wild Mushrooms

Last Saturday we spent the day searching the north woods near the Paul Smith's campus for mushrooms.  We were part of a larger contingent taking a trek offered by the college, some looking for medicinal mushrooms, some for coloring agents for dyeing wool, and some, like us, searching for supper.  A month's worth of rain worthy of headlines had also produced a bumper crop of fungi, and it was hard to take more than a few steps without coming across our quarry.  Beautiful lion's mane mushrooms clung to the trees, winter oyster mushrooms seemed to be growing from the end of every downed log.  A fallen balsam yielded handfuls of rubbery wood ear - the kind you find in your soup in Chinese restaurants. It was a most productive and enjoyable afternoon.


Anticipating a drive through Lake Placid on the way home to Schroon Lake, we had called the day before to try and talk our way into Paradox Lodge, which is one of our favorite dining destinations.  As expected we were told that they were booked, but Moses and Nan said to stop in any way and they would figure something out.

Tid Bits

Just a few updates - but not enough for a full blog post.
It appears that Delafield's Restaurant in the Mount Carmel area of downtown Poughkeepsie has closed its doors (again).  This location housed some iconic eateries in the past including Nick Beni's, Joseph's and Caesar's, all fabulously successful in their day.  It is one of the most comfortable bars - and bar rooms - ever designed, so I really want someone to make a go of it there.

I have two posts to work on this weekend.  We had dinner at Rraci's, a popular Italian restaurant in Brewster two weeks ago.

Last Saturday we spent the day foraging for wild mushrooms near Paul Smith's campus north west of Saranac Lake, and stopped for dinner on the way back home at one of our favorite destinations - Paradox Lodge in Lake Placid. It is still one of the best bistro style restaurants in the North Country, and one of our favorites. I'll try to get both posts up by Sunday.

Dining Out in Montauk, NY

Our favorite restaurants in Montauk, NY

For many years I have made excursions to Montauk, usually in September and October.  Our group - all fly fishermen - try to time our arrival to coincide with the arrival of the bait fish inshore in the fall.  The huge balls of  bay anchovies and other baitfish entice schools of of striped bass and false albacore close to the shore. The fish will readily come to a fly tied to look like an anchovy, and the sport has grown to the point that the majority of boats around the lighthouse now sport flyfishing anglers hoping to spend a few moments with a flash of green piscatorial splendor at the end of their fly line.  We usually stay for three or four days on each outing, which affords us the opportunity to dine at some of the area's restaurants.