Upstate New York Dining ?

[philadining]

Thanks for the report! I'd laughed at the idea of the Bento Box, but that one you got looks great, a perfect solution for the indecisive.

The pork shank that comes with the farmer's platter, or on its own, is much bigger, but that little one looks just right for this combo. We also saw some hefty slices of pork loin that looked absolutely amazing, but I thought it would have been bad manners to tackle the servers and start photographing other people's food...

I think you summed-up the Dano's appeal very well: "simple foods cooked perfectly."

And if you have success replicating the liptauer, let us know!

[phaelon56]

Another great restaurant overlooking Seneca Lake is Suzanne's. My wife and I had a terrific meal there last year and I recently recommended it to a fellow Rochesterian who  is a New York restaurantophile. He was thoroughly enchanted by both the food, gracious service, and view.

http://www.suzannefrc.com/

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I tried Suzanne's this past Saturday night and was pleased. Decor is a sort of upscale country rustic but not too fussy. The servers (we had several) were enthusiastic young women who were efficient and appeared to be enthused about their work but were graceful and reserved in an appropriate way. Nice room... nice view.... and it's only a 1/2 mile or so from Dano's Heuriger.

The food: salads and apps were $6 or $7 up to $12 and entrees generally $23 - $28 (chicken and rack of lamb dipped just below $20 and just over $30 respectively).

Most if not all of the veggies were from their garden and did taste that fresh - in addition to being nicely cooked - still plenty crispy but not underdone. It's not what I'd call a progressive, eclectic or trendy menu by any means. But it does focus on high quality ingredients, a very light touch with seasoning and an effort to let the ingredients speak for themselves - sort of a Chez Panisse approach.

We were offered an amuse (they called it a canape) - broiled mushroom cap stuffed with braised shortrib meat and something else I can't recall - meaty and tasty. I had potato and corn chowder - light and not too thick - a trifle underseasoned for my own taste but that did let the taste of the corn shine through nicely.

My friend had a crab cake app. And.... unusual for this part of the country - it was nearly all jumbo backfin lump blue crab meat - not bulked up with filler the way most crab cakes are outside of MD. It had just the bare minimum of whatever was needed to hold it together Again.... very lightly seasoned but it did have a pineapple and sweet red pepper salsa. She had broiled Alaska King salmon as an entree - perfectly cooked despite the thickness of the filet - and I had sliced duck breast with a something or other reduction. Ordered the duck medium rare (which was the recommendation) but it seemed a tad more done than that.

I've had duck that I enjoyed more but this was good. And we shared a warm triple berry tart (local berries) with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream - which was a generous serving (enough for two) - and excellent.

Total was including two large bottles of sparkling water and an excellent decaf coffee (from a local roaster) was $94 before tax and tip. By local standards not cheap but also not outrageously expensive.

Nothing earth-shattering going on here but they offer very solid upscale food comprised of top shelf ingredients, nicely prepared and in a relaxed atmosphere (which by the way - was very quiet and lent itself to conversation without straining to hear what you dining partner was saying). Suzanne is worth a visit if you're in the general area.

[coquus]

Has anyone had anything from the Stone Cat lately? It was recently in the NYTimes article which chronicled Farm Sanctuary. The reporter was asking about vegan offerings in the area, and was steered by someone there towards the Stone Cat. The reporter then proceeded to eat a pulled pork sandwich, which was well received. Good ole pulled pork, always a great option when the vegetables on the menu just don't sound that appealing.

Sadly, Olean's own full time BBQ cook, Ola Mae Gayton has hung up the tongs and pulled down the country ham at No Match Southern Cookin' I am saddened to report. Sorry, Owen, I didn't let you know sooner.

I was at Dano's this July also. I had a good sampling of the food, and was impressed for the most part. I had a bento box as well, there was some really great stuff in there. It's a well put together place, and a good menu with a little for everyone. It's such a refreshing break from the norm, I have to admit I was loving it.

[phaelon56]

I'm not familiar with the Stone Cat but just saw it and also Red Newt Cellars mentioned in our local paper's web site as dining options to check out in the Hector NY area.

Have you tried Red Newt?

On a totally different culinary bent.... if any of you happen to get up this way Syracuse now has a good taqueria. It's a bit of a hole in the wall but clean enough and by New York state Mexican food standards the food is excellent. It's called Ponchito's - no web site yet but here's a local business article on it:

Ponchito's Taqueria

[philadining]

I've come across a few good reports on the Stone Cat, but haven't managed to try it myself yet, it's on the list...

Menu does look interesting:

www.stonecatcafe.com

[phaelon56]

Well, now that I'm back from my weekend visit to Fulton, I can answer my own question.  The place that my mother was talking about it is called Niles Gourmet Country Market.  The address says it is Moravia, but I don't think we near the town.  It's 4588 Grange Hall Rd (phone: 315-784-5015), which was southwest of Skaneateles.  If you stand on their covered deck, you can see a sliver of Skaneateles Lake.  My mother heard of the place in Bob Niedt's column Store Front in the Post Standard. 

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I had dinner at Niles this past Saturday night (more like a snack but back to that in a moment). If you're coming from the village of Skaneatles it's relatively easy to find if you have Mapquest directions - and the owners have made some small signs posted at key intersections to provide additional directions. It's a rustic log building that they built themselves and in a fantastic setting - the highest point in Cayuga county with a beautiful view of rolling green fields, woodlands and a slice of the lake.

It's also dog friendly - their two pooches - Mesa and Cucina - were wandering around making friends with all. Eric and Sandie are affable and engaging hosts with an obvious love for their business and a genuine appreciation for people.

Now - on to the food. It's.... uhhhhhh.... okay but pricey. We had one ravioli each, shared a bowl of corn chowder and each had one non-alcoholic beverage (a bottle of Tazo Tea and a Ginger beer). The bill was about $30 not including tax.

The individual ravioli's were about 4" square and not generously stuffed. The fillings - my date had asparagus and I had artichoke with ricotta - were deftly seasoned, perfectly cooked and delightful. The brown butter sauce they were served with was exceptionally good as well. But the pasta itself was tough and I don't mean just al dente. I don't know if it was the type of flour used to make them, the prep, the cooking method or exactly what.... but as fresh pasta goes I wasn't impressed.

At $7 - $9 each I thought they were a bit pricey and $9 for a moderate sized bowl of corn chowder is at the very upper end of pricing for what any restaurant on the entire region charges for soup (actually most likely a $1 or $2 higher). I could easily have eaten two or three ravioli, some soup, a small entree of some sort and then dessert but with prices what they were, all the desserts at $9 each and me being on a tight budget this week - I restricted this visit to sort of a "check it out" meal.

The hosts were endearing, warm, down to earth people and it would be a fantastic setting for sitting out on the covered deck on a warm weekend afternoon. But for what I'd spend at Niles Country Gourmet to have a complete meal.... I could stay in Skaneatles and get the $68 five course tasting menu at Mirbeau Inn. And - no offense to Niles... the food would be better. I know because I've eaten there.

Eric and Sandie are really nice people and I have a real appreciation for what they're doing. And in the context of serving a Skaneatles are clientèle and being a small operation I can understand the need to price accordingly. But I feel obligated to be candid about my perception of value relative to quality.

[mrsadm]

Another two thumbs up for Dano's Heuriger on Senaca Lake. Hubby and I had lunch there today and it was wonderful. Very fresh food, excellent breads, hubby was devouring the breads and I enjoyed several spreads on them. I ordered the bento box based on nice comments posted here, and it was excellent to be able to try so many dishes. Hubby had a special, fried catfish which was done perfectly with an extra crispy crust.

The food is simple and excellently prepared. Diners around us were ordering hamburgers, not sure why, when you can have this delicious and different Austrian cuisine. It was also nice the chef/owner came to our table to ask how we liked the meal. The building is a fascinating Bauhaus-style building which we learned was designed just for this restaurant. Definitely go there if you are visiting the Finger Lakes!

[Ciao Ling]

Not really Upstate NY- but pretty close (just across the border in Canada), my wife and I had a lovely lunch at Treadwell Cuisine in Old Port Dalhousie. Just under a 2 hour trip west from Rochester. I posted the visit on a specific Treadwell thread:Treadwell Farm to Table

[Sony]

Anyone dined recently around Saranac Lake? I'll be there on business travel Sunday afternoon through Monday night and am hoping to eat 2 decent dinners while in town (hopefully within a 20 miles radius). Recommendations, please? In terms of preferences:

-Not looking for expensive options unless it's REALLY worth it (expensive to me = more than $25 per entree)

-Don't care if the environment is a dive bar or upscale, but don't enjoy food unless there's a non-smoking section

-Don't eat pork, but will gladly eat other options at places known for their porky goodness as long as the alternatives are equally tasty

[phaelon56]

Anyone dined recently around Saranac Lake? I'll be there on business travel Sunday afternoon through Monday night and am hoping to eat 2 decent dinners while in town (hopefully within a 20 miles radius). Recommendations, please?

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I haven't been up that way in years. Just glanced at the Chamber of Commerce Adirondack Dining Guide to Saranac Lake and it doesn't look like you'll have too many options within that 20 mile radius.

-Not looking for expensive options unless it's REALLY worth it (expensive to me = more than $25 per entree)

It's not likely to exceed that price range IF you find the kind of place you're looking for.

-Don't care if the environment is a dive bar or upscale, but don't enjoy food unless there's a non-smoking section

Good news. In New York State the entire restaurant - including the bar area - will be non-smoking. It's been the law for a few years now.

[Sony]

Thanks Owen! Didn't know that the bar area too is non-smoking...thank for that info.

I got take-out from the Red Fox Restaurant- 1st restaurant I saw entering Saranac Lake. Didn't have the social graces in me to dine properly on site (car got stuck in gravel area when I pulled over to double-check my directions, and it was a little stressful getting outta that predicament )

As I was waiting for my food, I chatted with one of the owners briefly. Her and her husband moved to the area after living in Queens for many years- her husband had cooked at an Italian restaurant there. They wanted to live somewhere a little more peaceful, so they bought the restaurant at a great price and relocated. They've definitely faced their struggles, including the restaurant burning down about 5 years ago and having to rebuild the business at a new location. It look like it's in nice shape- interesting artwork, chandeliers that have little foxes hanging off them....I guess it has a "lodge charm" about it.

As far as the food....clam linguine was made with canned clams and a olive-oil based sauce flecked with tomato and dried rosemary. HUGE quantity- made for a filling dinner last night and tonight. Quality- the pasta was cooked al dente, taste was OK. Came with a standard side salad and a small cup of salty beef and barley soup. Some soup elements looked less processed e.g. the beef that was in it, but it was overshadowed by the salty base.

What really stood out to me- she picked up on the fact that I was a traveler and packed a set of real utensils in the bag. I don't know if they ran out of plastic ware, but that was awfully considerate.

Anyway, I'm going to hold off on dinner tomorrow until I get to Syracuse. Meeting a friend for dinner at Dinosaur, and I'm going to be hungry!

[phaelon56]

IMHO the chicken at the Dino is one of the best items on the menu. I've also had very good success with the fried green tomatoes and the tomato cuke salad is pretty good too.

If you waver and have pork I suggest the pulled pork - it's typically very consistent. The ribs... all over the place... sometimes very good by central NY standards and other times (at least for me) not so great.

[Ciao Ling]

For Dano's on Seneca fans- there is apparently a beer dinner this Sunday. From the Rochester D&C:

BEER DINNER AT DANO'S

Dano's Heuriger on Seneca is hosting a beer dinner with Wagner Valley Brewing Co. Sunday. The event starts at 4 p.m. with a tour of the Lodi brewery at 9322 Route 414 in Lodi, Seneca County, then dinner at Dano's, 9564 Route 414, Lodi, at 5 p.m. The cost is $50 (tax and gratuity not included). The pairings include soft pretzel with duck rillettes with an amber lager, lamb goulash with dopplebock and a cheese course with oatmeal stout. Call Dano's at (607) 582-7555 for reservations. For a complete menu, go to www.danosonseneca.com.

[Bliss]

Orange County is officially the Hudson Valley so I hope it is also upstate! Crystal Inn on Amity Road in the hamlet of Amity, Town of Warwick is hard-to-find, easy to pass by (looks like a dive from the outside), but an absolutely delicious eating experience. Chef James Haurey is devoted to slow food, local produce etc. Some of the produce comes out of his wife's garden, a few miles down the road. But he also provides a delightful steak house menu for clientele who prefer it. The dining room is simple, a bit kitschy and the service is friendly, not formal, but you will enjoy the experience I'm sure. Their Pine Island Onion Soup, a favorite of mine, was in the NY Times a couple of months ago. I have no business relationship with the restaurant, just a vested interest in their survival since I have a house less than 3 miles away.

[suzilightning]

if you are inteh mid-Hudson Valley around Millbrook you might want to checkout La Puerta Azul. with johnnybird's family up in that area - and surprise of surprises - his father actually liking the place i've eaten there several times with both john and my sister-in-law, julie.

a stunning space that can get a bit cramped and noisy on the weekend. so far we have had the empanada de carne, flautas de carniteas, mole de pollo coloradito, bistec a la punta and the chile rellenos from the menu. last time julie had a special of a sopa topped with perfectly cooked filet. haven't tried the tequila flights but did do a tasting of the tap beers where they allowed me to sub one brew from the second flight for one in the flight we were getting. thank you!!

so far everything we have eaten has been wonderful. perfectly spiced and not over sauced. it is really mexican food with nary a burrito or other tex/mex item in sight.

[Sony]

Hi Everyone!

I have business travel this week to St. Lawrence Co. and am on my own for dinner on Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Any restaurant recommendations for Canton, Potsdam or "thereabouts"? As always, my only restrictions are:

-not looking to blow a huge amount on dinner unless it's REALLY worth it

-must have tasty non-pork options

Hope you can help- thanks!

[MelissaH]

Hi Everyone!

I have business travel this week to St. Lawrence Co. and am on my own for dinner on Tuesday night and Wednesday night. Any restaurant recommendations for Canton, Potsdam or "thereabouts"? As always, my only restrictions are:

-not looking to blow a huge amount on dinner unless it's REALLY worth it

-must have tasty non-pork options

Hope you can help- thanks!

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We go to Potsdam every year for hockey. Our recommendation, developed over four years' worth of visits: Sergi's Italian Restaurant downtown. Not too pricey, and good food if a little ordinary.

Caroline's Diner is our favorite for breakfast in Potsdam. Typical diner breakfasts: pancakes, omelets, and the like. On various occasions, I've gotten pie or a milkshake with my breakfast.

There's a bagel place in town. The bagels are better than Lender's. I'll stop there.

We stay as far away from Maxfield's as we possibly can. The menu is very broad, which means that they don't do anything well. But we had a bigger issue there. The friends we were with wanted to get a drink after the game. The guy at the door stopped us and told us there was a cover charge. We refused to pay. Our friends went anyway. (No, no band that night.) As we walked away, we saw other people walk right in, without paying a cover charge. I realize Potsdam's a small town, but I can't help but wonder if the kid working the door saw our team colors and opted to try and make a few bucks for himself. Since that night, we haven't set foot inside their door.

MelissaH

[Sony]

I'm happy to report on 2 fantastic restaurants I've eaten at recently (though distance-wise, they're quite far from each other!)

In Potsdam, I enjoyed a wonderful meal at La Casbah, a relatively new restaurant that opened in February 2008 at 6 Elm Street. It's located beneath a dance studio, which means you can hear a moderate amount of noise if you really pay attention. Given the warm atmosphere and lively (but not too loud) music, you'll probably find it's barely a distraction.

I had the opportunity to chat a little with one of the co-owners, Alex, as well as one of the chefs, Hassan, and the work that went into renovating the space is amazing. Over 1.5 years, the walls were painted, lighting was re-done, furniture and decorations were chosen and imported from Morocco, and menu planning evolved (and is still changing- Hassan would like to add more vegetarian options and put even more focus than they already have on locally-procured foods).

It was a fairly quiet Tuesday night, so we felt VERY unrushed and had plenty of time to enjoy our meal. A basket of warm pita with butter (flavored with dried oregano, I believe) was set out shortly after our party of 3 were all seated. Fortunately, there were a few wedges left when my entree of chicken with preserved lemons and olives came out, because I wanted to wipe up every bit of that sauce! Nice quality black and green olives in a thin, tangy, briny sauce that infused breast, leg, potatoes and carrots that were simmered together. The seafood tagine (with swordfish, scallops and shrimp) and vegetarian couscous (ordered "moist", per advisement of the regular in our party) were equally satisfying. Can't remember much about the prices, but most dishes were in the $13-$18 and I thought to myself that the food was very reasonably priced, especially given the quality.

I very rarely order dessert, but at the urging of a dining companion, we had the chocolate mousse and the creme brulee. The brulee was appropriately creamy and crisp- a nice, classic rendition- but the mousse was quite distinctive. It came in a martini glass with a bottom layer of plain whipped cream, a intensely sweet layer of chocolate mousse in the middle, and more plain whipped cream on top. A few strawberry slices as garnish too. With the first spoonful, I was surprised to pick up (much to the delight of Alex) a faint hint of rosewater. There was no indication of the flavoring on the menu, but it was fortunately done with a light hand to lend an intriguing (not overwhelming) note.

I have to admit that I was most likely biased by having the chance to meet the folks behind the operation that night- given the slow pace of the evening, Alex and Hassan even sat and spoke with us for a few minutes- but they are the kind of people you really pull for to succeed in the restaurant industry. Passionate about what they do and able to deliver on good intentions- that's my kind of place.

The same holds for Hazelnut Kitchen in Trumansburg, NY. Link to Hazelnut Kitchen website

It was a gorgeous spring evening, so my dining partner and I made an impromptu run up from Ithaca to arrive about an hour before closing. (Called to make sure they could accommodate us.....) It's the kind of place where you can relax as soon as you enter- wide smile from the hostess, lace curtains, checkerboard linoleum floor, open door to let in the fresh air and ceiling fans spinning to disperse the breeze and conversation. It was a quiet late Thursday service, only 2 other small parties there, but I wonder how loud the small space would be if it was fully packed (even when the tables are well-spaced).

We were seated at a booth with a plum view of the open kitchen. I'm always fascinated by the coordination of a crew in a small space. Our server was absolutely lovely and was attentive without overwhelming us.

The cloth napkins have homey, assorted prints on them and match unfussily with the mixed service pieces. To start, we were presented with a small basket of good-quality bread (assorted brown bread, rolls, white bread...) with a ramekin of nicely softened chive butter. It was fun watching our entrees fired- companion had a duck breast special (he requested it medium- with blackberry jus, a cold pea flan and potatoes roasted in duck fat.) I had the hanger steak (medium-rare) with homemade frites and malt vinegar aioli. The steak was easily 10 oz- tender, intensely beefy and perfectly crusty and pink all at once, perched on top of a huge pile of deeply browned (but not burnt!) planks with an honest potato flavor. The aioli was ( I suspect) homemade- faint golden hue and rich mouthfeel- and lightly garlicky. I ate about half of my substantial plate, yet the server wanted to make sure that nothing was wrong when I wanted the leftovers wrapped up.

It was also nice to see the staff sitting at the bar area at the end of the night, eating together and amicably chatting. Not to sound like a dope, but I feel like the charm of the place is really supported by a dedicated, well-coordinated staff who enjoy and take pride in what they do.

Great execution with quality ingredients, fantastic service and a reasonable price tag (entrees in the upper teens to mid-twenties). Amen. Already looking forward to my next visit there.

[philadining]

Made another stop at Dano's (earlier visits documented here and here.)

Everything was as delicious as ever, although we were a bit heartbroken that they were out of their Heuriger Eggplant, the consequence of a busy weekend, apparently...

We somehow managed to console ourselves, primarily with pork products. This generally works.

They have a nice summer cocktail right now. Sorry, I forgot the name, but it's made with Riesling, Strawberries, Woodruff and sparkling wine. It had a vivid fruity flavor, the woodruff counteracting some of the natural sweetness, leaving it very refreshing, but not at all sugary.

I can't really imagine visiting here without having a basket of their bread, and some spreads, so indeed that's how we started.

That's Horseradish-Walnut, Pumpkinseed, and Liptauer, all quite delicious cheese-based spreads.

The specials menu included a charcuterie plate, and it didn't require much arm-twisting to get this approved by the crowd.

It consisted of:

Garlic Sausage

Pork and Duck Rillettes

Pork Belly

Curried Chicken Wings

accompanied by homemade mustard, pear chutney, and cornichons.

Surprisingly, the pork belly was overshadowed by everything else on the platter. It was fine, but a little bland compared to everything else. The sausage was smoky, garlicky and shockingly addictive. The rillettes were the best I've ever had, it really took all my willpower to resist asking for a bucket-full to take home. The meat was luxuriously rich and tender, but was not overwhelmed by that over-the-top fattiness that rillettes sometimes can take too far. Most importantly, the flavor was deep and dark, like the caramelized outer edges of a roast, but in tender shreds... And can I ask: why aren't curried chicken wings a huge fad? It's a great idea, delivering an intense and intriguing flavor. These were not fried, rather they were roasted, and served cold, creating an ideal summer snack.

In retrospect, we probably could have stopped there, but where's the fun in that?

We got some cold salads, including a beet-horseradish that's one of my favorite things, but I've photographed it before, and didn't bother this time. We ordered the Viennese Potato Salad and the corn salad, both studies in elegant minimalism. Neither had a whole lot going on, yet both were stunningly delicious.

Then on to the heavy-hitters.

Smoked Hungarian Sausage and Bockwurst were accompanied by two mustards, a Merlot Mustard and a Riesling mustard, both made in-house, both quite strong, but good compliments to the sausages. (they're in a later photo...)

The Roasted Half Chicken looked a little odd, but was ridiculously moist and full of flavor. That kind-of burnt-looking skin? Delicious...

They often have Pork Shanks available as add-ons, look on the specials menu. Like the chicken, the appearance doesn't even start to do justice to how tasty this thing was. The meat practically fell off the bone into tender shreds, soaking in the intense jus on the plate. I could be pretty happy with a few of these, some kraut and some potatoes.

Oh, right, Kraut and Potatoes.

I think I've raved about both of these before, and these lived up to that hype. The kraut is rather aggressively sauer, and I love it like that. It tastes a little mustardy, and has a solid caraway component. Oh, and bacon. This is not a supporting-role sauerkraut: this is front-and-center stuff. The potatoes are impossibly good. There's nothing especially noteworthy about them, they're just plain old mashed potatoes. Except they're not. I think they're just very high-quality, very fresh potatoes, expertly prepared. It's surprising what a difference doing something simple, perfectly, can make.

No room for dessert, which is a shame, because they usually have some nice tarts and tortes.

Service is super-friendly, in a good way, and Dano is sure to swing by and see how everything is at some point. We failed to extract the secret recipe for the potato salad from him, but we are not discouraged yet, we'll just have to go back and try again...

Edited July 8, 2008 by philadining (log)

[rlibkind]

I have GOT to find my way back to Lodi!

[kreed]

Made another stop at Dano's (earlier visits documented

Phila-

What day of the week/time did you go to Dano's? I keep meaning to make a reservation.

Thanks

[philadining]

I've been there most often on sunday afternoons, and although there's always been a steady stream of customers, it's never been totally full then. That said, when I called to confirm that they were open (never a bad idea, just because they occasionally hold private parties, weddings, etc.) they suggested that I make a reservation, because they had been so full that they had to turn people away on a few recent evenings. I'd imagine summer evenings might be pretty busy, especially weekends.

They serve continuously from noon to 9 every day except tuesdays (when they're closed) so I'd just suggest just going at an odd time, avoiding the obvious meal rushes, like friday and saturday at 6-8pm. Or call for a reservation, even if it's right before driving up there.

www.danosonseneca.com

phone: 607-582-7555

[kreed]

I've been there most often on sunday afternoons, and although there's always been a steady stream of customers, it's never been totally full then.  That said, when I called to confirm that they were open (never a bad idea, just because they occasionally hold private parties, weddings, etc.) they suggested that I make a reservation, because they had been so full that they had to turn  people away on a few recent evenings.    I'd imagine summer evenings might be pretty busy, especially weekends. 

They serve continuously from noon to 9 every day except tuesdays (when they're closed) so I'd just suggest just going at an odd time, avoiding the obvious meal rushes, like friday and saturday at 6-8pm. Or call for a reservation, even if it's right before driving up there.

www.danosonseneca.com

phone: 607-582-7555

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Thanks, I was considering doing the chef's table. Have you ever done this?

[MelissaH]

Any updates on Potsdam or Massena eating?

MelissaH

[Corinna]

I've been there most often on sunday afternoons, and although there's always been a steady stream of customers, it's never been totally full then.  That said, when I called to confirm that they were open (never a bad idea, just because they occasionally hold private parties, weddings, etc.) they suggested that I make a reservation, because they had been so full that they had to turn  people away on a few recent evenings.    I'd imagine summer evenings might be pretty busy, especially weekends. 

They serve continuously from noon to 9 every day except tuesdays (when they're closed) so I'd just suggest just going at an odd time, avoiding the obvious meal rushes, like friday and saturday at 6-8pm. Or call for a reservation, even if it's right before driving up there.

www.danosonseneca.com

phone: 607-582-7555

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Thanks, I was considering doing the chef's table. Have you ever done this?

I am lucky to live very close by to Dano's, and love to take visitors (and myself) there. The chef's table is a great way to avoid getting overwhelmed by the menu, try a variety of things and get a real feel for what Dano's is all about. The Viennese Bento Box is also a great choice. Save room for dessert-- Karen's pastries and tortes are too good to pass up!

While we're on the subject, anyone have any recommendations for lunch in Skaneateles?