Schroon Lake's Big Ass Steak

We all had the craving. While we’d done our share of  burgers and chicken on the barbecue, we were all hanging for a thick, juicy steak. Where could we be satiated?

Witherbee’s Carriage House, where we soon realized the beef lover won’t be disappointed -- but rewarded!. For a while, we’ve been hearing about the famous Witherbee’s “Big Ass Steak” – a humungous 32 ounce certified Angus Top Sirloin char grilled bad boy.

The menu describes it as steak for two, or “One Bubba”. Could my wife Annette and I even make a dent in this thing? On behalf of all steak lovers, we’d give it out best shot.

We ordered the steak rare. The “Big Ass” comes covered with caramelized onions and mushrooms. It’s served with a soup or salad for two and potato and fresh veggie of the day.

Our kids and my parents all opted for the Witherbee’s Top Sirloin, an 8 ounce cut char grilled to your liking.

A short time after our appetizers – salad for me and New England Clam Chowder for Annette, she described as “delicious” -- the “Big Ass” was delivered by our waitress Patty (the “other one”, not the owner).

That thing was huge! “Anyone ever finish one of these?” I asked Patty?.

“We had three guys come in and they each ordered it. Only one finished it,” Patty said.

Annette took the first bite of a large piece. “Wow. Mushroom and oniony and succulent and juicy,” she said. “Unabashedly rare.”

Indeed, the kitchen delivered us an extraordinary tasty and juicy cut of meat. I cut a large section off, and savored every tasty mouthful. The endorphins were on overload.

When you are craving a steak and you get something this good, you say to yourself: “There is no way I could ever be a vegetarian.”

The veggie of the day was green beans with almonds and roasted potatoes. Both very good. So did we finish that cow?

No – there is so much steak there, you can get your fill and take home leftovers for either a steak salad or sandwich. We think the “Big Ass” is a very good deal at $38.95 for two people (which could actually feed three!).

The rest of the family who ordered the 8 ounce Witherbee’s Top Sirloin at $16.95, also had high praise.

“That’s as good as any steak I’ve ever had,” my dad said.

Witherbee’s Carriage House 581 US Route 9. 518-532-9595.

What's Smokin' in Schroon?

Before you even set foot in Schroon Lake’s newest barbecue mecca -- Mr P’s Mountain Smokehouse --  you ‘ll probably get a hint of what awaits you as the sweet smell of burning oak wafts from the giant smoker out back.

Once inside you’ll be greeted by either the affable Mr P, Chef Shelby or a smiling server who will walk you through their extensive menu. After a long drive from down south, we were ravenous. We settled for a full slab of St Louis Ribs, served with their signature blue cheese coleslaw and spoon bread ($18), a half smoked chicken with fries ($17) and a pulled pork sandwich with a side of hazelnut green beans. ($12)

The ribs –smoked with a dry rub - were meaty and not greasy or fatty. “There’s a lot here to chew on the bone,” my wife Annette said. There was more than enough on the large slab to feed Annette and my mum.

My dad’s chicken was smoky and moist, with the smoke done just right. There was a lot on his plate, so we all sampled. 

My pulled pork sandwich was simply stunning on its own – not too dry with just the right amount of fat  -- and once I added some of the house barbecue sauce, the “Sweet Smokey Satisfaction Sauce”, I was in heaven.

While everything that comes out of the smoker gets star billing, it’s the sides that really got our attention. The coleslaw is nothing like we’ve ever tasted. Mr P’s serves it with blue cheese and the combination tang of the slaw and cheese makes this memorable. The spoon bread is crumbly and moist with whole corn kernels topped with a rasher of smoked bacon. True to its name, you have to eat it with a spoon.

And as we were licking our fingers, finishing up, our waitress offered us a sample of smoked salmon with a chipotle cream cheese on a just baked gluten free wafter. Yummy. Sadly, we didn’t even have room for dessert.

The restaurant – opened just two days when we visited – is owned by Chris Palmetier and Shelby Davis. Most everything is gluten free (just ask) and Chef Shelby is planning on expanding her gluten free baked goodies. This is a very welcome addition to Schroon's dining options and sure to be a popular destination for locals and the summer crowd.

Mr P’s Mountain Smokehouse. 1106 Route 9.  Two doors up from The Strand cinema. 518 532-4300. Open year round.