Schroon's Best Breakfast Sandwich?

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Getting a great start to the day on vacation (or any time of the year) here in Schroon, can give you the energy to power you all day.

And we know of a great breakfast sandwich, designed by food engineers (ok, we made that last part up!) that will supercharged your body, mind and taste buds! So just how did we discover this Bonza Breakfast!

In the summer of 2011, when we started Schroon Laker, many of the first stories were composed over breakfasts at Higher Grounds Coffee Shop.

We were drawn, not only by the free Wi-Fi (an important factor indeed in running a website), but their incredible coffee – another equally important component for a writer.

The more time we spent there, the more we became familiar with their breakfast menu. And in particular, one sandwich, which deserves its name and delivers not only great tastes, but enough protein to power you on for hours.

It’s called the Meat Lovers Breakfast Wrap.

It consists of 4 eggs, onions, peppers, home fried potatoes, sausage, bacon ham and cheese, served overflowing in a wrap.

It’s more than a meal, and covers all of the food groups – and it is simply delicious.

The Higher Ground kitchen crew does all of their egg dishes well, as they do with their pancakes. (Tip: It’s worth the extra 50 cents for real Adirondack maple syrup.)

And if you crave sweetness, there are no less than three French Toast selections: Classic, Caramel and Strawberry Stuffed.

The friendly staff, managed by owner Paul Mieras, knows their way around an espresso machine, and make terrific coffee drinks any which way you want.

If you are in the mood for just a morning or afternoon coffee or tea, Higher Ground has a baked in store selection of pastries, brownies, scones, cookies and crumb cake.

And lest we forget – more than 10 sandwich and Panini selections and fruit smoothies and frappes. They also sell their delicious coffees by the pound.

Got a favorite breakfast sandwich in Schroon?  Or do you make your own?  Tell us about it in our comment section below.

Higher Ground Coffee Shop 7 am  - 3pm. (Next to the Upstate Insurance Agency and the Community Garden)

1072 Main Street (Route 9) (518) 532-9092. (Visa and MasterCard)

 

Got Secrets?

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Fans rave about Mr. P's  -- from his ribs, salmon and pulled pork. But he has many fans who love his side dishes with equal passion. Our favorite is the Blue Cheese Slaw. One recent customer fell in love with Mr. P's Beans. Chris Palmatier relates what happened to him earlier this month:

"Love it!  Just got a call from an executive assistant in Long Beach, California.  Her boss was here, and absolutely loved the barbecue baked beans  (We agree.)  He tasked her with getting our bean recipe so his personal chef can make it for him.  Sorry, but we don't give out the bean recipe, the chef will have to try to recreate it on his own.  But thanks for the compliment!"

 

Viva Mexico: New South Of the Border Restaurant Grand Opening Tonight in Schroon!

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Friends were always complimenting Joanie Cunningham about her Mexican and Chinese cooking – which they raved about.

‘This is so good you should serve this in your restaurant’, her friends told her.

Fast-forward a couple of years and tonight Joanie opens El Mexicana, in her restaurant, which by day goes by the name Joanies Baked Goodies.

“I have so long wanted to do this,” Joanie told Schroon Laker today.

Tonight’s opening comes at a time when Joanie has fought a mysterious illness, which has kept her out of the daily running of her restaurant and bakery for the last couple of years.

“I am very excited about this new venture.”

“It was either going to be Chinese or Mexican – Chinese cooking is just too labor intensive, so we are doing Mexican.”

The restaurant will feature a variety of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas, with different fillings. After their opening night, they will feature a daily Mexican specialty, “using the freshest ingredients that are available to us.”

Expect to be greeted by sombrero wearing staff. There will also be a Mexican Cut-Out where folks can pop their heads through for a picture taking opportunity.

To her knowledge, Joanie says this is the first full time mexican restaurant in Schroon.

(There was a Mexican Pop-up restaurant at Mr. P’s Mountain Smokehouse this past winter.)

The restaurant will be open Wednesday through Sunday  -- from 5pm  - 10pm Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and 12 noon to 9 pm on the remaining days.

The restaurant’s all you can each weekend brunch and bakery hours remain the same.

1061 Route 9 (Main Street) Schroon Lake.   (518) 532-9900

 

Drake's Is Back

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When a restaurant goes through a rough patch – and the meals eaten there in the past have drastically fallen short of your expectations – it’s natural to be a little gunshy about giving it another try. Such has been the case for the last two years at Drake’s Restaurant and Bar, decades ago the area's gold standard for fine dining.

After two shaky seasons we are happy to report that Drake’s is definitely back to its glory days, in a deliciously big way, with a great chef in the kitchen and his family running the front of the house.

While we are loath to give a review based on just one meal – the quality of the food and overall dining experience made us break this rule.

We chose two of the specials: Zuppa Langosta and the Lobster Ravioli. The meal started off with fresh  -- home baked -- bread rolls, with a standard side salad. (nothing to write home about, and too heavy on the dressing.)

But when the entrees came out, that’s when the show started for our taste buds.

Zuppa Langosta is an overflowing plate consisting of half a good size lobster, clams, scallops, calamari and shrimp in a garlic and white wine sauce served over pasta. If you prefer traditional red sauce, that is also an option. All of the seafood was fresh, and the meal totally satisfying.

Annette’s lobster ravioli consisted of fresh pasta stuffed with chunks of sweet lobster, served in a creamy vodka sauce. “No frill, just the real deal”.

We split a tiramisu for dessert – and agreed it was one of the best we’ve ever tasted - light, moist and airy. Says Annette: “Surprisingly tasty, but not overly sweet.” The lady fingers were still firm.

When we caught up with Chef Lorenzo Cecunjanin after our meal, he told us that the desert was one of his favorites to make and eat.

Lorenzo has decades of Italian cooking under his belt, learning to cook in the kitchens of a variety of restaurants in Connecticut. Lorenzo's passion is seafood. He was a partner at the Arena Bar and Grill in Lake Placid for many years, and worked at Corvo’s in Saranac Lake. He also did a stint at Casa Mia on Route 9W outside of Albany. 

You will find his wife Jasmina and daughter Izabela, on the main floor, taking orders, seating customers and at the bar.

The couple discovered that Drake's restaurant was available when they were cruising Craigslist for kitchen equipment.

“This was the perfect set up, everything was ready to go.”

Besides changing the menu, the couple has already opened up the bar area by removing a wall to accommodate a larger crowd.

The couple had not heard about the bad reviews from previous years, until diners told them. 

Folks we have spoken to are equally impressed with the quality of the food.

“When we were here my wife ordered the Zuppa Langosta, when she saw it being brought out for another table,” Councilman Roger Friedman told us.

“She didn’t even look at the price, but based on the quality of the dish, she expected it to be around $30.”

(It’s $22.95. The Lobster Ravioli is  $15.95)

 “We are very excited to be here in Schroon Lake,” Jasmina told us. “Lorenzo is at his happiest when he is cooking.” 

Drake’s Restaurnt and Motel. (About one mile north of downtown)  1295 US Route 9,

Schroon Lake, NY 12870. 518 532-9040.