GL: Gourmet eating along the Hudson and NYS Canals

[lrzeitlin]

On Jul 22, 2009, at 12:00:01 AM, Bob wrote:
We happened into a really great restaurant in Medina, NY on the western Erie
tonight. Lynn went on-line to look at the restaurants near the town dock
and picked the Zambistro on Main St. just a very short walk away from where
we tied up (free town wall with 30amp, water and free pumpout).

The owner/chief is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America - what
more can you say!

Zambistro is not outrageously priced - sandwiches $6 to $9 and main entrees
$11 to $20 but there is a nice wine list if you need to spend more :-)

Don't plan on losing weight on a trip through New York State inland waterways.
Some of the best restaurants in the country are along the banks of the Hudson
River and Erie and Champlain canals. Below are a couple of paragraphs from the
2009 edition of the Hudson River Guide. I would be happy to send a .pdf or
.doc edition to anyone who wants one. The file contains a complete guide to
shoreside restaurants along the Hudson. NY wines are pretty good too. You
might want to schedule a wine tasting on a trip in the vicinity of the Finger
Lakes.

Larry Z

    "You are not likely to go hungry on a cruise in the Hudson Valley. A
confluence of high quality agricultural land, specialty farms, culinary
talent, and affluent demanding customers has made the region a gourmet?s
nirvana. If the truth must be told, you probably will not get a Michelin?s
four fork meal at any of the restaurants associated with marinas along the
waterway. These generally serve generous portions of food that are popular
with the weekend boating crowd. Steaks, seafood, burgers, fries and beer tend
to dominate the menu. Filling and satisfying but not the best that the region
has to offer. However within walking distance of many of the marinas are some
of the finest restaurants in the country. I?ll mention those I found to be
particularly good, but your best guide to this culinary abundance is a copy of
the current Zagat?s Survey of Westchester and Hudson River Valley Restaurants.
Every major bookstore can get you a copy for the price of a couple of Big
Macs. If you like to eat, never boat the Hudson without it. 

When in Hyde Park, take the opportunity to have a gourmet meal at the CIA, not
the one with spies but the Culinary Institute of America. The CIA is the only
residential college in the world devoted to culinary education. Located on the
banks of the Hudson River, the architecture and surrounding landscape are
beautiful. The campus outdates the school; before it was home to the CIA the
campus was a Jesuit seminary, St. Andrew-on-Hudson, built at the turn of the
last century. After parking in one of the main lots visitors must stroll
through the campus to reach their dining destination. The CIA is like any
other school, bustling with students, except they all dress in chef?s white
coats and checked pants. 

    The campus hosts four restaurants: the American Bounty, serving American
and Hudson Valley regional meals: the Escoffier Restaurant, specializing in
various French regional cuisines; Ristorante Caterina de? Medici, serving
traditional Italian dishes; and St. Andrews Cafi emphasizing fresh seasonal
ingredients wrapped with Asian inspiration. The CIA, along with the Cornell
University School of Hotel Management, provides many of America's haute
cuisine chefs. Meals are prepared and served by third year students under the
watchful eyes of their mentors. The three gourmet restaurants all have top
Zagat?s rankings. You can be sure that the cooking and presentation are done
right. The student?s careers depend upon it. Of course some get As while
others deserve Cs. Because of the CIA?s popularity, advance reservations are
strongly advised (845-471-6608). St. Andrew?s Cafi, often called the best
diner in the world, is the most casual of the CIA?s restaurants and takes
walk-ins for lunch. Many of the best restaurants in the area are staffed by
CIA graduates and the quality of the food shows it."