My boyfriend and I were celebrating our UNAnniversary(we were married to our exes on the same day, different years), and our friend. Kim, recommended the restaurant at Friends Lake Inn. While it was a 55 minute drive from home, we meandered along the local roads — stopping at Oscar’s Smoke House in Warrensburg on the way — and enjoyed the beautiful fall colors at the height of Leaf Peeping Season en route. This quaint Inn is located in the heart of the Adirondacks. The décor is «classy» Adirondack, and they have a lovely bar area with ample tables for casual dining and a fine dining restaurant(which is where I had made our reservation) to complement their rooms. I chose the Cast Iron Seared Hudson Valley Foie Gras for my appetizer, which was served with a peach and lycée nut relish. Delicate, perfect pairing of flavors; I thoroughly enjoyed it. My boyfriend selected one of their specials, Pumpkin Ravioli, which was accompanied by beurre blanc that was right on the mark. For our entrees, we chose two of their specials. I ordered the Venison Osso Bucco and my companion, the Summer Cioppino. The venison was tender, and served with root vegetables in a wonderful brown sauce. The meat and marrow tasted very much like beef. The Cioppino included seared scallops, shrimp, lobster and mussels served in a lovely light cream sauce. It’s no wonder it’s one of the house favorites. Although very tempting, we were just too full to order one of their sumptuous desserts, but did end our meal with a cappuccino. Our server, Richard(who also works at Maestro’s in Saratoga Springs, one of my other favorite restaurants), is a true professional. He was attentive at all the right times. We met Sous Chef, Patrick McQueeney, and shared our delight with finding an exceptional fine dining establishment in the Adirondacks thanks to the recommendation of our mutual friend, Kim. Sad to say, my photos did their cuisine no justice. I highly recommend this fine dining restaurant — which is expensive but has an exceptional wine list — for its creative menu, superb service and lovely ambiance. We look forward to our next visit.
