the bear cafe (845-679-5555), combining new american cuisine
with top-notch service, is a must-visit.
depuy canal house
(845-687-7700), set in a romantic 1797 building, has garnered raves
from craig claiborne to zagat's. the four-sourse, $35
-
prix-fixe dinner at
fluer de lys (845-676-4542) is a
tremendous value.
sweet sue's restaurant (845-688-7852) ios
a favorite for brunch, although a stack of their scrumptious,
dinner-plate-size pancakes has yet to be consumed by a single
mortal.
terrapin (845-331-7852) offers outstanding cuisine
with a new american touch, including standouts like garlic soup and
horseradish-crusted ahi tuna. -l.v.
how to get there
the catskills region is well served by
american
(800-433-7300;
www.aa.com), with
flights available to albany and newburgh/stewart airports. for
general tourist information, call (845) 338-5100 or visit
www.catskillguide.com.
what to do
the ridge hike at north lake is one of the most breathtaking in the
catskills - on a clear day you can spy five states. the
mountain-lake-bathing season is admittedly short in the catskills,
but on those days that necessitate cooling off, head to the
semi-secret
big pond (near alder lake on the delaware county
side of the border).
a great way to explore all the quiet back roads and disused logging
paths is by mountain biking: grab a rental from the friendly folks
at
table rock tours and bicycle shop (845-658-7832) in
rosendale. call the outfitters at
town tinker (845-688-5553)
in phoenicia and float down the esopus in a giant inner tube
(advisable only at the end of the summer when the water is
warmest).
ed's fly-fishing & guide services (845-657-6393) in
shokan will take you out and teach you the hows and whys of the
sport.