A Spartan’s nightmare, but popular enough to be packed at 3 p.m. on a Saturday, the Egg’s Nest Saloon is decorated floor-to-rafters with a crazy über-eclectic combination of knickknacks and murals. No spot is unadorned; even the exterior is bedecked with fake flowers at this 40-year-old bastion of High Falls. While the menu nods toward the Southwestern, it is nearly as varied as the décor, and prices are kept low with policies refusing substitution requests and credit cards.
You’ll find onion straws with horseradish sauce ($4.95), English-style chips with malt vinegar ($3.25), quesadillas ($5.95 to $6.95), soups ($2.25 to $3.50), salads ($4 to $8.95), burgers and deli sandwiches ($6.50 to $7.95, with the creative combos at $9.95) and a “Praeseux” of a tortilla crust with toppings such as the Greek, with spinach, tomatoes and mushrooms with four cheeses ($7.50). You can get roll/enchilada/wrap riffs ($11.95) or pastas ($6.95 for an appetizer portion, $11.95 for full). Recent specials included several tempeh offerings, as well as mussels ($9.95) and shepherd’s pie ($15.95). A large selection of desserts includes Indian pudding ($4.50), mousse Cozumel ($4.50) and fried cheesecake wrap ($5.95). Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner, you’ll find the eatery on Main Street in High Falls, at (845) 687-7255 or www.theeggsnest.com.
A couple of miles further down Route 213 brings you to Rosendale, the kind of small town that I’d like to live in. Although The New York Times said that it has “a Brooklyn feel,” what I like about it is its dramatic geologic beauty, with hilly cliffs and dips punctuated by abandoned cement kilns and a towering railway trestle. And Rosendale has character, oozing arts and culture with ‘70s sensibilities as well as blue-collar charm.
Many options for excellent eating add to its appeal. Twisted Foods is not just a pretzel roll factory, but also a cozy, homey spot for a tasty bite, either outdoors under an arbor or in the comfy indoor space in its mid-1800s building. The eponymous twisted foods include dense, chewy pretzel rolls that come in a variety of flavors; mine was covered with spices and seeds and delicious. Its cousin, the hybrid pretzel croissant, is even better: rich and both chewy and fluffy. Twisted was out of its famous chicken salad when I stopped in late afternoon, but had many other goodies, from fresh cream cheese mixes to hot soups and chili to baked sweets like fresh cheesecake and Moxie Cupcakes.
Twisted Foods Pretzel Roll Factory Corporation is open every day but Wednesday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., at 446 Main Street in the Village of Rosendale. It is reachable at (845) 658-9121 and on Facebook.
For more sit-down dining, there’s the Bywater Bistro down the street, with back porch/deck and creekside garden seating options in finer weather. Although entrées are in the $18 to $25 range, I include it here because there are less pricey options for snacking or a light meal. Appetizers feature pork belly to mussels to fried tofu sticks in a range of $6 to $9. Imaginative salads ($7 to $8) include Fishkill Farms Golden Delicious apple and romaine in cider vinaigrette with toasted pumpkin seeds and shaved Manchego. Sandwich options range from a burger for $8 ($9.50 with cheese) to a crabcake and grilled Portobello with chili/lime mayo ($12). Bywater Bistro has regional craft beers on tap and a nice selection of wines by the glass or bottle. It opens at 5 p.m., and stays open until 10 p.m. (9 p.m. on Sundays); it’s closed on Wednesdays. Find it at 419 Main Street in Rosendale, (845) 658-3210 or www.bywaterbistro.com.
Formerly a fixture of the Rondout in Kingston, the Alternative Baker now offers a mind-boggling assortment of sweet and savory treats out of its Rosendale storefront. Owner Essell Hoenshell-Watson uses only unbleached flours, fresh eggs and dairy products and pure oils. There are vegan options as well as treats free of dairy, sugar, wheat or gluten. I had a wonderful Tel Aviv focaccia that featured a hearty, chewy whole-wheat crust topped with Greek olives, fresh tomato slices and marjoram, generously slathered with luscious sesame and nigella seeds. Breads, sandwiches, soups and hearty salads are available to take out or eat in the small dining area. Sweets are the specialty, like cookies, brownie fudge cake and luscious lemon cakes in velvet or poppyseed, and a huge variety of cakes can be special-ordered.
The shop is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, open at 7 a.m. the rest of the week, until 5 p.m. Sunday and Monday and until 7:15 Thursday through Saturday. Find it at 407 Main Street, (845) 658-3355 or at www.lemoncakes.com.
Another highlight of my food tour was the Big Cheese across the street, which would be heaven for a Mediterraneanophile mouse. As a cheese fanatic, I want to move in and never leave. An overwhelming variety of imported and local cow, goat, sheep and raw milk cheeses at good prices would be enough, but owners Yuval and Lisa Sterer can’t stop there. Not only do they add a cornucopia of Mediterranean delights from produce like prickly pears to pantry gourmet delicacies, but you can also take out tempting prepared foods for a gathering or a meal, from tahini bread to falafel, from beet salad to baklava and much, much more. One recent special was a roast turkey sandwich with the bird from Fleischer’s. Recent soups included a carrot/ginger and a seafood chowder.
There is a cozy bright space to sit and eat your goodies, and if the food choices are too much for you, you can mull it over while you turn your attention to the back of the store, where you can find vintage cookbooks and cowboy boots, belly-dance garb, servingware and more. I went a little mad at the Big Cheese, leaving with a teeny caramelized onion/bleu cheese tart, some goat Gouda, sharp provolone, fresh Greek manouri and a nicely priced wheel of killer Kunik (a goat/cow hybrid from upstate – one of my favorite cheeses anywhere).
The shop opens every day at 8:30 a.m., closing at 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and is located at 402 Main Street or (845) 658-7175.
If you wend your way back through High Falls, back to Route 209 and continue west, you’ll find more great eating. A ways down on the right is Cherries, a small roadside eatery featuring ice cream and good basic standards to take out or eat there. Winter hours are 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., closed on Sundays. Call (845) 687-9121.
