Catskill Rose
by Pauline Uchmanowicz
Bounded by a hedge barrier in a bend along Route 212 in Mount Tremper where Beaver Kill Creek joins the Esopus, longtime eatery Catskill Rose projects country charm. Announced in summertime by brightly planted flowerboxes, the pastel blue clapboard building is approached by brick walkways that wend front and rear through deftly manicured gardens. Glass blocks leftover from its days as Stardust, a 1940s jazz club, flank the main entrance, which opens to a soft pink, lace-curtained dining room. A banquette divides this cozy space from the rattan-inflected lounge, where a goldfish bowl rests on the original oak and mahogany horseshoe bar. In warmer months, a rustic patio provides outdoor seating, where vibrant rhododendrons and fountain sounds lull the senses. At night, white lights dot trellises like tiny stars.
Pete DiSclafani (originally from Saugerties) and wife Rose Dorn opened Catskill Rose (named for the New York State flower as well as the co-owner) in 1987, pioneers of whole-foods eclectic cuisine. Their minimal yet inventive seasonal menus include nutritiously balanced dishes, enhanced during harvest months by bounty from an organic vegetable and edible-flower garden and a greenhouse maintained on the premises. They likewise cater to those with special dietary needs, including vegetarians (Dorn herself one of the faithful) and adherents of low-starch. "The last thing you need in your life-with so many decisions-is to have stress deciding on your dinner choice," says Chef DiSclafani. "You want to relax and be pampered."
DiSclafani, who fondly remembers working in kitchens of local scout camps during childhood, first cooked in restaurants to support himself while a student at SUNY New Paltz. Disillusioned by his degree in theatre, he applied and was accepted at the Culinary Institute of America but placed on a three-year waiting list. Instead, he headed for Colorado, where an innovative California chef from the American Culinary Federation hired him. DiSclafani completed the organization's three-year, hands-on apprenticeship program in Denver, where he also met Dorn.
Remarking on western dining culture during those days, Dorn says, "Alice Waters's [founder of renowned Chez Panisse in Berkeley] influence went through the entire industry as chefs put out fresh, organic food. My mother had great food - but you could never get that out in a restaurant in Denver; you could only get steak and potatoes or French continental." The couple began to dream about opening their own Waters-style bistro. They married, and traveled to Maine on their honeymoon with a swing through the Catskills. A West Coast stint in Monterey followed. Conscious of our region all the while, they returned to scout a location.
"The Stardust had been closed for a few years," DiSclafani recalls. "And it struck me as a good size for a restaurant with a living space on top and room for gardens - which was the real magnet. We thought about a place in town [Woodstock] with better business but knew people wouldn't mind driving 20, 30 or 40 miles for good food." They refurbished the premises, modifying the interior and laying exterior walkways. Dorn began planting flora, originally growing culinary herbs. "There was so much to do with the grounds. It was my idea that it was easier to grow a garden than to mow a lawn," she says. "It's so fascinating to see what's out there. If you keep a vegetable garden you can grow heirlooms."
Terraced with bluestone and engineered with solar energy, the 80' x 80' raised, streambed food garden produces peppers, potatoes, beets, tomatoes, snap peas, egg plants, leeks, herbs and other edibles. A bevy of fruit trees - apricot, fig, peach, cherry, apple and pear - complete the scene. Growing for the business would require a farm, according to the restaurateurs, so they procure from local and organic producers whenever possible. "It really matters to buy from people who have a good ethic," says the chef. "It's a long line from the farm."
In addition to flexing her green thumb, Dorn also does much of the menu planning. "I constantly think about food combinations. When you come down to it there's only ten basic combinations in the world and it's putting them together differently that's the challenge." The same discernment goes into maintaining their small yet savvy wine list (presented in a mini album with bottle labels in place of photos), which includes affordably priced champagnes and sparkling wines as well as familiar domestic and import reds and whites, such as Beaujolais, Chardonnay, Rieslings, Bordeaux, and Pinot Noir. "You want to give grapes their due," Dorn suggests.
On a sultry summer night, my companion and I headed to Catskill Rose for late-night dining. We were escorted to a blue picnic table and matching benches on the outdoor terrace. Crisp, dry white wine by the glass soon arrived. A complimentary chef's tasting composed of red cabbage, shredded carrot, pickled cucumber and horseradish dressing followed, accompanied by freshly baked (in-house) multi-grain bread.
From the appetizer list we debated between smoked trout over sweet potato flapjack and a red curry basil chicken puff, only to settle on crab cake over caramelized onion and fennel with aioli; it was a sublime choice. Moist and rich with generous clumps of meat, the crab cake was cannily paired with spicy greens, delicate tartar sauce and an edible nasturtium garnish. We followed with seasonal fresh greens, a satisfying mélange of endive, arugula and red-leaf lettuce topped with shaved golden peppers, radishes and tomatoes all tossed in a tarragon-mustard vinaigrette. A giant yellow and black butterfly landed on a yellow lily as we awaited the next course.
Our entrées appeared with sides artfully arranged on single plates like colors on a painter's palette. My ginger-glazed duckling, basted in grapefruit and other citruses, was smoked to perfection with crisp skin. The cornmeal-dusted trout with pancetta was tender and flaky, topped with capers and a light sauce. A three-sisters medley of wild rice, corn and green beans complimented each dish, with tomato-squash succotash and raw snow peas rounding out the flavors.
For dessert we enjoyed organic-cherry soufflé, garnished with fresh mint and served with warm biscotti, while sipping strong-roast coffee. We completed the outing with orange Muscat, a sweet dessert wine bottled by Electra. We left feeling pleasantly sated and healthfully satisfied. Located at 5355 Route 212 in Mount Tremper, Catskill Rose serves dinner Thursday through Sunday. For more information, you may call 688-7100, or visit their website at www.catskillrose.com.