I've been coming up to the Adirondacks for how long and I'm only just hearing about this place? I…read moreclearly need to get out more. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is that we had something unfortunate happen with one of my drinks that did not sit well with any of us, but otherwise it was a fabulous experience. Creative fare, unexpectedly varied and interesting drink options, some whimsy in the decor and menu design. Absolutely would come back.
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We came here as a party of four at 8pm on a Saturday night. It was good we made a reservation because all the tables were full when we arrived. Food-wise, Fiddlehead Bistro has a diverse menu with eclectic influence. If the preparations seem ambitious for a little Saranac restaurant, the presentation
presentation was equally impressive. I've been coming up to the Adirondacks for decades and while I've only been a self-proclaimed foodie for one of those decades, sophisticated presentation is not the first, second, or tenth thing I expect at restaurants up here. Don't believe me? Ask the dishes (Disney kids and their parents get it).
Grilled Spanish octopus w/ fingerling potatoes, wild garlic, piquillo pepper, nduja mayo: A
A solid octopus dish with sauces that elevated it to a high rating for me. The mayo plus romesco is a divine combo, great with both the octopus and the slightly crispy potatoes.
Grilled asparagus w/ crispy poached egg, truffle dressing: A-
The only reason this is an A- and not an A is because for $15 I'd expect more than four asparagus spears. The egg in part made up for it and the dish as a whole was delicious and thoughtfully conceived of, but given that I was splitting this with my partner it didn't really feel like enough.
Miso black cod w/ shiitake, spring veggies, yuzu beurre blanc, crispy sushi rice, shaved radish: A+
My favorite dish of the night. Beautifully cooked, perfectly savory black cod prepared in the way it's meant to be prepared. The yuzu beurre blanc was heavenly, somehow both light and decadent.
Tour de lamb w/ herb crusted loin, yogurt braised lamb dumpling, braised shank, creamy polenta, broccolini, red wine jus: A
This was a fun mix of lamb preparations (a "tour" of lamb, if you will) with a lot of solid accompaniments. There's a restaurant on my block in NYC that makes yogurt braised lamb dumplings so I was excited to see them here. There was only a small amount of each type of lamb preparation so you can try it all without getting stuffed. All very tasty in the red wine jus, a natural pairing.
Though I didn't think I was coming here for an exciting cocktail menu, I was surprised to see a lot of creative options in additional to some unique flights. For my first drink, I got the weirdest one on the menu as I like to do, but also because it seemed like a really tricked out dirty martini. It's not on the current online menu but I remember it had sake and umami brine so as expected it was salty and savory. The issue arose with the second drink. I ordered what clearly looked like an Old Fashioned variation. The only three ingredients listed were bourbon, smoked maple syrup, and black walnut bitters. I even asked the server if it was indeed an Old Fashioned variation and he said yes. What came was in no way the correct drink. The flavor profile described and what I received were completely different. It tasted like a whiskey sour and not even a good whiskey sour. My partner and my dad tried it and they agreed that it was bad and a mistake had been made. Now I really hate sending stuff back and feeling like a Karen but my dad has no issue being direct so he told the server what happened and the server looked very uncomfortable and I said I'd just get wine instead which was, as it turns out, a great decision because I had a delicious rose. When the bill came, my undrinkable cocktail was still on there and that didn't seem right. My dad asked the server about it and he said there was nothing he could do about it which is the first time I've ever experienced that at a restaurant
