GREAT ALL AMERICAN DINER RUN

tasty places to take your bike

A few years back, while riding through the Warwick and Pine Island part of New York’s Orange County, we took notice that some work was being done on the old Hathorn House that sits right off County Road 1, near Route 94.

The original home was built in 1773 by General John Hathorn and the gabled roof still bears the initials of he and his wife - “E., I & H, 1773.”

We assumed this was an historic society or state project to bring back a part of the region’s deep history. But we were wrong, and very happily so.

The previous night we had dined with riding friends at the Culinary Institute of America, along the Hudson in Hyde Park, and returning south and heading through Harriman State Park and up around Warwick, we were taken by surprise when we discovered that the Hathorn’s Historic home, which had been in such disrepair and neglect for decades, was looking more than a little bit stunning and was open for business.

This discovery was made at the perfect moment, as the CIA was the night before and lunch was suddenly the key part of our riding plan. Some weekends it is all about the food; and then the riding.

We rolled up the very nice bricked drive and parked the machines.

We took a table outside on the wide porch and spoke a bit with Andrew, the general manager, who offered us both their brunch menu and a small plate menu.

We opted for a few of the small plates, which were not all that small and really the perfect size portions for two sharing.

Our server Marissa came over with water and some exquisite coffee and a bright and energetic smile.

Actually, all the staff seemed generally awesome and it was obvious that they took personal pride in The Old Stone House as much as the owners Sylvia Kubasiak and Arek Kwapinski must have.

I asked another server about the renovation and she brought us a picture book with “before & after” images of different parts of the home.

In truth, pictures do say a thousand words, and the amount of blood, sweat & tears that must have gone into the Phoenix-like rebirth of John and Elizabeth Hathorn’s home was surely very substantial.

Marissa returned and we ordered three plates… The Burrata: apples, pomegranate seeds, spiced pecans and chicory drizzled with a maple dressing, an order of their Pierogis that were served with kohlrabi, braised cabbage, horseradish, sour cream, and fried shallots; and being predictable (in Shira’s eyes) I called for The Old Stone House’s Buttermilk Chicken served on a charcoal steamed bun, daikon & carrot Slaw, pineapple, and a wonderful spicy aioli.

The Old Stone House serves brunch, lunch, and dinner, and everything we saw pass our table looked to be the Three Ds – divine, delectable and delicious. Executive Chef Peter Case, coincidentally a CIA alumni, is certainly a master. The menu looks to be more than alluring and we’d urge you to visit their website to see all their current plates and offerings.

While we waited for our meals to arrive, we did what we always do… explore - taking in the exquisite work that was poured into the old house over the last ve years of renovation.

The bar looked inviting and sharp, without losing the comfortability that you would hope for in a home that is centuries old. The indoor seating area looked to be the same. Upstairs there were additional rooms where three women, dressed in a cool laid-back sharpness, were enjoying their conversation while sipping on some alluring adult beverages. The bathrooms were impeccably decorated and clean, and I almost felt guilty using them. I was also taken by the art and paintings that were hung about the home, now probably one of the more exceptional restaurants in the far western Hudson Rivers Valley region. The place is a uniquely wonderful combination. It’s a bit posh and swanky, yet still retains that historic, important and consequential feel to it. I have no idea how Sylvia and Arek were able to do this – as design and vision like this is far beyond me – but they did, it works and it is more than wonderful. But the artwork grabbed me. When I went to fetch Shira to show each painting, she had that look come across her pretty face… a petite eye roll and then the easy slightly ingenuous smile that says… “Oh, oh. He is in deep history-mode… again!”

Yep, that’s me baby – you married me. Look it’s General Washington astride his warhorse Blueskin overseeing the laying of the West Point Chain. Is that Lafayette with him? General John Hathorn would be found over one of the main replaces with Tadeusz Kosciuszko, engineer, to his left and Kazimierz Pulaski to his right – famed Polish of cers who came to America to ght for our nation’s freedom and celebrating the owner’s proud Polish heritage.

Other historic art was scattered through The Old Stone House.

Shira had to almost drag me back for our meal.

The Old Stone House is open every day from 4:30 pm and on Saturday from 11 am and Sunday from noon.

They also have two Air BnBs if you would like to make a weekend out of riding the region… we know you will rest well AND be well fed.

See you on the road! ,