Open year round, the Saratoga Rose is a romantic restaurant that offers a seasonal menu with Mediterranean and Asian influences in a spectacular Victorian Mansion. According to co-owner Claude Belanger, in addition to the staple heart healthy options, the restaurant is also able to cater to specific dietary restrictions with notice, such as celiac disease, vegan and vegetarian. This is due to the fact, that they have a chef who is skilled in the artistry of fine cuisine. Chef Richard Ferrugio was one of the top caterers in NYC, who left the city in 1992 to pursue his painting career, and with Claude has lived in Toronto, Rochester, MN, and Denver. They acquired Saratoga Rose Inn in June, 2004, so that they could be closer to their families who live in Quebec City and just outside of Princeton, NJ.

As is the tradition at the Saratoga Rose Restaurant, we were seated promptly upon arrival, it's one of the many little details that make the 12 minute drive from Lake George Village worth it. The main reason to come is to enjoy an amazing culinary experience in a romantic setting. Saratoga Rose is half way between Saratoga Springs and Lake George making it a convenient trip from either destination. Located in the Adirondack town of Hadley, by Lake Luzerne which is worth the trip alone, for the sheer natural beauty, the Hudson River waters run through narrow gorge and tumble over Rockwell Falls, a 2 minute walk from the Inn, all are surrounded by forests and the Adirondack Mountains.

Under new ownership since 2005, the changes are obvious; the Inn is now painted bright sunny yellow, where it used to be a pale rose color. The menu has changed from a more Italian focused menu to a menu with Asian and Mediterranean influences.

I love to try things that I would not make at home; I love to discover restaurants off the beaten path which take pride in every dish as a masterpiece. Saratoga Rose is a restaurant where you will find dishes that delight the senses that are original like Richard's Apricot & Ginger Glazed Chicken, and his Cajun Loin of Pork with Bourbon & Molasses.

We were seated in the hat room, a cozy private room, an ideal location for a marriage proposal. In addition to the main dining room, there is the Library Dining Room, which is ideal for a small gathering of up to 25 guests.

The waitress brought Richard's homemade liver pate which was absolutely delicious. My dinner companion started with the heart healthy smoked trout with horseradish and caper cream and I started with the scallops. The Thai Scallops sauteed in a coconut & red curry sauce with juliennes of scallions & red peppers, and has a magnificent blend of spices. The trout was unbelievable, truly addictive. This was followed by the baby spinach salad with pears, walnuts, blue cheese and homemade Dijon mustard, lemon and fresh thyme vinaigrette, this too was delightful. My husband (as he does at every restaurant) ordered rack of lamb which was pan roasted & served with Merlot, fresh rosemary & garlic sauce, when asked how it was he replied with true eloquence "excellent". I tried one of their signature dishes, Beef Wellington, which shocked my husband as I have not yet had a beef Wellington that I liked. However, knowing it was their signature dish, I decided to risk it and it's a risk worth taking, the home made pate melted into the Beef making this an incredibly sinfully rich dish, the Madeira & cracked peppercorn sauce was a perfect compliment to the filet mignon. Richard knows his spices and it's evident by the dancing of flavors that he used fresh spices and local produce. Due to the generous portions, we could not try the amazing array of desserts,

For more information or directions, visit their website: www.saratogarose.com/