Dining in the Shawangunks

January 2, 4:36 PMUpstate NY Restaurant ExaminerBill Dowd

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The Shawangunks don't get the same level of public notice as other New York mountains such as the Adirondacks and the Catskills, but as mountain ranges go they offer a lot.

For some "The Gunks,'' as locals call them, are just a piece of the Catskills. Geologically speaking, however, they are the northernmost part of the Shawangunk Ridge that juts from northernmost New Jersey up through Orange, Sullivan and Ulster counties as far as Rosendale, just south of Kingston.

However you like to define them, The Gunks offer the year-round attractions of stunning topography, wineries, hamlets full of antique shops, cross-country skiing or snowshoeing trails, winter hiking in the Mohonk Preserve, historic sites, dining diversity, and other goodies tucked mostly into Ulster County on the west side of the Hudson River about 75 miles southwest of Albany.

Their sheer physical diversity attracts droves of outdoors enthusiasts, and it's a particularly family-friendly place where more than 100 miles of trails and carriage roads link the Mohonk Preserve with the adjacent Minnewaska State Park Preserve.

This time of year, the rock climbers take a hiatus from such attractions as the famous Trapps Cliffs from which those ambitious enough to scale them get a gorgeous view of the Walkill Valley. However, even in winter there are open trails to get you out into nature.

Such activities are guaranteed to help you work up an appetite. You can get some munchies to go with the wines you can sample at the various wineries on the Shawangunk Wine Trail and the Dutchess Wine Trail. The Clinton Vineyards tasting room (shown at left) is one prime example.

However, if you want something much more substantial, the range of dining spots available in the region varies from country "home cooking'' to New American cuisine, often with kitchen staff trained at the nearby Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park.

A few examples:

• In Kingston, the Armadillo Bar & Grill at 97 Abeel Street (845/339-1550) offers good Southwestern and Mexican food "with a Nuevo Latino twist.'' Examples: grilled pork tenderloin with ancho chile/orange reduction and mango salsa; fragrant ropa vieja chicken stew.

• In New Paltz, the Main Course restaurant at 232 Main Street (845/255-2600) has a nice brunch menu from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sunday mornings, offering such dishes as two styles of eggs Benedict (one with bacon, one with spinach and smoked salmon) and a breakfast pizza.

• In Kerhonkson, Oscar Contemporary Country Cooking at 5945 Route 44/55, (845/626-9838) is a comfort food haven serving such things as barbecued or braised ribs, a pierogi platter and prix fixe pasta dishes.