The Bistro

The Bistro: So Much More Than Good Food

Everyone has memories of their college years that they wish they could preserve forever. How many, though get to re-experience a place where so many of these memories were held and almost are able to taste the nostalgia? I truthfully think not many. I attended my last two years of college where I grew up. Though I started at a school further away, medical issues with my mom and her need for my help called me home. Going to school in a town I grew up in, was an experience I thought would have been anti-climatic. However, experiencing the town as a college student catered an entirely different vibe.

The town is New Paltz, N.Y. and it is characterized with tye-dye everywhere, people whose only perfume is essential oil and a welcoming, open-minded environment. I met some of the most unique characters in my life during those two college years. When you walk into New Paltz Bistro, their vibe fits in perfectly with the town. While they may be known most for their breakfast special (You can get 2 eggs, bacon, potatoes and toast there for only $3.25), there are many more hidden gems there. It is where many a college student nursed a weekend hangover but it also where you went and sat with a professor to discuss your capstone experience or had a first date. The bones of The Bistro hold more secrets, conversations and discoveries than one will ever truly know. The other amazing thing? Though it is smaller, the town is still one built around a college and therefore has many people. The servers there know everyone local by name and what they usually order. That is outstanding.

The Bistro is where people talk out of towners to eat. It’s where they get their favorite cup of coffee and when they move away, it’s the first place they go to visit. Lord knows I do. I sadly don’t live in N.Y. any longer but I still find myself dreaming of my menu favorites from The Bistro. For breakfast, they have a speciality coffee drink called an Evil Knievel. It is iced coffee with vanilla and magically made in-house whipped cream. While this is heaven in a glass, the thing that keeps bringing me and many others back is a Zoo Canoe. It is a piece of walnut citron bread topped with eggs benedict and though the combination may sound weird, it is seriously one of the best meals I’ve ever eaten. A testament to the following behind this meal can be seen by just simply glancing around at the surrounding tables. It is most likely that a good 60% of patrons are enjoying a Zoo Canoe also.

The anty is accelerated when you get the small town vibe from the boards posted throughout the restaurant featuring that day’s specials. Each day they have two handcrafted specials for both breakfast and lunch and daily, they whip up homemade soups, gazpachos and chilis and then throw something unique, sweet and to die for in order for a most satisfying culmination.

I remember the first time I took my mom to The Bistro. It was a weekend and very busy. The wait time was long but with a beautiful day and knowing what was to come, worth every minute. My mom, who is not normally a patient person, started hemming and hawing and asked if I wanted to go elsewhere. I asked nicely that she wait and that it would be worth it. Once inside and she got her plate, she was quietly satisfied. The fact that my mother was quiet served as an illustration of how much she was enjoying herself. She still talks about it to this day and sends everyone there she can.

That’s the magic. One taste from their menu starts an almost ritualistic following. One that sends others there, eases any tensions and becomes a founding part of that town and the college students’ (and professors) experience. Add in the personal touches of knowing your name, the warmth of the environment and the invigorating energy behind seeing the cooks hustle in the open-air kitchen, The Bistro becomes a pivotal piece of this tiny N.Y. town. I highly suggest you go if you ever find yourself in the area, no matter how long the wait is. Thank you Bistro for serving us, both literally and metaphorically.