July 10, 2012


I was driving back to Buffalo, NY from Lake Placid with my girlfriend and we stopped in Saranac Lake to eat some food. After reading some headlines online, we just had to stop at, Eat n Meet. We had a great, polite experience at the counter when ordering. They gave us an easy run-down of the menu and explained their commitment to using local foods and how the menu changes daily. We both enjoyed our Beef Brisket sandwiches and sides. We ordered the fresh cut french fries and home made mac n cheese. To drink we selected quality teas to drink. With out a doubt, made this meal complete. From everything to drinks, to sides, to the main meal... this place was AWESOME! I was so impressed with this low-key, high-grade fresh eatery, I called everyone in my phone driving back to Buffalo, NY. I wish they had a place this thoughtful and this locally-fresh in every city or small town. (but then it wouldn't be one of a kind..) When I paid at the register, I simply said, "top notch"! I completely meant it. If I ever travel through Saranac Lake again, I am MOST DEFINITELY going to make it a high priority to stop by and enjoy another great meal. Well done, it was simply amazing!!!
Best wishes, Mark and Jill

-- Mark Bogdan
Bachelor of Landscape Architecture
State University of New York
College of Environmental Science and Forestry

                                                                                                  
  August 29, 2011

I’d like to post a testimonial to the wonders and powers of the Eat and Meet Grill.  Last September my husband and I made our restorative pilgrimage to Saranac Lake  for our favorite season, fall and had a glorious time as always.  What really made it special that time was the discovery of the Eat and Meet Grill.  Once discovered we ate there every night of our vacation and would never consider going anywhere else.

  The concept, socially and environmentally responsible, the atmosphere so warm, welcoming and homey and the food...UMMMmmmm!  THE Best!  It puts many of the pretentious and over-priced eateries here in Rochester, N.Y. to shame.  Dinner there each night was the highlight of the day and we had some glorious times at The Wild Center, The RLS Cottage, The Trudeau Center and of course the water, walks, woods and mountains all blown through with your sweet fresh clean restorative air.  We vowed to return this fall and would have but then tragedy struck.  

   This April I was diagnosed with oral and neck cancer.  It has required very invasive surgery along with very aggressive radiation and chemotherapy treatments that have laid me waste.  During this ordeal I have a ritual I perform everyday that has kept me going so that, God willing, next September we can return, stay at the Adirondack Motel on the water’s edge of Lake Flower and then walk up every night for a fabulous meal at The Eat and Meet.   I have the menu page bookmarked and everyday I go there, peruse the offerings and imagine how marvelous the meals will be when once again I can eat solid food! ( It’s now been just about a month since I could have anything but clear broth with silken tofu, Carnation Instant Breakfast made with water and Papaya nectar...that's IT!  This little cyber visit I pay to the grill each day has been keeping me going and dangling the juicy carrot of promise that's getting me through this hell.  Just thought you might like to know how crucial you have been to the well-being of someone fighting a life and death battle.  Be proud.  You have a right to.  See you right after Labor Day next fall.  Until then all the very best to you and enjoy the success you so richly deserve.

most sincerely, Karen Tweet Laufer and Jerry.

                                                                                                       June 1, 2011

We spend a week or two in the Adirondacks each year and “discovered” Eat n Meet several years ago. There is not a year that goes by that we do not eat there, at least once. We love to bring guest and let them discover for themselves the magic of your grill. We’ll be back again this June and rest assured, we will frequent your door again.



Hank and Carole Clarke

West Lebanon, NH

Good Morning John,                                                               November 24, 2010                                                                              

We have been vacationers in the Saranac Lake area for several years. Our daughter told my wife and myself about your restaurant, she is a student
at Paul Smith's,  we attempted to come on Sundays but it seemed that you were not open when we were in town. I continued to check for lights on every trip thru town, and finally this past  fall we were in town and you were open, the adventure began. We have dined at several restaurants in the Saranac region over the
years, but hand down your skills were like the cream rising to the top of farm fresh milk, exquisite to say the least. As we awaited our meal,
I strolled thru the dining room working the walls and shelves with my eyes and marveling of the unique items and reading 2 tutorials in detail, particularly the article I believe from the NY times and the Guinness world record for your Fish and Chips. When our meals arrived from the first bite to the last was nothing short of fantastic. I knew then that the wait to find you open when we were in town was well worth it. Before we left I purchased a gift certificate for our daughter and her boyfriend and picked up a bottle of your jerked hot sauce (Allan really enjoys your breakfast sandwich), they saved and used the certificate for a special occasion and I enjoyed the hot sauce at home, delicious, especially on Jasmine rice. On our last day trip to visit, we did not have time to dine, but I did stop in and get another bottle of hot sauce. When our daughter came home to visit she asked me if I wanted anything from Saranac, my only request was another bottle of hot sauce, she brought me home the mustard based sauce, as I expected this was delicious as well. We will be up this in a couple of months for the Winter Carnival and will defiantly stop by to enjoy more delicious meals You are truly an asset to the community and our hats off to your philosophy to purchase locally and give back to the community.

Warmest Regards and hoping that you and your family have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Jeff and Gina French
Mohawk, NY.

Shawn OConnor                                                                  September 17, 2010

Any tourists who venture through this area need to know of this spot..... I have traveled the world and I have to admit this spot mixed with home-town atmosphere and menu super-cedes anything in the area.. my only wish is a bigger dining area so I could take my wife and kids on this culinary utopia

nkisseljohns@twcny.rr.com                                             October 20, 2009

Sometimes you come across a meal so good, so delicious, so fresh that you must tell the world. That was our experience with the food we received at the Eat 'n Meet Grill. We ordered the homemade kielbasa on a crusty roll (no peppers 'n onions)and the pork shoulder cutlet sauteed w/caramelized apple cream and potato pancakes. As the menu explains, be prepared to wait about 30 minutes for your meal. Be patient, it's well worth the wait. The kielbasa had an amazing taste, not real salty like store-bought kielbasa and the roll was indeed crusty, yet wonderfully fresh underneath the crust. The pork shoulder w/apples was a true taste bud delight. The pork was unbelievably tender and the caramelized apple cream sauce was unlike anything we had ever tasted before. A wonderful burst of apple, but more. The potato pancake was the perfect accompaniment to this dish. The atmosphere at the Eat 'n Meet was exactly what we look for in a restaurant, unassuming and homey. We're already trying to figure out how soon we can go back!

Hi John and Mike,                                                                  October 19, 2009                                                                     

Thank you very much for the wonderful, fantastic, delicious food that you made and prepared for Rebecca McGuire and Marc DiGirolomo’s wedding (September 26, 2009). Everything was delicious-we could not stop eating!!!! We appreciate all that you did and we are very grateful to both of you. We wished we lived closer so we could enjoy your wonderful meals on a regular basis. Please don’t ever stop cooking.

Thanks again,

Diana

Diana McGuire, RN, BS

Pharmacovigilance Data Manager

Endo Pharmaceuticals    100 Endo Boulevard    /Chadds Ford, Pa 19317  / 610-459-6472

                                                                                                October 7, 2009

I’m sitting at Eat ‘n Meet for the third time this week. Where else, in a town of 5,000, can you get plantain dumplings, tempura battered butternut squash in ‘dulce de lychee’, poutine, jalapeno cornbread, home made kielbasa, falafel, pork schnitzel on brotchen, and crawfish and andouille e’touffee’?

The place feels like a crowded, old-fashioned country store. Looking around at the walls I see a framed certificate for the Guiness Book of World Records – something about the largest order of fish and chips ever served. Below that is a rectangular shadow box with five perfectly matched sea urchin shells: their matte white ovals stand out from a beige background. They seem random and strangely barren, the kind of thing I associate with hairdressing salons for tourists in Santa Barbara. Below them is a poster for the New York State Chocolate Festival of ’97: that seems right at home.

In the window is a poster for music: “The legendary grandson of Pete Seeger, Rodriguez-Seeger”, will play here in SaranacLake sometime soon. On the fridge is a bumper sticker : “You Are What You Eat” sponsored by the village whole food store, Nori’s. Then some print-outs of the global supply of fish, and a page about “Hoki”, a fish whose name in French is “merlu a longue queue”, which means it is a hake with a long tail. A pretty scene with mountains and an Adirondack chair says “Adirondack Harvest”. Next to it is a sign from Squeak Creek Apiaries advertising their local honey. The Adirondack Beef Company invites you to “enjoy the Same Wholesome, Grass Fed Beef that We Raise and Eat Ourselves”. It has a picture of a steer having a bad hair day: a tousle of tawny hair sits like a toupee on its head, between a rack of really sharp horns. Finally there is a long article from the New York Times titled, “Freeze That Thought” with sexy pictures of food in ice cubes. It is about freezing artichokes, peppers, egg whites, tortillas, wine and duck livers. The recipes include cookies, chicken livers with caramelized onions, and cannellini beans with bulgur and arugula. Top that off with coconut-nut macaroons.

The shelves have everything from Aunt Jemima yellow corn meal to handsome bottles of Spanish vinegar; from masa to wild Adirondack cepes (mushrooms) and Zulkan azucar morena. There is a Heinz ketchup bottle next to Bin Laden’s Fire: picture a hot sauce bottle with a label of Bin Laden ducking from rockets that are aimed at the cobra he has on his head for a turban. “Masa para hacer tamales” is right next to a gallon of maple syrup. The metal can the syrup is in has gotten politically correct since the days when my Granny B. would send it from Vermont for Christmas: now, on the side, next to the man in a red cap at the maple syrup still, it explains the debt we own Indians. “The Indians called it ‘Sinzibukwud’. The Indians taught the first white settlers to tap maple trees in the spring, then evaporate the sweet sap until it became maple syrup.”

Also in this hutch is Manhattan Key Lime Juice, a real hairy coconut looking woefully out of place (the last ones I saw were washed up on the beaches of Hawaii), and “cuitido Salvadoreno”: pickled cabbage from El Salvador. Yucca, green chili peppers, coconut milk, lychees, and menudo share shelf space with caviar, sliced conch, sardines, tiny Viennese sausages, anchovies, and Oreo cookie pieces. I could eat here every day, especially if I could wash it down with “BrainWash”, in the bottle sporting a skeleton with steaming brains.

Did I miss the taxidermied fish flapping its tail over the order counter? Or the bear head buried away in the corner? It seems to be snarling at the floor. It is next to a prize fish that has fallen 90 degrees so now its open mouth leaps at a flan mold and a brace of fish carved of rough wood. These last two trophies are by a glass case of handsome, rugged looking knives and their leather holders, beautifully crafted and costing hundreds of dollars. I read a page that says they are made by Jack Vargo, who I assume is the brother of Chef John Vargo. I look again and admire the work as best I can in the dim light. Jack also makes beautiful axes, which have porcupine quill bags embroidered by his wife. I think of Eliot, and I begin to miss everyone at home.

As I look up the shelves in this section of the store I see an enigmatic box that reads, “Our Pride Is Inside”. It sits in front of bottles of hoisin sauce and bags of what I think are dried shrimp. A ceramic Santa Clause next to them looks at a chafing dish; the dish reflects a stone gargoyle which seems to be grabbing its butt and laughing manically.

When I get up to leave I notice the boxes of produce all around me - they were delivered just before I got here. I know this because the man who delivered them stayed to have shrimp with his wife. On his way out he carried boxes and flats that will be filled at his farm with the next round of produce: tomatoes, butternut squash, lettuce, beets with the most beautiful tops I have ever seen, onions, apples, potatoes, cucumbers, and green peppers. What a nice way to do business.

When I ask about the Guiness certificate, Mike, in a Godzilla tee shirt, tells me he and John did indeed cook the largest serving of fish and chips ever recorded: 34 pounds of fish and 18 pounds of chips. I check out the newspaper clipping fading in the corner.

While I am getting my scarf out of my backpack I notice a New York license plate on a shelf that says, “Get Fish”. But my final impression is of a poster tucked in the shadows in the back: Einstein is smiling at his own words, “Imagination is more important than knowledge.”

Amen to that.

Jill Littlewood

Jill@Littlewoodstudios.com

435 E. Pedregosa

Santa Barbara, CA, 93103

(805) 898-9260 (home)  /(805) 448-2045 (cell)  /(805) 898-0703 (fax)

Hello John and Colleen,                                                    January 4, 2009
Just wanted to thank you again for the Sunday dinner party we had for my birthday. We had a blast. And the food, as always, was amazing! From the lobster profiteroles, leg of lamb,rosemary chicken, etc.,to the best carrot cake I've ever had. This custom tailored menu was perfectly executed and well priced. Everyone is still talking about how much fun we had.
David and 11 of his Friends

Hi!                                                                                         November 2008
We just enjoyed your beef pot pie, our first time in your establishment. What a great idea you two have with your "it's not fast, it's food" concept! We now have an answer to our perennial question "What'll we do for dinner tonight?"

Best wishes,

Chuck and Helen Cairns

                                                                                               July 27, 2008 
We were directed to eat at Eat 'n Meet from the book store around the corner. She told us that the food was wonderful, so we tried it. My stepson got the trout and he was thrilled, hubby got the perogies and was ecstatic, and I ordered the corned beef w/sauerkraut and I was in heaven. The food was definitely worth the wait, well worth it. There was a lot of food and the two gentlemen making the food were so friendly. I give all the forks I have for this restaurant. I will eat here again next summer....keep up the great food...

Much success!!!! Debbie

John and Colleen,                                                                May 9, 2008

I can’t explain how excited Claire is and I am to have our locally grown beef on your menu.
What you are doing for our community is astonishing and magnanimous. You are actually helping small farmers and producers of the NYS region make a living and “partnering” with us by showcasing our web sites and names on your menus.
Because of your interest and utilization of our product we have received phone calls and feedback that inspire us daily to continue with our challenging farming enterprise.
Your “socially responsible” practices and EXCELLENT preparation of product make your Grill and Larder stand out as a leader in unique and local dining experiences within the blue line!
Best Regards,
Patrick Clelland

Clelland Farms at Studley Hill
ContactUs@Clellandfarms.com
ClellandFarms.com
518-483-5554
Duane, NY

John and Colleen,                                                               April 26, 2008             
We just finished our dinner of escargot (Shelia did share 1 escargot with me!) and kielbasa and hush puppies , and bread pudding, and flan. Absolutely fantastic! This is the 2nd time that we drove the 50 miles each JUST to go to your restaurant. (Thanks to the Watertown Times article by Wally Siebel)
Thanks for creating a restaurant that is just perfect!
Chris and Shelia Whalen
North Lawrence, NY

HI;                                                                                     February 1, 2008

We visited Saranac Lake this past summer. Our daughter was 4 years old and is considered a great eater and is quite patient. So, we visited. We were blown away by the wonderful meal. Yes we had to wait but it was worth it. Our daughter got a kick out of the Elvis statue and walked around the mini putt course.
Thank you for a great meal. We mention it whenever we hear someone is heading in your direction and even if they aren't heading in that direction, it's still worth talking about the meal.

Regards, -Jackie

                                                                                         January 30, 2008
Born and raised here. Great uncle was Noah John Rondeau, the Adirondack Hermit. Lived in various cities and have a "hankering," for po boys- from my time in New Orleans- sandwiches from the big apple- EVERYTHING is marvelous. loved the fact that i could buy masa, peppa sauce, nice course sea salt,etc.... will be back..you will not be disappointed!

- Kathleen

                                                                                         January 29, 2008

My face just recuperated from the jerk chicken I had on Friday. Thanks, it was delicious! I cant wait to try the goat stew.

-Tony

                                                                                           October 5, 2007
We just want you to know how much we love your innovative menu, fresh ingredients and just plain wonderful food. We enjoy everything from simple dishes like your delicious chicken noodle soup to the fabulous silver tin specials and all the fresh seafood. I hope the word is out that you guys are the best in the area!!!

Thanks, Marjorie & Cliff Cochran

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cochran's Cabins / Kiwassa Lake Bed & Breakfast

1150 Kiwassa Lake Road, Saranac Lake, NY 12983

www.adirondackcabin.com / www.adirondackbandb.com

518-891-5721 OR 518-524-3745

Dear John and Colleen --                                                September 3, 2007

As you know, Ed and I are regulars, and we regularly brag about you to all our friends and acquaintances. We've had many meals in Montreal, in some of the finest restaurants, and had despaired of finding really good food in the Tri-Lakes -- until you guys opened up. Without question, you have the best food around, and at very reasonable prices. We love the variety and stop in several times a week. Why cook when you have the talent, the imagination, the exotic ingredients -- all that it takes to produce fabulous eats?

Tonight's tilapia with wild oyster mushroom soy butter was exquisite. I thought I had died and gone to heaven!

Nancy Murphy

                                                                                                    May 1, 2007

TOP 5 PLACES TO EAT IN THE U.S.A. I loved it and I have eaten all over the place and this place is for sure in my top 5. can't wait to go back amazing!

George Potsos- bass for Devon Allmans Honeytribe. www.honeytribe.com

Dear John & Colleen,                                                                 May 1, 2007

Unfortunately as you were opening up last summer, my girlfriend and I were packing up our things and heading out to college. Through a friend we had
heard that the food was great, but couldn't manage to get in before we left. On our visits home throughout the school year we wanted to stop in,
but could never find the time. A couple weeks ago we got into town and thought about a few places to go out to dinner. We then thought about your
restaurant and decided to give it a try. We had seen the menu online and already knew what we were going to order. While traveling in Jamaica last summer we tried a dish that was new to us. This dish was Jerked Chicken and it was cooked at all the huts, shacks, and restaurants all over the Island. We came back and tried making it at home, but had mixed results. We also tried it a few other restaurants, but still no winners. Nothing was as good as the original. This is where you
come in. We had seen your menu online and were very excited to try your Jerked Chicken. We were overly impressed with our meal. It was as good as
any place in Jamaica, if not better. We have been back twice since our first trip and have thoroughly enjoyed all of our meals. We look forward to coming home in late May and trying different menu items throughout the summer. What a great place to eat!!! See you soon.

Brian Fitzgerald

                                                                                                    April 4,2007

Dinner a couple of nights ago was fabulous. The liver and onions was
great and the Korean dish with kim chee was awesome. Thanks!!!!

Dear John and Colleen,                                                         March 26,2007

Jill and I moved to Saranac Lake just about a year ago. During our nightly walks with our dog Bailey, we noticed your family hard at work on the Eat N' Meet Grill. To be honest, what I remember most clearly from those busy days was your Elvis statue that never failed to land smiles on our curious faces. Other than good taste in music, we had no idea what to expect!

What we've discovered is a hearty menu filled with new tastes and experiences within walking distance of our home. I travel quite a bit for work and have eaten all over the country. As you know, everyone has his or her "special spot" they want to take you to--their own "best kept secret" closely guarded by area locals. I have eaten at many of these during my travels. I have to come home to experience the creativity and goodness of Eat N' Meet, my own "special spot" tucked away in the mountains. When relatives and friends visit, dinner at Eat N' Meet is a given, our own "special spot" that never disappoints!
My favorite Eat N' Meet meal at the moment has to be the goat curry stew and a fresh Arugula salad. Jill is partial to the from-scratch veggie burgers with a sweet side of plantains for dessert. We're both still exploring the menu, giddy with the discovery of future favorites. We do have one complaint. Every time "The King's" crooning catches our ears, our mouths start to water for some Eat N' Meet goodness...we forgive you!

James, Jill, & Bailey

Dear John & Colleen,                                                             March 16, 2007

The visit to your "Little Wonder" in Saranac Lake on Thursday, March 15th, made us two for two ... we were there at the Winter Carnival Weekend and now twice we have come away with smiles and happy stomachs!
It is so refreshing to find such culinary delights available without having to mortgage the house to enjoy. It is so worth the trip to drive from Massena!
I see a letter from "Suzanne - transplanted from Virginia" and can only tell her to make the trip! We were in the Maryland Bay Area - me for 27 years - my wife forever - before I transfered to Massena and "Eat-N-Meet" is the only place we have found that has any idea of how to do a Maryland Crab cake.
We will be back whenever we are in the area ...

My name is Suzanne and I am a transplant from Williamsburg, Virginia. I've been up here in Massena NY for about 2 years now and have gone way
past withdrawls for good quality food...especially seafood!!! I read your restaurant review this past weekend in the Watertown Times and I cannot wait to get to Saranac Lake to check you guys out. I was hoping to get out there this weekend but I'm afraid a snow and ice storm looms.....bummer. I am looking forward to good ol' oyster stew, fried oysters, crab cakes, gyros (pronounced yeeero), brisket, miso broth....YUMMMM!!! I want one of everything! Hope to meet you guys
soon....take care.

Sincerely, Suzanne Bayorgeon