Dancing Bear Lounge

We were told all the desserts were made in house and we decided to try the Carrot Cake. I could have made a meal out of just the Carrot Cake. Chock full of nuts and raisins and veggies, it was dense without being heavy. The cream cheese frosting was thick but not pasty and just sweet enough.

Lake Placid is like my second home; I spend about 50 to 60 nights a year there. The restaurant scene in Lake Placid is quite exceptional. I attribute this to the pool of culinary talent from my alma mater, Paul Smith’s College, a well-respected school for culinary arts.

As a Paul Smith’s student, I spent many a happy hour in the Dancing Bears Lounge in the Lake Placid Hilton. Although the hotel is now called the High Peaks Resort and the restaurant is called the Dancing Bears Restaurant, the locals still call it the DBL. Back in my college days, they had two-for-one drinks and a free buffet. The name stayed, but the specials have changed with the times.

I had a business lunch in Lake Placid, so I decided to combine both worlds and review the Dancing Bears Restaurant. DBL is the perfect combination of rustic, cozy and business friendly. We began the meal with the Classic Nachos and the Tempura Shrimp. The menu boasts several different kinds of nachos, including Cheeseburger Nachos that sounded beyond decadent, but we opted for the Classic. We ordered a half portion, thank goodness, because it was a very generous portion. The nachos had both cheese sauce and melted cheddar. This allowed the chips on the bottom to get some of the cheese. Tomatoes, jalapeños and black olives round out the toppings, but I asked them to hold the olives. Part of me wished I didn’t order an entrée; I wanted to eat more nachos, they were sooo good. I always ask for extra sour cream and salsa so there is something to dip the chips on the bottom in, but with the cheese sauce, it was unnecessary. The Tempura Shrimp was not at all greasy, a perfect golden color and moist and succulent on the inside. They were served in a tiny fryer basket, a very cool way to present the dish.

For the main event, my companion ordered the Classic Burger with Cheese. The burger looked too pretty to eat, but my companion dug right in. It was hot and juicy, cooked perfectly, served on a wheat bun. I chose the Southwest Black Bean Burger. The flavors were beyond words, a little bit of heat, but without overpowering. The Black Bean Burger was finished with guacamole and salsa, an unexpected treat! The house-made chips were perfect, not too salty.

We ended the meal by sharing a dessert. We were told all the desserts were made in house and we decided to try the Carrot Cake. I could have made a meal out of just the Carrot Cake. Chock full of nuts and raisins and veggies, it was dense without being heavy. The cream cheese frosting was thick but not pasty and just sweet enough.

The Lake Placid Holiday Village Stroll is coming up December 12 through 14. Park your car in the lot next to the Olympic Center and stroll your way down Main Street. At the other end, you will find a host of great restaurants and hotels including the Dancing Bears Restaurant. It’s a perfect place to warm up with a cocktail and dinner or a snack.

Dancing Bears Restaurant is located at the High Peaks Resort, 2384 Saranac Avenue in Lake Placid, New York. Visit the website at highpeaksresort.com or call the restaurant at 518-523-3619 for more information.