No matter where you choose to dine in the Hudson Valley, you're likely to be walking into a building with many stories to be told about its history. That is certainly the case for The Stissing House in Pine Plains.
The influence of the cuisine is drawn from the life experiences of head chef and co-owner Michel Jean.
"We've been here 10 years. The history of it is it goes back to 1782, so it's kind of amazing. It's been continuously operating since then as a restaurant, tavern, or bar. Mainly as a bar. It used to be an inn as well. I think it's a unique environment," said the head chef's wife Patricia Jean.
"People find it warm and cozy with the fireplaces. Even in the summer it's cozy, I'm from the south of France, Provence, and so, of course, I cook a lot of things like that. It's very related to Italian cooking too; Spanish. I like to cook Moroccan food because I used to live in Morocco for a little while. So it's a mixture," said Patricia Jean, the co-owner of the restaurant," said, Michel Jean, the owner of the restaurant.
There is something for everyone on the menu at various price points and at the end of your visit, the staff hopes you not only enjoyed your meal but that maybe you stepped out of your comfort zone as well.
"We try to please everybody. We do pizza and some people can come and just have a beer and a pizza if they want or they can spend a little more money and try my special, I like them try to try the dish that is a little more exotic sometimes. You know? Sometimes I do pigs feet, tripe, things like that. I like people to try that, said Michel Jean.
"People have a great time, they ate great food, and they had great service, which I think we provide,"said Patricia Jean.
To try The Stissing House for yourself, visit: http://www.stissinghouse.com/.