The Panther Mountain Inn, Chestertown

The Panther Mountain Pub (the P-House as it's known locally) sits at the main intersection in the center of Chestertown (at the flashing light). The spacious room, containing a bar about the length of the Adirondack Northway, is modestly furnished.  The bar itself, a reverse question mark, is interminably long and could comfortably seat 25-30 people on its backless stools. The slate floor continues throughout the entire lounge area into a back room which I assume accommodates bar overflow, private parties, fundraisers or the live music the establishment hosts two or three times a month. The jukebox plays mostly country music, though Bob Seger’s “Turn the Page” did transport me back a couple of decades. Alright. Three decades.

Ed, the bartender, happily responded to our usual questions while keeping an eye on his patrons' needs. The Panther Mt. Pub and its kitchen are open every day (except Christmas) from noon to close. The bar is stocked with standard pours and some specialties. I counted at least 13 vodka choices behind the bar, including blueberry, raspberry, Absolut citron, and double espresso (have to get some of that in the "drink lab" at Pammy's Pub). Booze standards also present: Dewar’s Red, Black & White label; Wild Turkey & Yukon Jack to name a few. Draft beer is not an option here, but the selection of mostly domestic bottled beer was extensive (at least 20 choices), ranging from Michelob Ultra to Sam Adams and a whole bunch in-between. A vodka and grapefruit and a Michelob Ultra only set us back $6.75.

Access to snowmobile trails is nearby, making the P-House a convenient stop to rest, warm up, and grab a bite to eat from the sensibly-priced pub menu. Selections include sandwiches, hand-cut fries, wings, hot dogs, chicken tenders, mozzarella sticks and soup. I ordered the soup of the day ($4.00), a generous pint of hearty, flavorful chili with just a tiny bit of kick. Pam chose the wings, which we’d heard were excellent. She opted for “medium” on the spicy meter and they had an appealing presence on the sniff meter. I love the smell of wings almost as much as the taste. Maybe more. The wings (at $7.50) were fairly standard but good, and not too messy.

The Panther Mt. Inn is under new ownership since February of 2010. The Pub obtained its liquor license   July 4th, 2010. As the proprietors settle in, I'm sure there are more good things to come from this historic icon, rebuilt in 1941 after the original building, built just after the Civil War, was destroyed by fire. For more on the history, please read the article at http://www.adirondackalmanack.com/2010/01/panther-mountain-house-end-of-era.html

Cheers,

Kim