Two Founders, Two Menus, All the Right Ideas

Staff | March 13, 2015 | Comment

Photo credit: Vanessa Ahern. Photo source: http://www.hudsonvalleygoodstuff.com

The first of the two weekends of Hudson Valley Restaurant Week is fast-approaching. Some of our gastronomically-inclined Upstaters may have thought ahead and booked their brunch reservations already, but for those who have not, no worries – we’re here to help you navigate this celebration of all things food and drink. Upstaters, meet your new favorite brunch spot, Duo Bistro:

The history of Ulster County’s Duo Bistro offers a lesson on thinking strategically in the restaurant business. The Duo crew’s approach to opening the eatery was thoughtful and well-planned, and began with the most important step of any career: the identification of a calling. Shortly after Juan Romero had embraced his love for food and cooking and decided to pursue the creative life of a chef, he met the other half of the “duo” (Niels Nielsen, now the current chef at Frogmore Tavern, also located in uptown Kingston), and the two began to plan for a new Kingston restaurant that would meet a need and incorporate the area’s vibrant agricultural community.

This is how the two arrived at the idea of an “elevated bistro” offering comfort food composed of high-quality local ingredients in a stylish and welcoming environment. Niche, consider yourself filled.

So what do the brunch and dinner menus of an elevated bistro look like? Well, sort of like heaven: