Ride the Black Stallion: Small Town Eats

The dish pictured at the top is as delicious as it looks. And it's waiting for you at The Black Stallion Restaurant in Vernon.

We've passed by it hundreds of times, it's been recommended to us on a few occasions, so we finally got around to giving it a shot in our Small Town Eats series. Located on Route 5, near the Vernon Downs horse racetrack and the Utica-Rome Speedway, the restaurant incorporates both raceways into its décor (which you'll see in the slideshow video above), and offers up a surprising variety of great entrées and appetizers.

Our party of three (Beth and I and my stepson Jack) ordered up some fried calamari as a starter and it was great.

Then, my Filet Oscar offered three tenderloin steak filets topped with crabmeat and savory sauces. Beth's Halibut sat on a bed of rice. And Jack chose some ravioli with a meatball. All three (below) were delicious.

The Black Stallion Restaurant is in a great location, because it stands out in the middle of nowhere on well-traveled Route 5, between Vernon and Westmoreland. It deserves its slot among the really cool spots in Central New York. Give it a try sometime.