What's in a Name?
by Mary Leonard

"What's in a name?" Shakespeare asked. "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." In thinking about names of restaurants in the Hudson Valley, I wondered why a tapas bar was named Elephant, a fine restaurant Swoon, a French bistro Le Canard Enchainé (the chained duck), and why the name Terrapin for an eclectic restaurant and café in a old church in Rhinebeck.

Rich Reeve, the owner of Elephant, made it very clear to me when we talked that there was no rhyme or reason to the naming process of his tapas bar in uptown Kingston. No association with elephants or a circus in Spain, no collection of stuffed toys—just the urge not to pigeonhole the tapas bar. Maybe Rich and his wife and co-owner Maya Karroll had had too many bottles of wine when tossing around names, but Elephant stuck, and they stayed with it. The tapas bar in a Victorian storefront offers a Swine of the Week (a selection of charcuterie and a variety of cheeses from their dairy bar), an always changing choice of homemade tapas like whipped salted cod crostini (my personal favorite), and on Wednesday, 20 percent-off their varied list of hard-to-find European wines. Of course all wines are also sold by the glass. Above all, you will leave knowing you had fun, no matter what the name. Elephant. 310 Wall Street. Kingston. 339-9310. www.elephantwinebar.com.

If you want to continue your pleasure in both atmosphere and food, head right upriver to Hudson to Swoon Kitchenbar, an upscale restaurant owned by Jeff Gimmel and his wife Nina. Jeff said that when he walked into the space on Warren Street, it had such an old time luxurious feel that he thought of the word swoon—and that's how he wants everyone to feel while enjoying a meal in his restaurant. He likened the feeling he wants to evoke to the pleasure evident in Old Dutch still lifes—just the proper amount of over-indulgence. In reading the menu, I began to imagine those elaborate still lifes so fresh I wanted to reach in and grab an oyster. Oysters are on Swoon's menu along with other fresh seafood and local meats, like Stone Church Farm's duck breast. The Gimmels have been around and some specialties hail from New Zealand and France... but they are also devoted to the Hudson Valley and the sustainable agricultural movement here in the Valley. It was a pleasure to read the menu, and I found myself fainting a bit at the thought of Mexican dark chocolate crème brulée. Swoon Kitchenbar. 340 Warren Street. Hudson. 518-822-8938. Swoonkitchenbar.com.

It seems that all the young chefs in the Hudson Valley are supportive of local organic products. Reeve takes advantage of Fleisher's organic meats and cheeses right across from him on Wall Street, Gimmel is definitely a proponent of the local, and Josh Kroner, chef and owner of Terrapin, is as well. However, Kroner's restaurant and café also tries to offer something for everyone. From Uncle Vinny's rigatoni to roasted root vegetables and the goat cheese phyllo purse—the choices are eclectic. Eating at the Terrapin, including choosing between the bistro or the restaurant, has the quality of a surprising journey. That journey is reflected in the Grateful Dead song "Terrapin Station," the reason for the name of Kroner's restaurant: Inspiration, move me brightly, light the song with sense and color. In the song's journey the listener is taken on a fantasy trip that ends in, a rare and different tune /Terrapin Station. Kroner is a Grateful Dead groupie and named his restaurant after this song, maybe in hope that all of us would hear a rare and different tune while experiencing food, drink and inspired atmosphere in this renovated old church. 6426 Market Street. Rhinebeck. 845-876-3330. Terrapinrestaurant.com.

Finally, why name a restaurant after a French political and satirical newspaper, Le Canard Enchainé? Jean Jacques Carquillat did just that 12 years ago: "After all, I read the newspaper and the reference to the duck—it all made sense!" Le Canard Enchainé still resides in two small store fronts on Fair Street in Kingston but 12 years later "Chef J-J," as he is known locally, owns most of the block for parties, dancing, Moroccan Night and special events. Still, when you enter, it's like stepping into a neighborhood Parisian bistro where regulars are greeted by name and anyone can rant about politics but most of the time, you will be asking, how come this baguette is so fresh, or commenting, I haven't had mussels in this light cream sauce for years, and the lemon tarte... mon Dieu! The best buy is the Formule Express, a two-course lunch for $14.95. And, of course, duck is always on the menu. Le Canard Enchainé. 276 Fair Street. 845-3392003, le-canardenchaine.com.