Agree with others on Restaurant 9 a fine choice. Also, Serevan just off Rt 22 south of Millerton in Amenia, Mediterranean-Middle Eastern with maybe more interesting for non-meat choices. I also like Mercato a lot, but if you go in that direction I'd also recommend Luna 61 in Tivoli, very nice vegetarian menu well done (coincidentally relocated from the same Red Hook location now occupied by Mercato). If you do take Rt 22 north I'd also recommend John Andrew's on Rt 23 west of Hillsdale just over the line in Connecticut, a specially nice wooded setting and welcoming ambiance.

The Farmer's Wife in Ancramdale fits your description. Just a few minutes west of Rt 22 at intersection of Co 3 and Co 8. Open at 7am and always have at least an omelet or two on the day's menu. They go out of their way to use local products. Early is good. Later there is a wait.

I couldn't agree more that parking can be hellish and. Biryani can be average at best.

But that's not always the case. Friday afternoon parking was reasonable with scattered open spaces. I got one right in front of the restaurant. There were chicken and beef biryanis were each excellent, moist with distinctive deep flavors.

Every time spinach, chili chicken, and an assortment of their snacks are must have for me. Strongly agree that the veg based curries can be special. For these you need to look beyond the front case and ask what's available. Space is a bit limited, so often there are a couple things in the kitchen they will tell you about.

Many good choices, but the CTM is something I'd never order specially given alternatives in the neighborhood .

Agree completely that the Neerob staff is very accommodating. If you have any question about something they will invariably offer a sample (other than larger fish). You might try this with the curries or biriyani before ordering if you are there again.

If you do explore the neighborhood, I'd recommend the tacqeria next door as an early stop.

Agree that Miglino’s is very good, but to me it’s not fresh unless it’s extracted from its water. Here are some places where that happens ...

S & J Deli Superette - In Hopewell Junction on Rt 52 about a mile west of Taconic
Mozzarella made fresh every morning, and additional batches when they run out (which happens on Saturday)

Franco’s Deli - Route 82, Hopewell Junction just south of 376

Vinny's Italian Deli - Rt 55 in Lagrange (IMHO best all around Italian deli in the area. I was told the mozzarella is made by the proprietor’s grandmother (or maybe it was the mother?))

Roma Deli - Hooker Ave in Poughkeepsie (And in addition, great sandwiches and sausage made from scratch on Thursdays when pork to their standards is delivered.)

Lately there hasn’t been fresh mozzarella at the Rhinebeck farmers market. You can go across the street to Breezy Hill and get the some wrapped mozzarella or down the street to the Health Food store and get the same Falanga’s as at Adams. In ‘tomato season’ Grand Cru will have good mozzarella imported from Vermont.

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Italian Deli
963B W Jericho Tpke, Smithtown, NY 11787

Roma Deli
200 Hooker Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12603

The Newburgh tamale discussion prompts me to mention Mi Pequeno Oaxaca, a small grocery store opposite the Fairgrounds. Tamales are available on Sunday mornings when they open at 10. Often sold out by 11 and almost always by noon. Generally chicken with mole, spiced shredded pork, beef, and sometimes cheese are available. Mole is made from scratch as is everything else. They come with choice of fresh red or green (or both) salsas. Fillings are generous, but the flavor of the masa is what sets them apart for me. Availability varies. I’m told there are only two choices tomorrow, ‘beef with rajas’ and ‘chicken with green mole.’
You can call ahead to have some reserved. A little pricey at $2 apiece, but worth it to me for their quality.

Gaudaletos in New Paltz

www.gadaletos.com/Gadaletos_Sandwiche...

Just so.

Almost. Just as you have it, but the last character is 絲 meaning shredded.
As an aside, 子(child, small, etc.) is in another couple of their dishes. Chongqing La Zi (子) Ji, and the companion Fengdu La Zi Ji. First is without bone, second same but with bone. I like these dishes in general to the point of ordering at LP, but have to to say that there are better versions elsewhere including an ethereal version in NJ.

All of those menu items are the same.
Actually you could say that they are the restaurant's namesake dish in that the first three characters translate to "Little (Chile) Pepper" - just as on the menu or the sign out front - and then, "Shredded Beef".
Interesting that you have had so many different dishes, but not this one. Just the same for me. It's a Sichuan standard that's been recommended to me a couple times and I'm sure it must be tasty.
But it's so widely available that for a pepper dish I can't get beyond the less common, "Sour and Salty Whole Green Pepper," made with long green (chili) peppers.

It's similar to Dry Sauteed Pig Intestine on the menu, but using shredded beef.

I stopped into Little Pepper this past week and got into a discussion with the owners and staff about some items that were on their menu before they moved. If they have the ingredients the chef is happy to make dishes not on the menu.

In the course of our conversation Mrs. Deng mentioned that they are putting together a new menu that should be in place in the next month or so. In the meantime she invited me (or anyone else) to let her know about dishes they'd like added. This is not restricted to old menu items. They apparently will consider any Sichuan dish. In the past when I asked if they could do Gan Bian Niu Rou Si the chef delivered a great version.

For my part last wek, I asked that they add their 'twice cooked (homemade) sausage and leek.' But this isn't much of a stretch, since it's already a popular off menu dish. Unfortunately for me they had sold out of the sausage earlier.

Can't help but mention that there are a bunch of menu items that are so well done that I generally always order. This time we deliberately ordered only new and mostly pedestrian sounding dishes.They were all between excellent and amazing.
Included were

Shredded potato with pickled cabbage - potato threads with a crisp and depth of flavor provided by the other vegetable

Shredded pork with bamboo shoots - I've had this elsewhere a number of times because I like bamboo shoots, but now I'll only be able to get it here. Balance and flavor were amazing.

Minced pork with clear noodle (elsewhere known as 'Ants climbing a tree') - after a few nondescript versions elsewhere I've been reluctant to order given all the other great choices. But, now will order it regularly.

Chicken in house special sauce - in the spirit of ordering only new dishes I'd intended to order
Kung Pao Chicken, but was warned away by Mrs. Deng. She was right about this as an excellent well balanced dish with deep flavor.

Sliced pork with wood ear - this is a favorite of ours at some other Flushing restaurants, so seemed a safe, if innocuous, bet. Wrong. This has to be the the best version we've ever had. Just amazing balance of complementary flavors.

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Little Pepper
18-24 College Point Blvd, Queens, NY 11356