Rack ‘Em Up
By James Salomon
Photo by James Salomon

I rack, you crack.
Always a straight shooter, Minh Le (pronounced “Ming,” like in Flash Gordon) is the general manager at The Lantern in Wassaic. You probably know the place, but if you don’t, you should. Seasonal fruit slushies are now on tap, alongside margaritas and negronis, with pizzas, wings, and springy things rounding out the menu. Fun fact: the Wassaic Fire Department donated their shuffleboard table, which now serves as the takeout counter, and a rather large Bingo board mounted on the wall. They don’t play Bingo at The Lantern, but some Thursdays become karaoke night, where Minh has been known to belt out “Creep” by Radiohead. It’s a friendly mix of locals, transplants, and weekenders, and Minh says many of the staff graduated from Webutuck High. Two plaques bookend the bar, celebrating longstanding patrons. The TV isn’t necessarily tuned to sports, but rather to film screenings themed to reflect what’s happening in
the outside world. If you have kids, bring em, because kids are being kids here. Overall, it’s a great vibe. After the thaw, I can’t wait to be in a tee shirt, putting back a can of Drowned Wit.
Cheers to you, Minh.

The Lantern, 10 Main St., Wassaic