Wednesday, July 16, 2008

NapaGino's Penfield, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet

We came by on a Sunday night about 7pm. We were happy to see it still open as few cars were left in the parking lot. Upon entering, we were promptly seated. Inside about 10 tables were occupied. We were sat in a booth.

Mise en Scène

What I noticed first was the paintings hanging on the wall. Maybe it was a collection of a local artist. The painting of a girl on a beach next to our table was for sale for $400. Besides the paintings on the wall, the area was tastefully decorated and I was surprised to see later there were two Christmas trees fully decorated and lit up in the dining area closer to the exit doors. One was a typical green Christmas tree, the other a shimmering white, reminiscent of the color of glistening ice. In addition, there was a wall size mural of the tower of Pisa.

We had entered in semi-casual. I was wearing a salvaar kamiz, and hubby a pant and nice collared shirt. Most inside were dressed similarly, not too fancy of a dress, nor too casual a dress. All ages were seen enjoying meals here.

**We did not have to use restrooms, so no comment on that ambiance!


White Pizza at NapaGino's Penfield, NYChoosing a Veggie Treat

Soon as sitting, we were offered drinks and complementary bread rolls. The coffee with our normal additions of cream and sugar was very nice, as it wasn’t too bitter. The bread rolls seem to be very tasty dipped in the olive oil left on the table with pepper and red pepper flakes added.

As a main course, I ordered Artichokes Napoli (pictured at the beginning of this review). The main dish was preceded by a house salad which I got with peppercorn Parmesan dressing. The salad was nice as in addition to the normal vegetables and lettuce they added garbanzos (chick peas). When the Artichokes Napoli arrived to the table, it looked very exotic to me. It was unlike any dish I ever had at any Italian restaurant. The pasta was a thick noodle bathed in an olive oil/buttery sauce and escarole with chopped white onions and delicately placed strategically on the top were artichokes French (artichokes dipped in eggs and fried). I really liked this dish and the portion size, though too much for me to finish, was smaller than other Italian restaurants in the area that we have been to. Hubby ordered the ‘white pizza.’ I think it is called ‘white’ because it has olive oil as a base under the toppings and not tomato sauce. That was also tasty. As a side and appetizer, we had got the garlic bread. The garlic bread, though tasty is an after thought to the main course.

Upon completing the meal, we were told by the waitress that on Sundays they offered a free desert buffet to all guests. We walked over to find two kinds of upside down cakes and some fruit. Neither seemed very appetising to us, so we skipped out.


Checking In

Our waitress checked in on us on regular intervals, the service was prompt and courteous.


See you later

Soon as it seemed we had completed our meal, another waitstaff (not our waitress) came to ask to box any leftovers and take dirty plates away. Swiftly our waitress came to ask if we wanted anything else and bought the bill. Also, on the way out the manager was present at the door to bid us adieu.


Pay Scale

$11-15 per person
Tips
10-15% is suitable
Star System 3.5/5

We really liked this location. The service was prompt and friendly. The place was clean and tidy. Sundays parking is ample, being that the other shops in Penfair Plaza were closed. The choices of dishes for vegetarians is wide and exotic compared to other local Italian eateries. And, most of all the taste compels us to want to try this location again in the future.


To find/Contact

Napa Gino's Pizza
2200 Penfield Rd
Penfield, NY 14526

(585) 377-5530
Get directions



Stationary in a fast moving world...Special Notes

Do you want to make a date out of going to NapaGino’s? If it is nice weather, after having a hearty meal a nice walk in Linear Park, a five minute drive from NapaGino’s is a perfect end to the evening.

See our photos from our 2007 visit to Linear Park. (Photo to left, credits: Krishna Kumar.)

Directions from NapaGino’s to Linear Park Road, parking for walking trails.

Have you eaten at NapaGino's? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

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