Cheesecake Factory, Pittsford, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.


Meet and Greet
As we entered, a perfect afternoon pick me-up sample of pumpkin cheesecake was waiting to be devoured by us. As we each picked up a piece, we were greeted by the hostess who took us to our table.


Mise en Scène
The five o’clock happy hour period is slow compared to traditional dinner hours, though the crowd did pick up as our time passed here. Interiors are nicely decorated, though the lighting is a challenge. The lighting was just enough to see each other, but not so good for clearly seeing the menu or the scrumptious details of the food.

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


Choosing a Veggie Treat
We decided to come here for ‘happy hour’ appetizers. There are a few vegetarian appetizers on the menu: fire-roasted fresh artichoke, fried macaroni and cheese, avocado eggrolls, hot spinach and cheese dip, guacamole, quesadilla, edamame, sweet corn tamale cakes. We decided to come specifically for appetizers for two reasons, the first being that it was not yet dinner and we were hungry, and two, with all the choices noted above, we as vegetarians could not go wrong.


Critique the avocado eggrolls:
This is a very unique menu item. The avocado and other veggies are wrapped up in the crispy, crunchy deep fried egg roll cover. The tamarind- cashew sauce that comes to dip it in is the most amazing taste combination I have tried in along time. It kind of reminds me of the puliinji (ginger tamarind paste made in India), but without the spice.


Critique the sweet corn tamale cakes (photo):
This is like a tostada but replacing the hard tortilla base with a soft, warm corn cake. This minor change makes a major difference and keeps us coming back to Cheesecake Factory, for the third time, in fact.

I should note that even if we wanted to come for a meal time, these appetizers could easily substitute for a traditional meal item. Within our order today of the avocado egg rolls and sweet corn tamale cakes, we had left overs and were stuffed as a Thanksgiving turkey!

See the Cheesecake Factory menu here.


Checking In
When taking our order, I asked for water without ice. The waitress clarified this thrice, but did bring me water with ice. She immediately returned, after seeing Krishna taking the ice out of my cup putting it into his, bringing me water without ice. She did forget the sugar for our coffee. Also, in between bringing our food and our bill, we did not get any further service.


See you later
Once we got the bill, it was paid swiftly and we were on our way with a doggie bag of three of the avocado rolls.
Pay Scale
$11-15 per person
Tips - 10% is sufficient
Star System 3/5
In comparing this eatery to others in terms of vegetarian options, there are many vegetarian appetizers, but as for main meal items, there are pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and other items. However, when comparing this eatery to others in terms of service, ambiance and value for money, we have seen and experienced better. The hot tamale corn cakes would bring us back here again as it is a very unique item that we have not seen in any other eatery.


To find/Contact
Cheesecake Factory
3349 Monroe Ave
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 381-8681
www.cheesecakefactory.com
Directions to Cheesecake Factory, Rochester, NY


Review based on November 2008 visit.

Have you eaten at Cheesecake Factory (any location)? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!


Related Posts: Cheesecake Factory Review January 2008
Burritos with Ginger/Tamarind Sauce: A Mexican Indian Delight (my recipe)


tags: pittsford-ny, second review, 3 stars, appetizers, happy hour, eat outside, restaurant review, unique menu items

El Pacifico, Farmington, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.


Meet and Greet
We approached this eatery on a Sunday evening around 7:30pm. The location of the building is a little tricky to find in the dark, but we managed to get off the fast moving 332 to enter the establishment’s parking lot. We were a little wary at first to enter because there was only one car in the lot. We were a little confused why it was so empty, but we ventured inside. Immediately upon entering, we were greeted by a friendly, smiling waitress who immediately sat us down and took our drink orders.


Mise en Scène
It is a large establishment, with booths and tables. We were sat in booths near to the kitchen area. Though we were the only customers in the house, that did not stop the eager workers of the establishment from keeping busy. The one car out front was a real trick to our senses as there must have been maybe 4-6 workers in the establishment at the time. Because of their work ethic, it goes without saying that the dining area also was spotless. Tables, chairs, benches, floors, all very clean. In addition to this, there was pleasing Spanish ambient music playing and a Spanish television program on the television in the far corner.
**We did not have to use restrooms, so no comment on that ambiance!


Choosing a Veggie Treat
We were impressed by the number of vegetarian options outlined on the menu. There was a vegetarian section specifically for combination plates. Also within the list of “non-vegetarian” combination plates were plenty of choices for vegetarians as replacing meat with beans is something the staff is happy to do. (This is a stark opposite of Chilango’s in Spencerport which had very few vegetarian menu options on the menu, and making non-vegetarian menu options vegetarian was not easy.) Our order consisted of:
Appetizer: Beans Dip
The nachos accompanying this dish came toasty hot, a much needed small touch that we have not experienced before. The bean dip was tasty, and though it was coated with more cojito cheese than anticipated, it was devoured by us in no time flat!
Krishna ordered: Vegetarian combination of cheese enchalada, burrito and tostada.
Tostada is the large, round tortilla chip with beans and salad on top. Krishna liked it but wished the salad pieces were chopped finer. Though the dish looks like it has a lot of cheese, because it was the cojito cheese, it was not noticed much. Overall the taste was amazing and it was finished off very quickly.
I ordered: Non-vegetarian combo substituted with beans: beans, rice, burrito and chile releno
This combination plate was actually not listed under vegetarian options, so the burrito was with beans substituted for meat. Chile rellano is a stuffed poblano chile. This can come vegetarian or non-vegetarian (check your menu for filling), but here I got it with cheese inside. This is one of my favorite dishes as I love the taste of the chile warmed up, it’s texture, smell and spice level in this state is fantastic. It is not overly hot and spicy for those used to eating spicy, especially Indian food, it can be considered mild. It has it’s special kick, that is why I like it.


Checking In
We were waited on in regular intervals and all our needs were attended to. In fact, for Krishna the memorable part of the service was when our main dish was ordered and we were offered a refill of hot, toasty nachos without asking.


See you later
Everything went seemlessly in getting and paying for the order.
Pay Scale
$11-15 per person including appitizer
Tips
10-15%, we left something in between 10-15%
Star System 4/5



To find/Contact
El Pacifico
1680 Rochester Rd.
Farmington, NY 14425
Directions to El Pacifico, Farmington, NY
Phone: (585) 398-0310


Notes: This is not our first visit here. This may be our third visit. With each visit we appreciate this place more and more for a few reasons. The first reason is as El Tomatlan in Canandaigua has let us down over the last year or so (reviews here); we needed to find another good Mexican eatery. The second is as we have come, each time it has gotten better here at El Pacifico. The food, the service and the ambiance is really suitable to our tastes. We would like to see more people frequent this establishment, though as each time we have gone, it was quite empty.


tags: "comparison of Mexica eateries",farmington ny, mexican, 4 stars, comparison, great service

Sugar and Spice, Cortland, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We were not met or greeted at the door. It appeared to be a sit yourself establishment. It was crowded when we entered around 12:30pm on a Sunday. Only one corner table was free and shiny clean, so we took that. Though in my opinion the Feng Shui of this sitting area is not suitable for any position one could sit in at this table. It’s difficult to face anyone you sit with at the table, and at most angles it feels as the traffic of the establishment is coming toward you or that all others can watch you eat. It’s not a comfortable seating arrangement. But as we were not approached by any waitress to discuss other seating arrangements, we took this table.


Mise en Scène
Part of this has been discussed under ‘meet and greet.’ There are other aspects of the environment besides the physical surroundings that must be noted. Maybe it’s because I am more of a city dweller and am used to seeing well dressed, clean and friendly waitresses that I will say what I have to say next, or maybe it’s because we were out of towners too. Firstly, after sitting down, we were not offered menus for about 10-15 minutes. We were waited on by a well-trained waitress, but approaching us with a casual dress and an uninterested attitude in serving us. To elaborate, her outfit consisted of an untucked, oversized t-shirt with large pictures and words not relevant to the establishment and pants that to me seemed like pajama pants- with patterns all up and down the legs. In comparison to the other waitresses, there was not much difference. Another waitress had a very similar outfit, looking more like a pajama set than a waitressing uniform. Another waitress had more of waitress-looking outfit on- white pants and white shirt, but with stains all and down the front of her dress. Of course, being a waitress one may spill on themselves, but at other establishments this is overcome by wearing some type of apron.

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


Choosing a Veggie Treat
We stuck to the breakfast menu, with egg options as there were very few interesting vegetarian options on the menu, including lunch options. Lunch options for vegetarians who also eat eggs included a short list of: grilled cheese ($1.95), egg salad sandwich ($3.20), and of course sides such as French fries, onion rings, cheese sticks, jalapeño poppers, and fried mushrooms and zucchini. If a vegetarian would come here during a dinner hour, there are no vegetarian meal options unless breakfast options are available at this time. Within breakfast options, many egg options exist, including pancakes also.

I ordered two hotcakes with over easy eggs ($3.25). It’s good that this is not easy to mess up, though the eggs were closer to over hard than over easy. The hotcakes tasted like any other pancakes I have had, so no issues with that.

Krishna ordered the fried egg sandwich. He said the egg tasted ok, but there was something about it he would have improved. Not sure what that was.

Checking In
Our waitress bought our drinks, then our food. She did not check in between to refill coffee or ask us if we wanted anything else.

See you later
We waited a long time for the bill, longer than should be expected. We approached the register to pay. They accepted all forms of credit card as payment.

Pay Scale
$1-5 per person
Tips
10% is standard. We gave 10% though I would have preferred to give much less.
Star System 1.5/5
The only aspect of this visit that accorded a good score was value for money. The food is really cheap, but as they say ‘you get what you pay for.’ I actually wonder if the locals feel the same treatment when they enter as we did. They did not seem to mind the atmosphere as it was fully crowded throughout our stay.


To find/Contact
Sugar and Spice Restaurant
3901 Route 281 #6
Cortland, NY 13045
Directions to Sugar and Spice
Phone (607)756-4606

Hours: Daily 6a-9pm
Delivery Mon-Sat. 8a-2p and 5p-8p

Review based on October 2008 visit.

Have you eaten at Sugar and Spice, Cortland, NY? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Note #1: This Sugar and Spice is not affiliated with the Sugar and Spice in Horseheads, NY that I reviewed earlier (here).
Note #2: I had hesitated to post this review as this is the first one I have done that overall is not favorable. This is indeed one establishment I would not reenter. This blog is here to explore the good and not-so-good in terms of not only cuisine, but service, ambiance and overall experience.

Chat-a-Whyle Family Restaurant, Bath, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We came to Bath to visit Mossey Bank Park, but before we travelled up the hill to the park, we wanted to get something to eat. We attempted the two Mexican eateries, but both were closed on Sundays, and then attempted to find other open eateries. This location, Chat-a-Whyle, seemed to be the only eatery open in Bath at this time (beside maybe pizzerias). Because of that, this place was fully crowded. Though it was fully crowded, we were immediately greeted and sat in a prime location, near the window.

Mise en Scène
This is set up like most other diners. When you enter, there is a bar patrons can sit at bar stools, and tables lined up along the window. We were not sat in this area. When entering, we were led around the entry to the right to a larger seating area. They had many tables to sit us at, all covered with their restaurant logo and local business advertisements. A nice way to keep us occupied, no doubt!

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
Upon reviewing the menu, the only ‘vegetarian’ options we located were breakfast items, all egg based. This is a good place for non-vegetarians to visit, especially on Sundays. They have a grand listing of dinners on the back of the menu titled “Complete Sunday Dinners” that are amazing amounts of food for a relatively low price.

I wish to have seen a pasta dish or eggplant parmesan (as there was veal parmesan) listed on the menu, but since we were not so lucky, we finally opted for a breakfast option.

Appetizer: Loaded potato skins and thick cut fresh potato chips. We both agreed these were very tasty. Though I have made the fresh cut potato chips at home, this is the first restaurant I have seen them on the menu. It is a welcome change from the regular run-of-the-mill French fries. The cheese on the potato skins was nice as it did not loose heat or become hard after sitting for sometime. Not sure what that means about the kind of cheese it is, but it was a good thing for us in relation to taking photos for this blog. We often realize the food is cold by the time we start eating if we take photos for this blog! So, this was not the case for this dish. (Note: Loaded potato skins usually come with bacon, which we declined.)

What I ordered: Scrambled eggs with mushrooms, toast and home fries. Overall, it was good, but I have to remember to ask for the eggs well done, as in browned.

What Krishna ordered: Spanish omelet, toast, home fries. He liked the omelet, but was a little surprised to see black olives in the Spanish omelet, as this was a first. We both agreed we also need to remember to ask at every location to have the home fries well done. Though they were fully cooked, they come to us with a white look, they are not crispy and crunchy as we prefer. This is only a personal preference.

Checking In
Everything was absolutely perfect in this aspect. Though it was a full house, we were not neglected. We were checked on in regular intervals and even at the end of our meal when I asked to see the menu again (mostly so I could take the photo in this post); our wish was quickly fulfilled and immediately followed up on. There were no problems with our orders; everything was given as we ordered.

See you later
The bill was left on our table and we went up to the register to pay.
Pay Scale
$6-10 per person
Tips
10-15% is sufficient
Star System 3/5
I am sure most locals would scoff at my rating. This rating is based on the following factors- value for money 4/5, ambiance 4/5, service 4/5 and range of veggie options 1/5. Since this blog review focuses on vegetarian restaurant reviews, it is only in this category there is a request for improvements. There were vegetarian options for egg eaters within breakfast items, which are available after regular business hours. However, far as special dinners and other vegetarian options on the menu, I did not see anything of much interest. If I was in Bath again on a Sunday, I would not mind coming here, but if I was on the way to Corning, I may go the extra distance for a Bob Evan’s Breakfast or any other options in Corning.

Notes: If you are local, this restaurant seems to make deliveries. Call to inquire further details.

To find/Contact
Chat-A-Whyle Restaurant
www.chatawhyle.com
28 Liberty St
Bath, NY 14810
(607) 776-8040
Get directions

Review based on October 2008 visit.

Have you eaten at Chat-a-Whyle, Bath, NY? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Photos in this post by Jennifer Kumar. More photos of Chat-a-Whyle on flickr.

King David’s Restaurant, RIT Park Point, Rochester, NY

King David's Restaurant, RIT Park Point, Rochester

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.
Photos: copyright Krishna Kumar, used with permission

Meet and Greet
We entered just a few minutes after opening and were greeted by the hostess/waitress. We were told that wait staff sit and serve guests only after 4pm, before 4pm, guests can sit themselves after ordering at the counter. After ordering at the counter, the waitress will bring your dishes to you.

Mise en Scène
The interior is wide open, with tall ceilings. Guests can choose from tables in the center of the seating area or wide, comfy booths along the perimeter. Because this restaurant has a corner location, there are plenty of windows where light can enter. This is good as the lighting inside seems to be dimmed during the day. Lighting fixtures and other ambient décor is tasteful and ethnic looking. When it is quiet inside, one can listen to the beautiful Middle Eastern music ambient music.

I did use the restroom, which was spacious, squeaky clean, well stocked and nicely decorated.

Choosing a Veggie Treat

There was no problem in choosing a veggie dish as there were a plethora of choices:

* 9 varieties of Greek Pitzas (Greek Cheese, Pesto, Roasted Red Pepper, Sun Dried Tomato, Artichoke, Vegetarian, Mushroom, Eggplant, Spinach)
* Appetizers (Falafel, Babaganouge, Feta Cheese & Olives, Grape Leaves, Dolmodaes, Tabbouleh Spanakopita, Asparagus Fries, Eggplant Fries, Sweet Potato Fries, Tzatziki, Rice)
* Salads (House, Greek, Tabbouleh, Fetouche)
* A La Carte (Homous, Babaganouge, Grape Leaves, Spanakopita, Vegetarian Plate, Vegetarian Dinner for 2)
* Pocket Sandwiches (Falafel, Eggplant Pita)
* Pitas (Veggie Pita Wrap)
* Kids (Many of the above items are available in the Kid’s menu, all Middle Eastern, no American foods on Kid’s Menu, minus chicken tenders)

You could say King David’s is a vegetarian’s paradise! The only concern I had coming here on a dreary day was would I be interested in eating most of these items today being cold/chilled items. I had hoped to get something hot to warm up.

We decided on the vegetarian dinner for two (Spanakopita, four falafel patties, plate of homous, plate of babaganouge, plate of tabboulah, dolmades, pita and two baklava for dessert at $18.95) and the eggplant fries. This was a massive amount of food as you can see in the photos. I would suggest this could be a lunch/dinner for three or four depending on your appetites. As this restaurant is loosely connected to the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) campus, students could buy this for one or two and take a ‘doggie bag’ home and eat throughout the day and possibly even through two days!

Comments on the food. Eggplant fries were very tasty. Krishna, who tries to avoid eggplant, even in saying the word “eggplant,” ate these willingly and enjoyed them by dipping them in the homous. Our waitress did provide ketchup, but it tasted better dipping it this way. All other items were very tasty, and actually though I was worried I’d feel cold after eating all these cold dishes, that did not happen. I think that happened partially because of the shot of Turkish coffee I bought and downed in one big gulp. I had expected this coffee to be quite strong (in taste and caffeine content) and bitter compared to the Turkish coffee I have had in the past, but it was not so. Not even sure it was that full of caffeine, as I felt tired after the meal! The only part of the meal that could have been improved was the spanakopita as the phylo dough seemed chewy to both of us, and not crispy and light as we have tasted in other places.

Checking In
Initially, this was not an issue as we were the only ones in the establishment. However, by about 11:45 when more patrons swarmed in, our waitress, who doubled as the host/cashier was inundated, which affected the attention she could give to those of us sitting in the dining area. Unfortunately, beside her it appeared no one else working there was in the role of waitressing/checking on guests. This could be improved for the future. It could be possible the management continues to monitor the help required as they recently opened in August.

See you later
Since we paid at the counter before getting the food, waiting for the bill was no problem. However, I had not understood at time of payment our waitress would be serving us. I thought we would have to come back to the counter to collect food, so initially I left too small a tip. After sitting down and then being served our meal, I realized the set up and left a few extra dollars on the table upon heading out.
Pay Scale
$11-15 per person
Tips
10% was sufficient
Star System 4/5

To find/Contact
King David's Restaurant
www.kingdavids.com
200 Park Point Drive
Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 424-7482
Get directions

Hours of operation
Open Mon-Thu 11am-9pm; Fri-Sat 11am-10pm; Sun 12pm-7pm

Review based on November 2008 visit.

This review has been posted on King David's website, here and outside.in.

Have you eaten at King David’s Restaurant, RIT Park Point, Rochester, NY? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Tags: “middle eastern rochester” “king david rochester” “middle eastern” “turkish coffee” baklavah, henrietta-ny, mediterranean, restaurant on college campus, restaurant review, RIT

Panzari’s Italian Bistro, Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We were immediately greeted upon entry. The hosting area was quite small, one could see the entire establishment from the host station. It immediately appeared to be a small, intimate eatery. We were drawn in by the homely interior design and seating arrangement.

We were asked if we had a reservation. It seems reservations are recommended, but not required. Entering on a Saturday night, a little past peak hour, a few tables were free. Though our table was near the entrance/exit, we did not breeze or bothered by people coming in or out.

Mise en Scène
The interiors were nice, cozy and intimate. Though tables were close to each other, we did not feel crowded in or overwhelmed by the full house of guests.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
We were impressed by the number of already set vegetarian options mentioned on the menu. (Find the menu through clicking on their main page- panzaris.com.) Though it is easy to get some vegetarian items at Italian eateries, most often we have to ask to have (meat) ingredients excluded. This was not the case here. There were so many ready made vegetarian options that we couldn’t decide!

When talking to our waitress (who I am sorry I forget her name), she asked us specific questions about the type of vegetarian food we wanted- with or without egg, cheese, dairy, etc. This was one of the most memorable restaurant experiences in a long time because most of the waitresses we encounter really have no idea what being vegetarian means, and even after requesting something like ‘no meatballs,’ we get some anyhow! Of course, we later found out our waitress used to follow a vegan diet (without meat and dairy) and currently follows a vegetarian diet. Because of this, she appreciated when we opted out of the minestrone soup, though packed with vegetables is based in a chicken broth.

So, after all the wonderful conversation and debate, we ordered the greens and beans as an appetizer, and for the main course, I ordered the mushroom ravioli and Krishna ordered a three cheese stromboli.

Our opinion on the greens and beans: It was the tastiest greens and beans ever (Whole Foods recipe reference). Though the two main ingredients in this dish, cannellini beans and escarole, are bland on their own, along with the mix of Italian spices, it was one dish we savored to the last drop. It was best enjoyed with the small slices of complementary bread dipped in the juice. (The complementary bread was initially served with complementary olive oil mixed with freshly grated parmesan cheese. This was a new sight as we have seen the olive oil served with either crushed red pepper or fresh grated black pepper. We do actually prefer the pepper over the cheese.)

My opinion on the mushroom ravioli: I loved it. It was tasty and the texture of the mushrooms pureed inside each piece was appreciated. I would like to compare this dish to the mushroom ravoli I usually have at Olive Garden.

Olive Garden: About nine or ten raviolis are placed in a single layer covered in an white cheese sauce. The insides of the pasta appear to be more natural pieces of mushroom. The portion size always leaves one wanting more. Menu description taken from site: (source)

Ravioli di Portobello
Portobello mushroom-filled ravioli in a creamy smoked cheese and sun-dried tomato sauce. 11.95

Panzari’s: The more than ten (though exact count, I am unsure) ravolis are layered in the bowl drenched in the tomato based sauce. The mushroom inside the pasta is pureed and has an inviting texture. The portion size is very healty and one would find it very easy to pack some to-go. Menu description taken from site: (source)

Ravioli Calabria
Sautéed spinach, roasted red peppers and artichokes in a tomato basil cream sauce with portabella filled ravioli. 16.95

Krishna’s impression of the three cheese stromboli: a little too big and heavy. Crust was good and cheese was tasty, but it was too heavy. It would be nice if there was something else mixed in the filling, like vegetables as it can get monotonous.

Checking In
The service was top notch. Because we had a waitress that understood the intricacies of a vegetarian diet, that made our visit more memorable. We did leave a healthy tip.

See you later
This part of the visit, like all others, went smoothly and without any issue.
Pay Scale
$21-25 per person (Actually it was a bit more and would have went over $30 with desert, which we opted out of. Though one of the more costly eateries on this blog, it was worth every penny.)
Tips 15-20% - service overall from wait and kitchen staff was phenomenal
Star System 4.5/5

To find/Contact
Panzari's Italian Bistro
panzaris.com
321 Exchange Blvd (Corn Hill Area)
Rochester, NY 14608
(585) 546-7990
Get directions

Review based on October 2008 visit.

This review is linked on outside.in.

Have you eaten at Panzari’s Italian Bistro? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Tasteology, Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We visited for a late Saturday lunch. Arriving about 1pm, there were not many other occupied tables. We were sat at a table near the front to the left of the front doors. It is a nice place to sit, close to the windows. The booth was nice and spacious. The one thing we did not bargain for in this seating arrangement was feeling cold. Because the booth is diagonal the front doors, whenever they open and close a breeze hits patrons at this table directly. Keep this in mind if you come here on a cold day.

Mise en Scène
The interior is nice, spacious and decorated with nice art by local artists. The chandelier near the front seemed to be made out of old champagne glasses, very unique. I was sitting facing the window, not the interior, so I did not really get a good view of the whole place, though at a glance it seems warm, inviting and more open than most restaurants I have been to.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
I had hoped to find a lot of vegetarian options as I had viewed the menu online before coming. However, after arriving, perusing the menu, we realized the recently changed from the summer to winter menu. It seemed the winter menu had fewer vegetarian options than the summer. There were one or two full pasta meals, in addition to veggie wraps, veggie burgers, and veggie appetizers and soup. The featured soup was a butternut squash soup, which sounded tasty but one ingredient that was in it seemed a bit odd. It was a sweet ingredient, which I can’t remember now what it was, but to me upon reading that was just a little too innovative for me. I had opted for the other soup on the menu (My friend who ate with us believes the name was 'ten vegetables' soup). I also ordered a brushetta like dish to accompany the soup, listed under appetizers. Hubby opted for the veggie burger.

It must be said that all the food was very tasty. The bruschetta was very nice. The soup, though tasty, was nothing I’d try again. I hope they come up with some other vegetarian option. The veggie burger was tasty and, according to hubby, was not like other restaurant veggie burgers. Usually restaurants have some frozen and fried variety with pieces of vegetables in them that don’t warm/cook thoroughly leaving a weird crunchiness when eaten. This veggie burger did not have that texture, and appeared to be one where the ingredients are pureed and made into a patty then baked/fried. (Similar to my baked falafel recipe here.) Because the portion size is not too big, and we had more room to spare, we did try desserts also. They sell small ‘bite size’ desserts in tiny ‘shot glasses’. I tried the key lime pie, which was ravishing, and hubby had the chocolate pie, which was also pretty good.

Checking In
The waiter visited our table in regular intervals. We did not have a problem with our waiter, but it also wasn’t the best service ever received, also.

See you later
This came in due course, without issue. Since we actually visited in a party of four, they happily split the bill in half after calculating it.

Pay Scale
$11-15 per person
Tips
10% was sufficient
Star System 1-5? 2.5/5

I really struggle on the rating for this place. Though I was happy with the variety of vegetarian options (more than most local places), the exotic quality of some dishes was just a little too adventurous for us. I do want to return, but not too eager to also. When it happens, it will happen. I found that though the portion sizes were just perfect, the price was a little high. Maybe the price was high because of the gourmet appearance of the presentation. It is different than other places, and it does look appetizing when set in front of you. I also don’t think I really tried all the items I would like to try. I also know they hold ethnic cooking classes here and am very curious to know more about that. They also host different events, interested to know more about that as well.

(**Before posting review I was to put 3/5, but I contacted them by e-mail on their site a week before posting this to ask some questions, and to get the name of the soup I ate. A week has passed and no one e-mailed me back. Customer service should be 360- if you have a place on your website for feedback, but don’t respond, please remove that feature.)

To find/Contact
Tasteology
www.tasteology.net
3400 Monroe Ave
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 385-0580
Get directions

Review based on October 2008 visit.

Have you eaten at Tasteology in Pittsford (Rochester), NY? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Other reviews:

Rachel's Restaurant Review 11-07. Interesting to note how much change has occurred between her two visits and ours! Interesting to note one thing has not changed, portion size.

RocWiki. Many reviews posted over the past one year.

See the interior on youtube as video taped about a year ago. There are interior design changes since.

Thank you for reading!