Perlo’s Italian Grille, East Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.


Meet and Greet
We initially had a hard time finding the building. Arriving from the south on North Washington Street, there was no clear signs or lighting to locate the building easily. Coming back around the block, we noticed Perlo’s on the corner of Walnut and North Washington. Visiting this place two days before Christmas, we were surprised to see the parking lot overflowing onto the side streets. It seemed impossible to find a parking spot. After locating one on the north side of the building, we noticed a Perlo’s sign board that could be spotted if driving from the north on North Washington. The entrance greets you in the bar lounge, which was just jam packed full of people. Though it appeared chaotic, and there did not seem to be a localized area where guests were greeted, a hostess found us within a few minutes and we were seated in one of the two tables open.


Mise en Scène
It was crowded, chaotic and a bit cramped inside. We were not sure if this was a typical weekday crowd or a holiday rush. Tables were clean and orderly, but tables were crowded into the space making it hard for wait staff and guests to maneuver in between.
**We did not have to use restrooms, so no comment on that ambiance!


Choosing a Veggie Treat
We decided to come here as I had found out about this place through a Google search a few months back. At that time, I noticed a unique dish called Baked Potato Chips with exotic cheese toppings. For our appetizers we did order the chips and the “East Rochester Stuffed Escarole” without the pancetta (a cured meat). For our main dish, we ordered the special of the night, stuffed rigatoni (without the meat) accompanied by a side salad.


Our thoughts on the menu items:
Complementary bread and butter: Nothing special about the bread. Either the bread could have been warmer or the butter, softer to make it easier to spread.

Side salad: It was impressive, not your typical side salad with a lot of lettuce, carrots and a piece of tomato. In fact, no carrots or tomato included! There was some lettuce, topped with diced red onions, blue cheese and a rich Italian dressing. It was one of the tastiest salads I have had in a long time. We liked the combination of the dressing and blue cheese, as they complemented each other well. We would have liked more onions, but other than that, we enjoyed it.

Baked Potato Chips: The only other place we have had a similar dish was at Chat-a-Whyle Family Restaurant, Bath, NY. We deduced though, that Perlo’s offering was more unique (due to the exotic cheese topping) and fresher than Chat-a-Whyle’s. Perlo’s freshness came from the use of super fresh oil. We definitely recommend this appetizer to any and all who visit.

Stuffed Escarole: We prefer to call this menu item, Italian Upma as the look, feel and texture was reminiscent of an Indian breakfast item we enjoy, Upma. When I read the description, I had thought it would be long leaves of escarole with the remainder of ingredients as a topping. When we got it though, it was more like porridge of ingredients. It seems it is the bread pieces, when cooked in, fluff up and give the dish a porridge look and feel, similar to the Upma dishes made in India with sooji (cream of wheat) or other similar ingredients. (I also make this dish with quinoa.)

Stuffed Rigatoni: Again an unexpected delight encountered us in this main menu specialty. When hearing the description, I thought the ingredients, would all be stuffed into the rigatoni. However, only ricotta cheese was stuffed in the rigatoni noodles and all other ingredients were in the tomato sauce smothered on top. I prefer this preparation style as it makes it easier to make this dish vegetarian. It was indeed not only a unique menu item, but full of fresh taste. The tomato sauce used had a nice texture and simple taste. It was the accompanying spinach and other toppings that added variety and interest.


Checking In
Maybe it was because it was so busy, or because our waiter was on his second day of the job, or maybe it was it was because it was super crowded inside, or maybe a combination of these and other factors that led to a leisurely wait time. We may have been inside for 1.5-2 hours total. Since it was the holidays and we were in a leisurely mood, we did not worry much. We were impressed by the individualized service- our menu items were made to order as two were ordered with (meat) ingredients omitted. We are delighted with the attention to menu details, but timeliness in receiving our orders (food and coffee) was below our normal expectation. Some establishments pride themselves on long wait times, leisurely service and friendly atmosphere. We are not sure if this is their normal course, or the holiday rush caused this lag. We’d have to come again to find that out. The one aspect of the service that was impressive was in addition to the waiter, there was a helper (not sure of correct title) who would come, clear off the plates and pack to-go boxes.


See you later
This part of the process did take a little longer than expected but no issues or concerns.

Pay Scale
$16-20 per person (Two appetizers, two coffees and 1 main dish split)
Tips 10-15%
Star System 2.5/5
Though Perlo’s offered a limited number of vegetarian options (2.5/5), the cook appeared flexible to omitting meat ingredients to accommodate us. That is a big plus as some Italian eateries we have been to are not this flexible. Our waiter was slow and our food came at a leisurely pace, the food was warm and tasty; made to our requirements. I have coupled the service with ambiance as I think in this instance they factor together. The environment was chaotic, noisy and crowded, because of this; I give 2.5/5 and wonder if my opinion would improve if we go outside holiday hours. In fact, some others may enjoy this environment for an outside dining experience, but our personal preference is more quiet, intimate and ‘homely.’ Because there were few unique menu options, food was made to our requirements and we had such healthy portions we have a meal for tomorrow, the value for money is descent (2.5/5).



To find/Contact
Perlo's Restaurant
http://www.perlosrestaurant.com/
202 N Washington St
East Rochester, NY 14445
(585) 248-5060
Get directions


Review based on December 2008 visit.

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


Related Posts/Sites:
Perlo's Online Menu
Chat-a-Whyle Family Restaurant, Bath, NY
Quinoa Upma Recipe (aka Indian stuffed escarole variety!)


Thank you for reading!

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

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!