Siam Thai Rochester, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Update July 7, 2009
We visited on July 4, 2007. We, again sat outside. It was a pleasant day.

We were impressed as when we asked about different menu items that were not vegetarian or vegan, they were willing to make it vegan, by substituting tofu or vegetables. They also made the pad thai vegan by taking out the egg and using a non-meat based peanut sauce (I never realized it had meat or fish products in it...).

We really enjoyed our meal of fresh veggie rolls with peanut sauce, Tom Kah veggie soup (which, we were told by our Malayalee cousin, reminded him of Olan, a coconut based potato dish in Kerala), and together we three shared a dish of pad thai.

We were impressed with the service, flexibility of menu ingredients an service. We actually believe the customer service has much improved and gained a stronger personality as this establishment now is evolving it's own identity. We will surely visit again.

Originial Review date - April 26, 2008
Today we went to Siam Thai in Corn Hill near to the courthouse in downtown Rochester, New York.

The buildings that house the restaurant are in a new community- apartments on the top and businesses on the ground floor. There are few other eateries and some small shops on the ground floor. Many places, including Siam open only 11 or after. Parking can also be challenging in this area, though as we were coming at a down time (around 1pm), parking was ample.

It's interesting that 1pm on a Saturday is a downtime, but it seems working day hours (9a-5p Mon-Fri) are more crowded. But the good news is that the weather was perfect, again, and we were able to be seated outside with a view of the Genesee River and the walking trail.

For appetisers, we ordered the Papaya Madness Salad and Tofu with Peanut Sauce. The Papaya Madness salad was VERY tasty, bursting of many flavors, spicy, colorful and good to the last drop, but I did not see one papaya in it! The tofu and peanut sauce was equally tasty in a different way.

Our main courses, however, left a desire for something different. Unlike the salad bursting of taste, the Pad Thai and Pad See Eau left our palates wondering where did all the taste go? The presentation of the Pad Thai in itself was not appetizing. The noodles were a hue of a weird orange color, with little tofu and few peanuts. Where was the peanut sauce? In fact, where was the taste? With additional green chili water and soy sauce, there still was absolutely no taste. The Pad See Eau was better in the sense that there was a variety of vegetables in it, but there was still no taste to be found even with added condiments.

In the middle of our meal, it started raining heavily. We moved to an empty table with an umbrella. We moved and the waitress came to help us only 10-15 minutes after the move and the rain calmed down. What's up with the service? We left minimal tip.

We may be tempted to go back to try the appetisers and soups, but would stay clear of main dishes. We did like the ambiance- sitting outside on the Gennesee River. We did not like the service or the price. For our two appetisers, one Thai Iced Tea (which had that same weird orange hue as the Pad Thai) and two main dishes with tip it came to $40.00. We know of another restaurant in Webster (Rochester suburbs) where a good Thai lunch with appetisers and main meals come to less than $20 with tip.

Two side notes:

1. The bathrooms inside were very clean and modern.

2. I have another comment. The first Pad Thai I ever at was at a restaurant in Boston- actually the suburbs of Boston. I have measured every Pad Thai to date based on that Pad Thai and nothing has measured up. If only I could remember the name of the restaurant....

To visit/contact
Siam Fine Thai Cuisine
280 Exchange Blvd
Rochester, NY 14608
(585) 232-7426
Directions to Siam Fine Thai Cuisine

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

Lovin’ Cup: RIT Park Point, Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
Lovin’ Cup is a café bistro, guests are welcome to approach the bar or food counter to order. Once the order is placed at the register, drinks are given at the bar and food is left on the bar for guests to pick up. At the register guests are given a pager. This will light up, buzz and bounce once your order is ready to be picked up.

Mise en Scène
I enjoyed the décor and flow of the interior. Though you can choose to sit outside if it’s warm out, there is plenty of indoor seating at high café tables, large comfortable booths and shorter tables in addition to the bar. Art by local artists hang on the wall, many pieces for sale with a tag of about $400 each. There is also some ambiance music playing on speakers throughout the establishment. Besides being a little loud, the music, which to us did not promote a relaxing atmosphere, ran on repeat. We could have done without the music, for sure.
**We did not have to use restrooms, so no comment on that ambiance!

Choosing a Veggie Treat
We were taken off guard when we first glanced at the menu as we strolled around Park Point because of the creative names given to each menu item. Each menu item had been given a title that we have never encountered at any other eatery. After carefully reading the descriptions of each menu item, we were both pleased to see a café serving a wide variety of vegetarian options. There are actually about 20 vegetarian entries on the menu (no meat, no eggs), including four varieties of meatless grilled cheeses! (I am tempted to go back to try that, though at $5.99 a plate, I am not running over anytime soon…) There are also about five breakfast entries with eggs for vegetarians who eat eggs. Though some meat options (sandwiches) may loose its signature made vegetarian, I am sure sandwiches of any variety along with any other item on the menu could be ‘made vegetarian.’ After debating over what to get, and realizing we were coming during ‘happy hour’ and not meal time, we chose two appetizers- fingerpoppin’ (bruschetta) and burnin’ down the house (nachos).

It must be said, that though the items were freshly made and had a descent taste we are apprehensive to try the nachos again. Firstly, for bruschetta and nachos, a fifteen minute wait is not acceptable. Secondly, when you get food after waiting 15 minutes, you hope it would be toasty hot and look natural. It was lukewarm and the cheese on the nachos almost appeared to like some melted Velveeta ** (not natural cheese). I really want to believe that is not true.

In ordering drinks, we did have a little better luck. I ordered a hot apple cider. The medium size seemed to be a large. Also, since this size was not yet programmed in their register, they decided to charge me for a small size! So far I have had hot apple cider at about five places, and conclude it’s really hard to mess this up! My husband ordered the chocolate jerk, their mocha drink. Hubby likes the bitter chocolate more than the sweet, so continues to prefer Starbucks mocha drink much better!

Checking In
This is not a restaurant where you needed to be waited on, so no comments are required.

See you later
We ordered and paid directly at the register. Upon completing the tray of food, guests return the tray to the waste basket, throwing the garbage away and placing the trays and dirty dishes on top.

Pay Scale
$6-10 per person (This is for two drinks and two appetizers)

Tips
Not required. Nice addition, possibly more so at the bar.

Star System 1-5? 3/5
(I believe this establishment is only a few months old, and staffed by all newbies. I think some kinks still need to be worked out (not all menu items able to be rung up, food preparation time is too long, etc.). Overall it was a good experience.)

To find/Contact
Lovin’ Cup
Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Park Point
300 Park Point Drive, Suite #101
Rochester, NY 14623
Phone: 585.292.9940
Lovin’ Cup’s website –lovincup.com
Directions (This place is not yet on Google maps! It is near the corner of John St. and Jefferson Road -252. Entrance is on John Street.)

Review based on October 2008 visit.

** I did a search for Velveeta and ingredients. There was no direct links from Google and the Velveeta links through Kraft’s site doesn’t work! I did find on a few sites however that it’s debatable if Velveeta is a ‘cheese food’ (containing 51% cheese or more) or a ‘cheese product’ (containing less than 50% cheese).

Have you eaten at Lovin' Cup? If so, please share your thoughts below.

This Review is linked at outside.in.

Thank you for reading!

Aladdin’s Natural Eatery, Pittsford, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
The last time we came here, this location was under construction. This time we are happy to report it was fully back to its original glory. Of course, it should have been since summer kicked off a few months ago!

We were immediately greeted at the door and sat inside. We could have opted to sit outside as it was a spectacular day and eating with an Erie Canal view is an experience in itself, but as we had just completed almost 25 miles of bike riding on the canal, we opted to eat inside.

Mise en Scène
We were sat on the ground level (which is on the same level as the Erie Canal) at a cozy table for two. Since I don’t remember sitting down here before the remodel took place, I can’t comment on the changes, though I can say since our last visit, with the upstairs inside and outside sitting areas functionable, it was very spacious.

We are glad it is a casual eatery. Since we had been biking, entering and enjoying our time here in our biking clothing, we did not feel under dressed or out of place at all. In fact, if you decide to take a long bike ride on the Erie Canal, I suggest you stop in here for a quick pick-me-up.

We did use the restrooms. I was surprised with the renovations that the downstairs bathroom did not have a functioning lock. I did use then decide to use the restroom upstairs. Both were clean, but the upstairs room more comfortable with the functioning lock.

Choosing a Veggie Treat
There are plenty of vegetarian options at this restaurant. I have always loved this restaurant and opted for the vegetarian options, even when I was first introduced to this restaurant in Ithaca, New York in 1994 when I was not yet a converted vegetarian! And, today with the weather being nice and sultry and our bike ride keeping us quite toasty, I felt so-in-the-mood for the cold options on the menu. I opted for the tzataiki, the yogurt soup, which to me is like Indian raita. (Made a bit more sour, watery, add a few green chilies, and drink it rather than eat it with a spoon, it’d be refreshing sambaram. A girl can dream, right?) Hubby decided to have the hot lentil soup. Together we shared the appetizer plate- hummus, falafel and tzataiki.

Check out the Ithaca Aladdin’s Menu, which is, for the most part is the same as Pittsford with minor additions/subtractions.

Checking In
Our waiter was very attentive. He checked on us in regular intervals. Food was bought to us in an efficient manner.

See you later
As with the service, bill collection and payment was uneventful and efficient.

Pay Scale
$6-10 per person
** This location was voted Best of Rochester, 2008 for "best meals under $10".

Tips We left 10%
Star System 3.5/5

To find/Contact
Aladdin’s Natural Eatery
8 Schoen Pl
Pittsford, NY 14534
(585) 264-9000
Directions to Aladdin's Natural Eatery

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

Thank you for reading!

Related Posts/Links: Our last review, February 15, 2008 Ithaca, NY location Sambaram – Spiced Buttermilk Cools the Soul
Best of Rochester 2008 Reader's Choice Awards

PF Chang’s, Victor, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
On our Monday evening visit we were immediately greeted and sat outside on the patio. It was a warm night, perfect for sitting outside and eating. It was neither rainy or windy, but warm and still.

Mise en Scène
We used to be regulars to this Chinese Bistro that to us is unlike any other Chinese eatery because we have yet to spot even one single Chinese working there. We say we used to be regulars as this was one location closest to our home that seemed to have a wide array of tasty vegetarian options outside of Indian restaurants. Then, as we braved out into the wide world of other ethnic foods and American cuisine, this location no longer topped our list. Also, far as we understand from visiting this location for the past three years, there have been only minimal changes to the menu. We do like the Chinese themed décor inside and out. We also like the booth seating inside the bistro as it is wide and very comfortable.
**We did not have to use restrooms, so no comment on that ambiance!

Choosing a Veggie Treat
Our favorites on the menu are undoubtedly the appetizers. We always get the vegetarian lettuce wrap (pictured to the right). When this is served, the waiter will usually ask if you like your sauce made mild, medium or spicy. On the table are some bottles of different sauces that the waiter combines to make one tasty, spicy dip according to your preference. We also did notice a new addition to the menu tonight- a green beans appetizer. These were green beans dipped in a breading and deep fried. The sauce served with this was very tasty. The only other place we ever saw this appetizer was TGI Fridays sometime last fall (2007), but it was available for only a limited time. This green beans appetizer was not only new to PF Chang’s since our last visit but does have scope to become a permanent fixture on their menu.

The chosen dish for our main meal was the ‘Buddha’s delight.” With the main dish, diners can choose either brown or white rice. We opted for a little of both. The brown rice here is very tasty.

Checking In
Our waiter was very attentive and checked on us in regular intervals.

See you later
This has never been an issue for us in this location. The bill and payment collection is done efficiently and without issue.
Pay Scale
$11-15 per person (Two people sharing two appetizers and one main dish with tips.)
Tips 10-15% is sufficient
Star System 3.5/5

Reviewing restaurants from the standpoint of enjoying vegetarian cuisine, I believe PF Chang’s could do a little better with offering more choices for vegetarians. Though there are sufficient choices for most vegetarians as seen in their menu, since choice is so limited this is most likely what encouraged us explore other places for other vegetarian options.

To find/Contact

PF Chang's China Bistro
820 Eastview Mall
Victor, NY 14564
(585) 223-2410
Get directions

Have you eaten at PF Changs in Victor, NY or any PF Changs in US? If so, please share your thoughts below.

tags: "Eastview Mall Rochester" "PF Chang's Rochester" "Eastview Mall"

Jines Restaurant, Rochester, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Today was the perfect day to go to Jines and sit outside in one of the tables on Park Avenue in Rochester, enjoy the weather, company and food.

Initially as we approached the entrance, I became disoriented. It seemed the entrance I was used to was moved. It took me a minute to realize that there was some expansion work to the space for Jines. The interior was made larger, and the entrance seems to be in a new location. That being true, the number of tables out on the sidewalk, seemed to be less than last year when the interior and store front square footage on the sidewalk, smaller. That being the case, we did wait about 15 minutes for a seat outside.

There were four of us, two adults and two kids. The kids both chose the grilled cheese with happy face fries. I chose the vegetarian chili along with egg salad sandwich with olives on sourdough. The other person accompanying me chose the turkey panini with pesto. Everyone enjoyed their meal, and we ate it slowly savoring every bite.

The price was also very reasonable, for the four of us, we paid about $27, which included a $4 tip.

Have to say the weather was more than cooperative, it was ideal. Sun was shining brightly, with a temperature of about 70 and no wind. Can't ask for anything better!

This is not the first time I have been to Jines. I have ate at Jines a number of times over the past few years and I have never left on a bad note. Food, service and atmosphere always are worth returning to again and again. I guess I am not the only one who feels this way, as Jines was voted Best Place for Breakfast 2008 (Reader's Choice Awards) in the Rochester City Newspaper.

To visit/contact:
Jines Restaurant
658 Park Ave
Rochester, NY 14607
(585) 461-1280
www.jinesrestaurant.com
Directions to Jines Restaurant


Related Posts/Sites: Best of Rochester 2008 Reader's Choice Awards

Aladdin's Natural Eatery, Pittsford, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

We ate here the other day. I consider this restaurant to be Mediterranean/ Middle Eastern.

I love this location as it sits right on the Erie Canal in Pittsford. I have also eaten at the Ithaca location and the other Rochester location. These other locations are equally beautiful in their own way.

Today, finding the entrance was interesting as the front entrance was blocked with a sign that read, enter through back door. However, near the back door, there was a sign that said use other entrance. I couldn't figure out where the door was. Finally, we found it. The door sat on the ground level facing the canal.

It being winter, the canal was not functioning, and all seating was inside. In warm weather, there is faciliy to eat outside with an Erie Canal view. We were happy that the restaurant was open though under construction. The taste found here is just unmatchable.

I had the Emilio pasta - garlic flavored pasta noodles with eggplant mash. He had the vegetarian platter with a variety of great tastes- falafel, hummus, tabulee, spanakopita. Each item was bursting with taste, it was great!

Food Rating: 8 out of 10 (hot food was served on cold plates)
Service Rating: 8 out of 10
Hot Chocolate Rating: 5 out of 10

For more on Aladdin's Natural Eatery

Aladdins Natural Eatery
8 Schoen Pl
Pittsford, NY 14534
(585) 264-9000
Directions to Aladdin's Natural Eatery

Other blogger reviews: Gaurav at "Eating Out in Bombay"

other tags: alladins, "schoen place", "erie canal pittsford" "pittsford ny" "eating on the banks of erie canal" "eat out erie canal"Tags: "erie canal","canal side","eat by the water""bushnell's basin""restaurant review",“Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, New York Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, NY Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester Restaurant Reviews”

Simply Crepes: Rochester, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

We ate a late breakfast at Simply Crepes in the Rochester Public Library today. We have ate at the Pittsford location for dinner on two occasions, where we had 'dinner' and 'desert' crepes. This is the first time we have gone for breakfast, though.

I had an item called Raspberry Gulle. The simply crepes menu describes it as:
Fresh raspberries folded inside a sweetened egg batter dipped crêpe, lightly sautéed and topped with our house-made fresh raspberry sauce and powdered sugar.

My husband had the Crêpe Épinards. The simply crepes menu describes it as:
Fresh spinach and tomatoes sautéed with scrambled eggs and feta cheese.

We also had a side of fried potatoes with coffee.

The food was tasty and overall wonderful. The coffee, on the other hand, was not so much so.

Price is a little higher than other restaurants, but paying more for the presentation is justifiable, I suppose. The service was also commendable.

To Find/ Contact this location:
Simply Crepes site Rochester Public Library
114 South Avenue
Rochester, NY 14604(585) 383-8310

Follow up:
May 3, 2008. I visited Simply Crepes in Shoen Place in Pittsford with a friend for breakfast.

At this location, we sat outside on a verandah over looking the street. On the opposite side of the street is the Erie Canal. The downtown location doesn't have facility to eat outside.

I had the Raspberry Gulle (again!) and was very pleased. The portion size was perfect, not too big and not too small.
My friend had the Crespalla Florentine which is described in the menu as:"A blend of 3 cheeses (Ricotta, Parmesan, Swiss) rolled in a crêpe with fresh spinach, topped with our house-made marinara sauce and drizzled with a white cheese sauce and fresh parmesan." The portion size on this is large. It is meant for one who is ravenous with hunger. My friend finished about 1/2- 3/4 and boxed the rest to take it home.
We shared the fried crepes with creamy dipping sauce. I don't remember the name of this, and I can't seem to find it on the online menu. The chips did leave more to the senses, but the creme dip sauce was very tasty.

We each had a nice bottomless coffee with our meal. The total bill was roughly $30 with tip.


To find/contact this location:
Simply Crepes Cafe
7 Schoen Place
Pittsford, NY 14534
(585) 383-8310

Follow up: July 5, 2008
I read in the newspaper today that Simply Crepes has opened up a third location in Canandaigua. I have yet to go. I am sure the service and food is just as impeccable as the other two locations. Here is the contact information for that location:
101 S Main St
Canandaigua, NY 14424
(585) 394-9090
Get directions