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

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!

Lehigh Restaurant, Henrietta, Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

We broke our no-egg-on-Saturday rule today by eating breakfast at Lehigh Restaurant. Actually, we had to take our car for servicing on that side of town and wanted to check out that area of town as we rarely go there. Instead of Tim Horton's (what kind of real breakfast is available there, anyhow?:), we tried this place for the first time.

We were impressed by the breakfast menu. For vegetarians who eat eggs there are a lot of choices.

One of my favorite breakfast items is biscuit with country gravy, which in some places is made exclusively with flour and water gravy. Though some places call it sausage gravy, some places don't add the sausage in the gravy while making it. But this is exception, I guess. Lehigh makes it with the sausage in the gravy, so then I opted for another choice.

I enjoyed the Greek omelet - eggs with tomato and feta. It was very nice as some places overload the feta and since feta is salty it can be overwhelming if it is made this way. But the feta was just right. Though I think they make 4 egg omelet as it was huge. I had home fries, well done and rye toast with coffee.

Hubby had the Spanish omelet. He thought they would dice veggies and mix in the egg batter. But, they cut the veggies in large slices (red and green peppers, onions and tomatoes) and fold them in the middle of the fried egg. Not the best choice for him. He doesn't much like vegetables made like this and ended up eating the egg, and leaving the veggies. He also had this with home fries, rye toast and coffee.

The experience here was pleasant and we do plan on going again. They had a nice bakery section with lots of sweet pies and baked items that I hope to try in the future. Since it is a little distance from home, it may happen only if we go to Marketplace mall do some other shopping in that area. The waitstaff was pleasant and catered to our needs.

Within $15 a nice filling breakfast that will hold us over through lunch also :)!! Thank you!

Lehigh Restaurant on City Newspaper, Rochester.

To find/Contact:

Lehigh Restaurant

4835 W Henrietta Rd
Henrietta, NY
(585) 334-2520
Directions to Lehigh Restaurant


Have you eaten at Lehigh Restaurant? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Mysore Woodlands, Rochester, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We were excited to eat at the first South Indian restaurant in Rochester on a Monday evening. We were immediately greeted by the host, sat down and served water. We were served appetizers within 10-15 minutes followed soon by main courses.

Mise en Scène
This location recently was bought out and renamed. Just previous to these owners, it was called India Palace, which served north Indian food. The place had been ‘shut down for renovation,’ but we did not notice much improvement to the décor. Décor can be much improved as besides the one beautiful picture of Lord Krishna near the greeter’s station, there are laminated photos of menu items. Quite honestly the photos displayed neither serve a purpose of being a [good] marketing tool nor interesting, ethnic décor.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
Mysore Woodlands bases their menu items on a region of India called Udipi in the state of Karnataka (the state in which Bangalore city is located). Udipi is known for Brahmanical pure vegetarian cooking. It’s interesting though that the menu has a wealth of non-vegetarian items on it, which we conveniently ignored.

Among the tempting vegetarian options, we ordered the sambar vada and aloo bonda for appetizers and the Mysore Masala dosa and bisi bele bath for main courses.

Sambar vada was very tasty. The accompanying coconut chutney was nothing to write home about. The vadas were nice and very large. In fact the two vadas soaked in this dish of sambar were bigger than the ones we had at Palace of Dosas and also a meal in themselves. The sambar that accompanied the sambar vada was tasty, with a thick consistency. I make a Mysore sambar for Pongal celebrations. My feeling is the specialty of Mysore Sambar is the fact that the dhal is boiled separately then rather than just placed in the sambar, it is blended into a paste along with other spices before putting into the sambar broth. This gives the sambar an overall thick consistency. I had hardly any room for the other food after eating this. The aloo bonda was ok, but then again aloo bonda is a North Indian treat and not so typical of Udipi or South Indian cuisine. The Mysore Masala dosa is a lentil crepe filled with mildly spicy potato filling. The dosa itself is also coated with a layer of masala (spice) – which is a mix of spiced ground and mixed in oil and lightly spread on the inside of the dosa. This was very tasty. The bisi bele bath was not on the menu. What was on the menu was bangala bath. I am still not sure what that is. When asking the waiter what it was, I asked if it was like bisi bele bath, which is a rice dish with veggies and spices. He said not really and offered me the bisi bele bath. I have to say I haven’t had bisi bele bath since I left Chennai in 2001 and it was so tasty and amazing. It had a spicy tasty but not hot spicy but a blend of wonderful tastes. The dish was accompanied by lemon ginger pickle. Unlike the lemon pickle I make at home, this one was made with oil as there were mustard seeds in it. However, the lemon ginger pickle had an amazing flavor as again though it did have some chili taste it was not too spicy and complemented the bisi bele bath very nicely.

Checking In
We were waited on in regular intervals by either waiter on staff. Service was courteous and prompt.

See you later
Bill was given in reasonable time and collected back quite timely. When paying the bill, they had packed my left over bisi bele bath. When I looked in the bag later, I noticed they packed the pickle in a separate container which was impressive. Even more impressive was the fact that they had given extra pickle than what was in the original helping. Thanks! (Incidentally, I had taken the leftovers for work the next day, eating the bisi bele bath with the pickle and potato chips, it was very tasty. In fact, it made me wonder why the bisi bele bath is not served with papad – Indian chips.)

Pay Scale
$11-15 per person (one vegetarian appetizer and main course per person)
Tips 10-15%
Star System 4
For an Indian restaurant it was good and quick service. Also liked the fact they gave me something not listed on the menu. Food is value for money as it was very filling and in comparison to other South Indian restaurants, somewhat cheaper.

To find/Contact
Mysore Woodlands
Located in Tops-Brighton Plaza
(Near back left corner where mall makes a turn)
1900 Clinton Ave South
Rochester NY 14618
Phone: unsure
Get Directions

Notes: If you want to come to Rochester to visit the Hindu temple and then go for some great South Indian food, here are the directions from the Temple to Mysore Woodlands!

View Larger Map

**As of the posting date, the old sign (India Palace) still hangs above the entry way with a Mysore Woodlands banner in the window. Not sure when the sign will change.

Related Links: My recipe for Mysore Sambar My recipe for vada Pongal Celebrations- What is Pongal and how I celebrated it in a remote Tamil village Palace of Dosas, Buffalo, NY

Mysore Woodlands Review in Democrat and Chronicle (nice review, explains South Indian delicacies from an American viewpoint)

tags:4 stars, rochester-ny, indian, south-indian, economical, restaurant review,

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!

Choosing 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

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!

tags: "make it a date", 3.5 stars, exotic dishes, italian,restaurant review, pasta, penfield ny, pizza, rochester-ny,"restaurant review",“Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, New York Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, NY Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester Restaurant Reviews”

Hawthorne’s, Rochester, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
As we entered on a Friday night about 7pm, it was quiet. There were no lines and no waiting. I had called for a reservation a few hours previous, though I was told reservations are not required. That was very true on this night, because besides us there were only three other tables occupied inside and about 4-5 occupied for outside dining.

Mise en Scène
Driving to this place, one may miss it unless you are observant. It is located on East Avenue in Rochester north of St. John Fisher College and just past Bretton Woods drive on the right side (coming into the city on East Ave/ 31F from Fairport). This restaurant is in a well known, upper- class residential area. The building of Hawthorne’s itself can be mistaken for a home. One needs to take care to look for the sign and the entrance to the parking lot.

Inside it was nice and serene. The area was spacious and tastefully decorated. I think I remember seeing a fireplace inside, but not quite sure. Past our room was a room with French doors where they served a buffet or brunch. It was not open for dinnertime.

Wearing casual or semi-formal dress is sufficient. Though looking around, it seemed we were the youngsters in the house as most others were older or elderly. The party next to us, comprised of about 12, was throwing a birthday party for a cute baby turning 1. But, beside the baby at the table, all others appeared to be older than us.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
Before making the reservation, I checked the menu on their website. I was surprised to find a few interesting vegetarian options, such as the Raspberry Brie appetizer and the Eggplant, Tomato and Goat cheese stack. (We went for the Raspberry Brie, pictured in the beginning of this review, which was very tasty indeed!) And, for the main menu items, few items seemed very intriguing in addition to the pasta dishes which can usually easily be made vegetarian if required.

For main course, I chose the “Eggplant and Asparagus Roulades Grilled marinated eggplant, Boursin cheese and asparagus roll ups with fire roasted red pepper sauce.” I tried to snap a picture of it, the best I got is shown below. I liked the presentation- very artistically done, but somehow the taste of the dish was very confusing. The asparagus was wrapped in grilled eggplant. The inner roll of this was smothered with some creamy sauce (I guess the Boursin cheese) and the ‘fire roasted red pepper sauce’ was on the outside of the roll. The Boursin cheese sauce was very creamy and too much a contrast with the red pepper sauce. I think one sauce would have sufficed- preferably the red pepper sauce. The price for the dish seemed to be a bit steep, but the presentation itself takes some labor and patience, I suppose. Above and beyond the main course, the sides of mashed potatoes and steamed zucchini were amazingly fresh and tasty!
The other dish on the menu that seemed intriguing was the “Mixed Field Greens with Pear and Blue Cheese.” Somehow I like the thought of these contrasting flavors- semi-sweet pears with bitter blue cheese. It was a chilly day that day and I felt the blue cheese and pears would make me feel too cool. The eggplant and red pepper sauce really warmed me up.

Checking In
We were attended to in regular and prompt intervals. Service was very good.

See you later
I remember waiting for the bill and waiting for it to be paid was seamless. By the time we paid, we were one of the last customers left in the building at 9pm. Seems they close very early for a Friday night.

Pay Scale
$16-20 per person / $21-25 per person
This location can be slightly too very pricy depending on your eating habits.
If you eat like us, by sharing an appetizer and having your own entrée, it’s possible to exit for as low as $20 a person (about our costs).
If you come here for a four course meal, enjoying an appetizers, salad, entrée, and desert, it would be very pricy (most likely from $40-$60 per person).
Tips
10-12% was sufficient.
Star System 2.5/3

Though we have no overt complaints, this location just does not fall within our typical taste buds or price range. It is a nice place to come to try exotic western dishes that I would not attempt to make at home and it’s a nice place to come to relax and eat, no doubt. We may come again to try the brunch/buffet and possibly for that pear salad!

To find/Contact
Hawthorne's Restaurant
3500 East Ave
Rochester, NY 14618
(585) 385-4959
Get directions

tags: 2.5 stars, residental eatry, rochester-ny, restaurant review,"restaurant review",“Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, New York Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester, NY Restaurant Reviews”,” Rochester Restaurant Reviews”

Richardson's Canal House, Pittsford, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Richardson's Canal House is located on the Erie Canal in Bushnell's Basin near to Pittsford, New York. The bright yellow building is situated cozily between the canal and the one way bridge on Marsh Road while still somewhat visible from the main road, Route 96- Pittsford-Victor Road.

The building itself is quite old, I guess over 200 years old. It was originally used for a hotel for the canal travelers. (Currently, the entire building is used exclusively as a restaurant, overnight guests are not permitted.) Back then the canal boats did not have motors, so mules pulled the boats. Two mules would pull the boat on one side of the canal (the reason there is a canal trail near the side of the canal) and two would be resting on the boat. This canal house could be considered like a modern-day truck stop- a place to rest (or for the mules, refuel their energy) for mules and people alike, eat, and have a place to sleep for the night.

Today people don't sleep overnight in this building, it is used only for short visits to eat tasty meals. They have tried to keep the original layout of the building. We had gone for my birthday and we had reservations. We had a room upstairs all to ourselves. Inside the room was a large table, with two chairs on either end. Along one wall were old style wooden chairs, along the other a 'love seat' and a chair. The room decor also seemed to be of old world style. The walls were ornately painted with colorful and decorative borders.

Though the menu did not have any vegetarian options for appetisers, the chef made us two custom orders- one a stuffed portabello mushroom, the other a stuffed red capsicum (bell pepper). Both were tasty, but I liked the mushroom more. Inside the red pepper was a berry of some type. I don't remember the berry but it was slightly chewy and hard but was not sweet. Both had some cheese and a nice light sauce on them.

The main course was also very good. I had potato gnocchi (which was originally a side dish to a chicken meal, but was specially made for me as a main dish), and hubby had the stuffed homemade ravioli. As I pictured it, gnocchi was piled high with tomato sauce. Though the gnocchi was good, I could not finish the whole thing for two reasons, one I got full, and two it was monotonous, so I boxed the remainder and had it for a full lunch the next day. Hubby's ravioli was also very tasty, but there were only five pieces I believe. Each piece was about four or five inches long and up to 2 inches at it's widest. They were not thick, but the filling was very filling. It had a sauce on it, but I can't remember it.

We were both so stuffed that we forgone the dessert until our next visit. Maybe if we come again, we can come in the summer and sit outside along the Erie Canal!

Being an upscale restaurant, this is no cheap eat. Each appetiser was $10 a piece (actually that was not a bad deal considering each was hand crafted, and each a meal in themselves), and the two main dishes were $19 a piece. This price seems a bit high, but honestly if they were home made, I am not sure the work that goes into making each of these dishes. We had coffee to drink at $5 for two.

**It seems the menu changes on a weekly basis for this location, so maybe on other weeks there are more vegetarian options than others.

To find/contact
Richardson's Canal House
1474 Marsh Rd
Pittsford, NY 14534
(585) 248-5000
Directions to Richardson's Canal House

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”

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

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