Applebee’s, Fairport, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet

Entering on a Christmas Eve afternoon, we were immediately greeted and sat in the bar area.

Mise en Scène
This Applebee’s like any other Applebee’s we have visited was set up in a typical Applebee’s fashion. The bar flooring area is ‘sunken’ a few feet lower than general seating that surrounds three sides of the bar area. The bar area also generally has ‘high tables’ with tall chairs with additional seating at the bar. The seating encircling the bar is comprised of regular tables and chairs or booth seating. As usual, the seating area is spacious, clean and inviting.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat

Actually, for vegetarians there are not many straight forward vegetarian options. Lunch time has a nice menu with combo choices of vegetarian soups (cream of mushroom or tomato basil) with salad or sandwich (only vegetarian sandwich is a BLT grilled cheese- without the “B” or bacon). Other than this, in the meal menu, there are pasta entries that are listed default with meat ingredients. Most of these possibly can be made without the meat, but have yet to try that order. We like the ‘burger’ choices here as the regular size burger sandwiches can all be substituted with veggie burgers. Keep this tip in mind as the burger options are interesting. On this trip we received the quesadilla burger (remember to ask to omit the bacon in the cheese spread) and the cowboy burger (without the bacon). We have had the quesadilla burger and find this to be a unique option, as we have not had this at any other restaurant. Though we are quite certain to have the quesadilla burger again, this is not so true with the cowboy burger. Though overall the taste of the cowboy burger was tempting, the bar-be-que sauce was very distracting, especially for us that don’t prefer the smoky smell or taste of bar-be-que. We did not get the bruschetta burger, though we have in the past and highly recommend this as it has a fresh and addicting taste.

We did order an appetizer, the potato skin sans bacon. The potato skins were good, but bland. Would have been nice to have it as a nachos dish, topped with jalapeños and beans or have something crunchy on top, like diced red onions.

They did not have hot sauce as a condiment, though did mix ‘wing sauce’ for us, which was tasty and fulfilled the spice requirement, but had a texture and smell that was a little odd for me as it did remind me of chicken wings so I did not eat much of it.

Additionally, as I occasionally enjoy a mixed drink, I did try the pomegranate margarita on this visit. It was very tasty as it was mixed with POM brand pomegranate juice. It was so tasty and fruity that we neither noticed the strong taste of the alcohol or the bitterness of pomegranate juice. They seemed to balance and ‘even each other’ out. I recommend this drink to anyone who likes margarita sans salt.

See Applebee’s Menu

Checking In

Our waiter was attentive and very friendly. Though it was quite busy, he attended to us timely and refilled our drinks as required.

See you later

No concerns here, bill was received by us and paid in a timely fashion.

Pay Scale

$16-20 per person (1 appetizer, 1 coffee, 1 mixed drink and 2 main meals)

Tips 10-15% I think we gave closer to 12-13%

Star System

Overall 3.5/5

Though we appreciate the flexibility of the menu to create vegetarian options out of non-vegetarian ones and the ability to omit meat ingredients to do the same, we often find it challenging to choose a menu item. We like to come to Applebee’s because of the appetizers, ambiance and service, but we always come in with a hesitation as we know, as vegetarians, that finding a tasty option is a little challenging.

To find/Contact

Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
applebees.com

585 Moseley Rd
Fairport, NY 14450

(585) 425-4700‎

Get directions: To here - From here

Notes: I have also eaten at these locations with similar feedback: Pittsford Plaza, Penfield (Webster), Rochester (Irondequoit), Paddy Creek Circle (Rochester/ Greece), Cortland, NY

Notes: One reason we have tried so many locations is due to getting a ‘free’ gift card to Applebee’s when purchasing the special car wash coupon packet from Delta Sonic.

Review based on October 2008 visit.

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

Thank you for reading!

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!

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

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.

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!

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!

Patria, Salamanca, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
Soon as we entered on a Monday evening around 7pm, we were quickly greeted and sat at a nice table. The interesting thing I found about the seating process was being sat across from each other in the chairs closer to the wall. It was cozy, in fact. (Photo of Fried Ravioli, left,by Jennifer Kumar.)

Mise en Scène
The place was amazingly nice, and in some senses lavish being in a casino. Just outside the entry to the restaurant (which is on the fourth floor) is a lighting decoration on the ceiling that changes color every few minutes. (Keep tuned into my husband’s photos to see photos of this display.) It is a semi-upscale restaurant, but I don’t believe there is a dress code.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
Being that Patria was touted as an Italian eatery, we rested assured to get some good vegetarian food here. There were at least three appetizers that were vegetarian. We ordered the eggplant/ sundried tomato dip that reminded us of hummus made with sundried tomatoes added. (Photo by Jennifer Kumar.) It was very tasty. The other appetizer was fried ravioli. The ravioli was filled with ricotta cheese. They are dipped in some kind of breading then deep fried. They smell a little like ‘Chinese’ fried food of some kind. They were served with something that looked like pesto. It was not only very tasty, but unique to our palate. There were a few pasta dishes on the menu, but when we tried to order the chicken vegetable medley without chicken, our waitress actually offered to go and ask the chef to make us something vegetarian with a garlic olive oil sauce! We did request to split the dish, and was told by our waitress there would be a dish splitting fee of $6 if done in the kitchen. To avoid this charge, she would bring out the main course and an extra plate, and we’d split it ourselves! We were genuinely impressed, especially being the night before at Hotel Manor and the bad experience with our waitress there. When this dish was presented to us, we were awestruck. The taste was amazing! It had red bell peppers, artichokes, cipollini onions, and capers with an olive oil garlic sauce. Unlike other pasta dishes, it did not feel like an endless black hole of the same old-same old. It was full of variety and taste! This was the first time we both had capers and they give a slightly bitter taste along with a different, much needed slight crunch.

Checking In
Our waitress leaves us speechless! In fact, her service was the most thoughtful and thorough that we have experienced in a long, long time. She was friendly, attentive and creative. I say creative because she only offered to ask the chef to make us a vegetarian plate rather than minus chicken to save us money. I say creative because she asked us more detailed questions about our diet to assure we weren’t vegans (ex. Do you eat pasta with eggs in it?). I say creative as she offered us a separate plate to split our own meal to save us money. Of course all her creativity inspired us to give her a hefty tip.

See you later
Everything went smoothly and timely. Nothing could be better!

Pay Scale
$16-20 per person (We had 2 appetizers and 1 main dish all split between us was more than enough to fill us.)
Tips: We left 15%
Star System 4.5/5

To find/Contact

Seneca Allegheny Casino
Patria Restaurant
777 Seneca Allegany Blvd
Salamanca, New York14779
(716) 945-3767

Notes: We chose this place as it happened to be the last ‘tourist spot’ on our Pennsylvania Adventure Trip.” Do check the hours on their site before you go as they are generally open in evenings, not for lunch and completely closed for two days during the week.

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

Thank you for reading.

Bellini's, Victor, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
Upon entering on a Sunday evening at 7:30, we were instantly greeted and sat down. The parking lot and the dining room were quite empty, so seating was not a problem.

Mise en Scène
The interior is divided into smaller areas by which from one area you may not see people in other areas. Where we were sat was in a booth, next to the booth was a window on one side you could see to the other side of the dining room. The window was slightly frosted to provide some privacy. The window and wall surrounding extended ceiling to floor, providing a sound barrier as well. Since there were not many other guests in the area we dined in, can’t comment much on the guest profile. It is a semi-upscale eatery, so dressing in nice pant and shirt or dress is sufficient. I went in nice pants and t-shirt which was a little dressed down.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
We visited this location maybe two years ago, just after it became Bellini’s (previously, Houlihan’s). At that time we remember it was difficult or close to impossible to choose a vegetarian main dish, though we do remember having amazing appetizers back then. Today, we faced a similar quandary. Don’t remember what we got two years ago, but seemed there were less options for appetizers today than at that time. There were two options, an eggplant dish and bruschetta. We opted for bruschetta, which I call the ‘Italian chutney’ or ‘Italian salsa’. This was very tasty. When it was time to have our main dish, the waitress explained that any dish could be made to order as things are freshly prepared. This stood true possibly for the pasta dishes, but of course, not the soup selections, neither of which were vegetarian. Regarding the pasta dishes, I think one was fully vegetarian, all others had meat, but it could be left off. The dishes were a bit pricy though if you take the meat out. We had not asked if there is a reduced price once meat is removed as we opted for the margherita pizza and the prodotto salad. The salad was very good. It had a little of each of the five tastes and different textures- greens, crisp pear slices, carmelized walnuts, red onions, blue cheese, dried berries and dressing. Though this salad was tasty, it doesn’t beat the one I had in Albany maybe 5 years ago somewhere on or near Wolf Road. That salad had all five tastes, with sweet being juicy, red strawberries. The dressing on Bellini’s salad was also very heavy- too much was poured on. I, though am not like a lot of people I know who like a lot of dressing (They would ask ‘Can I have some salad to go with that dressing? And not “Can I have some dressing to go with that salad?”).

Both dishes were worth trying (once) and trying to bring home the leftovers.

Menus Lunch • Dinner • Intermezzo • Bar Bites

Checking In
Waitress checked on us in regular intervals and was very attentive and friendly.

See you later
Bill was given and payment taken in a timely fashion.

Pay Scale
$21-25 per person (including tip)
Tips- 10% or a little more is sufficient
Star System 2/5

For lack of good pure vegetarian options at an Italian eatery*

To find/Contact
Bellini’s
10 Square Drive
Victor, New York 14564
585.223.4680
Map / Directions

*Pure vegetarian in this case doesn’t mean eggless or dairy free, but simply a lack of menu options without meat already included in the descriptions.

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

Thank you for reading!

Denny's, Rochester, NY

Vegetarian Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet
We were immediately greeted and sat down on a Saturday night past 11pm.

Mise en Scène
This Denny’s is filled with teenagers, college students and other young people who either have permission by their parents to be at Denny’s (rather than roaming the streets) or are here in anticipation of the bar/club scene later in the night. Due to this, it’s a slightly rowdy crowd. Also due to this the waiter on staff has a lot of fun entertaining the young girls who come in scantly dressed, flirting with him.

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

Choosing a Veggie Treat
We came in expecting to get a breakfast item. We actually were coming here after a long day of biking (photos of biking at Hamlin Beach Park) and other activity. Also upon entering we saw some special they had – limited time appetisers, one being potachos. This was something new to us, a hybrid dish of thick potato chips with nacho toppings (without meat). We also had ordered a make your own slam with three items at 5.99.

The potachos were amazing. As this location is infamous in my mind for the amazing amounts of oil used, both the potachos and breakfast items and their cooresponding empty plates were glazed with dripping oil. Not a place to eat if you want to eat healthy, though it was full of taste! Though we liked the potachos a lot, they also seemed to be overpriced at 7.59. They should have had a vegetarian option on the menu with a lower price.

Checking In
Because our waiter was too busy flirting with all the pretty and scantly dressed girls in the room, our service could have been bettter. It was not bad though. Hope he made some good tips, or maybe a lot of nice slaps!

See you later
Because our waiter was preoccupied getting the bill and payment could have been faster.

Pay Scale
$11-15 per person – Keep in mind this is only for one appetiser and one breakfast slam with coffees. I feel it’s a bit pricey. But no place else is really open at this time of night, so we were locked in to Denny’s.
Tips 10% was sufficient (I wonder how much the girls he flirted with gave as tips!)
Star System 2/5
I don’t mind visiting other Denny’s but this one is just too oily and we don’t seem to fit the profile of customers who get speedy or personal service at this hour.

To find/Contact
Denny's
911 Jefferson Rd
Rochester, NY 14623
(585) 424-3670
Get directions

Have you eaten at Denny's Restaurant in Rochester, NY or any other location? If so, please share your thoughts below.

Thank you for reading!

Red Newt Bistro, Hector, NY

Restaurant Review by Jennifer Kumar.

Meet and Greet

On Mother’s day we entered the door of Red Newt Bistro and were immediately sat at a table that we had made reservations for the day before. I suggest, however, if you want to attend Mother’s day brunch at this location to make your reservations as sooner than we did. We were lucky to get the last reservation of the day calling 24 hours in advance.

(Photo: Toasting to Mother’s Day at Red Newt)

Mise en Scène

Sitting down next to the window, we had a nice view of the greenery and valleys surrounding Seneca Lake. There is a winery attached to the eatery, and if we had come earlier than our reservation, a wine tasting may have been a nice activity before food. Seating is all tables with metal backed chairs. It is very comfortable. The dining area is tastefully and simply decorated. There was no overt dress code; we saw people dressed semi-formally to formally. I am also guessing since it was Sunday, some may have come straight from church to the brunch, arriving in their ‘Sunday best.’ Though the weather outside was warm, we opted to eat inside. Eating out on the verandah would be a nice touch for our next visit.

We did use the restrooms. They were clean and inviting.

Choosing a Veggie Treat

When planning our Finger Lakes Mother’s Day tour, I did a lot of research on finding a nice place that had a good balance of vegetarian and non-vegetarian choices (as my mom likes to eat meat). Red Newt not only had unique menu items I have not seen in any other eatery, but had good prices. I also thought it might be a nice touch to take my mom to a winery for a meal because there would be a choice of wines to try. Though we are not wine drinkers, after asking questions to our waitress about our preferences, we decided to try the Blue Newt White. The fruity, juicy taste was quite refreshing. Mothers on this day could also choose from one of three glasses of special brews. My mom decided to try the champagne.

Choosing a veggie meal was not difficult because of checking the internet the night before. However, as we had the last reservation of the day, the veggie dish I had been dreaming of all day – the handmade ravioli was all sold out. It was a sad moment, but while listening to the description of the fettuccini dish, my feelings about the ravioli were put on hold. The non-vegetarian dishes ordered by others were savored slowly. Since we did not get appetizers, we had plenty of room for desert, chocolate torte and almond roulade (pictured to the right). (See the slide show below for more photos.)

Checking In

Wait staff checked on us on regular intervals. Drinks were refilled as required. Service was friendly and helpful. Everything was great.

See you later

We were given the bill in a leisurely fashion and payment also collected leisurely. Since we were in no big hurry to pay and leave as we were enjoying ourselves here, it’s all the better!

Pay Scale
$21-25 per person (main course, meal and a bottle of wine)
Tips – 15% or more of bill because the service and everything is fabulous!
Star System 4.5/5
(I still am a bit upset my original menu choice was not available. I am also optimistic I can up this to 5/5 when we make the next visit.)

To find/Contact:
Red Newt Cellars Inc
3675 Tichenor Rd
Hector, NY 14841
(607) 546-4100
Get directions
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Photos in this post taken by Jennifer Kumar.

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