View to a Venu

VenuResto-Lounge and
Nightclub breathes cool. Located at 151 St. Paul Street, you can’t help but
be drawn to it, even intimidated by its ultra-smooth design that begs you to
take a closer look. The outside reminds me of the VIP clubs in Paris: two large doors bearing the logo in a
sea of darkness bathed in pale blue light. It’s not hard to imagine the
exclusive red rope taking shape before it.

Venu opened its doors on July 7 of this
year and has enjoyed a successful start. Four partners got together after
meeting at RIT to start their own business, first in event promotions, and now
in the nightlife industry with Venu.

I spoke to one of the owners, Maurice Ragland, this past week and
he explained, “Venu has an upscale, professional and
diverse clientele.” And that made me realize the natural seduction. Venu is different; this is a place to actually meet people
you may not work with or had gone to high school with. It’s a place where you
can have an unpredictable conservation, or make a connection that might change
your perspective.

And not to mention, as Ragland told me, “Amazing food. Everything
on the menu is delicious and the kitchen is open until 2 a.m.” Yes, gourmet
snacks at 2 a.m.! The ever-powerful garbage plate may have met its match.
Options include Ragland’s favorite, Cajun
blue crab cakes: Maryland
blue crab meat seasoned with a creamy Cajun remoulade
and browned to perfection, served with Venu’s
signature cole slaw. All for less than $10. You
really can’t go wrong, especially if you’re washing it down with one of the
spot’s martinis.

As for music, Venu plays host to
national jazz acts and local artists, including house, hip-hop and anything
that can get you moving on the expansive dance club downstairs. That’s in
addition to poetry readings from local and nationally acclaimed artists. (Be
sure to check out the very sweet website, www.venurochester.com, to learn about
upcoming events.) Or you may want to just grab some great food and a drink at
the lounge, soaking in the atmosphere on one of the numerous couches and
feeling very far away from Rochester…which
can be a very good thing. Sometimes.

This article appears in Nov 29 – Dec 5, 2006.