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CHOW HOUND: Island time

That stately two-story brick building at 289 Alexander Street, the one that most famously housed Lloyd’s and most recently Benedettos, has had new life breathed into it by Havana Cabana, which bills itself as a Cuban café and rum bar. The latter is certainly accurate; the gorgeous bar boasts more than 40 different varieties of […]

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CHOW HOUND: Rise and dine

UPDATED 11/8/13 to reflect new date for Owl House event. They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and its clear-cut identity, one that typically involves perfectly cooked eggs, fluffy pancakes, and crisp bacon, might be the reason it’s the only meal with actual, devoted fans. Take Ed Schram, for instance. “I […]

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CHOW HOUND: Local flavor

The dwindling daylight reminds us that the 2013 harvest is drawing to a close, but that doesn’t mean locavores can’t still find homegrown vittles. Our region is teeming with talented and enterprising individuals who are committed to crafting good things for us to eat, often with ingredients that they too have scored in our big, […]

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Cheap Eats 2013

Would you like to get all gussied up and treat yourself to an expensive gastronomic feast, complete with wine pairings and decadent, show-stopping desserts? If so, you can take your top hat and monocle elsewhere. This rundown of Rochester’s cheap eats is for hungry people who don’t carry their money around in sacks with dollar […]

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CHOW HOUND: The sweet spot

If you’re not already happy when you cross the threshold, walking into a bakery can instantly put a person in a good mood. The atmosphere is typically homey, the smells are always heavenly, and the display cases are packed with vivid nibbles that are almost too pretty to eat — but there ain’t no way […]

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CHOW HOUND: Vine and dine

At the risk of channeling Goldilocks, summer in Western New York can be too hot, winter too cold, and spring, while charming, a little too soggy. Autumn, however, is just right, a heady collision of beauty and bounty, especially in the Finger Lakes region. And it’s arguably the best time to do that winery tour […]

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CHOW HOUND: Feast your eyes

The Tip Jar here at Chow Hound HQ is currently overflowing with news, and it’s my job to serve it up to you in carefully measured portions so you can efficiently digest all this data. First, though, let’s grab a bite in Swillburg… • “That’s Zemeta,” owner Natanael Beshah said, proudly motioning toward his cheerful […]

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DINING REVIEW: Bamba Bistro

I write about restaurants and I work in a restaurant, so it should come as no shock that most of my conversations with others (and, if I’m being truthful, with myself) revolve around the local dining scene. Earlier this year, I became kind of obsessed with Bamba Bistro, located in a little brick castle on […]

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CHOW HOUND:Wines and spirit

“It’s the unpretentious transmission of genuine excitement that’s crucial.” Janine Wasley has worked in the restaurant industry since she was 14, and when she came across the above sentence some years ago in a wine magazine, it made an indelible impression. Those words now serve as a daily reminder of her approach to service at […]

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