Ten restaurants that define Rochester’s dining scene Rochester’s culinary community has developed into a dynamic scene over the last 10 years. It may be impossible to fully define, but City Newspaper’s dining staff has set out to describe the area’s food landscape through its first list of 10 essential Rochester restaurants. This isn’t a traditional […]
Laura Rebecca Kenyon
Posted inCulture
Teamwork is the foundation of Scratch Bakeshop
On Thanksgiving eve 2014, Scratch Bakeshop Owners and Operators Kate Cassels and Molly Hartley were working feverishly in their bakery’s small kitchen. Though the rest of the space was undergoing renovation and the bakery had yet to officially open, the kitchen was ready and in action. Cassels and Hartley were to deliver 20 custom order […]
Posted inCulture
Program is shaping chefs and raising restaurateurs
High school students working in restaurants typically bus tables, mop floors, or wash dishes. And with a little more experience, some may go on to become waiters or act as hosts, but few have the chance to go beyond entry-level positions. The Rochester Youth Culinary Experience aims to change that. RYCE (pronounced “rice”) is a […]
Posted inCulture
Ugly Duck turns beautiful coffee
Had it not been for a game of Magic the Gathering, there might not be an Ugly Duck Coffee. In 2009, Ugly Duck Coffee owner Rory Van Grol was living in Rhode Island. He and a housemate were playing the fantasy trading card game when the housemate decided to brew some coffee. After taking a […]
Posted inCulture
Effortlessly Healthy successful on the road, at the cafรฉ, or at home
You may have seen Effortlessly Healthy’s blue and pale green truck at the Public Market’s food truck rodeo. Long lines have snaked back from the truck, filled with people hungry for seared ahi tuna-topped salad, chicken pesto and Portobello mushroom wraps, or the number one seller: the chicken, bacon, and avocado healthy trash plate. “People […]
Posted inCulture
Saha Med Grill finds a fast, healthy balance
When Sami Mina opened Aladdin’s Natural Eatery in 1979, he was one of the first to introduce Mediterranean cuisine to Rochester. Now, Mina is marrying the taste and health benefits of the Mediterranean diet with fast-casual dining in his latest venture, Saha Med Grill. The first location opened on University Avenue in September 2014, the […]
Posted inCulture
ButaPub doesn’t need to be modest
With an extensive spirits list and well-crafted Asian-influenced food, ButaPub is really more than just a pub.
Posted inCulture
Slow down, you move too fast
Growing up in New Hampshire, Chef David Buchanan’s mom would slice bacon she got from a neighbor down the road, and fry it up in a cast iron skillet. After the bacon was crisp, she’d swap it out for eggs, cooking them in the rendered bacon fat. Then, she’d toast slices of bread in the […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
DINING | Nikko Pop-Up at Apogee
Pop-up restaurants — eateries with intentionally short runs, often emphasizing seasonality while showing off a chef’s creativity — are popping up everywhere. But if you haven’t caught one yet, your next chance is just around the corner. Apogee Wine Bar is hosting a “pop-up resurrection” of Nikko, a sushi bar with a new-American bent that […]
Posted inCulture
Comment dites-on ‘Plant Powered’?
French cuisine is not usually vegan. Pates, tartares, cheeses? It’s just a tasty, Gallic parade of well-prepared animals and their byproducts. But Vive Bistro and Bakery asserts that food can be both French and vegan. While the preparation might not be completely faithful to its French lineage, the food remains satisfying. The bistro’s pates are […]
Posted inCulture
At the chef’s table
Since December, Pittsford restaurant The Kitchen has offered a unique culinary experience: intimate, chef’s table dining. Overseen by Executive Chef Joseph Cipolla, The Kitchen turns out modern American cuisine through a seven-course tasting menu. This alone would make The Kitchen a stand out in Rochester. That Cipolla and his team are able to do so […]
Posted inCulture
Balancing act
East/West Kitchen’s take on fusion is unexpected: Vietnamese meets Russian meets American. This seems to be a result of its owners’ respective heritages and backgrounds — Alex Zapesochny brings Russian influences; Thuan Pham and Tai Lee bring Vietnamese flavors. It’s also co-owned by Andrea Lanphere, and her son, Keith Finch, is the executive chef. A […]
