When The Revelry opened last year, it introduced many to low-country Southern cuisine and added another local option for craft cocktails. It also enjoyed a lot of buzz: some positive (quality food and drinks, attractive interior), some negative (over-priced, hipster mecca). One year in, the buzz has quieted but the quality hasn’t. Across the board […]
Dining Reviews
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DINING REVIEW: Dogtown
There might not be a more quintessentially American summer food than the hot dog. When the weather gets hot, franks get the backyard grill treatment, feeding packs of kids damp from a Slip ‘n’ Slide. Hots are served from wheeled carts to people looking for a quick, workday lunch. And perhaps unlucky wieners lazily roll […]
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DINING REVIEW: Sultan Lebanese Cuisine & Bakery
In the shadows of the monstrous construction of the College Town complex and numerous chain establishments, the small stretch of Mt. Hope Avenue between Elmwood Avenue and I-390 has been a hotbed of independent restaurant activity over the last year or so. In the span of less than a mile, you can now find cuisines […]
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DINING REVIEW: The Red Fern
Garbage plates, nachos, donuts, burgers: they hit our palates’ bliss points, but miss the good-for-us target entirely. Sating those cravings in a way that won’t result in a food hangover is no small feat. Yet this is what The Red Fern, the all-vegan and frequently gluten-free restaurant at 283 Oxford Street, aims to accomplish. “Often […]
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DINING REVIEW: Sai Gon
During the winter, one way I sustain myself is with steaming, head-clearing bowls of Vietnamese pho — which for me, serve the same purpose as a Swedish sweat lodge. As my friend and I arrived at the Sai Gon Restaurant in West Brighton, I decided that my tenure at the altar of soup should be […]
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DINING REVIEW: Papaya Asian Kitchen & Bar
Located in Henrietta’s Marketplace Mall, Papaya Asian Kitchen & Bar does an impressive job of creating a relaxed and modern atmosphere in the midst of a shopping frenzy. The restaurant is in a large space, with vaulted ceilings and exposed ductwork. Its ambient music wouldn’t be out of place at an upscale spa or a […]
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Open Face Sandwich Eatery
If the South Wedge’s Open Face Sandwich Eatery isn’t on your radar, you’re not alone. “We get a lot of people who come in and ask how long we’ve been here,” says owner Jared Valentine. “We say, ’10 years.’” Open Face, a small shop on South Avenue, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this month. Since […]
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DINING REVIEW: Roam Café
Following a diet is, in general, difficult. The science regarding what we “should” eat is confusing. Remember when eggs were bad for us? Or when carbs were a good thing? A recent study suggested that saturated fats, named as a risk factor for heart disease for more than 20 years, might actually be benign. Still, […]
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Dining Review: Umi Japanese
If you didn’t know that Umi is a Japanese restaurant, you might mistake it for a club. The interior is hidden from outside view by mirrored windows. A sign by the door informs patrons that children under 18 aren’t allowed in unless accompanied by an adult, and no one under 21 may sit at the […]
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Dining Review: Mac’s Philly Steaks
In Philadelphia, the cheesesteak is not just a sandwich. It is an iconic obsession. The city is filled with places to get them, from pizzerias to delis to standalone shops; even gas stations get in on the action. The most renowned cheesesteak purveyors in Philly, however, are Geno’s Steaks and Pat’s King of Steaks. Like […]
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DINING REVIEW: Osteria Rocco
In a few months, winter will be a fading memory. The cold, biting winds will be replaced with gentle spring breezes; snow will have melted and made way for verdant grass; shoes will be stained with mud, not sidewalk salt. Until the thaw, I won’t mind warming my bones and spirit at Osteria Rocco, the […]
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Dishing it out
We’re emptying the Tip Jar over here at Chow Hound HQ, but before we do, a trip to exotic State Street… Berbere-spiced lentils have lately become this carnivore’s first thought when venturing out for a bite, and credit for that should go to Rochester’s recent wave of excellent and affordable Ethiopian spots. The latest is […]
