CHOW HOUND: Cheap Eats

*Amended on 7/21/10 to remove a restaurant that is no longer in business.

When it comes to finding good food at reasonable prices, Rochesterians have
it easy. We are certainly not as challenged as those poor folks who live in
larger, more expensive cities. And yet, with the ample choices we have for
quality grub under a 10 spot, it can be hard to cut through the clutter and
find the true diamonds in the rough.

For our first Cheap Eats guide, the City Newspaper Chow Hound has sorted her
choices – none of which cost more than $10 – into nine popular cuisine
categories to give you a glimpse of some of Greater Rochester’s best deals, all
of which will keep both your wallet and stomach full. This is in no way
intended to be a comprehensive list of all of the great, inexpensive food in Rochester,
just a starter list of some of our favorites. Did we miss a great menu item at
your favorite restaurant? Share it with us at rochestercitynewspaper.com, and
perhaps we’ll include it in the next edition.

Breakfast

It may have the word “diner” in its name, but with its
bohemian-chic decor (including its characteristic, tassel-adorned tables) and
its German-, Polish- and Irish-inspired menu, the Flour
City Diner(2500 East Ave,
586-7730) feels like anything but the traditional greasy spoon. Open since 2001
(though it has changed locations a few times), the diner offers lunch and
dinner as well, but it’s the breakfast menu that really grabs our attention.
Just about everything served at Flour City is homemade, from the pierogies
topped with sauteed onions and bacon ($7.95) to the popular hash served with
eggs and toast ($7.45). Even the sausage is homemade, best sampled in the
delicious sausage gravy over biscuits, served with two eggs for only $5.95. If
you like your breakfast on the sweeter side, you can’t miss with the Irish
oatmeal – steel-cut oats drizzled with maple syrup and topped with whipped
cream ($5.50).

Hicks and McCarthy (23 S Main St in Pittsford, 586-0938) has been serving the Village of Pittsford
for more than 90 years, and the experience shows. From the apple walnut
pancakes ($5.95), which can be served with real, New England maple syrup for
$2.25 extra, to the sundried tomato breakfast burrito ($5.95) and signature
flat frittatas (also $5.95), the casual, low-key restaurant offers upscale
options at diner pricing.

When you’re craving a sinfully satisfying, gut-busting breakfast, Peppermint’s Family Restaurant (4870 West Henrietta Rd, 359-9169) in Henrietta certainly fits the bill. The
Chef’s Special – somewhat akin to a garbage plate for breakfast – offers heaps
of corned beef, potatoes, onions, and peppers covered with two poached eggs,
all smothered in Hollandaise and cheddar cheese for only $6.79. The Irish
Benedict, made with corned beef and Swiss cheese, also packs a punch for $6.75.
And the L.A. cinnamon bread ($2.49), a thick-cut slice of cinnamon-swirl bread
drizzled with a cinnamon icing, will make you consider following breakfast with
dessert.

Pizza and Italian

Sure, you can walk into almost any pizzeria in Rochester and grab a slice or
two for a few bucks, but only Piatza’s Pizza Gourmet (360 Park Ave, 271-4950; 1703 Crittenden Rd, 292-5770; 110 Packet Landing,
421-8118; and 2400 Macedon Ctr, 315-986-3665) offers the 14-inch “mega
slice” that is literally larger than your head for only $3.99. The slices
come from huge, 28-inch pies. To put things in perspective, that’s a full foot
larger than the average 16-inch large pizza.

At Pudgie’s
Pizzeria(1753 N Goodman St, 266-6605; 520 N Main St, Canandaigua,
394-6720) you can certainly grab some of the fabulously popular pizza, subs, or
wings, but the real deal is Pudgie’s inimitable stromboli, which is stuffed
with pepperoni, Italian sausage, ham, roasted peppers, and four cheeses
(mozzarella, American, Swiss, and grated Romano) for only $4.89 a slice.

Rochester has its fair share of Italian restaurants, but many of them fall
into the upscale/fine dining category and very few offer delicious, authentic
Italian dishes at affordable prices. For that reason, Rosey’s Italian Cafe (350 E. Main St, 232-8400) is an extremely popular lunch spot (it is only open
weekdays 11 a.m.-3 p.m. except for Fridays, when it remains open until 9 p.m.).
The always-crowded restaurant offers one of the best lunch deals in the city:
spaghetti, rigatoni, angel hair, or penne pasta with a huge meatball and a
salad for $6.99, or homemade lasagna, gnocchi, ravioli, manicotti or stuffed
shells for just 50 cents more. Mangia!

Burgers

I would like to argue that burgers are to Rochester what apple pie is to
America. It’s hard to go anywhere in Rochester that doesn’t offer a burger on
the menu. I’d also hazard a guess that we have more burgers and hots joints
than most cities our size, thanks in part to a trend started by Don’s Original (4900 Culver Rd, 323-1177; 2545 Monroe Ave, 244-2080; 2055 Fairport Nine Mile
Point Rd, 377-1040), which was opened in 1945 as Don and Bob’s (for owners Don
Barbato and Bob Berl). When Berl left to focus on the Zweigle’s
sausage-products business he had inherited from his uncle, Barbato stayed on
and the roadside restaurant eventually changed its name. The ground steak
sandwich ($3.95), the cheeseburger ($4.30), and the bacon cheeseburger ($5.15)
are all delicious choices with a taste of history.

Hand-pressed burgers, homemade root beer, and old-fashioned crinkle-cut
fries are just three reasons that Tom Wahl’s (eight locations, visit tomwahls.com for
details) deserves a spot on this list. Plus, a burger for $3.89 is a good deal
– but how about two? Insane. You can download a buy-one-get-one-free
cheeseburger coupon easily from the restaurant’s website. The Wahlburger – a
ground steak burger topped with grilled ham, Swiss cheese, and special sauce –
also tops the list of good deals here for only $4.49.

If you like your burgers with extra burger, then check out the Dad’s
Favorite at the Mount Hope Diner (1511 Mt Hope Ave, 256-1939). The sandwich, named after the owner’s father who
ate the sandwich all the time, features two 1/3-pound cheeseburgers topped with
lettuce, tomatoes, onions, and mayonnaise and served on French bread for only
$6.20.

Subs/Sandwiches

When a sandwich has the word “bomber” in its name, you can bet
it’s a formidable foe for your stomach. The steak bomber at Campi’s Restaurant (205 Scottsville Rd, 235-7205) is the largest this writer has ever seen. A full
12-inch roll (like a round loaf of bread) is cut in half and stuffed with
Philly-style steak, onions, peppers and cheese – it’s enough to feed two
people, and it only costs $7.49.

When you hear steak sandwich around these parts, you usually think of
something akin to the Philly variety, but at LDR
Char Pit(4753 Lake Ave, 865-0112) it’s a bit more literal: a
quarter-inch ribeye steak is seasoned and flash-grilled (so that it keeps its
pink center and stays tender) and then served on a large, soft round roll. It’s
$6.25 for just the steak on a bun, but you can add toppings like cheese and
onions and peppers for just a few dimes more.

It may sound crazy to drive out to Geneseo for a sub, but any SUNY Geneseo
graduate will tell you that they still crave the subs made at Aunt
Cookie’s Sub Shop (76 Main St in Geneseo, 243-2650). There’s even a
Facebook group called, “I could really go for an Aunt Cookie’s sub right
about now” with nearly 1400 fans. The sub options are standard fare – cold
cuts like turkey, Italian assorted, roast beef. But combined with the homemade,
toasted sub rolls, the taste is anything but ordinary, and the prices are good
too: all half subs are $3.75-$4.25, and all whole subs are less than $8.

Barbeque/Southern

For out-of-towners, two things that really evoke Rochester are garbage
plates and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que. For the best of both worlds, the “sticky
icky plate” offered at Sticky
Lips Pit BBQ(625 Culver Rd, 288-1910) features your choice of
barbeque beef brisket, hamburger, cheeseburger, hot dog, chicken, or pulled
pork mixed with French fries, macaroni salad, and barbeque baked beans and then
smothered in meat hot sauce, onions, and cilantro ($8.95). The Pittsburgh
sandwich (your choice of meat – including pulled pork, chicken breast,
portabella mushroom, lentil veggie burger – paired with French fries, coleslaw,
mustard, and tomatoes all between two slices of jalapeno bread) is an equally
filling option offered at a great price ($7.49).

Barbeque
and Pizza Too(3105 E. Henrietta Rd, Henrietta, 334 -3300) offers
just what its name suggests, all with the convenience of delivery or quick
pick-up service at low prices. Just to name a few: the pulled-pork sandwich is
just $3.50, and a quarter rack of ribs is $5.95, or $7.50 with a side and a
slice of garlic bread.

Many people mistakenly consider Cajun and Creole cuisine to be the same
thing; just ask someone from New Orleans and you’ll find out just how wrong you
are. Beale Street Cafe (689 South Ave, 271-4650; 1930 Empire Blvd in Webster, 216-1070) is of the
Cajun variety, but also offers other authentic Southern favorites to round out
the experience. All of the food is delicious, but two offerings are the perfect
fit for this cheap eats list: the “mud bugs” – crawfish dipped in
Cajun batter and fried – for $7.99, and the gumbo, which features seafood and
pork and is served in a huge bowl for $4.79.

Health food/Vegetarian

The common complaint about health food is that you often end up paying more
for less, but at Hyjea(2120 Five Mile Line Rd in Penfield, 586-5683) the wide selection of
tasty, good-for-you foods at low prices defy this grievance. Take for instance
the Buffalo-style sandwich made with either chicken or organic tofu, topped
with celery, greens, and light mayonnaise on a wheat wrap, wheat roll, or
lettuce leaf, or the raspberry almond wrap with sliced almonds, craisins,
low-fat feta, mixed greens, and a raspberry vinaigrette dressing, each only $7.

Places that become popular lunchtime haunts are almost guaranteed to provide
good food that’s fast, cheap, and close to the office. Grill
and Greens(39 State St, 454-4890) is perfectly situated near
several downtown office buildings, but it also offers a great, healthy lunch
special for those on the go: a salad (your choice of lettuce, five toppings,
and dressing) and a cup of soup (changes daily, but often includes options like
tomato tortellini, chicken gumbo, and clam chowder) for just $6.49, $6.99 if
you choose meat or vegetarian chili.

Mise
en Place(683 South Ave, 325-4160) is both a market and restaurant
in one, aiming to offer gourmet food for those in a rush. And while many of the
restaurant’s entrees are a bit pricey for this cheap eats list, healthy bargain
hunters should get excited for the roasted and marinated red beets, which are
served over mixed greens and topped with an herb vinaigrette, walnuts, and goat
cheese for a mere $7.

Mexican

New to the scene, yet already popular, Hot Rosita’s (17 E Main St, 454-2001) features a flexible menu where nothing costs more than
$6.25. Choose from a burrito, burrito bowl, or salad and then pick a meat
(chicken, ground beef, shredded beef or pork, or grilled shrimp) and your
fillings (including cilantro/lime rice, salsa, guacamole, black or pinto beans,
and more).

It’s easy to see why John’s Tex Mex (489 South Ave, 232-5830) is a South Wedge favorite. It offers a long list of
items that could make this cheap eats list, but one particular lunch combo –
two “fresca” tacos with a side and a drink for $7.75, with the option
to add a third taco for just a quarter more – tops the list. Coming in second
is the Mexican mush dip, which is actually on the restaurant’s appetizer menu,
but is plenty filling for a meal. It’s served with homemade chips for just $3.

Seven layers of gooey, savory, spicy goodness that can’t be consumed in just
one sitting for just $6.29? Sign me up! That’s the Lucky Seven Layer Dip served
at Sol
Burrito(521 Monroe Ave, 271-6470), filled with ground beef,
refried beans, cheese, tomato, black olives, and jalapenos accompanied by
homemade chips and salsa. If that doesn’t float your boat, you can grab two
tacos (choose from seven varieties) for just more than $5.

Mediterranean

Aladdin’s Natural Eatery (646 Monroe Ave, 442-5000; 8 Schoen Place, Pittsford, 264-9000) could just have
easily fit into the healthy eating category, but the selected deals seemed a
better fit for our Mediterranean category. First up is the falafel pita, which
is served with a delicious and tangy homemade tahini and mixed greens with
sprouts. The spiced chickpea-and-fava-bean patties that stuff the pita are
mildly spiced, yet flavorful and a steal for just $5.75. The moussaka carries a
higher price tag at $8.75, but offers a much more filling dish of potatoes
layered with ground beef and eggplant, topped with bechamel sauce and served
with a choice of a Greek, Caesar, garden, or spinach salad.

A good sign of a popular cheap eats locale is a line that frequently extends
out the door. Sinbad’s(719 Park Ave, 473-5655) is no stranger to that concept, probably due
to its healthy, tasty, unique, and often chic choices at unexpectedly low
prices. For instance, the restaurant offers nine varieties of large-portioned
salads, all of which are $6.50 or less, including the tabouleh (parsley,
tomatoes and bulgur seasoned with olive oil and lemon juice), malfouf (shredded
cabbage with tomatoes and scallions tossed in a Greek dressing), or loubieh
(blanched green beans and artichoke hearts tossed with Greek dressing). The
soups are a great addition to the salads at just $3.50 for one of five filling
options, but the “cacik” – yogurt soup with mint and cucumber – is a
specialty that should not be missed.

Drinks

It may seem like a stretch to add drinks to a cheap “eats” list,
but when you’re looking for something filling or refreshing on-the-go, the wide
variety of bubble teas fromKC
Tea & Noodles(363 S Goodman St, 271-1420) will do the trick
just fine. At just $3.50 for a 16-ounce small or $5 for a 22-ounce large, the
massive teas all include a good helping of the delicious tapioca
“bubbles” (hence the name) that provide sustenance with your
refreshment. The tea comes in many flavors, from standard green tea to fruit
teas like mango, passion fruit, strawberry, and even honeydew.

You might go toLovin’
Cup (300 Park Point Dr, 292-9940) for the live music, the yummy
food, or the beer and wine list, but you shouldn’t ignore the gourmet coffee
selections either. While coffee may not sound very filling, if you add just the
right ingredients, it can quench your thirst and your appetite. Take for
instance the “instant karmal” made with espresso, steamed milk, and
oodles of caramel syrup ($3.10/small, $3.95/large), or for those who like their
hot coffee without the coffee, Lovin’ Cup offers “the me,” which
features milk and your choice of a flavor shot steamed into a delicious drink
($1.95/small, $2.60/large).

For drinks that can double as dessert, head out to Moonlight Creamery (36 West Ave, 223.0880) in Fairport where you can find homemade artisan ice
creams and other desserts. But for a tasty treat that can be slurped up through
a straw, the signature toasted marshmallow milkshake ($5.49) cannot be missed –
it tastes just like a marshmallow roasted over an open fire, blended into a
delicious, frozen treat. You can also try a “Boston
cooler,” which was actually invented in Detroit,
and is float made of Moonlight’s homemade vanilla ice cream and ginger ale
($5.25).

Do you have a favorite local dish that costs $10 or less? Submit a
comment on this article at rochestercitynewspaper.com.

This article appears in Jul 21-21, 2010.