Review: Simply Crêpes - 7/18/11

This is more of a mini-review than an actual one since it only features me (and my mom!). I realize that this is yet another lunch review, but I promise we will talk dinner soon. Very soon! After taking care of some business (finalizing plans for my and Joe’s wedding reception), we decided we were in need of some lunch. I’ve been to Simply Crêpes a few times with Joe and once or twice with my friend Alexis, but my mom had never experienced the mouth-watering deliciousness of Simply Crêpes. Interestingly, she said she couldn’t remember having crêpes since her honeymoon in Toronto with my dad... in 1983! Before that, she vaguely remembered having them when she lived in Washington, D.C. After some indecisiveness on where to go to lunch, we made up our minds once she revealed that little bit of information.

Simply Crêpes is located in Schoen Place in Pittsford and on Main St. in Canandaigua. Today, we went to Schoen Place, a small road set near the Erie Canal. All of the buildings in this area have a rustic cabin-like appearance, and the canal is popular for its path for walking and biking. When it comes to the matter of location (location, location, location!), this is a great spot for any restaurant. (Another favorite for me and Joe, Aladdin’s, also has one of their two restaurants in this area.)

The kitchen

In the dining area

The interior of the restaurant reminds me of walking into someone’s kitchen, maybe someone’s mom or grandma. Upon entering, I always feel like an old lady should come up to me, tell me to sit down, and head into the kitchen to “whip something up.” Small wooden tables sit scattered around the room, and the far wall displays a tall brick fireplace. The kitchen is visible from the dining area, but this is deliberate in the set-up. Unlike the Frog Pond, which merely suffered from a lack of space, Simply Crêpes display their kitchen to highlight their cooks’ preparation of their unique dishes. The restaurant is also exceptionally clean with no flies buzzing around, which is impressive in the summer with doors always opening and closing.

Traditional crêpes with strawberry

My mom ordered the Traditional Crêpes with strawberries instead of maple syrup. The presentation was exquisite. She said this was just how she remembered eating crepes—probably even better! She said she felt like she was eating a dessert, not a lunch. Try not to drool on your keyboard when you look at this picture.

Crêpe Épinards

I ordered the Crêpe Épinards—scrambled eggs, sautéed spinach and tomatoes, and feta cheese wrapped in a crêpe. Without the crêpe, I would call it a lazy omelet. With the crêpe, it transforms into a really fancy breakfast burrito. This was a dish I hadn’t tried before—I usually stick to the Traditional Crêpes that my mom had ordered. This was good, but it was not their best dish, especially since the presentation lacked pizazz. Then again, I tend to think of crêpes as sweet foods, so with eggs, cheese, and veggies, it had more of the traditional breakfast flavors I expect in foods like this rather than being a decadent pseudo-dessert.

One disappointing thing about our lunch today was the service. It wasn’t horrible at all, but it was mediocre. Our waiter didn’t really come by too much. The cook called our order twice before our waiter came up to grab it. It’s kind of disappointing to sit right near the kitchen and see your order sitting for a minute or two where you could just grab it. However, our waiter was the only one on the floor. We were there during a later time for lunch, but we were not the only ones dining in the restaurant. There were several other staff members in the restaurant, but most of them were sitting at tables either in a meeting (two were sitting around a laptop) or putting napkins and silverware together. For most of our time there, only one young woman cooked in the kitchen. As I mentioned, this was not peak lunchtime, and the service didn’t greatly impact our experience, but that distribution of responsibilities seemed too unbalanced. That kind of thing can make customers very upset if it’s during a much busier time.

Overall, I’d give four out of five stars for today, not so much for my meal but because my mom left very impressed.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Date Night at Home: Cannelloni di Templare

This is what we had for dinner a few nights ago, and it was delicious. Joe came up with this recipe, and I told him that he could make it again any time he feels like it! This is a great option for a night in or even for hosting a dinner party. (We had a lot left over with this recipe.) Enjoy!

Cannelloni di Templare

This recipe is a bit of trickery and pocket-sized morsels rolled into cannelloni. The “di Templare” part comes in the alignment of the cannelloni into a cross shape (especially since it’s a cheater’s dish with lasagna instead of cannelloni pasta). I made a vegetarian version with mushrooms and a carnivorous version with sausage. Here are the ingredients I worked with.

Here are the ingredients, many of which came from Wegmans:

1 lb box of lasagna noodles
1 16 oz can of crushed tomatoes

1 8 oz can of plain tomato sauce

4 oz sliced baby portabella mushrooms

.5 lb of chicken and apple sausage (can substitute with any sort of sausage as long as there are apples)
.5 lb of smoked Gouda

8 oz heavy whipping cream

4 oz vodka

1 tbsp garlic (minced)

shredded mozzarella

salt

olive oil

crushed red pepper

basil

rosemary

sugar

Directions:

Cut the Gouda into 1.5 inch squares about 3 mm thick. Set aside.

In a dutch oven or a large pot or wok, start the garlic* with 1 tbsp of olive oil, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp red pepper, and 1.5 tsp of basil. Brown the garlic on medium high. Lower the heat, add the tomatoes and tomato sauce, and sauté with 1.5 tsp of balsamic vinegar, 1.5 tsp of sugar, and the vodka. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Add basil to taste. When ready to taste, slowly whisk in the heavy cream so it doesn't curdle and then lower the heat until it's on a slow simmer. (*Jen’s note: Joe didn’t specify how much garlic here. With minced garlic, .5 tsp=1 clove, so it’s up to you how much you want to include based on your preferences.)

Start the lasagna with some olive oil and salt. Boil the lasagna until al dente and then bathe in a blanching shock bath to stop the cooking process.

Marinate the mushrooms with 1 tsp of olive oil, .5 tsp salt, .5 tsp red pepper, and .5 tsp rosemary flakes.

Grill or sear in a hot pan or a grill for 2 minutes (I use a Foreman Grill). Once grilled, chop the mushroom into a fine tapenade consistency.

Grill the sausage in a pan searing or on the grill for 5-10 minutes (again the Foreman Grill is best for this). When done, take off and slice into thin nickels.

Sausage nickels

Preheat the oven to 325.

Take the lasagna noodles out one at a time and pat dry. Lay flat on a cutting board and add a wedge of Gouda at one end; next to the cheese, put some of the mushroom or sausage or both. Then gently roll the noodle on the cheese piece to completely tuck in the contents. After you have a roll, place it on a greased baking pan. Do this until you fill your baking pan. 

Blond mushroom cannelloni

Close-up

With the pan or pans laid out with little rolls of cannelloni, cover them with sauce so there is no blond pasta showing. When that is accomplished, sprinkle with some shredded mozzarella to your liking. 

Mushroom cannelloni before baking--lots of leftovers!

Joe's sausage cannelloni

Put the pan(s) into the oven for 15-20 minutes.

When they are done, serve in a cross formation on the plate. If you want to, put some leftover sausage nickels in the center. Cover the cannelloni with any leftover sauce and more mozzarella if desired. Garnish with parsley or basil.

Mushroom cannelloni--delish!

Sausage cannelloni

Review: Leaf & Bean - 7/17/11

Today seems like a good day for a coffee shop review. Maybe it's because I'm up so early. This time we actually remembered to take pictures, too! This was from Sunday, actually, but I'm sure you don't mind, right? Good!

---

Java java java java java java!

Ever since Joe and I got the idea to start a blog reviewing restaurants in and around Rochester (or perhaps even before it), I’ve wanted to review Leaf & Bean Coffee Company in Chili (and that’s pronounced like chai-lie, not the food chili!). It’s one of my absolute favorite places to get an iced vanilla chai or Thai iced coffee in the summer or to get a soy latte or cherry hot chocolate in the winter. I’ve cut down on coffee this past year, but even going there for chai (a black tea blended with spices and steamed with milk) is a treat. I’ve never had a bad drink from this place, and their service is always quick and friendly. Since Leaf & Bean is a family-owned local business, I’m far more inclined to support them than a corporate chain like Starbucks. (Not to mention that Leaf & Bean’s coffee doesn’t have the harsh bitterness that Starbucks’ coffee tends to have.)

Leaf & Bean also serve sandwiches, soups, and pastries. I’ve never attempted to sample any of the cakes in the glass case up front, but they look delicious! (Friends who have accompanied me on trips there have confirmed their wonderful taste.) On Sunday, Joe and I stopped in for a late lunch. My parents invited us over for a barbeque that evening, so it would still be several hours before we would get to eat dinner.

Joe tends to avoid the coffee and tea there, not out of dislike but simply because even a small “cup of Joe” (haha) gets him pretty wired. Instead of ordering a coffee drink, he picked up one of the vintage-style Coca-Colas, made with sugar, from the case. I decided it was too hot for even a frozen chai latte (soy milk in summertime is occasionally iffy for me—it just starts to taste gross after a while). I ordered a strawberry mango “blenderita,” the term they give to either their iced lattes and smoothies. The smoothies are made with juice and tea, although I’m sure you can request them with milk as well if you prefer. I think one thing that would greatly improve them would be to include real bits of fruit; this would give a much thicker texture to the drink and make it more flavorful. This, I think, is really the only drink I would have a complaint about, and I partly blame the juice bar at Breathe Yoga in Pittsford for spoiling me when it comes to this sort of thing. (I’ll probably discuss them another time. If you’re looking for something quick and healthy, their fresh, organic meals, smoothies, and pressed juices are an excellent solution!)

Most importantly for this trip, Joe and I ordered food. Leaf & Bean’s menu contains a wide variety of sandwiches, and one cool thing I really like about the majority of their food selection is that they name the entrees after street names in the Gates and Chili area (e.g. Westside, Haymarket, Howard, and Marway). This is a great local touch that you just don’t get with big chains.

Joe ordered the Union, a roast beef panini with Swiss cheese, roasted red peppers, and fresh greens. He assessed that the beef tasted medium rare—tough to do with roast beef; the sandwich left him sated without being overly stuffed. (How long have I been out of the meat-eating game? I had to ask him if it was possible for roast beef to be medium rare. Oh, dear...) His sandwich was supposed to come with a horseradish mayo. Instead they gave him the dressing I’m pretty sure is the only dressing I’ve ever seen with their sandwiches, a sweet and tangy balsamic honey dijon. I thought this was a bit strange—were they out of the other one? Nevertheless, he was content with the meal, or at least content enough for it to tide him over until the barbeque that night. 

Meat!

For my meal, I ordered half a sandwich and a cup of soup. The sandwich was the Coldwater, a vegetarian panini made with fresh (very fresh!) mozzarella, roasted red peppers, and basil pesto. My sandwich arrived with the same dressing that accompanied Joe’s, which was a nice complement. I’m sad to say that this is one of few vegetarian options in terms of sandwiches, but their soups of the day are frequently veggie-friendly. Sunday’s soup du jour was a creamy roasted red pepper and Gouda soup, almost more like a bisque. It had just the right amount of seasoning and wasn’t too salty, either, as I find most soups to be. I was actually pretty stuffed when I finished. It doesn’t sound like a lot, but that half a sandwich is actually a pretty decent size! 

Experiencing the laid back atmosphere at Leaf & Bean makes for a great way to pass an afternoon. I know Joe and I have spent many an afternoon there, especially on snowy winter weekends. Back before we moved in together, the comfortable arm chairs and benches served as an excellent setting for our brainstorming sessions on how many dishes to buy or when we would finally be able to afford the adoption fee for our cat. Music plays on the overhead speakers, not too loudly, and it tends to vary depending on when you’re there, ranging from classic rock to indie to, I think at one point, some classic Motown. I’ve even gone there to write before, and it’s fairly common to see someone working on a laptop with a nice tall latte within arm’s reach. A few local artists have painted some of the art featured on the cafe’s walls, and up by the front entrance, you can catch a glimpse of a few well-deserved plaques and certificates awarded to Leaf & Bean from local organizations. They also have a wide selection of coffees, including flavored ones, for sale to bring home, along with t-shirts, coffee mugs, and other gift items. 

Our overall review of Leaf & Bean is four stars in terms of the food (good quality cafe fare), but for their coffees and teas I’d give them five stars. I hope they stay in business for a long time because without them, I don’t know how I would get my chai fix every now and then!

Rating: 4/5 stars

Top 5 Rochester Restaurants: Jen

As mentioned yesterday, here are my Top 5 restaurants plus honorable mentions. Coming soon: two reviews and a feature on restaurant nightmare experiences! 

Top 5 Rochester Restaurants – Jen

5. Mamasan’s (Thai/Vietnamese – Brighton/Pittsford)

I’m so happy my friend Lex suggested this place to me and Joe once (actually, we went there with her and her husband, Ben, for our first time). They have amazing Thai food, with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options, which made me and Lex happy, respectively. They also have pink chopsticks! Pink! I was elated when I saw this since it’s my favorite color and I’m easily amused. I have the Pad Thai when I go because that’s one of my favorite dishes anywhere it’s offered. The service is good and the atmosphere is modern and laid back, making this one of Joe’s and my favorite spots.

4. Bazil (Italian – Penfield)

At one time, this place would have been numero uno, but with the closing of their Henrietta location (to open a seafood restaurant—huh?), they’ve been bumped down to number four. The other thing that keeps them from taking the number one spot is their use of chicken stock in their red sauces, which keeps me from enjoying the vodka sauce. If you’re vegetarian, be sure to mention this when you go there! From what I’ve heard, they’re just like their older affiliate restaurant, Mario’s, only less dressy and a few bucks cheaper. Their pastas, despite any issues with the sauce, are amazing; I tend to order the alfredo or the pomodoro when I go. They offer a Pasta Per Te (Create-Your-Own Pasta) that allows for plenty of options for even the most finicky eater. Even going in once on a late night, Joe and I still received excellent service (although I wouldn’t recommend doing this since you’ll want time to really savor your meal). Their Penfield location, the only one left, is near Lake Ontario, so here you get the benefit of a nice view in addition to their savory dishes.

3. Aladdin’s Natural Eatery (Mediterranean – Pittsford; Monroe Ave.)

I prefer the Pittsford location, simply because you get to sit near the canal, but if you get stuck inside, it tends to be a bit cramped. Joe and I also have the bad luck of going on rainy days, and although the balcony has a canopy to protect you from the rain, it just isn’t the same. The Monroe Ave. location in the city is a bit larger, and they also have a balcony where you can look out onto the street. Both locations serve the same excellent Mediterranean-inspired foods. One of my favorite things to get there is actually a starter—a sample of their staples such as hummus, baba ganoush, and dolmades. With plenty of vegetarian options, Aladdin’s has rightfully earned its place in my Top 5.

2. Hogan’s Hideaway (American – Park Ave.)

Hogan’s is over on Park Ave. right next to Parkleigh (one of my favorite stores in that area), so a trip to one place usually, but not always, guarantees a trip to the other. They serve standard American fare (sandwiches, burgers, salads) but they also offer some unique dishes and specials (veggie burritos and stir fries, for instance, and pastas as well). I think I’ve tried a little bit of everything when I’ve gone there, simply because they have so many great options for vegetarians. The food is always fresh, and they even have their own beers provided by Custom Brew Crafters from Honeyoye Falls (another great reason to love this area of upstate New York). The interior is a little bit kitschy without being too weird, and they also feature some work from local artists and photographers at each table that’s next to a wall. Their portions won’t leave you feeling hungry when you leave either, which is a definite plus.

1. Thali of India (Indian – Brighton-Henrietta)

Yum! Thali (meaning “plate” in Hindi) is my favorite Indian restaurant in the area, and it rightfully earns the top spot on my list! In fact, Joe just took me there for my birthday this past week. Again, they have a wide selection of vegetarian options, as many Indian restaurants do, and they’re even accommodating enough to prepare things vegan if you request it as such. If you’re not like me and you dislike spicy food, they will prepare things mild for you (our servers have never failed to ask us how spicy we would like our meals). Their paneers are my favorite dishes, especially the ones that come with tomato curry sauces such as Mattar Paneer and Paneer Akbari. Joe and I are pretty sure they sweeten their sauces with maple syrup, which may sound strange to some, but it offers a tanginess that compliments the spices well. I don’t think I have ever been disappointed with a meal from Thali, and on the rare occasion that I’ve had to wait a while for the food, it’s been 100% worth it!

Honorable Mention

American:

Fox’s (Brighton)

Jine’s (Park Ave.)

Rohrbach Brewing Company (Gates)

Indian:

India House (S. Clinton Ave.; Victor)

Italian:

Grandpa Sam’s Italian Kitchen (Spencerport)

Mexican:

Los Gallos (Greece)

Thai:

Sak’s Thai (Fairport)

Miscellaneous:

La-Tea-Da (Park Ave.)

Leaf & Bean (Chili)

Simply Crêpes (Pittsford; Canandaigua)

Top 5 Rochester Restaurants: Joe

Here at Date Night with Jen and Joe, we realize we've had a couple of reviews of date days but nothing so far of those nice dinners out. The bad news is that we have two more lunch reviews in our "queue," so to speak. The good news, though, is that we've created our individual Top 5 lists of Rochester restaurants (plus honorable mentions), and we're sharing them with you. We still have a few places that we'd like to try that we've heard good things about (Lento and Osteria Rocco have many excellent reviews on Yelp, for instance, but we just haven't gotten over there yet). If you think we're crazy for missing your favorite restaurant, or we should give another one a second chance, let us know! We hope you'll find our lists to be a fine representation of the best Rochester's local eateries have to offer (no Applebee's or Outback on these bad boys!).

For today, here is Joe's list. Tomorrow, I'll post mine.

Top 5 Rochester Restaurants – Joe 

5. Grandpa Sam’s Italian Kitchen (Italian - Spencerport)
This Spencerport staple serves some of the greatest Italian in the area. The rustic Italian dishes go from classic staples (bottomless spaghetti and meatballs on Wednesdays) to borderline gourmet (Jen’s favorite, the butternut squash and candied pecan ravioli in an olive oil reduction). They have a wine and special of the day, and their seafood comes out skillfully prepared. The reason why this is not number one is because the small venue tends to overwhelm the staff during busy nights, parties especially. This restaurant is amazing on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. 

4. Bazil (Italian - Penfield)

The younger child of Mario's Via Abruzzi used to have two locations (Penfield and Henrietta). Since the Henrietta location has closed, it is now down to one. The food quality is comparable to Grandpa Sam’s but the service is better when busy. The restaurant is just bigger and can handle the capacity. Looking at the menu, you can see a wide selection of Italian favorites without a real focus on the gourmet. The relaxed but not too relaxed atmosphere and the proper lighting make Bazil a pleasant place to go and dine.

3. Hogan’s Hideaway (American – Park Ave.)
This snappy modern American bistro is in the heart of the Park Ave. district and boasts simple homemade-based ingredients in their varied menu. The versatile staff can produce high quality and creative dishes that fit many different palates. Couple that with top-notch service and a great beer and wine list, it provides a superb dining experience without breaking the bank.

2. Rohrbach Brewing Company (American - Gates)
To say that Rohrbach’s is just a bar would be a gross understatement. The feature of Rohrbach’s is the microbrewery’s seasonal beers, but the taut and creative dishes offer many choices to go with the beer spectrum available. The specialties are crisp, light, and always show creative pizazz. It also features an extensive menu of German beer hall specialties such as sausages, schnitzel, and Bavarian style pretzels. Along with the helpful staff and great beer, the restaurant itself has a the cozy feel of a German beer house but with the elegance and charm of a fine dining establishment.

After much deliberation about great meals past, there have been few places that could stand out. Granted I have yet to try some of the truly unique restaurants in Rochester's Rolodex, but after careful deliberation I have decided on a number one.

1. Shiki (Japanese – S. Clinton Ave.)
Rochester’s authentic Japanese restaurant serves the various courses of a traditional Japanese dinner with perfect execution and grace. South Clinton’s “Little Asia” as I call it holds this small building where magic comes alive. As I dined, I had a soup course, a sushi course, and a dinner course. The saki was excellent and the dynamic flavors and traditional attention to detail made the food stand out brilliantly. In terms of quality, it is just light years ahead of most restaurants in Rochester.

Honorable Mention

American:
McArdle’s (Fairport)
Jine’s (Park Ave.)

Ethiopian:
Abyssinia (University Ave.)

Indian:
India House (S. Clinton Ave.; Victor)

Thali of India (Henrietta)

Mediterranean:
Aladdin’s Natural Eatery (Pittsford; Monroe Ave.)

Mexican:

Los Gallos (Greece)

Thai/Vietnamese:
Mamasan’s (Brighton/Pittsford)

Sak’s Thai (Fairport)

Miscellaneous:
Amiel’s Subs (Henrietta)

Simply Crêpes (Pittsford; Canandaigua)

Review: La-Tea-Da – 7/16/11

I’ll say before I begin this review that I am incredibly biased here. I love La-Tea-Da. It’s definitely in my top places to go around Rochester. More of a tea room/cafe, La-Tea-Da has an extensive menu of teas in just about any flavor you can imagine. The décor has a quaint, Victorian influence, and there’s a large porch to sit out on as well. It’s been in business for years, and it now also shares space with the Sugar Mountain Bake Shop, which serves some delicious cupcakes!

La-Tea-Da is easy to find; it’s right on the corner of Park and Alexander in a big purple building. They offer parking across the street. Joe and I arrived today close to 2:00 p.m., and the hostess/owner greeted us promptly. We’d seen her there before, and she is always upbeat and very accommodating, even if it’s later in their day. Because of the heat, we decided to sit inside where they had air conditioning. The owner told us to let her know if the a/c was too cold, but to us it felt great (and I’m usually the one reaching for a sweater when I go from 85 degrees or more outside to 70 inside—I’m such an old lady!). We sat in their main dining area. In the Alice in Wonderland-themed room in the back, we could hear (I believe) a bridal shower going on, but for most of our stay we had the room to ourselves. Later on, two older women sat at a nearby table. 

 

This main room is my favorite—it has Victorian-style décor, with red walls, a fireplace, and an ornate mirror above the mantle. One interesting thing about the table settings is that they have so many teacups and saucers that they don’t even bother to match them. Normally, this would irk my OCD tendencies, but instead I’m pleasantly surprised every time with my place setting. Another fun thing about the place is that they keep an abundance of hats around that guests can wear (and according to the owner, yes, they do clean them!). For those arriving with kids—La-Tea-Da frequently hosts parties for all ages—they have a selection of toys and costumes for the little ones. I noticed on this visit that they’ve cleared away most of the hats and their shelf in the hallway between the dining areas and kitchen and restroom. This was a good move since it makes the entryway brighter and less cluttered. The hats and accessories, like feather boas, are a fun touch, and even manly men such as Joe like to don the hats when we go!

Joe as "The New Yorker"

A very pink Jen next to a Dalek an air conditioner

In keeping with the old-fashioned theme, the servers are called “nippies,” which sounds like baby talk but was an actual term used for English tea room waitresses in the 1920s. To my surprise today, our nippy was a former coworker of mine. (Thankfully, she was one of the competent people with whom I worked; with some former coworkers, I would have been worried had they been handling my food.) After some chatter, we placed our tea order.

As I mentioned before, they have a myriad of tea flavors, but the one I simply cannot resist is their Chocolate Mint tea. At $7.00 for a full-sized pot (cheaper for an individual serving), it’s definitely worth the price. A pot of tea split between two people should provide at least four cups for each person. The tea is sweet, but not too sweet, and it goes down well—no weird aftertastes. Two other wonderful things about tea service here are that the tea stays warm at your table and you get to add sugar cubes to your tea. The teapots sit atop ceramic candle holders with lit tealight candles inside them. The sugar cubes are an especially nice touch and too cute. (When is the last time you saw sugar cubes at a table, honestly?)

Joe and I had already eaten a few hours earlier, so we ordered off the menu for croissants with strawberry jam. We’ve eaten desserts there before, and even some of the meals, and they are, in a word, colossal. Arrive hungry if you choose to eat more than a snack! The croissants were warm and not too flaky, and the jam was served in small crème brulee-style cups—very cute!

Another nice thing about La-Tea-Da is that they currently offer 10% off if you pay in cash rather than with a credit or debit card. The table where Joe and I sat had very comfortable wide chairs, which definitely lent themselves to the relaxing tea room experience. Also, the dining areas are very clean. The only negative we could come up with was that the flowers at our table needed replacing (or some serious watering).

Beyond that, there’s not a whole lot to complain about when it comes to La-Tea-Da. Each time we’ve gone there has been an enjoyable experience. It’s a great place to take women, be they your wife, girlfriend, mother, sister, grandma, or even just your friends! While I do seldom see men in there, besides Joe, if the guy in question is up to it, he should have a good time and, if he has taste buds, enjoy the desserts. If you’re lucky, he might even wear a hat! This visit definitely reinforced La-Tea-Da as one of my favorites, and I know Joe and I will return again.

Rating: 5/5 stars

Review: The Frog Pond - 7/16/11

Jen here! Welcome to our new blog! This is our first review on here, and we will definitely have more to follow!

---

Recently, I looked through Yelp.com to find some new places for Joe and me to try in and around the city. One of the places was one I’d passed plenty of times on my way to Jine’s on Park Avenue: The Frog Pond (recently renamed from Charlie’s Frog Pond). Mainly known for its breakfast and brunch menu, The Frog Pond sits at 652 Park Ave—a bustling area filled with trendy shops and restaurants catering to Rochester’s twenty- or thirty-something crowds (especially those living nearby in this artsy district).

I was hesitant to try the place since I’d seen at least one review on Yelp saying that you were better off going to Jine’s next door. Other reviews, however, sang the eatery’s praises as a great place if you like breakfast foods. (I know I do!) Out of curiosity, Joe and I decided to venture out there this morning.

The first thing we saw upon walking up was that there were tables on the sidewalk outside. In this area, this is fairly common; in the summer, which doesn’t last ridiculously long in Rochester, getting to sit outside is something of a luxury. I didn’t really want to sit outside this morning since we would be in direct sunlight, so we sat inside in a booth. The restaurant has no hostess, so you are free to just seat yourself (or at least we were this morning).

The décor in the restaurant is, I admit, a bit garish, and for some reason, perhaps being blinded, I forgot to take any pictures. (See another review and pictures here.) The bright yellow wallpaper boasts a pattern of black and white frogs, and for some reason the owners decided to put full-length mirrors around the restaurant’s walls in the places that didn’t have wallpaper. In a slightly confusing twist, six pretty paintings of Victorian-esque girls hang on the walls as well. In short, there is no real theme to the place. I actually thought our booth was kind of cool. The booths in the restaurant are also bright yellow with red trim and made of vinyl, so they look fairly retro. Our booth was up front by the window, and the shape reminded me of the top part of an egg. At the very least, it gets some points for absolute kitsch—definitely an acquired taste.

One waiter took our drink order fairly quickly (green tea for me and Coke for Joe) and brought out water as well. After our waiter brought our drinks, I noticed him busing tables, so I thought he may have forgotten us. To our surprise, a waitress came over and took our food order. I’m not really sure what the point is of having more than one waiter per table, unless the waitstaff experience some kind of mix-up. I don’t really know what happened there, but since both were courteous, I’d let it slide.

The food is fairly inexpensive and mostly diner fare. I think it comes in handy if you’re in search of some cheap eats, especially if you’re the partying type. The Frog Pond has one dish called the Hangover Omelet, although I cannot personally attest to its effectiveness with said affliction. The menu offers much more for breakfast than lunch, and today they had a good amount of specials. Joe ordered the half-pound ground round, and I ordered blueberry pancakes. This really is more of a personal preference for both of us. If out, I like to start my day with breakfast, even late morning or early afternoon; Joe is really more of a burger or sandwich kind of guy at that time. The food is pretty no frills; my pancakes did have a dash of powdered sugar on them, but they didn’t come with any sides. I found that kind of weird as most places at least include toast. Then again, I ordered off the specials menu, so that may have been the reason for that. Joe ordered his burger medium, and sadly it came well done. He did say that it was “dressed well,” however, with lettuce, tomato, and red onion. The burger arrived with some sad-looking chips on the side, but prior to the meal he ate a basic yet tasty-looking side salad with raspberry vinaigrette and homemade-style croutons.

As for some more nitpicky details, we did have a few gripes with the place. With the door open on an 85+ degree day, we appreciated the waitstaff refilling our water regularly. I noticed later on, however, that the ceiling fans were off. I think the place definitely could have benefited from having fans on to move the air around. Joe said the booth was comfortable despite a rip in it. Our table, though in an interesting half-egg shape, wobbled slightly, and I had to keep my feet on the table legs to keep it from bouncing while we ate. Both of these issues probably could have been resolved by requesting fans on or a new table, but we didn’t bother to do so. There were a couple of flies around the restaurant, which happens when you have the doors open. You can also see the kitchen if you’re inside the restaurant, which I almost never think is particularly attractive, even in some fancier restaurants.

Overall, this is probably good hangover food. There’s definitely something for everyone on the menu (unless you’re a vegan—sorry!). I started my day hungry and left sated, so I can’t complain too much. For now, though, I will agree with the aforementioned Yelp reviewer and say that if you have an extra couple of bucks and the wait isn’t too long, head over to Jine’s for a hearty breakfast and a much more extensive menu selection.

Rating: 2/5 stars