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

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!

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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