Review: The Old Toad - 9/4/11

Has it been a while since we’ve had a review on here? Sadly, it has. Life gets in the way sometimes. How about this warm November weather we’ve been having, though, right? Who can think of sitting at the computer when we have such surprisingly great weather for this time of the year?

We hope you enjoyed our last list, which was a unique guide to dating (or just hanging out) in Rochester. If you have any extra ideas, send them our way, and we can always put together a Volume 2 for the Date Guide. With the holidays coming up, we're bound to have more suggestions for you!

The outside of The Old Toad

Back in September, Joe and I went to a place I’d been wanting to try for a long while, but I had put it off thinking that they wouldn’t have much in the way of vegetarian fare. Being a bit of an Anglophile (that is, somebody who loves all things British), I was intrigued by The Old Toad for quite some time. Much of their restaurant either comes from Britain (like the bar) or is heavily influenced by the classic English pub. They bill themselves as “a pub from over there, over here.” Even their staff members hail from across the pond!

Penny Lane is in my ears and in my eyes

Joe and I went on a somewhat gray Sunday afternoon for a late lunch (or perhaps early dinner?). This place was on our “to try” list for a while, and after viewing the menu on the pub’s website, we ventured out that day. I loved the charm—and I don’t use that word often—of the place as soon as I set foot in the door. From the Penny Lane sign near the entrance (Beatles fan here!) to the homey feel of the cute cushioned benches, the atmosphere immediately makes you feel at ease. Since we were there early, we probably didn’t get the full effect of the place on its busier evenings (when they host pub trivia games and sometimes even a Beatles tribute band). Something I also found refreshing was the lack of big flat TVs (or tellys here) all over the place blasting sports or news (or both) at you while you’re trying to have a relaxing meal or a night on the town. Could every place just do away with those? Our experience at The Old Toad certainly didn't suffer from having no screens around.

Awesome bar!

Since we were there fairly early, we got right in, but we noticed that several tables had cards on them showing that they were reserved for dinner (many for 8:00, likely for pub trivia shortly after that!). Our booth was a small corner near the bar, which I thought was sort of cute. Our waitress was British, likely a student (since The Old Toad recruits them to work there). The bar must have been freshly waxed because Joe and I could smell it when we arrived. We ordered our food and drinks shortly after while some Brit rock-sounding bands played quietly overhead.

Joe ordered a Brooklyn Brown Ale to drink while I had a Fuller’s London Pride. Joe didn’t really like the Brooklyn Brown much and described it as skunky, so he ordered a Guinness afterwards. This, he said, was much better, even if a bit warm like the Brits prefer it. My beer, actually British, was delicious; after all, why order domestic in a place like this?

For dinner each of us ordered Shepherd’s Pie, but with one obvious difference if you’ve been keeping up with this blog. Joe had a traditional Shepherd’s Pie; mine was an Old Toad specialty of vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie (something I didn’t think existed). Joe’s dish, as he said, was well-executed. The mashed potatoes in both of ours were definitely homemade—none of that packaged stuff. However, Joe said the bottom of his dish lacked the gravy it was supposed to come with. Perhaps it was too early in their service to make a fresh gravy? (Vegetarian here, so I could be totally off base.) He also said there was some oregano in it, which might be okay for most people, but Joe is adamantly opposed to using oregano in his cooking. He added Worcestershire sauce in order to add a bit of saltiness to the dish.

Joe's Shepherd's Pie

My Shepherd's Pie

For me, this was the first time I had never eaten a dish like this before, even back when I ate meat a decade ago. It was a definitely a sort of comfort food. The mashed potatoes were delicious and the meatless crumbles were cooked perfectly. My dish actually seemed to have more cheese than Joe’s did, which was a bit too much, but not bad. My dish also plenty of spice to it, and unlike Joe’s, I thought it had enough salt (not too much but not too little either). Maybe the meatless crumbles, as they were referred to on the menu, added those flavors, or perhaps Joe has a more sensitive palate than me (okay, he definitely does when it comes to spices, but in a good way). Overall, I thought the meal was delicious, and our server was quick and attentive.

As for our review, it’s tough to come up with a number here. Since I don’t really want to give out half stars (it’s all or nothing), I almost feel that this place would get a 4.5 overall. Joe gave a 3.5 (3 or so for the meal and a bit extra for the atmosphere). Since I, however, am a biased anglophile and a vegetarian Shepherd’s Pie first-timer, I would give it a 4.5. For now, though, we’ll go with a tentative 4 stars since we were there at a more relaxed time. If we go back sometime for a pub trivia night, I have a feeling that rating will go up!

Rating: 4 stars

Review: Grandpa Sam's Italian Kitchen - 8/5/11

When putting together our Top 5 lists, Joe and I had many different things to consider. We not only looked at the quality of the food for a particular restaurant, but also good service (and consistent good service), the atmosphere, the amount of options and flexibility in the menu, the presentation of the meal, the value of the meal for its price, and the ease of getting a table. One such place that Joe picked for some of these qualities was Grandpa Sam’s Italian Kitchen in Spencerport. If you recall the entry, however, you’ll notice that this restaurant ended up not in my Top 5 but instead in the honorable mentions section. Maybe since I’m the one writing this, I’m inclined to say that our recent visit to Grandpa Sam’s confirms my placement and not Joe’s. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a good little place to go when you’re craving a hearty pasta dish, but the lack of consistency in the above categories, to me, prevents it from being one of the Rochester area’s best despite its potential.

Joe and I went on a Friday night for a nice convenient date night right down the street. We hadn’t made a reservation, so we knew we would have to wait a bit. Sometimes we’re lucky and can get in almost immediately. Being that it was a Friday, we didn’t mind waiting. Joe entertained me by trying to test my psychic abilities by Googling pictures on his phone and asking me to guess what it was. (FYI: I’m not psychic... at all.) Joe and I waited ten minutes in the small waiting area by the door, which got crowded fast. During times like those, I appreciate restaurants with a decent-sized bar instead of a few uncomfortable chairs squished together. Finally, we were seated by the hostess not in the main dining area but instead in the room off to the side, which had many empty tables when we arrived in there. I’m not sure why we had to wait if they had extra tables available; it could have been that they were waiting for additional waitstaff to arrive at 6:00, but they’re only open for dinner, so I’m not sure that that’s it. I always find it perplexing when you have to wait while tables sit empty, but I’ll give Grandpa Sam’s the benefit of the doubt this time.

The interior of Grandpa Sam’s is a bit rustic and feels like eating at someone’s house. I like the burgundy paint and the Italian style mural on the back wall. The tables are spaced appropriately, so you never feel like you’re eating at someone else’s table (I remember this feeling quite frequently at the now-closed Henrietta Bazil location). The overhead speakers blasted out tinny ’80s Italian pop music, which I don’t think I’ve ever heard there before; it amused me and Joe for a while. Our server came over promptly, and except for disappearing once during dinner, she was consistently attentive and friendly.

Dancing to the Italian version of Gunther!

In front of the burgundy door to nowhere...

For drinks, I stuck with a glass of water while Joe drank a Labatt. I had tried a sample of their pinot noir special for the evening and found it too sweet (it should be dry). After placing our dinner order, Joe and I received a mixed green salad and some freshly baked bread, both of which arrive with any meal you order. One thing I like about the bread is that the server gives you a dish of olive oil, ground black pepper, and grated parmesan cheese for dipping. You can order garlic bread instead for an extra fee, but the fresh Italian bread always tastes wonderful without that extra seasoning. The salad this time, however, lacked ingredients—only a couple of sliced grape tomatoes and too-garlicky croutons were added to it, and the dressing tasted too strongly of vinegar. For being a salad for two people to share, it also seemed fairly small, but given its lackluster taste, I guess we should have been glad they didn’t give us any more. While waiting for our food, Joe continued to test my psychic ability (still not psychic). We then had a disagreement over which Ramone was a conservative, and our friend Ian confirmed via text that I was right about “Kill a commie for mommy Johnny” (Joe said DeeDee—really?). I won $5, which he never actually gave me, and dinner on this date night, which he did pay for; I’m a lucky girl!

Joe noticed that they had new specials. One dish sounded a bit more upscale: grilled salmon with risotto and a pineapple tomato salsa. Due possibly to Joe’s last disappointing experience with salmon at Ellicottville Brewing Company, he opted instead for the other special of lobster macaroni and cheese. The picture showed a dish of creamy macaroni and cheese topped with a rather large piece of lobster, and for the $18 price of the meal, it should have come with something close to that. This dish had the creamy sauce topped with breadcrumbs as in the picture, but the lobster came in small chunks. Joe also guessed, based on taste, that they had stretched the lobster portions of the dish with pieces of albacore tuna and imitation lobster. He said overall his dish was mediocre, and had this not been a special, I bet he would have gone with a bolognese pasta, which is one of his favorites. The menu asked “Need we say more?” after stating that it was a lobster mac and cheese; we would have to say that yes, they could have said a lot more. It just didn’t live up to Joe’s expectations.

Joe's lobster mac--not exactly what was pictured on the menu

I ordered a create your own pasta dish because I wanted to do something I hadn’t done in a while. For some reason that I now forget, I had been craving alfredo sauce all week, so I decided to make that my order. Usually, I’m unable to get past the Butternut Squash Ravioli on their menu, a unique specialty that really makes the restaurant stand out amongst Rochester’s Italian restaurants. This time I ordered fettuccine alfredo with roasted red peppers. I, too, think I should have ordered something else; I’ve had their alfredo before, and I’ve never had a problem with it, but this dish was just too thick and too messy. I couldn’t take a bite without splattering the pasta all over, and the sauce was so full of heavy cream that after only a few bites I was full. I took the rest home, and I’m not kidding when I say it took me two more attempts in the following days to actually finish it. The flavor was good, but it was unnecessarily heavy. The added issue of making a mess trying to get the pasta on my fork didn’t do the restaurant any favors that night, and the presentation could have been better as well. This just looks like a big soupy mess.

Say "cheese"! No, say "too much cheese"!

Our experience that night wasn’t really bad, but it wasn’t really good either. Both of us have had better from Grandpa Sam’s, and whenever we go back we expect better. We’ve had some really good service there, like when we took my Nana to dinner for her birthday in June. We’ve also had some really poor service; on one of my birthdays, Joe waited half an hour for a second (and small) dish of spaghetti on an all-you-can-eat spaghetti night—something that should have taken only seconds to prepare. This evening, our service was merely adequate, and the quality of the food was mediocre, if we’re being nice about it. For that, Grandpa Sam’s receives a mediocre rating, and I think it will be a while before we dare to return for another date night.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Review: Ellicottville Brewing Company – 7/30/11

We're back! And this time with an actual dinner review (none of that silly lunch stuff here now!). Enjoy!

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After a visit to Olean for a friend’s afternoon wedding reception, Joe and I decided to take a short excursion to Ellicottville Brewing Company. This took us on a nice scenic drive of about 28 miles to the small ski resort town of Ellicottville, NY. Joe and I are both SUNY Fredonia alumni; during our last year or so there, a second Ellicottville Brewing Company (or EBC) opened up in the village. On any stop through Fredonia (or to it, back when we still had friends going there), EBC is a welcome sight and a great break on any road trip. On Saturday, we visited the original location for the first time, and we definitely found it a very enjoyable experience.

The first thing we noticed upon entering was that this EBC location is much more spacious than the Fredonia one. The interior has the look of an old ski lodge—almost everything is wooden and rustic, with detailed moldings, old black and white photographs of skiers from the 1950s or ’60s, and chairs actually made from rough-hewn branches. We waited at the door for about a minute (not very long on a Saturday night), and then the hostess greeted us and actually apologized for keeping us waiting. I was kind of surprised—on a busy Saturday night, I expect to wait, but I guess things are a bit different in Ellicottville. She seated us right afterward, and within a couple more minutes we had our drink order placed for a pitcher of Blueberry Wheat beer.

With apologies to the random people at the bar...

He looks like he has a halo and like he's in deep thought.

Still somewhat chipper (and hungry) after driving to Olean and then to Ellicottville!

If you’re going to a place where the word “Brewing” (or some variation) is in the name, you should expect good beer. EBC doesn’t disappoint! The Blueberry Wheat is my favorite, but they also have an Oatmeal Stout, “Nut Brown,” Pale Ale, and something Joe sampled later on called “Pantius Droppus” (he liked it, but it was too malty for me). Like the Rohrbach Brewing Company in Rochester, you would have to be crazy to order a Budweiser or Coors in a place like this. In our pitcher of Blueberry Wheat, they actually threw in some blueberries. I know this violates the Man Law of “no fruit in beer,” but I thought it was a nice touch. (Joe drank it; he’s the manliest man I know!)

Our beer!

The beer taps

Onto the actual meal: for a starter (sorry, appetizer—we’ve been watching too much Gordon Ramsay), Joe and I ordered mushroom bruschetta. It sounded too interesting not to try! The menus at each EBC location differ, and at “EBC East” in Ellicottville, they offer four different kinds of bruschetta: traditional, mushroom, steak, and pepper with goat cheese. The mushroom bruschetta was such a great start that it was almost too great; the rest of the meal had a lot to live up to. This dish consisted of four slices of Italian bread topped with a piece of ricotta cheese, arugula, and the cooked, marinated mushrooms. When the waiter first set the plate on our table, I detected the earthy scent of the mushrooms. The taste, although it started out a bit salty, finished nicely with no bad aftertaste, and we could easily pick up the traces of rosemary and the dish’s white truffle oil (fancy!). Our only (very minor) complaint was that the ricotta could have been a bit warmer—it tasted cold in comparison to the mushrooms and bread. That’s an easy thing to ignore, however, and the mushroom bruschetta serves as a great twist on a classic starter dish! (As an added bonus, check out the exquisite presentation—most of the meal came with square or rectangular dishes such as this one.)

For dinner, Joe ordered the Summer Salmon, which consisted of a grilled salmon topped with a cucumber and tomato tapenade with rice and asparagus on the side. After the excellent mushroom bruschetta, this dish really had to impress, and sadly Joe did not think that it did. He said for the most part that the meal was just bland. Everything was cooked fine—although the salmon was grilled too long and looked a little black around the edges—but mostly everything lacked seasoning. The saffron rice didn’t have a saffron taste, and I saw Joe add salt and pepper to it at least a couple of times. He had the same complaint about the asparagus—cooked well, but no real flavor. The presentation also lacked the same refined look as the bruschetta, since it was served on a bizarre beer bottle plate—cute, but not really fitting for this meal. The one thing that saved the entire meal from disaster was its side: a crisp Caesar salad with romaine, a house-made dressing, and “well-fired croutons,” according to Joe. Overall, however, Joe said that this ambitious meal was a letdown.

Joe's dinner with beer bottle plate!

 My meal was probably a bit less fancy, but mine was far from being a letdown. I ordered the falafel burger, which I thought was another unique twist on a classic. If you’ve never had falafel, I’ll explain it: it’s a Mediterranean food made from fried crushed chickpeas (same stuff used in hummus!), and it’s usually flavored with curry and other spices. It typically comes in a pita and is topped with tzatziki (a cold yogurt and cucumber sauce). Falafel usually consists of several smaller pieces of fried chickpea—EBC’s falafel burger was essentially one big falafel in a bun. I actually didn’t eat the bun because it was too big and instead just ate the falafel with my fork. I think it would have worked better in a pita. I know EBC was probably trying to get away from that traditional side of the dish, but it’s tradition for a reason: the bun is too big for the falafel burger. Unlike Joe’s meal, the falafel packed a lot of seasoning. In some places I actually found the curry too overpowering, but for the most part it had just the right amount of flavoring. I ordered a salad for my side dish, which I usually do because I hate french fries, and I loved its presentation in a neat little square bowl. The salad itself had a mix of romaine, arugula, and herbs, and the shaved parmesan and lemon balsamic dressing on it complemented the flavors nicely. My meal turned out perfect, except for the burger bun. This leads me to believe that the menu might be hit or miss; some of their dishes are quite ambitious, and sometimes you can only offer so much innovation on tradition.

Great presentation... except for the plastic cup of dressing?

On the night we dined at EBC, a jazz band, the Paul de Ritter Quintet, provided some entertainment. They even went around taking requests. After our meal ended, we sat at the bar with an old acquaintance from Fredonia and her boyfriend, since they also attended the reception. There we just talked, listened to the music, and drank a little bit more of EBC’s great custom brews. This must have been a festival weekend in Ellicottville, for there were bands in some of the other bars (and one out on the street). Maybe not every aspect of the meal was perfect, but I think we couldn’t have asked for a better night.

Our overall review is four out of five stars. The beer, the bruschetta, and the atmosphere definitely make Ellicottville Brewing Company a worthy excursion.

Rating: 4/5 stars

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: 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!

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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

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!

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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