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Rochester, NY


Aaron T

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Hey!  Zweigles white hots (the kind with skins) aren't junk food, they're delicious!  Trash them, and you're trashing bockwurst.

Got that right!

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better with Fries,

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or Onion Rings,

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and a frosty mug of Root Beer

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And yes, it does kind of seem like it's 1957 in Tom Wahl's in Avon, except that they have WIFI.

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Edited by philadining (log)

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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Philadining, you're cracking me up! :smile: It takes a good eye to spot an identifiable object on that plate. And I love it that it's served with bread and butter on the side - is that in case one feels peckish afterward?

But if you're going to have a Garbage Plate, I say you go to the spot where they started, and if you happen to meet some folks you normally wouldn't, well, such is the journey of life!

That's why I loved the old Smitty's Birdland - Smitty served the best fried chicken in hot sauce I've ever eaten, and after 2 AM, the crowd got really funky. One time when I was there, a pimp brought his entourage of ladies in to treat them to a hot meal before a long night's work. Everybody was always very nice (maybe because Smitty was a former boxer, maybe because they were transfixed by the food). Or maybe because all the real riff raff were hanging out in Nick Tahou's parking lot. :wink:

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...And I love it that it's served with bread and butter on the side - is that in case one feels peckish afterward?

I know, that always amused me as well, just in case the huge heaps of home fries, and mac salad left you craving carbs - have some bread!! Oddly, the bread is actually kinda good...

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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...And I love it that it's served with bread and butter on the side - is that in case one feels peckish afterward?

I know, that always amused me as well, just in case the huge heaps of home fries, and mac salad left you craving carbs - have some bread!! Oddly, the bread is actually kinda good...

Kinda good? That bread was awesome. You needed it to clean up any remnants and puddles of grease at the bottom of your plate when finished. One concern though, they never had those logoed plates when I was there - too flashy in my opinion. Also, mac salad? Cold baked beans used to be de rigeur. Guess it all comes with the new gentrified neighborhood. That picture brings back good memories though...

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Also, mac salad? Cold baked beans used to be de rigeur.  Guess it all comes with the new gentrified neighborhood.  That picture brings back good memories though...

No worries, you can still get the beans instead of the mac salad. For this context they always seem a little too, you know, organic, to me, like an actual foodstuff with some sort of nutritional value.

And as for the "gentrified neighborhood" uhh... this kind of says it all!

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Edited by philadining (log)

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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Philadining, you're cracking me up!  :smile:  It takes a good eye to spot an identifiable object on that plate.  And I love it that it's served with bread and butter on the side - is that in case one feels peckish afterward?
But if you're going to have a Garbage Plate, I say you go to the spot where they started, and if you happen to meet some folks you normally wouldn't, well, such is the journey of life!

That's why I loved the old Smitty's Birdland - Smitty served the best fried chicken in hot sauce I've ever eaten, and after 2 AM, the crowd got really funky. One time when I was there, a pimp brought his entourage of ladies in to treat them to a hot meal before a long night's work. Everybody was always very nice (maybe because Smitty was a former boxer, maybe because they were transfixed by the food). Or maybe because all the real riff raff were hanging out in Nick Tahou's parking lot. :wink:

Nick's was packed after 1:00 am on the weekends - standing room only. Smitty's? boy, that's taking me back a lot of years. Talk about the weirdest place in Rochester to eat after 1:00? The Cathay Pagoda on Main St - the winner hands down. After bartending all night - we'd go just to look around the room.

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White hots aren't a Rochester only phenomenon but in the Syracuse area they're called Coneys (pronounced by most as it's spelled but by some as "cooneys". I love them split open and cooked as shown in the picture but I have to cook at home to get them that way. The stands that sell them here just grill them like regular hotdogs.

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Has anyone ever eaten Korean in Rochester, Seoul Garden on Jefferson is really great. I ate either there or at the King and I on Henrietta every week night for two months straight once all subsidized by Corning, Inc.(expensed).

I also really enjoyed Rooney's (Contemporary). I was there last year, about $100 for two salads, apps, and dinners and maybe a glass of wine, and well worth the money. It took a while for anyone to notice we were there however (a Tuesday), but they treated us well thereafter.

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Seoul Garden is actually on West Henrietta Road, not far from Jefferson Rd:

Seoul Garden

2805 W Henrietta Rd

Phone: (585) 424-2220

And yes, I agree that it's quite good, the barbeque and Hay-Mul Pajun in particular.

I also like Song's which is not far away, in the Regional Market off of Jefferson Road, I think it's officially 900 Jefferson Road if you're mapquesting it... 585-475-9810 They have a relatively limited menu, but everything I've had there has been really good. They specialize in rice cakes, so be sure to get something featuring those noodle-ish cakes.

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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Seoul Garden is actually on West Henrietta Road, not far from Jefferson Rd:

Seoul Garden

2805 W Henrietta Rd

Phone: (585) 424-2220

And yes, I agree that it's quite good, the barbeque and Hay-Mul Pajun in particular.

I also like Song's which is not far away, in the Regional Market off of Jefferson Road, I think it's officially 900 Jefferson Road if you're mapquesting it...  585-475-9810  They have a relatively limited menu, but everything I've had there has been really good. They specialize in rice cakes, so be sure to get something featuring those noodle-ish cakes.

Good tip, I'll have to check that out next time in town. I also loved the Pajun there, but especially liked the Duk Mandu Kuk as it was winter time. I have been back since and been happy every time. Also Lee's Market is tucked back in the same plaza (Food Terminal?) as the King and I, it's a decent asian grocery.

Whoever mentioned it, I think you might want to check out some of the Buffalo eats before Niagara on the Lake, I haven't been out to eat too much there so I'll risk my cards a bit but Korea House just off of Sheridan Drive is really great as well. I've liked Jasmine II for Thai, across from the Boulevard Mall. And I believe as of this writing there is no decent sushi since Kuni's closed. Rue Franklin is consistantly recognized as the best overall fine dining restaurant in Buffalo. I've never been, but hear only good things so it's high on the list. There is alot of bad pizza and wings, but ask a native to show you the good and you won't be disappointed, guaranteed. Then the old guard: Ted's Hot Dogs, la Nova Wings, John and Mary's Subs, Anderson's Custard, Antoinette's Ice Cream, Schwabel's Beef on Weck. There are alot of FD establishments that look good on paper, and I've been burnt a bit, but not too severely, it's Buffalo after all, what's better to do than eat.

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I'd asked upthread if there were any decent sushi places in Rochester, but I think the question got lost in the shuffle. And I'm asking for "good" by exacting standards - really fresh. Does it exist?

Will be flying up for a quick visit shortly - not enough time for a restaurant tour, but am entertaining the notion of bringing some Zweigles back with me - all this talk of them has made me nostalgic.

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I'd asked upthread if there were any decent sushi places in Rochester, but I think the question got lost in the shuffle.  And I'm asking for "good" by exacting standards - really fresh.  Does it exist?

Will be flying up for a quick visit shortly - not enough time for a restaurant tour, but am entertaining the notion of bringing some Zweigles back with me - all this talk of them has made me nostalgic.

Perhaps no one answered it because there aren't any, at least none on par with average NYC sushi. Why would you want to go out for sushi in Rochester anyhow, entertaining friends? I know that the Korean place I mentioned has a sushi menu, I never seemed to get in on it however. There was a Sushi bar a couple blocks down the street from it about 5 years ago, what was it W. Henrietta, it was average for upstate. I wasn't really impressed, but I didn't get sick either.

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I'd asked upthread if there were any decent sushi places in Rochester, but I think the question got lost in the shuffle.  And I'm asking for "good" by exacting standards - really fresh.  Does it exist?

Will be flying up for a quick visit shortly - not enough time for a restaurant tour, but am entertaining the notion of bringing some Zweigles back with me - all this talk of them has made me nostalgic.

Perhaps no one answered it because there aren't any, at least none on par with average NYC sushi. Why would you want to go out for sushi in Rochester anyhow, entertaining friends? I know that the Korean place I mentioned has a sushi menu, I never seemed to get in on it however. There was a Sushi bar a couple blocks down the street from it about 5 years ago, what was it W. Henrietta, it was average for upstate. I wasn't really impressed, but I didn't get sick either.

I was up there for a length of time last year, and after a while, I developed a serious craving for it. No one I know knew of anyplace, so I had to bear up till I got back to town. Was curious for future reference more than anything.

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I checked into this thread once again because a biz trip to Rochacha may be in my future.

I second or third the good words about Magnolia. I tripped into it by accident last time I was there and found the people charming and the food first rate.

Margaret McArthur

"Take it easy, but take it."

Studs Terkel

1912-2008

A sensational tennis blog from freakyfrites

margaretmcarthur.com

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Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good. I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

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brooklyncook Posted Yesterday, 09:36 AM

  Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good. I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

Thank you! Good to know this.

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brooklyncook Posted Yesterday, 09:36 AM

  Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good. I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

Thank you! Good to know this.

Try Tasting's for authentic sushi/sashimi. The new sushi chef is Satoshi yamaguchi and he is a total witch. The plates are more composed than traditional roll joints but the fish is top notch and he is really talented.

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Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good.  I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

That place always smells like last weeks fish - good fusion style stuff but the fish quality is mediocre (read grocery store sushi at best) for Sashimi and other items.

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brooklyncook Posted Yesterday, 09:36 AM

  Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good. I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

Thank you! Good to know this.

Try Tasting's for authentic sushi/sashimi. The new sushi chef is Satoshi yamaguchi and he is a total witch. The plates are more composed than traditional roll joints but the fish is top notch and he is really talented.

Dude, you stole my thunder - :wink:

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I checked into this thread once again because a biz trip to Rochacha may be in my future.

I second or third the good words about Magnolia. I tripped into it by accident last time I was there and found the people charming and the food first rate.

I'll expect a PM :biggrin:

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brooklyncook Posted Yesterday, 09:36 AM

  Sushi: California Rollin in the Village Gate Square.

Hands down, EVERY TIME it's good. I have never, in my life (and we're talking double-digits for visits to CR) had bad sushi there.

Them's some folks who love what they're doing.

Thank you! Good to know this.

Try Tasting's for authentic sushi/sashimi. The new sushi chef is Satoshi yamaguchi and he is a total witch. The plates are more composed than traditional roll joints but the fish is top notch and he is really talented.

Dude, you stole my thunder - :wink:

Hey, you both get props for steering me right. :smile: Where is this Tastings?

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Hey, you both get props for steering me right.  :smile:  Where is this Tastings?

Attached to the ultimate shrine of Rochester food: the Pittsford Wegmans (3195 Monroe Avenue).

Just keep telling yourself "I'm NOT eating at the supermarket, I'm eating at Tastings!! I'm NOT eating at the supermarket...." and you'll be fine.

"Philadelphia’s premier soup dumpling blogger" - Foobooz

philadining.com

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Oddly, I might trust Wegman's more than an unknown entity. I'd been to Wegmans in Greece and in Brockport last year, and though they weren't a gourmet's paradise, they did offer some items that I can't live without. I've definitely got to check out Pittsford's "shrine to food."

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Pan-Roasted Duck Breast, with Duck Confit Strudel, Baby Carrots, Pomegranate Glaze

The breast was a pretty conventional presentation, but quite tasty, especially with the tart pomegranate sauce. But the exciting part was the strudel.  I'd assumed this would be a "streudel," you know, something bearing some vague structural relation to the inspiration.  But no, this was a pretty straight-ahead streudel, sweet and flaky, pretty good as a dessert, but with shreds of duck leg in it.  And it worked. 

I have to red flag this dish, there is no starch advertized, except the streudel dough, which is a sad excuse for a starch. No, I won't go here, I'm going to Rod-chester tom to visit relatives. Sadly, I probably won't be able to convince the fiance to go spend more money we don't have on food. Anybody want to hook a brother-in-food up, as well as his SO?

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  • 1 month later...

Sushi...well if you want to travel to Buffalo, a new place opened near the Walden Galleria, Sakura...

Fantastic in my book...although I have never had NYC sushi...but everything is VERY fresh, the tuna is outstanding, had a few rolls, the Philadelphia roll was excellent, a great Spider Roll....

They have a nice "box" lunch...I usually get ths sashimi box...about 8 nice pieces of sashimi, 4 pieces of California roll, a nice light salad with a ginger puree kind of dressing, two pieces of tempura, some japanese marinated vegetables...all for about $12....

I recommend it....

Nothing good about Black and Blue....I just booked their "Board Room" for a corporate dinner I am having with some of our Rochester employees on one of my projects...I heard some good things (D&C Review), and their menu looks great

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