Pulled Into Syracuse

Downtown Dining Week

2012-01-31T07:44:00.002-05:00

The AmeriCU Credit Union Dining Week(s) runs this year from Wednesday, February 15th through Wednesday, February 29th in Downtown Syracuse.

Participating restaurants offer 3 course meals at $25 or less (beverages, tax, and gratuity are additional). You can check out the list of restaurants and view dining week menus at downtownsyracuse.com.

It's a great event for Downtown and it's does get busy, so some places may require a reservation.

Also, if you're up for ice skating afterwards, you can show your dining week receipt and get half-price admission to the Clinton Square ice rink.

Slow Food CNY Speaker & Film Series

2012-01-25T07:54:00.005-05:00

Slow Food CNY will be hosting their third and final Speaker & Film series tonight at the Redhouse Arts Center (201 S West St). Heather Hawkins will speak at 7 PM followed by the documentary, No One Ever Went Hungry. There will also be local food producers giving out samples and selling their goods beginning at 5 PM. The event is sponsored by Wellness from Within.

It should be a great event. I went to the previous speaker and film series last month and it's a lot of fun. At the very least, it's nice to mingle, educate yourself, and support the local food community. The event is free and open to the public.

More info can be found on the event's Facebook page, at the Small Potatoes Sales & Marketing blog, as well as Slow Food CNY.

Review: Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub

2012-01-24T19:59:00.002-05:00

Name: Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub
Address: 100 S Lowell Ave, Syracuse, NY
Phone: 315-476-1933
Neighborhood: Tipperary Hill
Website: www.colemansirishpub.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Irish, Traditional American, Pub Food
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Sunday 11:30 AM to 2 AM
Parking: Private lot and on-street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No

Originally established as a small working man's saloon in 1933, Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub has evolved to become a permanent fixture nestled upon Syracuse's Tipperary Hill. Growing both in size and within the surrounding community's hearts over the decades, it continues to be an anchor in sustaining the Irish heritage of the city.

Fixated at the corner of S Lowell Ave and Tompkins St, Coleman's is a massive place. The surrounding streets of Tipp Hill are dotted with mostly large houses and Coleman's is no exception. Irish flags, two red phone booths (one regular sized, one for the leprechauns), a statue sitting on a bench, and two heavy wooden doors greet you as you approach and welcome you in arrival.

Coleman's does have their own customer parking lot, but if that's busy, there's plenty of on-street parking nearby. The neighborhood is quaint and quiet, so it's a pleasant walk if for some reason you're unable to find a close spot.

On the inside you'll find dark, ordinate woodwork lining the rooms and bar area, stained glass window dividers near tables, and plenty of old photographs adorning the walls. The rich colors coupled with stained glass make you feel as if you're in a place of grandeur. It's almost church-like but certainly not uncomfortable. Rather, it's very down-to-earth, inviting, and homey.

Aside from that, there's a pool table, darts, engraved beer mugs hanging over the bar (for regulars), flat screen TVs, a fireplace, a coat check, and a gift shop selling Coleman's and Irish-themed products like pint glasses, T-shirts, and other little odds and ends. There's also live music on the weekends, trivia on Tuesday nights at 9, seating for roughly 105 people (which is a mix of tables for large or small groups as well as intimate pub-style booths), and an upstairs banquet area for formal occasions and private parties. Needless to say, it's a big place with a lot going on.

The menu reads pretty straightforward and contains a nice mix of pub food (though a bit limited on the vegetarian side of things). It definitely hovers within the Irish-themed pub and comfort food genres. A few of the offerings include: potato leek soup, smoked Irish salmon, wings, potato skins, Irish soda bread, bangers and mash, beef on weck, fish and chips, corned beef and cabbage, open-faced sandwiches, burgers, salads, as well as a few pasta dishes.

Beef O'Flaherty, a signature dish of Coleman's, is not something that would normally jump out at me on a menu, but it had some positive reviews online, so I figured I'd give it a shot.

The order...

Guinness Onion rings: $5.99
Beef O'Flaherty: $8.99
Two Guinness stouts: $8
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $29.18

Several got snatched up before I could get a picture.

These hefty onion ring slices were coated in a crunchy, stout-battered breading and laid on top of a bed of green lettuce. A somewhat pinkish mayo and horseradish dipping sauce accompanied them and was pretty good for dunking. The rings were a bit on the greasy side, but that's anticipated and encouraged with fried onions. It was an excellent appetizer, addicting, and definitely the highlight of the meal. Granted, I had some good ones in my last review, but these were some of the best onion rings that I've been able to find in the city.

Holy cheese!

Large slices of well-cooked roast beef and soft bread were tucked underneath a covering of slightly chunky and homemade blue cheese that was nicely browned and bubbly on top. The cheese had a more mellow flavor than say, chicken wing blue cheese. It was nice but a tad overwhelming (not necessarily the flavor, but the amount). The roast beef was a little more well-done than I prefer, but the large pieces still remained juicy. I wished there was a bit more bread to balance the rest of the ingredients though, as the mostly beef and cheese presence made it a little "one note"-ish.

Also on the plate were Irish fries, which were lightly fried and golden on the outside, had a nice starchy and airy potato filling inside, and were a bit like steak fries from the taste. I'd get them again.

Good portion sizes all around, but I'd probably opt for a different main course next time. The fries and rings both get a thumbs up though.

Some other Notes...

- A lot of effort goes into the Beef O'Flaherty, which I found out after reading this informative article by Megan Hess on Syracuse.com.

- Depending on the time of day, the vibe inside can range anywhere from calm and relaxing to crowded and rowdy, so be mindful of your timing. I came in for lunch on a weekday afternoon and while it was a little busy inside, I found it to be cozy for a meal with my family.

- If you have a few minutes before or afterwards and are interested in some local history, don't miss the green-on-top traffic light located just two blocks away at the intersection of Tompkins St and Milton Ave. So the story goes: when the City of Syracuse first started to install traffic signal lights in the 1920's, one was installed here in the predominantly Irish neighborhood on Tipperary Hill. Some Irish youths, incensed that anyone would dare put the "British" red above the "Irish" green broke the light with stones continually until the city relented and let the green remain on top.

- The "painting of the shamrock" also takes place at this intersection. It's an informal ceremony that happens at Midnight right before St Patrick's Day. Essentially, a crowd of a few hundred people will gather around 11:45 PM. At Midnight, a few local residents then read the names of family and friends who have passed away over the last year and sing a few Irish folk songs in remembrance. That's followed by the painting of a huge, green shamrock in the middle of the intersection. Everyone is given a little white card with some Irish quotes on it and then you go and dip that into the not-yet-dry green paint for good luck. The crowd then disperses around 12:15 AM and back into to their homes and into the surrounding neighborhood pubs (including Coleman's). The crowd's size has steadily grown over the last several years (thanks a lot, internet! always spilling out these cool little known details about things!), yet it remains one of the true cultural gems of the city.

- Coleman's green beer delivery parade, unofficially dubbed "the shortest parade in the world", has been happening every year since 1962 and is typically held near the end of February. Irish step dancers, bag pipers, and a huge beer tanker begin at the green-over-red traffic light and proceed down the hill towards Coleman's, where roughly 8,500 gallons of green beer are pumped into the restaurant and/or tapped directly out of the tanker for parade-goers. There's tents, music, and it's typically very crowded. For all intensive purposes, "Green Beer Day" is an excuse to drink on a Sunday afternoon in the middle of winter. Despite the high volume of alcohol in abundance and how crowded it can get, the parade is actually quite family-friendly. The green beer usually lasts until about St. Patrick's day.

At last year's green beer parade, I remember talking to a guy who restored both the regular-sized and leprechaun-sized phone booths in front of Coleman's. Nice guy. I'll be damned if I can remember anything from that conversation though.

- Coleman's has a few recipes up on their website if you're at all interested: lamb stew, Bailey's chocolate chip cheesecake, and hot bloody mary soup.

While I found the entree to be slightly underwhelming, it's hard to overshadow the place's hospitality, charm, and nostalgia. I love the atmosphere of Coleman's and it's tough to fault them in just about any category. It seems excellent for family dining, children (that is, when the time of day is appropriate), and gathering with friends for drinks on a quiet afternoon or, if you're in the mood for it, a busy weekend night. I'll be sure to return for both food and a pint again soon.

My rating of Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub:

Your rating of Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub:

SU Basketball on TV

2012-01-12T19:26:00.005-05:00

Going to be out of town and wondering where to go to watch your #1 ranked Syracuse Orange men's basketball team? Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician compiles a list for Orange fans on where to go to watch each specific SU basketball game in just about any city. Also check out iSchoolSU on foursquare for other nationwide places to watch SU games.

I'm a big fan of the SB Nation blogs and Troy Nunes Is An Absolute Magician is an excellent sports blog for 'cuse fans. It also has to be one of the best blog names ever.

New Year's Eve 2012

2011-12-28T16:18:00.005-05:00

Downtownsyracuse.com has a great list of what's going on restaurant-wise for New Year's Eve. Some of the celebrations include: a special 4 course meal from 5pm-11pm at bc Restaurant ($65/person), a 5 course dinner with live music at Kitty Hoynes ($50/person), and a special menu with buffet stations, sparkling wine from around the world, and champagne opening at 9pm at L'Adour ($98/person). It's best to call the actual businesses for details and questions, as for some of them you'll need a reservation. There's a bunch more happening around Downtown so check out the entire list here to see what's going on.

It should be a fun time. This will be the first New Year's where I'll actually be in Downtown Syracuse for once and not out in another city, so I'm really looking forward to it.

2012 has been a really great year. Finishing the wing tournament and having reviews published in The Eagle were definitely two of the highlights for me on the year (and maybe in 3rd place is the huge poster hanging up at Swallow's displaying my Final Four wing results!).

Thanks again to everyone who has read the posts and continued to chime in on the comments as well as everyone on Twitter. This blog is for you guys and it means a lot to have continuous support from new friends and to be able to meet a lot of new people along the way. Hard to believe the blog is now 3 years old!

I've certainly let the updating and the reviews lag a bit lately, so if I have one New Year's resolution, it's that 2012 shall bring more writing, as I have a few fun things in store for the blog.

Thanks again and have a happy and safe New Year!

Cafe Kubal opens in Downtown

2011-12-21T07:55:00.005-05:00

Cafe Kubal has opened its newest location at the former Deys department store building on the corner of Salina and Jefferson Streets (kitty-corner to the Landmark).

I haven't had a chance to stop over, but judging from the pictures, it looks fantastic. Hopefully it's a sign of good things to come for South Salina Street.

For more information check out their website at cafekubal.com and a wonderfully written article by Sean Kirst in the Post Standard.

Review: A Taste of Philadelphia

2011-11-29T12:05:00.008-05:00

Name: A Taste of Philadelphia
Address: 2533 James St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: 315-463-9422
Neighborhood: Eastwood
Website: www.atasteofphiladelphiasince1976.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Cheesesteaks, hoagies, sandwiches, fried foods
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 11 AM to 8 PM, Saturday 12 PM to 7 PM
Parking: On-street and private lot
Accepts Credit Cards: No
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes

I rarely get a craving for cheesesteaks. But despite eating on the vegetarian side of the spectrum with cooking and ordering out as of late, I had a hankering for a greasy, meaty, and cheesy sandwich and figured A Taste of Philadelphia would be my best bet in not only filling that void but also maybe bringing something new into the common rotation of weekly restaurants.

A Taste of Philadelphia is situated on James Street in the busy section of the city's Eastwood neighborhood. Parking is available on-street as well as in a lot behind the building. (A sign in the window said this. I couldn't find the actual lot so I risked parking in a lot that I probably wasn't allowed to do so in).

Inside is a homey interior mixed with plenty of table and booth seating as well as a ton of Philadelphia city and sports memorabilia lining every space of the walls. Posters and framed pictures of things like Rocky, The 76'ers, Benjamin Franklin, and Dr. J are plentiful and interesting to look at. Thankfully, The Phillies stuff wasn't overboard. I was expecting it to be thrown in my face given their rise in popularity lately. Or maybe I'm just a self-loathing Mets fan...

Menu items include classic cheesesteaks and varieties like the original (with steak and cheese), pizza style (with mozzarella, pizza sauce, and optional pepperoni), hoagie style (with onions, lettuce, and tomatoes), and the special (with onions, hot or sweet peppers, mushrooms, and pizza sauce). And according to wikipedia, their variations are right on the mark. Other menu highlights include the chicken parm sub, chicken bacon ranch wrap, roast beef, Italian sub, grilled ham and cheese, and sides like garden salads, potato and mac salad, cheesesteak salad (yup, you read that correctly), mozzarella sticks, fries, and cookies.

The order...

Onion rings: $3.25
Classic cheesesteak with onions and sweet peppers: $6.80
Coke: $1.75
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $14

After ordering at the counter, I grabbed a seat in a corner booth. Aesthetically, the room was somewhat smelly and the booth seat really needed a good scrubbing. The table itself was very clean, but most of the seats and chairs that I saw, as well as the carpeting, needed some heavy recycling from being old, dirty, and worn out.

Pictured below is my meal. Yum yum!

I couldn't pass up the opportunity to get onion rings. I had heard some good things prior to the visit and they must've been true because a customer walked in after me and ordered them as well, only to be disappointed that I had gotten the last batch of the day. Cha-ching!

The rings were excellent. Large, golden fried rings were found to be very oniony and crunchy; most of which were perfectly fried revealing that great crunch (a couple rings were overly fried though). Biting all the way through didn't string the onion out of its shell either. I would definitely order these again.

Deliciously juicy and finely chopped prime rib mixed with small pieces of onions and sweet green and red peppers filled the inside of the cheesesteak that was held together by a row of melted white cheese. Despite the cheese giving off a heavily processed feel (I'm guessing provolone?), I thought it was a perfect fit. Especially for a greasy sub. It probably could have used a bit more cheese as well as onions and peppers, but the meat held up on its own and didn't disappoint. It was very juicy and even a little fatty in spots (it was delicious - and if I've learned anything from my mom about her meat loaf and her lasagna, it's that you want a bit of fat in there for better flavor).

A little bit of grease emanating from the meat lined some of the bread on the outside. The roll was fairly soft and a bit generic. I think a heartier or stronger bread would've helped, but that didn't stop me from scarfing the entire sandwich down. And according to their website, the bread stays true to the south Philly style from the 1930's.

Like I've said, I rarely eat cheesesteaks so my take is probably a little subjective in that I don't know what constitutes good or bad cheesesteaks other than what tastes good to me. Overall, I thought the food was very good and the cheesesteak was a nice change of pace from what you'd expect to find in Syracuse. It's something that I'm more than happy to introduce into my rotation of places when I need some quick food. The meal probably wasn't the best decision for my heart, but it was tasty and well worth it.

Additional notes...

- It's cash only!

My uneducated guess would say that this is about as close as you're going to get to a Philly-style cheesesteak in Syracuse. Again, the interior could use a major cleaning overhaul as some of my dining experience was overshadowed by fairly noticeable uncleanliness. I'd go back though. Either for the same meal or to try some different varieties of cheesesteaks, most of which sounded very good. And if the classic style that I ordered is any indication, I'd bet that they're equally as good. As far as dining goes... I'm probably doing take-out next time.

My rating of A Taste of Philadelphia:

Your rating of A Taste of Philadelphia:

Syracuse Beer Week

2011-11-04T16:21:00.000-04:00

For you beer connoisseurs, the 4th Annual Syracuse Beer Week begins tomorrow, November 5th and runs until November 12th. Plenty of great tastings going on in and around Syracuse (way too many to list!). Check their events calendar and map to see what's going on in your area.

Mmmmm.... free Ommegang.

Several New Sites and Blogs

2011-11-04T16:20:00.001-04:00

Plenty of good stuff happening on the Syracuse interwebs. Because, let's face it, 'cuse is awesome.

First up is Syracuse Guru which is an excellent reference for happenings like food, music, and culture in and around Syracuse. Also check out Adventures in Syracuse!, which explores many of the wonderful things that Syracuse has to offer.

Next is Syracuse First, a really cool grassroots style movement lead by Chris Fowler to get local people more conscientious about local business, local food, and sustainability. They even have a directory of local businesses (and restaurants!) that support the ideas. Also in the local movement is Small Potatoes which is a marketing and advocacy firm that helps small scale food producers from CNY expand their businesses.

And for some shameless self-promotion, I've launched a new blog called Salt City Critique (it's where I've been hiding these last couple of weeks), which is an urban planning blog about the ups and downs of civic life in Syracuse.

Restaurant news and updates

2011-11-04T16:16:00.001-04:00

Freedom of Espresso's Pearl St location has officially closed and looking for a new nearby location. More info is here. C'mon, Post-Standard. This location is not Downtown, it's the Near Northeast! To read my previous thoughts on the matter, click here.

In other restaurant news...

Odessa Cafe opened at 207 E Jefferson St, specializing in soul food.

Cafe Ole' opened at 359 S Warren St, a gourmet coffee shop with light lunches and pastries.

Mangia! opened at 232 Harrison St several months ago (I'm late) and it has favorable reviews thus far.

No official word on Clark's reopening, but you can stay informed right away from their Facebook page.

Speaking of Clark's, their former neighbor, The Landmark Theatre, will be holding their Grand Re-Opening Celebration on November 18th.

Review: Big Slim's Grill

2011-10-11T20:42:00.026-04:00

Name: Big Slim's Grill
Address: 214 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: 315-314-7766
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Big-Slims-Grill/125634480864605
Menu: n/a
Cuisine: Sandwiches, wraps, burgers, wings, salads, fried foods
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Wednesday 11AM - 9PM, Thursday to Saturday 11AM - 3AM, Sunday 11AM - 9PM
Parking: On-street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: No
Take-Out: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
Delivery: Yes (see additional notes)

Open since the summer of 2011, Big Slim's Grill offers up two sides of the equation for any lunchtime and late-night restaurant goer: "big" for the heavy eater in you and "slim" if you're leaning towards the lighter fare.

The interior has a fairly sleek vibe to it with a consistent seating and color scheme (even a lage flat screen TV in one corner). I thought the space could be filled in bit more with some tables, but overall I found it to be a huge improvement over the previous establishment and extremely clean. There's also a couple tables for outdoor seating adjacent to the handicap ramp in front.

The menu has a good range of healthy and not-so-healthy choices: The BSG Bacon Burger (angus burger with bacon, cheddar cheese, and the fixings), Basil Bomber (grilled chicken, mozzarella, spinach, roasted red peppers, and pesto on a ciabata roll), The 76er (Philly steak, onion rings, cheese whiz, grilled pepper and mushrooms on a toasted sub roll), The Balboa (ground hamburger, mozzarella sticks, marinara sauce, and Parmesan cheese on a toasted sub roll), and The Buffalo Biff (grilled chicken, blue cheese, lettuce, tomato, Buffalo sauce in a wheat wrap.

There's also a create-your-own section with various main options like chicken tenders, Philly steak, turkey, steak tips, or roast beef; those can be with rolls, wraps, panini or as a salad; and those can be accompanied with toppings and sides like lettuce, tomato, onions, cucumber, almonds, fruit, roasted red peppers, onion rings, eggs, dressings, hot sauces, sweet 'n sour sauce, and BBQ sauce. That's really only a portion of what there is. The list is kind of huge. The menu looks small at first glance, but there's literally tons of combinations that you can make.

Aside from create-your-own, there's also Dumpster Plates, the Rochester equivalent of a Garbage Plate as well as other sides like mac salad, baked beans, home fries, French fries, mozzarella sticks, and chicken wings.

It was Midnight on a Saturday night and I had to do it.

The order...

Combination Dumpster Plate: $8.99
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $12

A brief history of the Garbage Plate: In what would best be described as a Rochester delicacy, a Garbage Plate is essentially a gigantic, made-to-order pile of greasy food usually consisting of either hamburger, cheeseburger, Italian sausages, steak, chicken, white or red hots, a grilled cheese sandwich, fried fish, or eggs; and served on top of one or two of the following: home fries, french fries, beans, and mac salad. The plate is then topped with optional mustard, chopped onions, and a spicy ground beef sauce and served with a side of bread. Basically, it's a drunkard's heaven.

Nick Tahou's main location at 320 W Main St in Rochester, is home to the original Garbage Plate. It also owns its trademark name - hence while you'll see different names for the same dish across much of Upstate New York (J Ryan's has the Bubba Plate, here at Big Slim's you'll find the Dumpster Plate, etc...). There's plenty of places in Rochester that have their own take on it and many Rochesterians(?) each have their own place where they prefer it from.

Despite having lived in The Roc for roughly a year, I didn't test out a lot of garbage plates during my stay aside from the original at Nick Tahou's, which I kind of use as the basis for judging them. Coincidentally, in attendance with me at the time of my visit to Big Slim's was a buddy of mine who went to RIT and is somewhat of a garbage plate connoisseur (his favorite is from Schaller's). So between the two of us, we had somewhat of a good impression as to what constitutes a good plate and a bad one.

The Dumpster Plate here Big Slim's is fairly classic and comes with a selected combination of hot dogs, cheeseburger, hamburger, chicken tenders, or Philly cheese steak and two sides of either macaroni salad, french fries, home fries, or baked beans. On top of that is their signature ground beef sauce and on the side is a slice of white bread.

Again, I was with a group of guys entering in around Midnight or so on a Saturday night. All 6 of us ordered different plates, some of which came with home fries, eggs, chicken tenders, etc... so despite the different orders and time of operation, we all received them pretty quickly, which was fairly impressive and kind of key when you're out late and looking for a quick meal of food before heading home. I ordered mac salad and french fries for mine. It's only a buck for the additional meat, so I decided to upgrade and go with both hamburger and hot dogs. Big spender!

If you've never eaten one before, all you do is cut it up and swish some of it around and then dive in - it's easy enough for a drunk person to figure out and I suppose not unlike how you'd approach eating bibimbap at a Korean restaurant. Ketchup and hot sauce were both available at the table too which are always essential.

First impressions were how good both the fries and mac salad were. The fries were really good. Crunchy and fried to golden perfection. And in general, I love mac salad in garbage plates. It's such an odd addition that works really well for some reason. Big Slim's mac salad was very good and came with chopped carrots, celery, and onions and had a good pasta and creamy mayo consistency. I'd definitely order either one again, with or without being in an actual garbage plate. The signature meat sauce was complete with juicy ground beef that was fairly high on the heat scale. And, in keeping with the classic theme, the added grease drippings were easily mopped up with a slice of white bread (not pictured).

I've previously written about my thoughts on a much needed Syracuse version of this monstrosity. Turns out Big Slim's uses Hofmann hot dogs (I asked), which was a refreshing sight. You can't really see it in the picture, but I do appreciate how the dogs were split and fried, which stays true to an original garbage plate. However, I wasn't overly crazy about the style of hot dogs used as they didn't have the casing that I was anticipating. These probably were indeed Hofmann's, but they were not the "snappy" style. Hofmann does have several different styles of franks, so these may have been the skinless German style brand. Still, an excellent grilled and tasty addition and great to see some hometown representation. I just think that additional "snap" would've set it over the edge. The only thing really lacking with any of it was the hamburger meat, which although was a huge helping, tasted fairly dry and somewhat charred.

Overall though, it was a great rendition. And my RIT buddy confirmed. It more than filled an empty stomach and satisfied a perfect late-night urge for greasy delicious food. Big Slim's should be proud as it clearly puts the Garbage Plate on the map here in 'cuse.

Additional notes...

- They do deliver with a $20 minimum and within a 3 mile radius. Best to call for details.

- While not necessarily related to this restaurant, how cool would it be to see coneys and/or Tater Tots as options in Garbage Plates?

I'd go out on a limb and say that Big Slim's hit a home run, or at least a triple, with their concept of healthy food and greasy late night offerings both existing in the same place within the confines of Armory Square. This way both sides of the spectrum can enjoy what they have to offer: the Downtown lunch goer on an afternoon weekday and the 20-something roué on a weekend night. (First and last time I'll ever use that word. Thank you, thesaurus).

I'll have to head over for lunch one of these days. Also, the wings were a nice surprise to see on the menu, so I'll have to give those a try too. For late night and definitely for a garbage plate, I'd say give it a shot. I found it to be very a clean place with tasty food and quick and friendly service.

My rating of Big Slim's Grill:

Your rating of Big Slim's Grill:

Site Redesign

2011-09-26T20:44:00.003-04:00

I'm going to be messing around with a few different designs and formating stuff over the next couple days. If anyone has any technical or layout problems with things as they stand now, let me know. (Pop-ups, weird looking scroll bars, text, bad links, ect...).

Also, for those that check the site on their smartphones, let me know of any issues as well. You can leave a message in the comments section or send me an email at pulledintosyracuse@gmail.com.

Top 5 Places for Hand and On-The-Go Food in Syracuse

2011-09-23T07:50:00.015-04:00

Sometimes food doesn't always come accompanied with forks, spoons, or chopsticks. Occasionally, you have to enjoy it without the utensils. The following is a list of some of the best hand and on-the-go food found in the city.

"Pineapple Express" from Darwin

1) Milkshakes @ Strong Hearts Cafe: 719 E Genesee St, Syracuse, NY
Arguably some of the best and sweetest milkshakes you'll ever have, Strong Hearts Cafe serves up some delicious shake concoctions such as blueberry, peach cobbler, dreamsicle, vanilla espresso, pina colada, and my personal favorite, Oreo cookies and cream. Best of all? The shakes are entirely vegan. Shame on you, Strong Hearts for being so good and yet so deceiving.
[link] [map]

2) Ice Cream @ Gannon's Isle: 1525 Valley Dr, Syracuse, NY
Gannon's Isle as been offering some of the tastiest ice cream options in Syracuse since 1982. They constantly rotate over 200 ice cream flavors, some of which include Rocky Mountain Raspberry (white chocolate ice cream with raspberry and dotted chocolate almond pieces), Hidden Secret (chocolate ice cream with Gertrude Hawk candies), and Creme Brulee (French Vanilla ice cream with caramel ripple and chocolate covered carmel cups). All homemade, airy, and incredibly rich (due to their slightly higher butterfat content as compared to most other brands). Whether it's 91 degrees outside or -1, it's never a bad time for delicious and homemade ice cream. Also, check out some great pictures and information about Gannon's on Syracuse Guru.
[link] [map]

3) Sandwiches @ Darwin: 211 N Clinton St, Syracuse, NY
Though my praise has been high as of late, I can't say enough how wonderful it is to have a high quality sandwich shop in Downtown. Darwin's weekly and ever evolving menu features their Midnight Train to Georgia (roast beef with melted swiss), a muffuletta (a New Orleans classic), Ships Passing In The Night (a veggie option with mozzarella, portabellos, red onions, tomatoes, spinach, basil, and creamy balsamic dressing), and of course the one that I'm partial to, the NYC Lobster Roll, which is one of the biggest and tastiest lobster rolls you'll find anywhere.
[link] [map]

4) Coffee @ Cafe Kubal: 3501 James St, Syracuse, NY
To some, coffee is food. Here, whether it's a nutty and sweet espresso or a rich macchiato or latte, it's brewed, pressed, roasted and ground daily and some of the best in the city. Aromatic and flavorful, you'll find influences from Latin America, Africa, and Indonesia, to name a few. You can also order in bulk online. A 12 ounce bag will run you about $12, but well worth it when it's all roasted, packaged, and shipped fresh.
[link] [map]

5) Burritos @ Ponchito's Taqueria: 3800 New Court Ave, Syracuse, NY
In what may resemble a small baby wrapped in a flour tortilla rather than a made-to-order burrito, Ponchito's near Eastwood serves up some incredibly huge and tasty burritos - which are great for on-the-go eating. In the location and style of a Mexican roadside stand, customers can fill their burritos with not only beans, cheese, salsas, hot sauces, sour cream, and guacamole, but main ingredients like ground beef, carnitas (seasoned pork in beer broth), marinated and roasted chicken, chile rubbed steak, or grilled veggies. And don't miss their other newer location in the Valley at 401 W Seneca Turnpike at the former Bill's Inn location.
[link] [map]

Honorable Mention
Hot dogs @ Alliance Bank Stadium: 1 Tex Simone Dr, Syracuse, NY
Doubtful one can imagine a more picturesque late summer evening than one spent at the ball game enjoying a Hofmann hot dog. You can get them anywhere you say? Why is the baseball stadium on this list? Because they're grilled on the spot and even better than most dogs you'll find at the Major League level. Not only are they incredibly fresh and clean-tasting, but you'll find they have no preservatives and come packed inside an unbelievable crispy and snappy casing (A bold statement, but I'd even argue that the hot dogs are better here than they are from Heid's). If you're not a native Syracusan, give the coney a try - essentially a white hot dog made with veal and pork and is slightly more spicy to its red counterpart. Throw some yellow mustard, chopped onions, and pickle relish on there and you're good to go. But don't be fooled: they also sell the steamed-ish packaged hot dogs at the stadium at various locations too, so make sure you go to the actual grilling station found along the 3rd base side. Unfortunately, baseball does not run year-round, so in the fall and winter, you'll have to settle for a Dome Dog. Which are good mind you, but just not the same.
[link] [map]

Thoughts: Parking

2011-09-20T16:51:00.012-04:00

Yes this is a restaurant blog, but I occasionally dip into topics that are loosely connected (everything is related to some extent: cuisine, culture, vibrancy, neighborhoods, quality of life...). So I thought I'd shed some light on a recent article from the Post Standard about parking at Freedom of Espresso, which you can read here. The article is more or less about parking restrictions and whether or not parking tickets deter business. Freedom is shutting down their original location on Pearl Street where they've laid home to since 1995. It doesn't mention every reason, but a safe bet is the downturn in the economy and the one that's discussed in the article: customer parking. Essentially, customers are (or were) parking in front of or near Freedom and receiving parking tickets. A shame on many different levels, but understandably, Freedom is moving and needs to do what it needs to do.

I'll never get where the parking resentment stems from in Syracuse. I'm fairly certain that the idea of whether or not parking is easy or complicated or expensive or cheap or plentiful or nonexistent is perception. And perception becomes reality depending on who's point of view it's coming from: some people know where to park, some people expect to walk a distance on occasions, some people enjoy complaining about anything, some people understand that an urbanized area needs to have fees and tickets in order to maintain its higher operating costs, some people don't know where to park in an unfamiliar neighborhood, and some people park their vehicles illegally - either because 1) they think they can slide in and out with it without anyone noticing 2) they think they're above the law 3) they don't want to park any further away from where they need to go because they're in a hurry or 4) they don't pay attention to the signs.

Read more »

Weekend Happenings: Festa Italiana

2011-09-16T07:44:00.004-04:00

Festa Italiana starts today in Downtown Syracuse in front of City Hall. The event highlights Italian heritage and features live music, bocce, bingo, and plenty of delicious Italian food. It runs Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to 11 PM and Sunday 11 AM to 7 PM. More info about the event and which vendors will be there can be found on the official site at festaitaliana.bizland.com.

I've eaten a decent amount of Italian food lately. Is that going to stop me from eating Francesca's lobster raviolis each day this weekend until they run out? Probably not.

Alto Cinco's Tacos and Calamari

2011-09-02T07:51:00.001-04:00

I do love Alto Cinco, but I tend to get stuck in an ordering habit when I go there, more often than not opting for their California Burrito (yellow rice, black beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, roasted red peppers, and tons of guacamole). I've been wanting to try their tacos out and I remember someone telling me once that their calamari was amazing, so I gave them both a shot for take-out recently.

Shrimp Soft Tacos: $9
Fried Calamari: $10

The tacos were superb. I essentially inhaled these in several minutes. Lightly grilled flour tortillas came wrapped around shrimp, pickled cabbage, sour cream, fresh lettuce, and mango salsa.

I do like that they semi-grilled the tortillas, which helped them stay together (there's nothing worse than ordering soft tacos and getting a soggy mess in return). A good amount of bright and surprisingly fresh mango salsa along side plump and perfectly grilled shrimp (seriously perfect - and I'm picky about my shrimp) and sprinkled with tangy pickled red cabbage (vinegary, but not overly pungent). It was a great balance of ingredients and textures, a good portion size, and they didn't skimp on the shrimp either. $9 or not, I'd order them again.

Pictured above are the calamari fried in peanut oil and served with chipotle mayo and lime wedges.

There was excellent flavor with the calamari and the sauce was spicy, creamy, and great for dunking, but the calamari suffered from being kept in a hot container for too long which unfortunately made the breading really mushy. A victim of take-out, I suppose. I'd be curious to order these again next time I actually dine-in. The rings were big and tender and the spicy flavor from the mayo was great, but the fried-ness were just lacking that necessary crunch.

All and all, the shrimp tacos and calamari both complimented each other really well. The saltiness of the calamari, spiciness from the chipotle mayo, and light, tropical feel from the tacos were all a great combination of flavors.

Thumbs up.

Dinosaur Take-Out

2011-08-31T07:49:00.004-04:00

Pictured below is Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's Carolina style pulled pork sandwich.

"Now... look at this sorry, miserable, squashed thing. Can anybody tell me what's wrong with this picture?"

Granted, it was tasty as ever, but take-out from any of your go-to restaurants can be a gamble sometimes. Dino's coleslaw was on the mark as usual: crunchy, fresh, and slightly tangy but just piling out of the sandwich all over the place creating a huge mess on a squashed bun. After picking about 2/3rds of it out with a fork, it basically became a free, third side dish. Bonus. It was tasty, but not quite there aesthetically.

Speaking of sides, I usually love their choices, especially the tomato cucumber salad, but on this occasion the veggies were slightly wilted, flavorless, and not quite as good as usual.

At any rate, the smokey BBQ beans and amazing wings helped overshadow any minor complaints. Still so good, Dino.

Local Happenings and Incognito

2011-08-30T20:12:00.010-04:00

Well, it's been a while since I've updated. Let's see what I missed...

An early morning fire on August 19th damaged the 500 block on Westcott St. Both Mom's Diner and Metro Lounge will be closed for several weeks.

I was over there today and they were still emptying debris out of Pop's Shop, where the fire originated.

The Funky Flea, this time held on the Northside, was held on Prospect Ave off Salina Street on Saturday, August 27th. Music, collectibles, T-Shirts, artwork, as well as live music and some vendors filled out the funky outdoor space.

I had Gentile's pulled pork sandwich with strawberry BBQ sauce. This was actually quite tasty and strawberries surprisingly went very well with the pork. Though, it was a sweltering day out so maybe it wasn't the smartest choice to devour.

Oysters and Kilts was held at Kitty Hoynes on August 9th and I missed it. Sigh. Maybe next year.

Big Slim's Grill has taken over the former Fresco Tortillas Grill and former Movino's Pizza in Armory Square. "Slim" offerings include the Basil Bomber (grilled chicken with cheese, peppers, and pesto) and The Herbivore (a veggie burger) and unhealthy and big offerings include the Balboa (a burger with marinara sauce), the 76er (a classic Philly cheese steak), and customized garbage plates, called "Dumpster Plates".

A late night garbage plate option in Armory Square should be interesting. Anyone remember Movino's? When they first opened, their wood fired pizza margherita was the best.

Also opening up in Downtown recently is ~~OMG CLARK'S!~~ the Saltine Warrior Sports Pub. It's located in the former CL Evers grocery and deli spot in the Amos Building and features micro and macro brew, pizza, wings, burgers, sandwiches, as well as a couple "draft tables" where patrons place their beer order with the bartender and have it dispensed at their table. More info here.

Pizza at Home: Columbus Baking Co

2011-08-16T07:48:00.002-04:00

Monday night was "Pizza Night" in my kitchen, which ~~typically~~ always consists of pizza dough from Columbus Bakery (they just launched a new site - check it out at www.columbusbakingco.com). When I got to the actual bakery, I was lucky enough to grab what looked like the last one for the day, so that made walking through the rain for several blocks worth it. I also grabbed some sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese for $10 which wasn't too shabby for a total - especially considering the portion sizes, how it's way more fun to make pizza at home, and how your house can actually smell like the same bakery during the process.

I spoiled myself with a stop into Vinomania on the way back. That place is so good!

I'm still trying to perfect making pizza at home. It's tricky with home ovens (at least I think it is). Mine's electric (guh!) but has a pre-heated timer and an oven light, which makes pre-heating and baking easier than what I've had to use over the previous several years. The bakery's owner, Jimmy Retzos, recommended one time that I let the dough set for a while before working with it, so I usually sprinkle a little flour on it when I get back and let it rest on the counter for about 15 minutes before I break out the rolling pin. After that, I flour the pizza tray, spread the dough out (I roll out the bubbles - I have no idea if you're supposed to do this or not), place it on the tray, put the ingredients on, toss it into the oven at 425 degrees for about 15-18 minutes, and then take it out and let it rest for about 5 minutes or so. And garnish with a little fresh basil from the garden if I happen to have some.

This week's trial came out great other than it being just a tad undercooked between the dough and sauce. I took it out early because I hate when you make pizza at home and the cheese gets burned and all brownish. I don't mind a little burned cheese - actually, it can be really tasty in moderation from the wood-fired kind of pizza, but at home I usually don't like the taste. I'm guessing I either have to leave it in longer or bake it at a higher temperature. At least it looked pretty.

What are your suggestions on pizza dough? Do you have any oven tips? Suggestions for making it at home? Upper or lower oven rack? Is there pizza dough in the area you swear by? Let me know in the comments!

Lunch and Blog Updates

2011-08-15T20:52:00.002-04:00

Pictured above is the "Pineapple Express" from Darwin on North Clinton Street in Downtown, a tasty Cajun chicken breast sandwich with pineapple salsa, chili sauce, melted provolone, and baby spinach between Pasta's stretch bread. Look for a new review of Darwin coming up in this week's edition of The Eagle.

I've been working two jobs this summer and will be finished with my hectic schedule on Saturday, so I'll get back into the swing of things after then. I've got some changes coming to the blog that I'll be putting up soon too!

Clark's Ale House Update

2011-07-20T07:37:00.008-04:00

After closing last year, Clark's Ale House will be reopening in a new location soon. And yes, they will still be Downtown. No details yet as to which location, but owner Ray Clark says the new spot should have double the space for outdoor seating. (It's a shot in the dark, but my original hunch was that it would go here - now I'm not sure. The former Quigly's Tavern in Hanover Square has been under construction for a couple of months now, so maybe there? Time will tell!). Clark expects to resume business by November with the same great concept: "22 drafts and 1 sandwich.". More info can be found here and you can stay up to date on their Facebook page.

I seriously can't wait. Perhaps we were a tad rowdy, but my friends and I had a great time closing out the bar last year (kicking both Genny Cream Ale and Guinness). I miss Clark's and have literally gotten several late-night cravings for roast beef sandwiches since September of last year. It'll be great to have it back. In Downtown no less.

Also, I've been a tad nonexistent on the ol' blog. I'm working two jobs, it's summertime, and I'm putting together some plans to revamp things here, so apologies for the lack of restaurant reviews. I'll get them up soon.

Polish Festival Recap

2011-06-15T11:23:00.010-04:00

I already said it on Twitter, but the Polish Fest was pretty cool this year. It's a much more low-key event compared to the Taste of Syracuse, but it's a lot of fun to watch the various dances and eat some really great food.

The Polish Community Center from Utica had a little booth and served up some of the best Polish food I've probably ever had.

Clockwise from left: golabki, kapusta, Zywiec beer, kielbasa, and pierogies.

Really, really good freaking golabki. Whatever the cabbage roll was filled with, it was so good. It was more dense and a lighter color than ground beef, so It may have been pork. The tomato sauce served along with it had some sweetness and gave the whole thing a really delicious taste.

You couldn't pay me enough to eat golabkis prior to this, but I'm glad I gave them a shot. Evidently now I like them. Thank you, Utica.

Taste of Syracuse Recap

2011-06-10T07:36:00.004-04:00

Sampled at the Taste of Syracuse this year...

Asti : Cheese ravioli in vodka sauce
Caribbean King : Jerk wings
Eva's European Sweets : Potato salad
Eva's European Sweets : Ruskie Pierogies
Lao Village : Vegetable pad thai
Rescue Mission : Jim's doughnuts
Sakana-ya : Shumai
Sakana-ya : Ika salad
Thai Flavor : Shrimp rocket
Zonies : Cheesecake calzone

I kind of got distracted by wine on the second night, so I'm wishing that I had tried a few other places in addition to the ones listed above. Overall, I'd have to say the jerk wings were by far the best out of these. They were done with a dry rub that was close to Cornell Chicken but with a really spicy kick. And two big drumettes for $1 wasn't too bad of a deal either. I'll have to make a trip over to Caribbean King at some point because it was really good. As always, Eva's never disappoints, and the desert-style cheesecake calzone from Zonies was tasty. Rescue Mission's doughnuts were a pleasant surprise as well. They fried them right in front of you in a mini-doughnut machine. It was pretty cool to see them being made right there.

I said this last year and probably sound like a broken record, but I'm still wishing they'd organize the layout a little better. A few things did get shuffled around this year, but I'm not so sure how much it accomplished as people got jammed up in the little corridoor along Water St between Clinton and Salina near the wine slushies and wine tent. I'm not really sure what they can do to improve this though, as you wouldn't want to intrude on traffic flow and parking. They could spread out the vendors a bit and trickle some of the activity into the northern edges of Armory Square near Clinton Street Pub. That way, if it's really hot, or rainy, or crowded, people can filter into the surrounding shops, restaurants, and bars for a bit of a break.

At any rate, it was a great time. It's a really positive event for Downtown, the city, and the region and seems to only get more enjoyable each year. Say what you want about Syracuse, but if the messy street from Sunday morning was any indication, it can throw one hell of a party.

Review: Chorong House

2011-06-02T07:36:00.037-04:00

Name: Chorong House
Address: 1121 E Fayette St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 428-0501
Neighborhood: Near Eastside
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/chorong-house-restaurant-syracuse
Cuisine: Korean
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Friday 11 AM to 10 PM, Saturday 11 AM to 11 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: No
Take-Out: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Delivery: No

Following a trip from Green Lakes State Park, the sunny and sweltering Memorial Day called for a stop to Chorong House on Fayette Street in the city's Near Eastside. It was just my luck that they were open, as the other places I tried that day were closed for the Holiday. Unassuming from the street and a bit like a big plain, square house in the middle of nowhere, there isn't much else you can say from the outside, except for the "Open" neon sign in the window that guided my arrival. The private parking lot around the side and out back functions a bit more like a driveway, so a helpful tip when pulling in is to try to stay in-line with the rest of the cars (if there are any) as it seemed relatively non-regimented for parking.

There's two separate rooms upon entering through the side entrance. To the left, is the main area, with the kitchen, cashier's counter, and 5 or 6 tables with four chairs each to them. To the right, is a bigger room, with two tables set for floor seating, available for larger groups, and those wishing to use the karaoke machine (which is available by reservation). Mind you, you're essentially walking into a house done over as a restaurant, so ignore the set of staircases in front of you. It was all a tad confusing off the bat, but one of the workers quickly pointed me in the right direction.

It's seat-yourself, so I grabbed a spot at one of the empty tables near the counter and was given a menu and glass of water by the waitress. The interior is a bit like a small divided kitchen molded into a restaurant, so you can literally smell and hear the food being cooked next to you as you peruse the menu. The menu itself is written in both Korean and English, easily legible, and helped with accompanying pictures of specific dishes. Much of the descriptions in it will have to be loosely translated from memory here, as there's no menu online. Highlights include bibimbap, dumplings, fried pancakes, bulgogi, several spicy stews like soon tofu, noodle dishes like chop chae bop and kalguksu (which apparently is rare in 'cuse), and even a sushi roll pops up in the appetizers section.

The drink selection is somewhat limited, with a few canned sodas and beers displayed in a glass cooler near the entrance. Though trumped by this is the fact that they offer a few different kinds of soju here, which is the only place in Syracuse where I've noticed it before. Soju is essentially, an alcoholic drink similar to vodka but a bit sweeter. It was tempting, but I wasn't sure of its alcohol level and wanted to stay safe for driving home (on further investigation, it's usually stronger than wine and probably better for sharing, so it was a good decision). I really wanted to try some of the soups and stews too, but the day wasn't calling for it. It was way too hot to even contemplate doing so.

The order...

Vegetable pancake: $8
Beef Bulgogi: $15
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $27

Exuse the iPhone quality and food that's been half-eaten in these pictures. I didn't feel ready to snap any pictures until later on through the meal.

Counterclockwise from top right: kimchi (napa cabbage), black beans, white rice, scallions, mac salad, and namul greens (forgive me if that last one is incorrect).

First up was the complimentary banchan brought to the table along with my appetizer. If you don't know, banchan is basically small Korean side dishes typically served cold, but come in hundreds of different varieties. I have this theory that most of it is somewhat of an acquired taste, due to the pickling, fermenting, and vinegars that takes place beforehand. I've slowly started to like most of the varieties since trying it for the first time a few years ago, but every now and then a few dishes, specifically the kimchi, still take some getting used to. However, I can pretty much put that notion to bed after having them at Chorong House. It's miles above anything remotely comparable in Syracuse or any of the other few places I've had it outside the city.

Most of these were really tasty, but my favorite by far were the green onions, which had good punch of chili heat and tasted extremely fresh. Granted I'm a picky eater and it wasn't overly filling, but it's the only time I've finished a whole small dish of banchan. The greens were next and they were outstanding. With a texture similar to swiss chard or spinach, they had a nice, light fresh taste to them and somewhat of a salty pickled taste as well. Following that was the napa cabbage, which was equally as good. Typically, there's always that initial tasting moment with napa cabbage kimchi that I almost have to force myself to get past. I found myself doing it at first here, but slowly realized that I didn't have to as I found it to be pleasantly spicy, flavorful, not overly pungent or fermented, and just delicious.

Yes, they even have macaroni salad. And believe it or not, it's actually not bad. Essentially, it seemed to be only mayonnaise and macaroni with a few green beans tossed in, but even so, I found myself picking at it more often than I thought I would. The pasta was cooked perfectly and whatever mayo was used, it had a thicker than normal consistency and yet remained both light and filling. I'd even dare to guess that it was homemade. The black beans, however, were a different story and not that appetizing. They were very hard, bland, and not as flavorful as any of the other side dishes. Also, I'm not necessarily an expert on technique, but the beans were a little difficult to pick with chopsticks.

Overall though, the banchan was excellent. There was nothing was overly pickled, briny tasting, or too spicy, and none of it needed to be. It was a very refreshing and a perfectly light start for a meal, most specifically highlighted by the beautiful scallions and greens. A bit of online digging reveals that they have their own vegetable garden out back and pickle and freeze everything themselves, which is a testament to how fresh everything was. And after sampling it here, I'd even consider getting the kimchi in an actual meal for next time as both kimchi sundubu and kimchi jeyuk bokkeum are on the menu.

The vegetable pancake was to-die-for! A little charring, caramelization, and grease (the good kind) on the outsides, while the inside remained light, doughy, and slightly airy. Large pieces of fully-cooked scallions and thinly sliced carrots stuffed in and around the crust, a hint of garlic, and the perfect, bubbly crunch on the outside edges gave the whole thing an outstanding flavor. It was served extremely hot and probably proof that it had just been hand-made and fried several minutes prior to being devoured. The dipping sauce was soy based and yet not overly salty. I found it to be a great light and tangy sauce for dunking. A few online reviews mention Chorong's seafood-style pancake which is supposed to be excellent as well and I knew that going in. Now I'm wishing that I hadn't shied away from it. I'll definitely have to give it a shot for next time.

If you've ever had the potato pancakes at Eva's, which are also superb, these vegetable ones were actually very similar in taste and just as delicious, if not more. It's strange to compare the two, but it just shows you how two authentic restaurants representing different countries and cuisines in the world can have something that's so randomly identical as this.

The beef bulgogi was wonderful - long, sauteed and crisp strands of white and green onions, thinly sliced pieces of sizzling marinated grilled beef (which near the end of the meal become delightfully caramelized by the hot pan it was served on), and topped with a good amount of freshly chopped scallions. The sticky rice was excellent on its own and only further made the entree that much more enjoyable when it was pieced together with grilled bits of beef and lightly charred white onions. Deeeeelish. (I'll stray from ever using that word again. It was really good).

Additional notes...

- There's a lunch special Monday through Friday. I wasn't able to spot the times (I think it's from 11 to 3?). $7.99 for several entree options like soups and bibimbap. Each comes with 3 kinds of kimchi.

- No need to wait for it, just approach the counter when you're ready to get your check. Also there's a 15% gratuity already included.

- Edible Fingerlakes featured an excellent article about the history, gardening, and local vegetable preparation regarding Chorong House that you can read here (scroll halfway down). For example, the mac salad and the occasionally available sliced hot dogs garnished with kimchi reflect the influence of US Military bases and Army surplus rations in Korea. It's definitely a good read and provides some really interesting background about the restaurant's preparation and influences.

A few online reviewers have mentioned that they prefer take-out as oppose to dining in, due to the ambiance. Sure, it might be a dive that's rough around the edges and a place where a new visitor might feel daunted, but it's a very clean and professional resturant. Personally, I felt comfortable there enough by myself the whole time. During my stay, relatively 10 or so visitors shuffled in and out for sit-down and take-out. I was the only white boy there and moreover, the only English-speaking patron. Yet, I was made to feel welcomed by the kind and friendly waitress (who spoke English fluently), the interior's unpretentious and down-to-earth atmosphere, and with its home-style food and charm. I didn't feel uneasy and felt very much relaxed and "at home", which only increased as the great food and flavors continued to set-in.

For you vegetarians, take note, as this place would rank high as one of my top spots for a good vegetarian meal. Everything I tasted was very fresh and very clean, most specifically the vegetables. Further, I fancy myself as an average home cook in most aspects, but this was far from better than anything I could've shallowly attempted to make in my own kitchen. I'm not even Korean and the food just had this overwhelmingly and delicious home-cooked feel and comfort-level quality to it. I was full and still found myself using my metalic chopsticks numerous times after setting them down to pick at more and more kimchi, thinly sliced beef, and fried pancake pieces, which is a good sign to represent how great of a meal it was.

I have several reasons for starting this blog and devoting time to it, but Chorong House is the prime example of the type of place I was originally hoping to discover in Syracuse. I will definitely be back here for take-out, lunch, or dinner again. I'm hooked and this visit unexpectedly helped make for a great meal and end to a perfect Memorial Day.

My rating of Chorong House:

Your rating of Chorong House:

Weekend Happenings: Taste of Syracuse

2011-06-01T20:29:00.005-04:00

In case you live under a rock, the Taste of Syracuse kicks off this Friday at Clinton Square. The event runs Friday, June 3rd and Saturday, June 4th from 11 AM to 11 PM each night. Essentially, it's a big party with $1 samples from tons of local restaurants and some places have an additional menu with more offerings for a few more bucks.

Along with countless foods and cuisines to pick from, new restaurants for this year's event include Limp Lizard, Sakana-ya, Alto Cinco, Twin Trees and Yum Yum Bakery. This is by far my favorite event held at Clinton Square and it's a nice little precurser to the State Fair. Gregg Alman will be on the main stage on Saturday night and The Travel Channel and The Big Bite Tour will also be there, so the whole thing should be plenty of fun and great for the city.

I'll try to get some pictures up this year and do more sampling than I have in the past.

For an official list of participants, click here.

For the entertainment schedule, click here.

And for parking information, click here.

Top 5 Mobile Apps for Syracuse Dining

2011-05-20T08:19:00.005-04:00

The following are a list of free food and restaurant apps that are helpful for Syracuse dining. I tend to use these apps a few times a week depending on which one. It's amazing to me how fast this technology has taken off. About a year before this blog, I was one of a handful of people reviewing on Yelp.com. Now their mobile site generates new local reviews daily, which goes to show how fast things can change nowadays. So as a fair warning, this post may become out-dated very soon. Until then, here's my Top 5 Mobile Apps for Syracuse Dining...

1) Yelp
I tend to prefer the actual website over the mobile version, but Yelp is an extremely helpful restaurant app that lets users rate each place on a scale of 1 to 5 stars and allows other users vote on whether that review was "helpful", "funny", or "cool". Users can also announce "check-ins" (albeit pointless, in my opinion), give short and helpful tips, as well as send compliments and responses to other reviewers. It's widely used and a great resource for finding new restaurants in Syracuse and whatever other city you may happen to be in. There are some extremely useful reviews that in some cases, come loaded with information and in-the-know tips. However, it does come with its fair share of things you have to watch out for: owners, workers, and their friends shamelessly inflating their own restaurant ratings. Helpful tips? Be cautious of users with only 1 review under their belt, reviews that have 1 or 2 sentences, and words like "great", "amazing", and "best ever". Though to their credit, Yelp does a decent job of filtering these kinds of reviews and puts questionable ones onto a separate password-entry page.
[link] [photo]

2) Urbanspoon
Urbanspoon is essentially part magic 8 ball and part slot machine. Enter your location (or lock-in your area, cuisine, and/or price range) and it reveals a nearby restaurant for you to try under the guidelines you specified in the style of a casino slot machine. It's a nice little feature if only for fun, curiosity, and going somewhere on a whim. You can also sort through pictures, make friends, browse what's nearby, and read mostly short, yet informative reviews of local restaurants. The Syracuse section could use some work as some restaurants are quite barren in the review department, but overall, it's a good restaurant app that seems to get better and better as more reviews and pictures come in.
[link] [photo]

3) Food Spotting
This one has limited local representation due to Syracuse's small size, but it's still a great source for discovering new food. It's essentially a non-review, photo-style app that allows members to snap and upload their pictures. The thing I love about it is that it allows you to sift through and find pictures from nearby restaurants and sort them by proximity, date, or viewer rating. So instead of reading reviews, you can just scroll through the best pics of food that are practically within walking distance. I haven't done any uploading myself, but it's a cool little app and fun to uncover different kinds of menu items from around the city.
[link] [photo]

4) Living Social
While there seems to be half a dozen coupon apps now, Living Social is great because it tends to feature very good deals going on in and around Syracuse. The gist is that you buy a voucher and receive anywhere from up to 90%-off. Additionally, if 3 of your friends each buy the same deal that day, you get yours for free (which in some cases can be a free $50 depending on the deal). I've seen a few local spots on here including Columbus Bakery and Smith's Restaurant Supply (which I bought a really nice cast-iron skillet with), so it's definitely worth checking out. Mind you, the deals change daily and do expire, so you almost have to remind yourself to keep checking in everyday.
[link] [photo]

5) Seafood Watch
Seafood Watch is the ultimate seafood app complete with regional guides, updates on seafood and sushi quality, what the "best choice" is, what to "avoid", and information on how each variety is captured, raised, and shipped. It's definitely a very easy to use "green" app and worth checking out if you're concerned at all with treatment and health risks associated with any kind of seafood.
[link] [photo]

Honorable Mention
Farmshed
This CNY-based app is great for finding local produce in and around Syracuse. Browse through directories of regional farms, CSAs, farmers markets, natural food stores, and locavore restaurants. Also, learn where to purchase the freshest produce like grass-fed beef (mmmm), free-range eggs, organic and sustainably grown fruits and vegetables, and locally produced wines, to name just a few products. Definitely a worthy addition to your iPhone if you live in Central New York, especially with summer right around the corner.
[link]

Updates and Flickr

2011-05-19T07:51:00.004-04:00

Hang in there. I'll try to get some new reviews up here soon. I've been having semi-serious sinus issues (say that 5 times fast) over the last couple of weeks, which has moderately affected both my sense of smell and taste. Kind of crucial when you run a food blog. Until then, I'll be putting up a few different non-review posts over the next week or so. I'll get some new restaurant reviews up soon after.

Vegetarian flatbread at Kitty Hoynes

Grilled steak tacos with salsa and guacamole at Tacolicious

Spinach and roasted red pepper pizza from NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza

To see more pictures of various Syracuse restaurants, view Pulled Into Syracuse's photostream on Flickr. As always, you can follow Pulled Into Syracuse on Facebook and on Twitter at @pulledintocuse.

Wing Tournament Highlights and The Eagle

2011-05-14T16:46:00.001-04:00

The tourney was a lot of fun and I really hope people enjoyed it. I may do something similar next year or later this year with some other food. For now, I'm quite winged out and may have to take a break from their deliciousness for a bit. Here's some additional, final notes from the wing tournament...

Best meat: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que
Biggest wings: Nibsy's Pub
Best skin: Blarney Stone
Best Buffalo sauce: Nibsy's Pub
Best original sauce: (push) Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and Swallow's
Hottest wings: (push) Rosie's and Swallow's
Best celery and blue cheese: Dorian's Gourmet Pizza & Deli
Biggest surprise: Swallow's
Biggest let-down: Patsy's Pizza
Best neighborhood score: Tipperary Hill

Also, don't forget that you can read Pulled Into Syracuse in alternating issues of The Eagle newspaper as well as online at theeaglecny.com

2011 Wing Tournament: Final Four & Championship

2011-05-13T14:05:00.009-04:00

We've come a long way in picking out the best chicken wings here at Pulled Into Syracuse. On my estimation, 180 wings have been consumed in an 8 week span. Needless to say, I'm winged out for the time being. There were some surprises along the way, along with a few disappointments, but 'cuse should be proud of its chicken wing notoriety. More than half of the places seeded in the tournament scored above average in the tallied scores and I've even found a few establishments that I'm looking forward to going back to and getting my face and fingers messy again.

Without further ado, here's how the rest of the 2011 City Wing Tournament shook out...

***

2011 Final Four: Downtown Winner vs. Northside / Eastwood Winner

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings
vs.
Change of Pace's "Hot / Extra Crispy" wings

The Downtown vs. the Northside/Eastwood match-up pitted Dinosaur's Wango Tango wings against Change of Pace's hot and extra crispy wings. Change of Pace's wings are very good and despite not being outstanding or noteworthy of being extra crispy on this occasion, come coated in a very hot, tasty, and classic Buffalo sauce. It's no match for Dino's Wango Tango though. Dinosaur boasts the most tender, fall-off-the-bone chicken meat of all the contestants with deliciously crispy wings that come slathered in a sweet, sassy, and garlicy sauce that has the perfect mouth-tingling kick. No one likes to see such a lop-sided score in the Final Four, but the wings at Dinosaur give you no choice.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings: 6
Change of Pace's "Hot / Extra Crispy" wings: 0

Winner: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

***

2011 Final Four: Tipperary Hill Winner vs. Southside / SU Hill Winner

Swallow's "Hot" wings
vs.
Nibsy's Pub's "Hot" wings

Another tough battle for Nibsy's and the first real test for Swallow's in a match-up that could've gone either way. There were four categories in which both contestants were evenly matched and near perfect: meat, flavor, heat, balance, and even celery and blue cheese. There were even a few toss-ups that could've gone either way making this by far the most difficult match-up to find a clear-cut winner. Both are winners in my mind and it's a shame to have to cut one. In the end, Nibsy's did have that classic taste that you want from chicken wings and the pool of delicious Buffalo sauce lying in the bottom of the bowl was beyond appetizing for dipping, but Swallow's took the battle with perfect wings covered in a mouth watering yet unorthodox sauce highlighted by some of the hottest wings in the tournament. Technically, it may not be a Buffalo sauce, but it's spicy, garlicy, and finger-licking delicious. Congrats, Swallow's. You've certainly earned your spot in the championship.

Swallow's "Hot" wings: 2
Nibsy's Pub's "Hot" wings: 1

Winner: Swallow's

***

2011 Wing Tournament: Championship Game

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings
vs.
Swallow's "Hot" wings

The first ever 2011 City Wing Tournament Championship was a good battle for sure. Dino was given a run for its money by Swallow's, who along with their tasty and original hot sauce, had wings that were of good size and coated nicely. However, Dinosaur's Wango Tango wings were flawless and had a perfect score in every category in the tournament. Give credit where credit is due to Swallow's. They were the only seed all along to give Dinosaur a real fight. But it wasn't enough to surpass Dino's smokey hot sauce and chicken wings that were of the best quality in the tournament. If you're a purist in your wing beliefs, crown Nibsy's. If you're a slight purist looking for something a little different, crown Swallow's. But if you're looking for the best chicken wings in Syracuse, look no further than the Wango Tango wings at Dinosaur-Bar-B-Que.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings: 3
Swallow's "Hot" wings: 2

Winner: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

***

Congratulations, to Dinosaur Bar-B-Que with their outstanding Wango Tango Wings and earns the title of the first ever City Wing Champion here at Pulled Into Syracuse. Thanks to all the contestants for putting out great wings!

Downtown bracket results
Northside / Eastwood bracket results
Tipperary Hill bracket results
Southside / SU Hill bracket results

2011 City Wing Tournament Bracket

2011-05-11T21:09:00.000-04:00

2011 Wing Tournament: Southside / SU Hill Results

2011-05-10T16:44:00.012-04:00

The fourth and final regional bracket of the tournament encompassing the Southside, Univeristy Hill, and Westcott neighborhoods pits Swallow's against Dorian's Gourmet Pizza & Deli and Varsity Pizza against Chuck's Cafe. For a list of qualifying teams, how the bracket looks, and tournament rules, click here.

Southside / SU Hill Opening Round: Game 1
(1) Swallow's "Hot" wings: 5
(4) Dorian's Gourmet Pizza & Deli's "Hot" wings: 1

This match-up featured two much anticipated wings joints going head-to-head. Swallow's (pictured left), which is a small tavern on South Ave that many people including myself may have heard of but have never ventured to before, brought some serious competition to the tournament with their hot wings. The standout, without a doubt, is their signature hot sauce which blends a bit of peppery spice, garlic, classic Buffalo sauce, and even a hint of an Asian chili sauce mixed in. Not only were they substantially hot, but it's a sauce I had never tasted before and was certainly a welcomed surprise. Dorian's, on the other hand (pictured right), were a slight let-down. Although the meaty wings were a good size and packed a punch in the heat department, its classic hot sauce flavor lacked depth, and more critically, their extremely soggy skins made them unappetizing after about half a dozen. While their tangy and chunky blue cheese and crispy celery was some of the best in the tournament, the wings themselves were no match for Swallow's. My mouth may have remained on fire and the sauce may not be classified as Buffalo despite looking like it was, but Swallow's easily took the match-up with tender wings, perfectly crispy skins, and a surprisingly bold and original flavor.

Winner: Swallow's

***

Southside / SU Hill Opening Round: Game 2
(2) Varsity Pizza's "Hot" wings: 4
(3) Chuck's Cafe's "Hot" wings: 3

Next up is Varsity Pizza (pictured left) taking on Chuck's Cafe (pictured right) in what would turn out to be a less than exhilarating match-up. Chuck's hot wings didn't have much going for them: a thin skin with no crunch, no heat (some of the mildest in the tournament), and a flavor that seemed nonexistent. While its one redeeming quality was its jumbo-style wings, Varsity's wings were able to pick up points where Chuck's could not with good chicken meat and a medium heat. Despite Varsity winning 4-3, I wasn't too keen on the flavor of the sauce, which was a bit thicker than usual Buffalo sauce, and they also suffered the same fate as Dorian's with a slight sponginess to them. While both Varsity and Chuck's may have been underwhelming, Varsity was able to move forward and take on Swallow's in the Southside / SU Hill Championship Game.

Winner: Varsity Pizza

***

Southside / SU Hill Championship Game
(1) Swallow's "Hot" wings: 5
(2) Varsity Pizza's "Hot" wings: 0

Even though Swallow's wings were under-matched, it wouldn't take much for them to pull out a win in this match-up. Varsity's meat and wing size were above average and on par with Swallow's, but suffered a shutout in every other category. It's hard to fault Swallow's in any aspect with a great amount of uniquely flavorful sauce, peppery garlic wings that were some of the hottest in the tournament, excellent crispness, and an separate bin filled with chunky blue cheese and big pieces of fresh celery. No battle in this one. Swallow's wins hands down with completely original, spicy, and superior all-around wings and easily deserve the title of best wings in this bracket.

Winner and champion of the Southside / SU Hill bracket: Swallow's

***

That leaves four places remaining: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que taking on Change of Pace and Nibsy's Pub taking on Swallow's with the winners advancing to the championship game. It should be a tight race. I'll put an actual bracket up this week on the blog with updated brackets and results. Make sure to check for the Final Four results and Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 City Wing Tournament Champion which will be crowned this Friday.

Wing Tournament Update

2011-05-06T07:59:00.008-04:00

Apparently, the Ponchito's location in The Valley does not serve wings (though I did satisfy my hunger with a tasty chicken burrito on my visit instead). I was really looking forward to having their Dr. Pepper BBQ wings in the 2011 Wing Tournament, but it looks like I'll have to try them separately at the Lyncourt location some other time. I'll be substituting Dorian's Gourmet Pizza & Deli's wings in their place instead and they'll be taking on Swallow's in the Southside / University Hill bracket.

For Final Four winners of the three brackets, click here: Downtown, Northside / Eastwood, and Tipperary Hill

Upcoming Happenings: Friday the Firkinteenth

2011-05-06T07:54:00.008-04:00

On Friday, May 13th, J Ryan's Pub will be hosting their first annual Real Ale festival. It's a 3 day event with cask-conditioned ales that will feature Stone Brewing, Bear Republic, Brooklyn Brewery, Stoudts Brewing Company, Moylans, Great Divide, Troegs, McNeils, Flying Dog, Slyfox, Southern Tier, Boulder Beer, Clipper City, Lost Coast, 3 Heads Brewing, Middle Ages, Weyerbacher, Rogue, Blue Point and Lagunitas.

Per their facebook page, prices will range anywhere from $1.50 to $3.00 and tickets will be sold at the bar (with a few of the specialty beers coming from the West Coast costing a little more). There's a deal of 2 tickets for $1. And a $2 fee is required for the 7 ounce pilsner with the J Ryan's logo on it that you get to keep which is what the cask beer will be served in.

If you love cask ale, you'll certainly want to check it out. For additional information, click here.

2011 Wing Tournament: Tipperary Hill Results

2011-04-30T15:49:00.014-04:00

Following the Northside / Eastwood and Downtown 2011 wing tournament results, is the much anticipated Tipperary Hill bracket featuring Blarney Stone vs. Rosie's Sports Bar & Grill and Nibsy's Pub taking on Patsy's Pizza. To see a list of qualifying teams, how each neighborhood bracket looks, and tournament rules, click here for the initial post. Let's get rockin'!

Tipperary Hill Opening Round: Game 1
(1) Blarney Stone's "Hot" wings: 2
(4) Rosie's Sports Bar & Grill's "Hot" wings: 1

Kicking off the highly competitive Tipp Hill Bracket, is Blarney Stone's hot wings (pictured left) vs. Rosie's hot wings (pictured right). This was a tight race as both sports bars featured well-above average wings. Rosie's deserves credit for outstanding wings with great meat, great skin, and a slight hint of garlic, but more so were highlighted by an intense heat and some of the hottest wings in the tournament. I also liked the fact that a few wings still had the tips on them, which was a welcomed surprise and leads to the possibility that they cut the 3-joint wings themselves, but some of the drumettes suffered as a result and were boney, small, and in some cases indiscernible. While most categories were a draw (hence the low score), Blarney Stone was able to come up solid in just about each category and pulled out a 2-1 victory over Rosie's wings that had great, slightly crispy and chewy skins, above average meat, great heat level, and delicious wings covered in plenty of flavorful Buffalo sauce.

Winner: Blarney Stone

***

Tipperary Hill Opening Round: Game 2
(3) Nibsy's Pub's "Hot" wings: 5
(2) Patsy's Pizza's "Hot" wings: 0

The next Tipp Hill match-up featured Nibsy's hot wings (pictured left) ushering in the first shutout of the tournament in a 5-0 victory over Patsy's Pizza (pictured right). Patsy's was only able to muster up a fight in the heat department, with wings soaked in plenty of tasty hot sauce that had a great Buffalo flavor, albeit vinegery. Aside from that, uninspiring chicken meat, small wings, dry skins, and a flavorless blue cheese with no celery made it easy susceptible to a defeat by the opposition. Nibsy's wings, served in a wooden basket lined with tin foil and in a pool of mouth-watering hot sauce, easily took the match-up and were by far some of the best wings in the entire tournament. Though its wings had hints of fattier meat and an exterior skin that was slightly thin, Nibsy's were otherwise flawless. Its tasty, jumbo-style wings were coated in a perfectly balanced hot sauce that made them, in my opinion, the definition of classic Buffalo wings that contained just the right amount of heat.

Winner: Nibsy's Pub

***

Tipperary Hill Second Round: Championship Game
(3) Nibsy's Pub's "Hot" wings: 2
(1) Blarney Stone's "Hot" wings: 1

The championship round of the Tipperary Hill bracket featured Nibsy's and Blarney Stone in a fierce battle for the 3rd spot in the Final Four. Blarney's hot wings are truly excellent and admittedly, will always be my biased wing of choice when on Tipp Hill. With a perfect amount of heat, outstanding skins, and tasty and chunky blue cheese, it's hard not to pick them, but the "oldest tavern in Syracuse" barely edged them out. While Blarney's had an excellent amount of sauce that made getting fingers messy enjoyable, Nibsy's overwhelmingly better flavored sauce was the deciding factor and helped by its jumbo-style wings that put Blarney's to shame. A battle royale going down on Tipp Hill between Nibsy's, Rosie's, and Blarney made it difficult on this wing judge, but Nibsy's was able to come up the victor over them all with outstanding Buffalo wings and deservedly earns the title of best wings on Tipp Hill.

Winner and champion of the Tipperary Hill bracket: Nibsy's Pub

***

One division remains and the three teams in the Final Four, Change of Pace, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and Nibsy's Pub, await the winner of the Southside / University Hill bracket which will be revealed within the next several days. Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 Wing Tournament Champion will be crowned within the next week so stay tuned!

Review: Darwin

2011-03-31T16:44:00.014-04:00

Name: Darwin
Address: 211 N Clinton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 373-0484
Neighborhood: Downtown
Website: www.darwinonclinton.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Deli
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Friday 9 AM - 3 PM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes (with a $40 minimum to businesses)

A rare, early nice day in the year called for a trip to Darwin for lunch, the little deli tucked away on Clinton Street just north of Clinton Square. I went there once last year after they had just opened, but figured they were about due for another trial. Walking in was like night and day compared to a year ago. While it's still a really small place, what was once a slightly awkward and cramped setup is much more streamlined and open-air feeling. The cooking and prep areas take up a large portion of the interior, but they've managed to make enough room for stacks of soda and chips for the customers to grab on their way to the pay station, display cases for drinks and deserts, separate ordering and pick-up stations (on the right and left, respectively), and a quaint counter by the window for seating, eating, and people watching. The counter is a really nice touch and is about a 7 foot long clean chopping block-style counter top with about 5 stools underneath. Overall, a much more cohesive and functioning interior for both the customers and workers.

Displayed overhead is a large chalk board with the daily happenings. Their menu changes weekly and typically borrows flavors from New York, Chicago, New Orleans, Texas, Boston, and California, just to name a few. On this particular visit, some of the main selections featured were The Big Easy muffaletta (with thin layers of capicola, salami, mortadella, and provolone, covered in a homemade marinated olive spread), the Bikini Bottom Crabby Patty (fried Maryland-style crab cake on a Harrison roll with homemade tartar sauce, lettuce, tomato, and red onions), Pork Cubano (shredded pork with Virginia baked ham, melted Swiss, dill pickle spears, spicy brown mustard on a French loaf), Darwin's Rock Shrimp Po' Boy, Two Ships Passing in The Night, for the vegetarians (mozzerela, marinated portabello mushrooms, red onions, parmesean crusted tomato, fresh spinach and basil on stretch bread with homemade creamy balsamic dressing), and their best seller, Darwin's Midnight Train to Georgia (prime rib roast on Pasta's stretch loaf topped with Swiss cheese, frizzled red onions, and horseradish mayo). Darwin also features homemade soups and salads, homemade sides like sesame noodles, coleslaw, and mac-n-cheese, and chocolate chip and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. For Fridays, they offer a fish fry with breaded Fish Cove haddock and on weekday mornings, they offer Paul deLima coffee, fresh squeezed OJ, breakfast pizza, and blueberry and cranberry lemon scones.

They tend to keep many of the sandwiches and sides on the menu for a few weeks or so, but there's usually something new on the menu every week. A good suggestion is to view it online before stopping in.

The order...

NYC Lobster Roll: $11
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque: $3
Chocolate Chip Cookie: $2
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $17.28

Clockwise from upper left is the Roasted Red Pepper Bisque, a piece of stretch bread from Pasta's, the NYC Lobster Roll, and a Chocolate Chip Cookie from Yum Yum Bakery.

After I was handed my order, the cashier said, "Enjoy your lobster rolls!", I said something like, "Oh, I will!" but in my head I'm thinking "Rolls? As in plural? Are these going to be like the sad display of twin lobster rolls I received on a recent Red Lobster visit?" (For what it's worth, they were not good: salty, expensive, small, burnt, and filled with tasteless, shredded claw meat, which is half the reason why I needed to order them again at Darwin three days later). These mopped the floor with them. Actually, Darwin's lobster rolls were just about the best I've had anywhere here or in New England. First of all, it's a huge portion size of not just lobster meat, but of a roll in general. This is closer to a lobster sub. It was filled with extremely tender and fresh, whole pieces of lobster claw meat practically falling out at all points, thinly dressed in a light Hellman's mayo with pieces of chopped celery and scallions, fitted on a bed of fresh Romaine lettuce, and stuffed in a DiLaruo's sub roll that was lightly toasted with butter and a hint of garlic. TO DIE FOR. If you're craving a lobster roll in Syracuse, you may as well look nowhere else. This is about as good as you'll find anywhere around here. And $11 really isn't all that bad when you consider that this could easily be $20 in Boston or New York. But the highlight for me was really the great taste of lobster meat, how it wasn't ripped apart so much to look like scraps, and how it wasn't overly dressed with mayo and fillers. Just a great tasting lobster roll all around. If it's any consolation, I'm a little guy and consumed the entire thing in about 8 minutes.

The Roasted Red Pepper Bisque was really tasty: a somewhat thick tomato based puree with bits of onions, scallions, garlic, and roasted red peppers that overall was zesty, garlicy, and full of flavor. I'm not normally a soup person, but I would definitely order this again. I probably could've just gotten a bowl of this bisque for lunch and would've been content. And you really can't complain about getting Pasta's stretch bread as a garnish, which was perfect for dipping. Plus, it's always great seeing one local business supporting another.

On a whim, I picked up a delicious Yum Yum Bakery chocolate chip cookie on display on top of the counter. It was very good: chewy, not at all dried out, and had a perfect amount of sugar. Though, I'm a chocolate fiend and would've liked to have seen a little more chips in the cookie. A quick google search of the bakery suggests that it may have been gluten free.

Other notes...

- I would LOVE to see them open on Saturdays, but understand that there may not be a demand during the weekends like there is during the week.

- They do offer delivery, but specifically for Downtown and local business and a minimum of $40. Faxing can be made by signing up for their fax list every Monday morning. More details here.

- Darwin is an off-shoot of Riley's Restaurant, located at 312 Park St in the Northside.

If you're in the vicinity for lunch during the week, give them a shot. Now that the weather's getting nicer, Clinton Square makes a decent eating spot when the fountain is running as do the few tables right outside the restaurant when the warmth permits. Overall, it was a superb lunch. The chefs are really doing some cool things at Darwin with fresh ingredients, thoughtful and flavorful recipes, a menu full of weekly surprises, ideas that are perfectly executed, and best of all, they're all in good spirits and very friendly. With all of those things happening, it makes you want to go over there more often. This particular visit was definitely worthy of 5 stars, but I've only been there twice and really would like to try a few more things before placing them in the 5 star category. 4 for now and I'll definitely be back soon. I can't wait to try out their po' boy and fish fry Fridays.

My rating of Darwin:

Your rating of Darwin:

Pulled Into Syracuse in The Eagle

2011-03-27T09:35:00.004-04:00

Pulled Into Syracuse's restaurant reviews can now be found in alternating weekly issues of The Eagle. Make sure to pick up a free copy around town. This week's feature is the 2011 City Wing Tournament which you can also read online by clicking here.

2011 Wing Tournament: Northside / Eastwood Results

2011-03-24T07:24:00.003-04:00

On the heels of the Downtown results, next up on the 2011 Wing Tournament is the Northside / Eastwood bracket. Shifty's Bar and Grill will take on Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza, with Change of Pace taking on Original Italian Pizza. Winner of the bracket will advance to the Final Four and take on the winner of the Downtown bracket. To see a list of all qualifying teams, how each neighborhood bracket looks, and tournament rules, click here for the initial post. Here's how the Northside / Eastwood bracket ended up...

Northside / Eastwood Opening Round: Game 1
(1) Shifty's Bar & Grill's "hot" wings: 4
(4) NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza's "hot" wings: 3

The closest match-up to date pitted Shifty's hot wings (pictured left) against Gianni's hot wings (pictured right). While Gianni's "dart" style wings, which almost consist of a hot, garlic, and barbecue mix, should not go unnoticed on any visit, their hot wings were barely edged out by Shifty's - and more specifically, the first time in the tournament where blue cheese actually had to play the tie-breaker.

As a 4 seed, Gianni's puts out strong competition with wings that have a great skin and a good balance of slight crunchiness covered in a very vinegar-based Buffalo sauce. Make sure you have napkins for these! While hotness and amount of sauce may have been in favor of Gianni's, Shifty's homemade sauce was slightly more classic and even contained tiny pieces of tomatoes and chillies hiding around the wings. Shifty's also boasted tender meat (5 out of 5 on my account) and overall, were great bar wings, though with the downsides being that the lack of heat was rather disappointing (which was more like a strong mild) and the sauce tended to dry-out midway through the meal. Gianni's weren't bad for take-out and on this visit, were a winning combo with their delicious sheet pizza, but Shifty's takes the battle with larger and more consistent wings, tender meat, good flavor, and perfectly chunky blue cheese.

Winner: Shifty's Bar & Grill

***

Northside / Eastwood Opening Round: Game 2
(2) Change of Pace's "Hot / Extra Crispy" wings: 5
(3) Original Italian Pizza's "Hot / Char-Grilled" wings: 1

Don't let the lop-sided score fool you, both of these competitors faired very well and were above average in most cases. OIP (pictured right) was able to pull out perfectly tender chicken coated in a char-grilled hot sauce that had a great peppery flavor, but Change of Pace (pictured left) was highlighted by jumbo chicken wings covered in an excellent and traditional Buffalo sauce with a lingering heat that, in terms of this bracket, was refreshing to taste. I'd do OIP again for take-out wings, but this one goes to Change of Pace. While their brand of wings were a bit under-cooked and contained an above average amount of tendons, it's hard to resist their classic flavor and what were otherwise perfect and traditional Buffalo wings in all other aspects.

Winner: Change of Pace

***

Northside / Eastwood Second Round: Championship Game
(2) Change of Pace's "Hot / Extra Crispy" wings: 4
(1) Shifty's Bar & Grill's "hot" wings: 3

Shifty's sure likes a close match-up, but it just wasn't enough to surpass Change of Pace. Both even had excellent blue cheese (some of the best in the tournament) with a slight edge going to Shifty's for a chunky style, which I'm a fan of. Honestly, I was hoping Shifty's would bring the heat with their wings, seeing as how they come in various styles like fatal, xtra hot, and f-bomb, to name a few, but Change of Pace's were actually hotter. Shifty's great chicken meat and excellent homemade sauce flavor wasn't enough to pass Change of Pace's jumbo wings the contained a slightly crispy skin covered in a great, classic wing sauce.

Winner and champion of the Northside / Eastwood bracket: Change of Pace
***

There you have it. Change of Pace will take on Dinosaur Bar-B-Que in the Final Four. Stay tuned for the remaining 2 brackets. And Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 Wing Tournament Champion will be crowned within the next couple weeks.

My Love For Columbus Bakery Runs Deep

2011-03-23T20:42:00.004-04:00

I brought a loaf of Columbus Italian bread over to my friend's house for dinner the other night, which was then whipped up into garlic toast and came out great. My one complaint about Columbus Bakery bread, however, has always been that it goes stale too quickly - which probably means you aren't eating it fast enough.

One of my favorite things to do with day-old Columbus bread is to cube up a bunch of slices, pop them in the freezer, bring them out when I'm ready to cook a meal, toss them with some dried herbs and olive oil and put them in the oven for a bit and the croutons are ready to be garnished on salads or soups.

But recently, I used day-old Columbus bread for French Toast and it was, dare I say, amazing.

2011 Wing Tournament: Downtown Results

2011-03-01T20:26:00.033-05:00

And here we go... the Downtown bracket kicks off the 2011 Pulled Into Syracuse Wing Tournament. Dinosaur Bar-B-Que will take on J Ryan's Pub, followed by Bull & Bear Pub vs. Syracuse Suds Factory. Winner of the Downtown bracket advances to the Final Four and will take on the winner of the Northside / Eastwood bracket. To see a list of all qualifying teams, how each neighborhood bracket looks, and tournament rules, click here for the initial post. Here's how the Downtown bracket ended up...

Downtown Opening Round: Game 1
(1) Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings: 4
(4) J Ryan's "Hot" wings: 0

As a 4 seed facing a 1 seed, J Ryan's wings (pictures on the right) put up a good fight against Dino's heavily favored Wango Tango variety (pictured left). A zero in the score shouldn't imply that J Ryan's were bad by any means. They were delicious and fared surprisingly well. They were just no match for Dino's smokey, spicy, and sauce slathered chicken wings. J Ryan's were above average in most aspects despite the sauce having had no indication of Frank Red Hot (which may have been blanketed a bottled brand). Regardless, they still had that great Buffalo-style flavor. If you love crispy wings, look no where other than J Ryan's as these were the crispiest I've ever had. But Dino pulled out the stops with an amazing skin that was slightly charred and had enough crispness to balance the chewiness, a lingering heat that makes you want to eat more, and some of the most tender chicken wing meat ever.

Untraditional, yes. But for perfectly crispy and smokey wings, Dino doesn't mess around.

Winner: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

***

Downtown Opening Round: Game 2
(3) Syracuse Suds Factory's "Fiery" wings: 5
(2) Bull & Bear Pub's "Hot" wings: 2

Somewhat of an under-matched 2 and 3 seed match-up pitted Bull & Bear's hot wings (pictured left) against Suds' Fiery ones (pictured right). For what it's worth, J Ryan's probably could've beat either contestant, but alas, this is what happens in a single-elimination tournament. Since Bull & Bear's wings were advertised as "Award Winning!", some serious competition was expected, but they were certainly the weakest among the Downtown seeds as there was almost little to no Buffalo flavor, or any flavor, going on. Its generally small wings were topped with sliced pickled jalapenos, which were a nice touch and added some much needed heat that was nonexistent otherwise. I'd consider Bull & Bear's wings slightly below average bar wings in most aspects as they picked up a few points where Suds could not. Despite being served on the cold side and a sauce that could've been a notch hotter, Suds Factory's Fiery wings did well. It's jumbo-style sized wings had an excellent skin that was not overly crispy and was perfect on my account. There was a slightly odd flavor to the sauce that was lingering, leading me to believe that it may have been a less than higher-end bottled brand. Suds' main downfall however, was that the meat was incredibly dry; which had it not, and had the sauce had a little more kick, they certainly could've been considered excellent wings.

Overall, Suds' fared better and could probably even do really well in other cities that aren't in Upstate NY.

Winner: Syracuse Suds Factory

***

Downtown Second Round: Championship Game
(1) Dinosaur Bar-B-Que's "Wango Tango" wings: 6
(3) Syracuse Suds Factory's "Fiery" wings: 1

Despite the lopsided score, Suds' are decent wings. But with dry meat, a slightly odd flavor, and blue cheese that was tangy but a bit watery, it never really stood a chance against any 1 seed and its great skin just wasn't enough to overcome Dino's perfectly balanced wings. Dinosaur indeed brought its "A" game: covered in a spicy and smokey barbecue sauce, with a lingering heat that makes you want to eat more in each bite, and a good blue cheese that doesn't cloud its wings.

If my entirely cleaned plate of with Wango Tango wing bones soon thereafter wasn't any indication, these are delicious.

Winner and champion of the Downtown bracket: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que

***

Stay tuned for the remaining 3 brackets, the Final Four, and Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 Wing Tournament Champion which will be crowned later this month. Also, I'll add an actual bracket sheet at some point before the Final Four.

Review: Thai Flavor

2011-02-15T17:00:00.007-05:00

Name: Thai Flavor
Address: 2863 1/2 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 251-1366
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.thaiflavorsyracuse.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Restaurant Hours: Monday 11 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Wednesday to Sunday 11 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes

On a chilly afternoon in search of some Thai food, I stumbled into this newest restaurant incarnation on Erie Boulevard. To my delight, what was once Little Thai House, is now under new ownership and known as Thai Flavor, Syracuse's newest Thai restaurant.

The interior and exterior haven't changed much from the nice makeover that Little Thai House last year (sans for a new lighted marquee outside). Thai Flavor still maintains much of the refined, intimate, and very tastefully decorations and ambiance of its predecessor with white tablecloths for its booths and tables, cohesive dark colors, appropriate instrumental music playing over the speakers, and Thai sculptures adjourning the entrance way and walls.

Contrary to all my other visits here, I was seated in the window-encased patio section of the restaurant this time around (you know what I mean if you've been here before or to any Wendy's that was built around the 1980's). While the interior of this section could've used a good cleaning and watering of plants, it's not a bad place to sit on the rare afternoon that Syracuse actually has sunlight.

The menu at Thai Flavor is phenomenal and in many cases reads quite differently to not only what you would've found at Little Thai House, but what you're likely find at any other Thai restaurant in Central New York. Selections include Thai soups and salads like the papaya salad, shrimp lemmongrass soup, and tom kah chicken soup (chicken, coconut milk, lemongrass, mushrooms and galangal), appetizers like mock duck satay, grilled fish cakes, and emerald chicken (marinated chicken wrapped in pandanus leaves and herbs), and entrees like chicken jungle curry, beef panang, pad Thai, and see ew beef. Thai Flavor also features a "recommended" section in their menu, which boasts specialties of the house and consist of many traditional dishes found in Thailand. There's quite a few vegetarian dishes listed on the menu as well with tofu or mock duck (which I've had here and it was deceivingly delicious). Tofu can also be substituted upon request for any of the stir fry dishes or curries.

The Som Tam Gai caught my eye under the recommended section (papaya salad with grilled marinated chicken served with sticky rice) but was unavailable. I've never had it and was really looking forward to it as it was noted as a very popular dish in Thailand on the menu. Maybe next time. Instead, I opted for the Chicken Red Mango Curry.

The order...

Thai Dumplings: $7
Chicken Red Mango Curry: $13
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $24.60

Pictured above are the Thai dumplings with marinated chicken and shrimp, chopped water chestnuts and taro root, wrapped inside steamed dumpling rolls, served with a Thai black bean vinaigrette sauce, and garnished with fresh cabbage, flowered carrot, and pandanus leaf.

$7 might seem a tad pricey for a small appetizer, but it's totally worth it. These are some of the best dumplings I've had anywhere. If you've never had Thai cuisine before, one of its best attributes is that you can get a sense of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy all in one bite and you certainly get that with these: shredded shrimp and juicy chicken inside perfectly steamed dumplings and accompanied with a dark, medium-bodied dipping sauce that had hints of chili, plum, and sweet soy sauce that was outstanding (I wanted to drink this like soup, but refrained). Just a great combination of flavors. And I don't know what the garnish was atop the dumplings (it may have been tiny caramelized garlic pieces) but they were delicious and added just the right amount of crunchiness. The other garnishes didn't provide much of an addition other than visual, but still brought a nice heightened presentation to the plate.

Above is the chicken mango curry, comprised of chicken pieces, chunks of mango, sliced red and green peppers, broccoli, carrots, bamboo shoots, zucchini, and sweet basil in a coconut milk and red curry broth.

Best curry I've had so far in 'cuse. The fragrant smell of curry, mango, and vegetables coming out of the dish was unbelievable. As I waited for the steamed rice to be brought to the table, I could've inhaled this smell for the next 85 days.

I'd say "clean" and "refreshing" are two of the best words to describe the taste here (two words everyone secretly wants to hear when talking about good food in general, yes?). I couldn't stop eating it. Everything was there from the heat, the sweetness of the mango, tender chicken pieces, and plenty of well-cooked and varied vegetables. The curry was perfect and had just the right balance of heat and coconut milk. I'd note the heat-scale as a strong medium, as it was just the right amount of spiciness for my personal taste - but they make their dishes spicy upon request here, so be advised. It was a great dish and I'd definitely order it again.

Although it's not pictured here, just to include one small thing about the steamed rice: it was perfect. While it may sound like I'm making a mountain out of an ant hill, I couldn't get over how great it was. This wasn't rice that had been sitting around all day, remained dried and clumped together, was improperly cooked, or wasn't the right style of grain. This was perfectly cooked and appropriate rice that only heightened an already great dish.

Other notes...

- I don't know if they have beer, cocktails, or wine available here or not. I don't recall seeing anything on the menu. If not, it's possible that they're still trying to get their liquor license since it's a new restaurant and all.

- I'm not sure if they offer take-out or not, so please inquire within.

- Their "Prix Fixed" menu runs during lunch hours Mondays through Fridays from 11 AM to 3 PM. $9 gets you a first, second, and third course. My god, this is the best deal ever created for such amazing food. Go check this out if you're looking for a lunch option during the week. Good portion sizes as well.

You can tell when a place prides itself on quality, presentation, and execution. Thai Flavor certainly embodies all three of those. I'm going to reserve the perfect rating until I go here one more time as I haven't ventured passed the dumpling appetizer on my two visits so far (I'm completely addicted to them). I can say that everything I've had here has been outstanding, and I can only assume I'll raise my rating to 5 momentarily. Or maybe by tomorrow.

Welcome to my rotation of frequented restaurants in Syracuse, Thai Flavor.

My rating of Thai Flavor:

Your rating of Thai Flavor:

Downtown Dining Week & Winterfest

2011-02-15T07:49:00.002-05:00

Downtown Dining Week starts today, February 15th and runs through Saturday, February 26th. 22 Downtown restaurants will be offering 3 course meals for $25 or less. Check the Downtown Syracuse website for a full list of participating restaurants as well as links to their dining week menus. Also, check out their new blog that features a behind the scenes look with interviews of local chefs and owners and how they prepare for Dining Week.

This is always a fun event. Some of my favorites are Lemon Grass and Pastabilities, and I'm looking forward to checking out L'Adour, The Mission, and Prime Steakhouse.

Also starting this week is the Syracuse Winterfest which runs from February 17th to February 27th and features various events, cook-offs, and music in and around Downtown Syracuse. For a full listing of the events, check out their website at syracusewinterfest.com.

Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 City Wing Tournament

2011-02-07T21:42:00.014-05:00

Now that college basketball season is in full gear, what better way to watch the Syracuse Orange than when accompanied by wings? After plenty of extensive research, devouring pounds of chicken, and Buffalo sauce drenched fingers, I've decided to mesh the two together on the blog and do a City of Syracuse wing tournament in the style of an NCAA March Madness basketball tournament.

The field will separate into four divisions loosely separated by region with seeds of 1 through 4 based on rankings on my own account and from other online review sites and internet search results. Each participant will be judged on wing tenderness, size, skin, sauce flavor and amount, balance, and heat-scale with maybe a couple extra points (free throws?) for blue cheese and celery.

Each bracket will start off with 1 seeds playing against 4 seeds and 2 seeds playing 3 seeds. Winners will be determined after tallying up the points in each category (i.e. the wings with the better tenderness, sauce, etc... will each receive a point and the wings with the highest point total out of the 7 categories advances to the next round. If one particular category is a tie, no point will be awarded).

To encourage a little continuity, all wing orders will be ordered "hot" unless no other option is available (i.e. barbecue, char-grilled, Sal's, Asian-style, and breaded, will only be ordered if Buffalo style is unavailable). I realize the argument will be to have all participants judged on a basis of serving traditional Buffalo wings, but maybe that will be a tournament for another time. Also, no chains (I'd love to include the "Wings Over" franchise because I love their wings and sauces, but I gotta omit them). Mind you, this is not an official tournament or anything. Just for fun and for reference.

Here we go... the 16 teams in the 2011 tournament... cue the appropriate music...

Downtown 1) Dinosaur Bar-B-Que 4) J Ryan's Pub 2) Bull & Bear Pub 3) Syracuse Suds Factory	Tipperary Hill Blarney Stone (1 Rosie's Sports Bar & Grill (4 Patsy's Pizza (2 Nibsy's Pub (3
Northside / Eastwood 1) Shifty's Bar & Grill 4) Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza 2) Change of Pace 3) OIP (Eastwood)	Southside / SU Hill Swallow's (1 Dorian's Gourmet Pizza (4 Varsity Pizza (2 Chuck's Cafe (3

Results from each regional bracket will be listed in the coming weeks. The Final Four and champion of Pulled Into Syracuse's 2011 Wing Tournament will be crowned in March, so stay tuned!

Review: Liehs & Steigerwald

2011-01-26T16:23:00.005-05:00

Name: Liehs & Steigerwald
Address: 1857 Grand Blvd, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 474-2171
Neighborhood: Northside
Website: www.liehsandsteigerwald.com
Category: Butcher, German market
Business Hours: Tuesday-Friday 7 AM to 6 PM, Saturday 7 AM to 5 PM
Parking: Private lot, on-street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Delivery: Yes (regionally)

I have somewhat of an affinity to Syracuse's Northside. More specifically, to any shops or restaurants remotely relating to anything German in the neighborhood. My great-grandparents came over from Germany in the late 1800's and settled into Syracuse at the Butternut Street area around Schiller Park. Every generation since then has had someone either live or been born in Syracuse. And given the location and odds, I'm quite certain that one of my family members along the way at least once visited this family-owned and operated, German meat market.

German markets are few and far between these days. You can still spot hints of them around the city (Karcher's Meat Market comes to mind - a painted sign still exists on the side of the red building at 420 Butternut St, now Viet Ny Grocery). In early 2009, the neighborhood's heritage took a hit with the closing of Weber's Restaurant & Haus of Reubens, a longtime German restaurant and bar on Danforth Street. But despite the dwindling number of German shops, bakeries, and other establishments remaining in the neighborhood, Liehs & Steigerwald has stood strong and true to its roots since 1936, all operating out of the little house on Grant Boulevard.

Walking in, your first impression of Liehs & Steigerwald should be the amazing smell. Wafting around in the air are hints of garlic, fresh cut and cured meats of all assortments, and ingredients from their bratwursts and other homemade meats such as horseradish, bacon, cheeses, and hot peppers, to name a few. The smell alone from this place has to be one of the best in the city.

Inside there's a few display cases showcasing the non-pre packaged and fresh daily cut meats like beef, pork, chicken, turkey, lamb, and veal, cheeses (domestic and imported), Plainville and Boar's Head cold cuts, and homemade ones like blood tongue, German bologna, pressed ham, Polish ham, gelbwurst, roast beef, roast pork, and pastrami. For such a small store, there's a lot of interesting things on the shelves and counters too: chocolates, homemade horseradishes, dumpling mixes, German pastries, Underberg, Maggi, spice rubs, and even chopping blocks and cutlery.

And I haven't even mentioned the other specialty items here - all of which are homemade and contain no artificial flavors or preservatives: gravies, pierogies, German potato salad, sauerbraten, pickled eggs, cabbage rolls, beans, soups, hot dogs, coneys, kielbasa, bologna, liverwurst, sausages, chorizo, pickles, loafs, cutlets, spiedies, pork bones for flavoring, ribs, burgers, and 18 different kinds of bratwurst.

Exhale... A lot going on.

Behind one of the counters is an overhead chalkboard with some of the daily specials and pricing. Service was very helpful and best of all patient on this not-too-busy Saturday afternoon.

The order...

Bratwursts (2 jalapeno, 2 sun dried tomato chicken): $7.79
Pickle: $1.69
Jar of hot horseradish mustard: $4.99
Total money spent with tax: $15.90

Since this isn't a restaurant, I'll have to do the review a little differently than normal. Later that night I decided to make two bratwurst sandwiches. I grilled up the brats to get them brown, sauteed some onions, added some canned saurkraut (don't kill me, at least it was from Wisconsin!) and then simmered it all in some water and a little beer. Since I knew I was doing a review, I didn't add that much beer because I didn't want to distract from the flavor of the bratwurst by adding too much.

4 plump brats. Wrapped in parchment paper, the sign of a real butcher.

Shown here with L&S's Hot Horseradish Mustard.

You'll have to take your guess as to which is which because I can't remember. I think the jalapeno ones more tan.

A local lager like Utica Club may have been more appropriate, but Molson was all that I had in my fridge. And next time on the way back home, I'll stop by DiLauro's Bakery for rolls and skip the grocery store brand.

Noticeable after the first bite was the overwhelming fume of horseradish that was sent into my sinuses. If you love horseradish or very spicy mustard, you may be in heaven. I loved the fresh taste, classic flavor, and bright yellow color of L&S's mustard but I had to switch over to my refrigerated Hofmann brand because the horseradish was just way too spicy. My face was on fire, basically. If it's any consolation, I still have it. Again, great flavor and I even use it on sandwiches every once in a while (Boar's Head ham, provilone, Harrison Bakery rye bread, and this all go amazing together). I just add the horseradish parts VERY sparingly. I'm talking pinky nail size. I can only imagine what the Xtra Hot style is like.

For the bratwursts, I wasn't too crazy about the sun dried tomato and chicken one as I thought it was a tad dry and a little bland. I would've liked a little more tomato presence in it. The jalapeno was awesome: juicy meat, a very fresh taste, not overly spicy but enough to know that it's jalapeno, and encased a nice snappy skin.

Lastly, a great, classic dill pickle: large size, clean, fresh, and very crisp. Without diminishing how good this was, it had a similar flavor to the Claussen store brand but without the unnecessary preservatives.

Other notes...

- Liehs & Steigerwald has an "at your door" program for delivery to select cities in Central New York where they can not only deliver meats, but their Hot and Eat Meals as well. Check the website for more details.

- They also offer knife sharpening here.

All and all, it's a great store, with great history, great meat, outstanding selection, and friendly service. It might even be a hidden gem to pick up things for tailgating. I'll have to check out some of the other bratwursts, hot dogs, cuts of meat, and the chicken wing bratwurst (yes, you read that correctly), which is supposed to be very good - complete with blue cheese inside. Though I found their keilbasa a bit tough and gritty when I had it after my visit last year, I also had the pierogies which were awesome and the jar of hot pickles which were amazing (I didn't see them on the shelves this time around).

That all being said, it's not a bad place for basic grocery shopping either. There's a lot you could fill your fridge and freezer with here. I'll hold off on the elite 5-star rating as I'd like to try some other things. For now, let's settle with 4.5. And if you have any suggestions on what else is good here, let me know in the comments section.

My rating of Liehs & Steigerwald:

Your rating of Liehs & Steigerwald:

New Comments Section

2011-01-18T22:16:00.002-05:00

There's a new comments section on the blog. I switched over to Disqus and figured it would be better for visitors and make things a little more interactive. But doing so erased all of the previous comments. They're still there when I edit the blog so I may copy and paste them over to the new format. Or try to find a better way to put them back up. Right now it's way too late in the day to be doing this computer stuff.

Also, I'll be adding some pull-down menus and redesigning things over the next week or so, so bear with me on the changes.

Review: Francesca's Cucina

2011-01-18T19:28:00.008-05:00

Name: Francesca's Cucina
Address: 545 N Salina St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 425-1556
Neighborhood: Washington Square (Little Italy)
Website: www.francescas-cucina.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Italian
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM, Monday-Saturday 5 PM to 10 PM
Bar Hours: Monday-Friday 11 AM to Close, Saturday 5 PM to Close
Catering Hours: Monday-Sunday by reservation
Parking: Private Lot (free: next door/around corner), On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No

On a recent cold and wintery evening, my rosy cheeks and empty stomach found itself at Francesca's Cucina on North Salina Street in Little Italy.

A fairly busy and rowdy crowd was on hand passing through the bar area. Upon scoping out their website soon after, I found out it was Francesca's 7th Annual Customer Appreciation Holiday Party. Unbeknownst to me, the arrival time of my date and I was roughly 15 minutes prior to when they usually begin seating for dinner, but the waiter was kind enough to seat us in the dining room ahead of time anyway, away from the crowd and without a reservation.

The dining area is contemporary, very relaxed, and intimate with exposed brick walls, framed pictures, white tablecloths, dim candle lighting, and very tall windows facing Salina Street all underneath traditional tin ceiling panels. The lighting may have been a bit too dim for my taste, as it eventually became a little difficult to read the menu. Glass stemware, white plates, and heavy silverware were all cohesive, tasteful, and classy and really let you know that you were in a place that cared about its setting.

While I didn't get a look before seating, there's also an outdoor garden patio area for dining and catering during the warmer months. Judging by the pictures online, it looks like a great spot for outdoor dining.

The menu is very descriptive and has Italian classics like linguine with clam sauce, fettuccine alfredo, veal parmesan, and others, local favorites like Utica greens, riggies, haddock franchise, and some very enticing dishes like panko-coconut crusted salmon, crab stuffed chicken breast, and apple gorgonzola salad. Overall, it's a predominantly seafood and meat driven menu, but there's a few vegetarian options like salads, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, cheese ravioli, homemade gnocchi, and vegetable rigatoni.

The wine menu contains a well-rounded selection with choices from Germany, Italy, Napa Valley and the Finger Lakes.

The order...

Merlot, Blackstone (California): $7
Calamari: $10
Stuffed Hot Cherry Peppers: $7
Lobster Ravioli: $18
w/ Soup of the Day (Italian Onion)
Total money spent with tax & tip: $53.36

Arriving to the table prior to ordering was a loaf of Italian bread with the waitress pouring a tall bottle of olive oil onto a plate mixed with basil and other dried herbs. Fresh table bread and a perfect olive oil for dipping.

Pictured above is the fried calamari: lightly battered and gently sprinkled with chopped parsley, homemade marinara sauce on the side, and garnished with a lemon wedge and flower. These were perfectly fried and tender calamari tentacles and rings that didn't at all taste like rubber bands (which can be a risk when ordering them so far away from the coastline). And not only was the calamari fresh, but whatever the batter was, it was delicately crunchy and melt-in-your-mouth good. I would absolutely order these again.

While I probably tend to mention my love for Boston's seafood more often than I should on this blog, let the record show that this was a close second to best fried calamari that I've ever had (the best being from a random vendor at St Anthony's Feast in the North End), which from a personal standpoint, says a lot about how good this was at Francesca's. It was awesome.

Next up was the stuffed hot cherry peppers: beef filling and baked with marinara sauce and finished with Romano cheese. Pictured above on a separate plate.

The spicy red and green cherry peppers were packed with a juicy beef filling (almost like mini-meatballs) and accompanied with a fresh and spicy marinara sauce. Excellent appetizer.

A cold evening called for soup instead of salad, which I rarely do. It ended up being a nice decision. The broth of the Italian Onion soup had an excellent consistency and was not too thick; almost like a cross between a beef broth from a French Onion soup and a thin tomato soup; and spoonfuls of long, sauteed onions were the perfect addition. Also some good crusty bread that soaked up the soup. I'm not a big soup guy in general, but this was very tasty.

There it is. Behold. The lobster ravioli. This was outstanding: robust, diced tomatoes in a creamy, pink vodka sauce with hints of fresh garlic, chopped scallions, basil, shredded parmesan, and perfectly cooked diced onions all set atop beautiful, striped ravioli that was generously packed with chunks of tender Maine lobster. I'd be hard-pressed to order anything different on my next visit as it was one of the best and most flavorful pasta dishes that I've had in recent memory. A-plus all around.

Writer's note: it should be noted that my Mohawk Valley-born girlfriend was a little put-off upon reading that Francesca's Chicken Riggies were listed as "a Syracuse tradition!" on the menu. She had to order them to see if they incorrectly lived up to the claim. They passed.

There was no room for desert, but I'll definitely give it a shot on my next visit.

Considering this visit was intended as an intimate dinner for two, it was a perfect choice. Great setting (despite the loud crowd on this occasion), great food, and you're really treated like a welcomed customer from the thoughtful service and thoughtful execution in the food, which you can tell just by reading the menu that each dish has been thought-out for and carefully cared for.

This was really a great meal. And from a personal standpoint, it was nice to eat at an Italian restaurant where you didn't receive that familiar, blase, home-style cooking experience that you can find anywhere in Central New York (i.e. uninspiring bread, salads, and appetizers and dishes drenched in sauce and filled to the brim with ungodly large portion sizes). Franesca's was a pleasant breakaway from the local-norm and had the feel of offering more refined food where the focus is on the layers of flavors happening in each of the pastas and sauces.

If I can get a little more existential (here I go!), I guess I'll never understand why people will choose to wait for over an hour and dine at Texas Roadhouse or Ruby Tuesdays as oppose to a meal at a place like Francesca's. It was a great dining experience, parking was easy, there was minimal wait on a Thursday night, and the food was not only superb but appropriately priced too. I mean, I don't want to bash the big chains or the people that dine there because I enjoy those places every so often as well, but I don't rely on them as a staple or as my go-to place for a certain cuisine. A slight purpose of this blog is to show that there are other dining options in Syracuse that offer a far better experience than the standard chains. Francescan's is the perfect example of how one meal here can be more memorable than 20 visits to an Olive Garden.

This was by far one of the best Italian meals that I've had over the last several years and I can't wait to return.

My rating of Francesca's Cucina:

Your rating of Francesca's Cucina:

2010 Recap

2010-12-30T12:07:00.001-05:00

Some end-of-the-year city and blog highlights...

Doc's Little Gem closes.

Gianni's Pizza is awesome.

A short-lived, but fond farewell to Clark's Ale House. News of Clark's Ale House closing first broke here.

J Ryan's surprises with a garbage plate.

Adam Richman visits Syracuse.

Lobster BLT at Blue Tusk rocked.

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que changes worried me, with reassurance from owner, John Stage.

Pulled Into Syracuse's Top-5 Places for Eats in the Near Northeast neighborhood.

Curry Puffs at Little Thai House earned praise on its second visit.

Taste of Syracuse 2010 recap.

Blarney Stone has great wings. And fries. And burgers.

What were some of your favorite dining experiences from the last year?

Cliche End of the Year Post

2010-12-23T13:05:00.002-05:00

I want to thank everyone for making 2010 another great year at Pulled Into Syracuse. The site has had an increased and steady flow in readership lately, going from ~1,400 page views a month in 2009 to ~2,000 a month in 2010. And the presence online grew as well with the launching of the Facebook and Twitter pages. What's crazy to me is that people as far away as India and Poland occasionally check into the blog as well. I never thought this whole thing would quite take off like it did when I started it back in '08, but look, you're all here... pitching in...

It's been a lot of fun and I can't wait for 2011, as I have a few new things for the blog that I'm working on and am excited about. I'll be redesigning some things over the next couple of weeks as well, so bear with me on the changes. Some may only be temporary as I shift colors, text, and layouts around, but I'll hopefully get to something that's a little more pleasing to the eye and more organized. I'm also going to overhaul the comments section to hopefully make it a bit more interactive.

The reviews and posts have been a little infrequent as of late (alas, this is only a hobby), but I'm hoping to really bust a move and try out a lot of places that I've been meaning to go to for a couple of years now, as well as getting into some neighborhoods that I haven't been represented on the blog yet.

At any rate, thanks for all of the feedback, comments, donations, check-ins, and taking the time to read my blog over the last couple of years. Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

December Restaurant News & Notes

2010-12-22T07:14:00.002-05:00

Columbus Bakery is all set for its preparation of long lines on Christmas and Christmas Eve. The little bakery on the Northside will be open 6 AM to 6 PM on Dec. 24th and 6 AM to 3 PM on Dec. 25th.

Shifty's Bar & Grill will be providing tickets and transportation to and from the Dome for SU vs. Notre Dame on New Years Day and will be hosting 6 hours of live music and SU Basketball during the day starting at 1 PM and ending at Midnight. A $50 ticket includes a seat in Section 306, bus transportation, and a lunch buffet prior to the game. Check their website or stop in and ask the bartender for more details.

For those looking to keep cozy during the snowiest December on record in the history of the city, don't forget Pulled Into Syracuse's Top-5 Places to Stay Warm During the Winter post from last year. Among many other restaurants that could easily have made it to this list, there are plenty of local bookstores, coffee shops, and other places around the city to stay warm inside with great company and surroundings. For as much as most complain about the snow, it's pretty impressive how well the city and its residents generally handle it with it ease everyday.

Restaurant News

2010-11-19T16:10:00.004-05:00

After opening in 1970's, King David's on Marshal Street looks like it will definitely be moving in order to make way for Chipotle Mexican Grill.

It's a little overdue, but Columbus Bakery Co has a recipe for hoagie dip on their facebook page, which sounds like a great idea for tailgating or a party.

I love when restaurants put recipes online. I plan on making green enchiladas from Casa Romero very soon. But I especially love how when I first started this blog (early 2008?), I could hardly find any information online about a very well-known yet small, local place like Columbus Bakery. And now with more and more restaurants moving onto Facebook, we can get neat things like this straight from the owners as well as pictures and any other information or helpful updates. It makes that interaction between customer and store seem that much closer.

Two Downtown restaurants are expanding hours: Darwin will be open on Saturdays beginning November 27th and Nikos Pasta Pizza & Deli in Hanover Square will be open Wednesday to Saturday nights within the next week or so. Both would make a great stop before or after Ice Skating at Clinton Square.

Tacolicious, a new taco restaurant located at 308 S Warren Street, held their red carpet event on Thursday, November 18th. Menu link is available here.

Prime Steak House, Hanover Square's newest restaurant, will be opening tonight, Friday, November 19th. At least just the bar section. Haven't heard anything about the actual restaurant section yet, but I'd assume it's very soon.

And finally, Nathan Mattise of Diners Without Frosted Tips has some pictures of what Doc's Little Gem Diner is looking like lately (along with a nice slide show of abandoned diners along NY-17 heading towards NYC).

I make that drive a few times a year on my way to New Jersey and it's easy to notice the old rest stops and boarded up diners along the way (the Red Apple Rest comes to mind). Albeit coming to a close, it's a nice drive to make in the fall and you can beat the views of the foliage.

Helping Those In Need

2010-11-18T07:52:00.002-05:00

While most of the readership at Pulled Into Syracuse and myself included may have ability to dine at many great restaurants in and around Syracuse, it never hurts to consider those less fortunate who may struggle to put food on the table for their families, especially during more difficult times this Thanksgiving and Holiday Season. Please donate if you have the ability and buy locally whenever possible so your donations and food are not only going to a good place, but your money is as well.

There are plenty of food pantries around Central New York. For some suggestions on donations, you can contact the Interreligious Food Consortium of CNY at 474-8855 or by visiting their website or contact the Food Bank of Central New York at 437-1899 or by visiting their website.

Review: NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza

2010-11-16T16:16:00.003-05:00

Name: NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza
Address: 1428 Burnet Ave Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 425-7770
Neighborhood: Eastwood
Website: www.nygiannispizza.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Pizza, Italian
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Thursday 11 AM - 9 PM, Friday to Saturday 11 AM - 10 PM, and via their Facebook page, now open Sundays 12 PM to 8 PM
Parking: On-Street, Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Wi-Fi: Yes
Delivery: Yes (with a $10 minimum)

It's not too often Upstate New York gets to legitimately contend with something from our NYC neighbors. We know the story. They have better restaurants, better bagels, and even better pizz.... Wait. Could it be that Syracuse can now lay claim to great pizza in comparison to its New York City brethren?

Classic New York style pizza, as we've all known, originated and will always dredge up images of New York City pizzerias. There's a distinct look, style, and taste to the pizza that some even claim is in the water. Whatever the difference is, NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza, has now ushered in great, New York style pizza right here in Syracuse all the way from the borough of the Bronx.

With a location that's less than a block east of Shifty's, parking is available on-street or in the lot that's easily accessible from the entrance on Burnet Ave. When you've pulled into the parking lot with a sign that reads "Liberty Bakery / Gianni's Pizza", you've reached the right place.

Pizza is the main focus here as your toppings include traditional ones as well as spinach, broccoli, hot peppers, eggplant, and roasted red peppers. Their specialty pizzas all have clever Bronx-style nicknames like the "Grand Concourse" (the meat lovers), "Morris Park" (thick crust grandma), " White Plains" (white pizza), and "Botanical Garden" (veggie deluxe) among others. Aside from pizza, Gianni's also offers calzones, rolls, lunas, subs, wings (and dart wings), salads, and appetizers like garlic bread, jalapeno poppers, garlic knots, and breaded mushrooms. Visit the actual restaurant and you'll find a few desserts in the display case like cookies and half moons.

Inside is quite tiny with a few small, adequate tables to enjoy a slice or two. However, I opted for take-out on this occasion.

The order...

Medium Pepperoni Pizza: $13.22
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $15

With a quarter of it missing because I got hungry.

Temperature: perfectly hot.

Style: it's thin crust, but not insanely thin. Enough to provide some give in the dough and partnered with a little bit of crunch on the bottom. The texture was great.

Cheese: perfectly layerd and while a bit greasy for some (I prefer a slightly greasy pizza anyway), the cheese had that classic gooey and stringy texture.

Topping: I love pepperoni and it was perfectly cooked here, but I'd think I'd opt for something else next time. Combined with the cheese, it encouraged a somewhat greasy pizza.

Pizza crust: get this - perfect. It's a bold statement coming from yours truly. For anyone that knows me personally, they know I've never been a fan of the outside ring of a pizza. It's not uncommon to see a plate of mine lined with the aftermath of several scattered crusts after downing a few slices. I usually don't enjoy crust because more often then not it tastes like cardboard and is a mere depressing shadow of its former glory. However, at Gianni's, even the crusts were consumed. The crust is that good. It's chewy on the inside, slightly charred and crunchy (but not overly crunchy) on the outside, and didn't dry out at all near the ends.

Sauce: absolutely amazing. Spicy, garlicy, and sweet. And while every other attribute of the pizza is good or above average, the sauce is pretty much the stand-out here.

Overall pizza reaction: outstanding.

My confession is that after visiting this place over the last several months, I have yet to order pizza from anywhere else inside Syracuse.

My second confession is that their tomato pie, although served warm, is awesome and would go out on a limb and say that it may rival anything in Utica, mainly because the sauce is that good.

What else can I say that The Pizza Geek, Chus On Chow, and Wandering Through Syracuse haven't already said? I'm hooked. I'm on the Gianni's bandwagon and can't get off. I have to give this 5 stars. Even more impressive is that it's served with very friendly service. I have no complaints whatsoever and their pizza is awesome. Probably some of the best I've ever had. I look forward to trying out some other things on the menu very, very soon.

And yes, taste the flava!

My rating of NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza:

Your rating of NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza:

Initial Thoughts: Bittersweet Wine Bar & Desserts

2010-11-09T07:41:00.005-05:00

I went to Bittersweet's opening night this past Saturday and I was impressed by the place. It's a classy atmosphere with a nice selection of wine on hand and offers plenty of mouth watering desserts. The location is at 121 W Fayette Street right next to Clinton Street Pub - right on the outskirts of Armory Square.

Among the dessert samples that I tried on Saturday were the NY Style Cheesecake, the Carmel Brownie Cheesecake, Carrot Cake, Death By Chocolate Cake, Peanut Butter Dream, and a few others which the names escape me. Every one of them was delicious (the Carmel Brownie Cheesecake was amazing and dare I say, perfect. I thought the NY Style may have been the weakest, but still very good none the less).

Aside from deserts and the 40 or so wine selections, Bittersweet also has milkshakes, ice cream floats, fondue, sandwiches, salads, coffees, and a small beer selection. Hours are 11 AM to 12 AM Mondays through Wednesdays, 11 AM to 2 AM Thursdays to Fridays, and 4 PM to 2 AM on Saturdays.

It should be a great addition to Downtown (assuming they can maintain a steady stream of business during the week, and not just on weekend nights). And really, my only two very, very small issues is that if they're aiming for a much more intimate vibe, I think the lighting should be much dimmer - it was a bit bright and the office-like ceiling panels stick out like sore thumbs, but maybe the lighting was higher for opening night - and I also kind of wish they had offered a few more NY State wines than what was on the wine menu (I only counted a handful), but it's not too big of a deal.

All and all: It's a great place and I really enjoyed it. It should be a welcomed addition to the local restaurant scene. Seems like an excellent spot to hit up after a great meal at any Downtown restaurant.

Review: La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill

2010-10-18T16:38:00.006-04:00

Name: La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill
Address: 409 S Clinton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 422-8811
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.lataqueriagrill.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Mexican
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Wednesday 10:30 AM - 10 PM, Thursday to Friday 10:30 AM - 3AM, Saturday 11 AM - 3 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Catering: Yes

I hesitated stopping in here for dinner as I walked by it on my way up Clinton St (I was heading towards Lao Village and in dire need of some red curry). After arriving at my destination only to find it was closed for the day for no apparent reason, I walked back to Armory Square and decided to give La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill a try.

In what was the former Cafe Gyro Basha (a mediocre gyro place that used bagged lettuce with carrots as filling. Blel!), and the former Slices (a decent pizza substitute for Armory Square late nighters whenever Nick's was too crowded) is now home to La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill - a Mexican-style off-shoot of Dolce Vita World Bistro on E Genesee St. Since opening earlier this year, the place began its mark with a complete interior and exterior makeover that brought in a cafeteria-style ordering station, foundation restructuring and expansion, separate dining areas, and was completed with a tasteful, Hacienda-style look on the outside. It was a huge overhaul and a major improvement from the shoddiness and badly lit interior that existed there just a couple of years prior. The inside also features clean and cohesive looking tables and chairs, a huge flat screen TV over a fireplace, and stools up near the window overlooking Clinton Street. It's a very warm and relaxing atmosphere (at least on this occasion - I can't necessarily vouch for the lunch crowd rush).

Again, ordering is cafeteria-style with a few members of the staff hosting different stations and handling each aspect of the food. While they specialize in mostly burritos, tacos, and quesadillas here, there's a few other surprises on the menu like potato salad (with red potatoes, avocado, and jalapenos), stuffed peppers (baked green peppers stuffed with beef and rice and topped with cheese), and the grande nachos (with with about every topping choice available). The tacos and burritos come with your standard choice of fillings as well as choices like tequila-lime marinated tofu, chicken marinated in chipotle habanero sauce, homemade salsas, and fresh jalapenos and cilantro. It's nice not to be charged for each individual ingredient for the burritos, but opt for sour cream and guacamole and it will run your meal a little higher. Bottled drinks and fountain drinks are available and are mostly Coca-Cola products. And I did spy me some Jarritos.

The order...

Carnitas Burrito: $6.50
Soda with Chips & Salsa combo: $2.00
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $10

Chips and salsa? Meh. Not terrible. The mild salsa was kind of bland, had scallions in it, and had a ton of cilantro (which is one of my favorite herbs, but it was a bit overbearing). Chips were a tad on the stale side. In the small paper cup, that's a free sample of the habanero pepper salsa. Unfortunately, I don't really remember anything else about it.

Also pictured (in foil) is the Carnitas Burrito with Mexican pulled pork, cilantro lime rice, black beans, mild salsa, cilantro, fresh jalapenos, and red onions.

Honestly, I wasn't too keen on the burrito. The cilantro lime rice sounded good in theory, but didn't really have any noticeable cilantro presence or lime taste, the red onions were really strong and over-whelming, and the floor tortilla was a really strange texture - it's hard to explain, but it was really, really dry, pulled apart easily, and one of the oddest flour tortillas I can remember having. As for the large portion of pulled pork inside, it was relatively dry (despite being dredged in the traditional meat liquid before serving) and was really off-putting. For lack of a better description, it tasted like powdered beef jerky and was a taste that I really couldn't get past, especially because there was so much of it. Beef jerky isn't so bad on its own, but I'd rather not have it in burrito form. It kind of through off the entire experience for me.

I'm not really sure if this was a bad meal or if I just wasn't in the mood for it. I'd rather not give a bad review based on being unmotivated before even walking into a place. But at the same time, nothing really excited me. It caters towards the lunch and late night crowds, but it's also not a bad stop for a sit-down meal and a quick dinner. Points for fast and friendly service (a great spot for food on-the-go), a nice menu, and a comfortable, fresh, and clean interior. I'd give the food a low rating for this particular experience, but I wouldn't rule out going back again. The menu has some other enticing options that I'd be willing to give a try for next time.

My rating of La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill:

Your rating of La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill:

Odds & Ends

2010-10-07T16:17:00.002-04:00

Just a few random food and restaurants notes...

Via this 9 SWYR story, several new restaurants will or have already opened in Downtown Syracuse. They include Bittersweet Cafe on W Fayette St, Tacolicious on S Warren St, Kokomo's on Clinton St, and a specialty sandwich shop on Montgomery St.

Here's some nice exposure for the local food blog scene in an article written by Pat Steer on the Examiner.

For you iPhone users, check out this cool, local food app called Farmshed which is a directory of local family farms, farmers markets, natural food stores, and locavore restaurants.

And lastly, next Tuesday, October 12th is the last day of the Downtown Farmers Market, so be sure to stock up!

Review: J Ryan's Pub

2010-10-06T16:16:00.005-04:00

Name: J Ryan's Pub
Address: 253 E Water St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 399-5533
Neighborhood: Downtown
Website: www.facebook.com/pages/Syracuse-NY/J-Ryans-Pub-in-Syracuse-NY/205867684374
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Bar Food, Sandwiches, Burgers
Bar Hours: Monday-Saturday 11 AM to 2 AM, Sunday 12 PM to 11 PM
Alcohol: Beer with limited liquor selection
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Takes Reservations: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Delivery: No

In a spot that was once the former MacGregor's and Kelly Cole's, J Ryan's continues the tradition of Downtown beer bar in its own unique way. Although not technically within the confines of Hanover Square, it's a very short walk from there or Clinton Square and one of the few thriving businesses located on the desolate border between Downtown and the Northside.

It's a cozy place with black and white checkered flooring, neon signs in the windows, a low ceiling, and with plenty of seating at small tables, at the bar, or outside (when weather permits). Pretty much every spot in the place is utilized in some way by a zigzagged style bar with tons of beer on tap, a pool table, a jukebox (with a good selection of music that's never played too loudly), electronic darts, an ATM, and Big Buck Hunter. And with plenty of flat screen TVs scattered about at all corners and walls, there's definitely not a bad spot in the place to watch a game.

J Ryan's claim to fame? 69 beers on tap. Yes, 69. Kind of hard to believe that there can be this many affordable beers and such a huge variety in a generally small establishment, but they're able to fit them all in here. Everything from stouts, IPAs, local microbrews, and selections from Bear Republic, Horseheads, Troeg's, Rooster Fish, and Sly Fox to name just a few from the large selection. For lack of a better word, it's a supurb listing and probably the best in Central New York. If you can't make up your mind on what to order by the taps lining the bar, there's a beer menu as well as a huge, easy-to-read chalkboard listing every beer option available. The staff and bartenders are also extremely friendly and welcome any questions, so don't hesitate to ask if you're undecided.

Other beer notes...

- Every night there's a "$2 Holla Special" which features 2 selected beers on tap for $2 (served in an 11-ounce glass) or for $9 a pitcher.

- There's a storage cooler as you walk through the E Water St entrance with large glass bottles of beer for sale.

- Growlers are available for $5, which makes them one of the few bars in Syracuse to do so.

J Ryan's menu features your standard pub fare like wings, fried foods, soups, salads, sandwiches (like the beef on weck), wraps, and angus burgers. Choice-wise, I'd say it's right in the middle between traditional and slightly upscale bar food. And if one of the 70-ish varieties of beer does not entice you, there's non-alcoholic drinks available like sodas, juices, milk, hot chocolate, pink lemonade, and fresh-brewed iced tea.

The order...

Onion Rings: $5
Bubba Plate: $8.95
Great White Wit (not pictured): $4
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip (approx): $22

Pictured above are J Ryan's beer-battered onion rings.

Not too bad. I really liked the flavor of the batter (beer-battered, which I believe was black and tan based). Excellent crunchiness and perfectly cooked onions (biting right into the ring didn't result in the onion strand coming out). Personally, I wasn't really a fan of the texture. I prefer onion rings with a flakier batter, not something so rigid, but these were still good none the less. No dipping sauce, which was kind of a let-down. A mustard-horseradish-style dip would've fit nicely.

The Bubba Plate, J Ryan's personal take on the traditional Garbage Plate, consists of mac salad, fries, 2 cheeseburgers, meat sauce, and onions. All and all, I was impressed by this. Mainly because I expected not to be blown away (we're in Syracuse, not Rochester). The plate featured crunchy fries with the skins on, freshly chopped onions that weren't too overwhelming, thick and juicy ground angus beef that was cooked very well, and topped with a spicy meat sauce that blended everything on the plate together nicely. Though within the style of a true garbage plate, I would've liked to see a bit more grease at the bottom of the plate. Though not unwelcome, this was more like a "clean" version. It's a huge portion and I barely finished it, so you certainly get your money's worth. The only thing I wasn't too keen on was the mac salad, which I thought was a bit flavorless and overly gooey. Overall though, thumbs up. I'd order it again. My one major regret from living in The Rock briefly was never going to Nick Tahou's for late night, so it's nice to know that there's a decent option right here in 'cuse.

J Ryan's is slowly moving up on my list of favorite Syracuse bars. And with the recent closure of Clark's Ale House, it's only moved up further. It's a great place to drink, comfortably socialize, watch a game, and enjoy some decent bar food. If you love beer, you will love J Ryan's. 5 stars for beer, 3.5 for food.

My rating of J Ryan's Pub:

Your rating of J Ryan's Pub:

Clark's Ale House Update 2

2010-09-22T07:55:00.008-04:00

So now that the thought of Clark's Ale House leaving the corner of Jefferson and Clinton permanently is setting in for us all, let me bring up some pre-final thoughts on everything. I'll be doing another post this weekend, maybe another review of the place, and maybe some video and pictures from the final day and closing time (assuming I can grab a spot and they don't go past their maximum capacity on Saturday night).

I'm not going to dive into any legal issues or who's at fault. And I'm definitely not going to rebuttal or embellish on any of the theories given in the comments section of the Post-Standard article because for lack of a better expression, they're mostly glorified tripe. When you get down to it, it's a good move for the city and I think Ray Clark knows that. Salina Street needs as much help as it can get and the theater expansion should eventually help Syracuse get some legitimate shows and productions (increasing tourism, hotels, and even boosting nearby restaurants).

But, the bottom line is, one of America's top beer bars is closing. It's a bittersweet week for local beer and roast beef lovers, anyone who has enjoyed sitting at a table outside on the corner of Jefferson and Clinton while people watching, and anyone who preferred having a few beers on a weekend evening and socializing without having awful dance music crammed into their ears. Being that the news was so sudden and essentially blindsided everyone, including its owner and staff, the news and closing effects everyone just as equally whether you have been going there for 18 years or just 18 days. And without sounding too overly dramatic, the time left of its remaining days isn't long enough to enjoy it and let go at the same time.

A busy Clark's bar and serving station on Monday night.

I'd rather not turn this into a gossipy post, but the details I know are: The Landmark offered a spot somewhere in the building but it was turned down (I have a feeling it was an awful location or set-up), looking at the equipment up for auction is quite depressing, Clark's has used a secret recipe for their red onions on their sandwiches this whole time (I knew it!), and one of my friends asked Mr. Clark this week whether or not he'd be reopening anytime and he looked around at the crowd and replied "we might have to.".

So, although there are absolutely no plans for relocation at this exact moment, allow me to totally get ahead of myself, daydream for a bit, and make three suggestions for possible locations...

1) Hanover Square

I mention Hanover Square not because I'm biased, live there, and want to pig out on roast beef sandwiches several times a week, but because I think it's an area that has almost as much lunchtime traffic, excellent views and architecture, has J Ryan's and Bull & Bear just footsteps away, and it contains a couple of available, low-key, and yet easily visible locations close to the center of the city that could easily be turned into a quaint beer bar (the former Quigley's comes to mind).

2) South Salina Street near Wiseguys

If the grand-scheme here is to redevelop or at least heighten the activity of Salina street by 2012, which seems to be next in line now that the O'brien & Gere Building is complete and with the Dey Brothers project, Centro bus hub relocation, and the Landmark Theater renovation looming on-deck, what better way to usher in all of this redevelopment than with one of Syracuse's most well-known bars taking a bold step and leading the charge? It'd be more of a risky move than Hanover (at least in the eyes of out-of-towners because many people seem to be scared of Salina Street through Downtown at night for no legitimate or substantial reason, other than for petty excuses that I'd rather not dive into on this blog). Salina may not ever come back from its glory days several decades ago, but we can at least pump some new blood and life into it and do it at our own steady pace. A location here would definitely trickle out some of the foot traffic from Amrory Square (which the more I think about, tends to function like its inside of a small bubble).

3) The former Weber's location on Danforth St in the Northside

A bit of a trek from their soon-to-be former location on Jefferson St, but of anywhere outside of Downtown, this may make the most sense. A historic bar and front room, enough room in the back for remodeling and turning into a separated drinking and lounging section (not unlike the current Clark's setup), located in a place that was once known for its own sandwiches (reubens), and smack-dab in the heart of the city's once ethnically populated German neighborhood and brewery district.

And I list the former Weber's location with some hesitation, because my brother and I NEED to buy this place and reopen it as a German restaurant!

Just some random thoughts as we progress through the week. I'll be updating over the next couple of days. I also have some other reviews of restaurants just about ready to go and should be up by next week.

Clark's Ale House Update

2010-09-18T13:57:00.007-04:00

It's official. Clark's Ale House will be closing. Spread the word and consume as many roast beef sandwiches, smoked gouda cheese plates, and pickled eggs as you can before Saturday, September 25th.

Man v. Food Airs This Wednesday

2010-08-30T22:49:00.008-04:00

Don't miss the all-new episode of Man v. Food this Wednesday, September 1st at 9 PM on the Travel Channel where host Adam Richman visits Syracuse. Adam makes a stop at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Heid's (of Liverpool fame), and Mother's Cupboard Fish Fry & Diner for the "Frittata Challenge".

I'm very excited about this and it'll be cool to see the local restaurant scene getting some huge publicity. Don't miss it!

Weekend Happenings & General Updates

2010-08-19T15:15:00.008-04:00

Plenty of things going on in the city this weekend and over the next couple of weeks to keep busy...

- Obviously, the end of summer means that it's almost State Fair time. The most glorious time of the year. It's too bad the Fair isn't technically within the city limits because I would love to do a huge food review for it. And I've always thought it would be cool if a site had some kind of interactive food map (where to find Gianelli sausage, curly fries, deep fried oysters, cheapest beer, etc...). Coincidentally, it looks like they are actually working on a "food finder" for the website.

- Friday and Saturday, August 20th and 21st are the dates for the 7th Annual Great Chicken Wing Festival at the Inner Harbor. The event will feature music, a cornhole tournament, and of course, wings and food from local restaurants like OIP, Shifty's, Caribbean King, and Gannons Isle. It's kind of lame that several wing participants are chains (Quaker Steak, Buffalo Wild Wings, Pizza Hut, Price Chopper...). Hopefully the local participants mop the floor with them.

- The Downtown Farmers Market (located at Clinton Square) runs every Tuesday from 7 AM to 4 PM and will continue until 10/12. The market has been great, especially when you're one lucky s.o.b. who lives a block away.

And some non-food related events...

- Hanover Squares, based on the Hollywood Squares game show, takes place at 7 PM in Hanover Square on Friday, August 20th. The event will feature local celebrities and 8 teams competing for a grand prize.

- Although it opened today, Urban Outfitters will have its grand opening event on Friday, August 20th from 6 PM to 8 PM. Cost is free and will feature live music.

Has anyone else noticed that Armory Square essentially seems like the new center of the city lately?

- And for what it's worth, Benjamin's on Franklin will open soon (located at the former Ohm spot on Franklin Street in Armory Square). I don't know if they will have food or not, but it should be nice to have that location up and running again. I'm a big fan of the open, outdoor seating area in the center of the building.

That's pretty much everything. Watch out, Utica! Syracuse is a city on the... grow!

Review: Alto Cinco

2010-07-25T12:20:00.007-04:00

Name: Alto Cinco
Address: 526 Westcott St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 472-3633
Neighborhood: Westcott
Website: www.altocinco.net
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Mexican
Early AM Coffee Hours: Monday to Friday 8 AM - 11 AM
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Saturday 11 AM - 11 PM, Sunday 11 AM - 10 PM
Late Night Hours: Monday to Sunday 11 PM - 2 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Reservations: No
Alcohol: Beer & Wine
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes

Opened since 1995 (and currently celebrating its 15th year serving westcott), Alto Cinco has been the go-to destination for Mexican and Vegetarian cuisine for SU students, local Westcott residents, hippies, and the like. It's not technically Mexcian cuisine or something you'd fine at a random roadside taqueria (let's cut to the chase: it's more like Mexican influenced cuisine made by California hippies with a moderate earthy and organic vegetarian focus). But don't let that deter you from enjoying yourself at Alto. The food, including all mole, chips, salsas, and soups, are made fresh daily here.

Upon entering, there's a take-out counter with an chalkboard overhead displaying the menu with an open kitchen and view of chefs and food preps preparing all the meals. If you're doing take-out, you can place your order there, grab a seat inside, and read the local papers and neighborhood happenings (including signing an anti-Subway petition). If take-out is not your bag, you can opt for the more formal dining aspect. Just let the bartender know you'd like to dine in or at one of the tables outside.

The dining room is really nice and very original - with funky decor, copper-topped bar and tables, tasteful overhead and candle lighting, mixed with a relaxed and rustic kind of ambiance. Despite how small cramped the dining room is (and how busy it can get at times), it's very inviting and cozy. Depending on what time you end up going, it can even border on the romantic and intimate side on certain weekday nights if you're lucky.

Alto boasts several different menus including...

- An early AM coffee menu served from 8 AM to 11 AM Monday through Friday with coffee (obviously), espresso, cappuccino, spicy mocha, latte, Mexican hot chocolate, and a small list of breakfast items like breads, fresh fruit, breakfast burritos, and gluten free bagels.

- A lunch and dining menu with soups (like the vegetarian black bean or seasonal gazpacho), salads (like the berry salad with mixed greens, goat cheese, sliced avocado, and berries with a balsamic vinaigrette), sides (like pico de gallo salsa, guacamole, and mango salsa), appetizers (like the fried calamari served with chipotle mayo and fresh lime), and many creative entrees (such as the vegan tostada, catfish burrito, soft tacos, quesadillas, and Mexican pizza, to name a few).

- A take-out menu (essentially a refined dining menu with quicker prepared options).

- A late-night menu (which is a smaller version of the take-out menu, but still with a large variety of offerings).

- And a Sunday brunch menu served from 11 AM to 3 PM.

I really their dining menu a lot. Just keep in mind that it's predominantly non-meat focused (which helped Syracuse get on the list for the 5th-best small city for being vegetarian and vegan-friendly). Be advised that you will not find beef or pork anywhere here (however, chorizo can make an appearance every once in a while).

An excellent wine selection is on-hand with an affordable and extensive list offering about 40 varieties from around the globe , each served by the glass, carafe, and bottle. The beer selection is good as well: several varieties on tap with a nice bottle selection of local microbrews, Mexican, and other imports. Alto also features a decent selection of Mexican sodas and other non-alcoholic beverages too.

As you can tell, I went with take-out on this occasion.

The order...

Chips & Salsa: $3.35
California Burrito (with Cornbread and House Salad): $9.50
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $14.87

The salsa (pico de gallo style) had quite the kick - filled with diced tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, and jalapenos. It was tasty, but a bit watery for my liking with what consisted mostly of tomato juice and lime juice (I think?) with a slight smokiness flavor mixed in. I'd go out on a limb and attest that this salsa wasn't made that day (the tomatoes were a bit withered and the red onions lost some of their purple color). While not a big deal for salsa, it wasn't what I was expecting. The chips, while a tad on the salty side, were served warm, fresh, and crunchy. I had a ton of them left over afterwards, so it would've been nice to have a bigger portion of salsa.

Overall, not bad. I'd think I'd opt for a different appetizer next time as it's a little pricey for what you're actually getting (I always feel weird having to pay for chips and salsa).

So... the jalapeno cornbread is absolutely unbelievable. Perhaps the best in the city (I have yet to try Empire's blue cornbread). A perfect consistency (moist and not dry at all), flakey but not falling apart flakey, served warm, and with a pleasant hotness from the jalapenos. It's just amazing and I can't say enough good things about it. I could eat a whole dish of it.

Also pictured above is the house salad with mixed greens, cucumbers, radishes, and tangy vinaigrette.

The salad left a little to be desired. Freshly chopped ingredients, but a bit too many dirty leaves (it was quite noticeable). I would've preferred a bit more dressing as well, but I suppose that's the risk you can take sometimes with take-out in general.

The California burrito consisted of a wrapped 12-inch flour tortilla, yellow rice, black beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, roasted red peppers, and guacamole.

Before you yell and scream about the addition of yellow rice in a burrito, don't be hatin'. It actually fits in nicely here and was not mushy at all. The addition of roasted red peppers and sour cream gave it a nice tangy flavor and the guacamole was very tasty: creamy and really brightened up the burrito. Overall, a great burrito and a very good portion size too.

I've gotten this entree while dining in and I always thought it was unique how they put a small wedge of avocado sticking out of the middle of the burrito.

A few other things of note...

- It can get cramped with long wait times when school is in session (especially Friday and Saturday evenings). If crowds bother you, the best time to go is when SU is on break or weekday evenings.

- Shame on me for not knowing they're open until 2 AM.

- Alto Cinco also offers catering. Check their website for details.

Really, my one minor complaint is while the food definitely tastes fresh, I think they tend to reiterate the same ingredients over and over again in many of the dishes here. To a further extent and to do a bit of comparing, when you're at The Mission with a spread of food on the table (salsas, appetizers, entrees) they all mix extremely well together and actually heightens the overall meal. I don't know if I technically get that vibe with Alto Cinco. Not that that's a must-have attribute for any restaurant, but I think it's at least something worth noting.

Overall, Alto Cinco's a great dining experience with an original and funky vibe and creative and fresh food. I think with a couple more visits and checking out the Sunday brunch, I can see myself giving this an even higher rating. I've heard good things about their fried calamari from several people, so I'll have to try me some of that next time I'm here. Which shall be very soon. A strong 4 stars.

My rating of Alto Cinco:

Your rating of Alto Cinco:

Marino's/Donze's Italian Sausage

2010-07-14T09:01:00.008-04:00

Donze's Italian Sausage will be available to Syracusans again soon as it makes a return to the city's Northside.

As of now, the new business is called Marino's/Donze's, thanks to Mike Donze, whose uncle and father started the family business when it was located on N Townsend St. Donze's Meats closed in March of last year, while Marino's was sold a few months ago.

Both types of sausage will be sold at the new business at the former Marino's location at 1814 Butternut St.

"Donze's is made strictly from pork shoulder butts, which is very lean," Mike Donze said. "It's also a coarser grind than Marino's, which is firmer and made from pork picnics and trimmings as well as shoulder butts. The spices are a little different too."

I had never been to Marino's, but I was able to buy some sausage from Donze's Meats a few years ago when I first moved into the neighborhood and I remember it being very good (I had the "hot" kind, if memory serves me correctly). And then a couple months ago, I was driving around the St Joseph's Hospital area and amid all the crazy new construction that's going on up there, noticed that the store was totally vacant. Great to see that the sausage will be getting some life again on the Northside.

More information about the new (or old?) business can be found here.

Other Blogs

2010-07-04T08:45:00.003-04:00

Be sure to check out these great local blogs!

Savoring Syracuse: www.savoringsyracuse.com

Syracuse NY Pizza Blog and Reviews: pizzageek.wordpress.com

1,000 things... to do in Syracuse before you die: welcometosyracuse.blogspot.com

Mini-Review: Darwin

2010-07-02T07:55:00.004-04:00

Name: Darwin
Address: 211 N Clinton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: 315-214-5036
Neighborhood: Downtown
Website: www.darwinonclinton.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Deli, Sandwiches, Breakfast
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 8 AM to 2:30 PM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: No (will be available by Fall of '10)

Since the newly opened and little sandwich shop on N Clinton St will be evolving its menu every week until a final one is picked out in the fall, I'm going to hold off giving a rating and full review until then...

Darwin springs out of the mind of Terry Riley, owner of Riley's on Park Street (a sister restaurant, if you will). It's one of several new restaurants that have been making their way Downtown recently. While the place is small with no seating inside (at least on this visit), a couple of tables outside seem like a great spot to enjoy a meal along Clinton Street. A chalkboard above the counter displays the weekly menu items, as well as a salad of the week, brisket of the week, sides (like noodles, roasted potatoes), soups, a vegetarian option, and breakfast sandwiches. The chef's are all very friendly, so if you have a suggestion or any questions about anything on menu, they're glad to help.

Being that sign in the shop reads "If you've had the 'best sandwich ever' from somewhere in your travels, we'd love to hear about it.", may I shamelessly make a suggestion that the vegetarian option for one of the weeks be a pressed sandwich with heirloom tomatoes, fresh basil leaves, sliced mozzarella, olive oil, salt and pepper (as a nod to the best sandwich I've ever had). Simple ingredients, but if they'd could pull it off, I'd be there every day of the week.

The ingredients are home grown and homemade and what they don't make here, they try to incorporate from other local business like DiLauro's Bakery, Pasta's Daily Bread, Gianelli Sausage, and Liehs & Steigerwald, to name a few. In the coming weeks, additions such as a fish fry Friday and Riley's raspberry pie will be making an appearance. On this particular visit, a Chicago-style hot dog was available (made with Liehs & Steigerwald's and baked on fresh DiLauro's bread topped with mustard, onions, sweet pickle relish, a dill pickle spear, tomato slices, sport peppers, and celery salt). Extremely tempting, but maybe next time. For now, I decided go with the main sandwich...

Darwin's Week 1 Sandwich consisted of sliced turkey, cranberry aoli, sauteed spinach, and Swiss cheese on a freshly baked DiLauro's Bakery whole wheat roll (and served with a complimentary fireball candy).

Though I'm not big on whole wheat bread, this sandwich was extremely tasty. The melted cheese, warm turkey (roasted on the premises), and freshly sauteed spinach all went very well together and the aoli provided a really interesting and sweet kick. Surprisingly a great combination of flavors going on and a big portion too.

Also pictured is Riley's cranberry coleslaw (served in a convenient Asian-style take-out box).

I realize the monotony of picking out two items on the menu with cranberries, but I thought I'd go with it anyway.

Tender red and green cabbage, fresh carrots, chopped cranberries, and a not too overwhelmingly mayo taste (I'm picky about my coleslaw mix, sometimes it can be too mayo-ie or not enough - this was perfect). Great coleslaw.

They're really doing some smart and creative things here at Darwin. It seems like a little chef's science lab where they're trying out all different ideas from around the country to see what will work, all the while taking in suggestions from visitors. It's kind of fun to see how the menu changes from week to week. I'll be going back as the weeks and menu progress. Give them a shot if you haven't already.

Site Redesign & Lao

2010-06-21T21:09:00.010-04:00

I'll be changing some things around on the website over the next several days, so bear with me in the meantime. I realize I've been incognito as of late, but I'm hoping to get things a little more organized and clean up the layout a bit before adding any more reviews.

Whilst doing this, I'll also be eating Lao Village take out. HTML and Thai food are an amazing combo.

Above is the vegetable tempura served and sweet chili sauce (a thin consistancy and a taste similar to duck sauce). I love tempura. This was delicious and a very large portion for $5.50. I also had the red curry with shrimp...

The curry was great: a perfectly spicy and flavorful coconut and curry sauce with tender veggies and large shrimp (they're in there somewhere). Every time I go to Lao Village, I get more and more impressed. Such tasty and spicy food.

Taste of Syracuse Recap & Downtown Thoughts

2010-06-08T07:51:00.004-04:00

The Taste of Syracuse was another great success this year. Can't complain with good music and good food. While they improved on the flow of foot traffic from last year, I'd still like to see the vendors a little more spread out and not as cramped in the future. Mainly because the intersections at S Clinton/W Water and S Franklin St/W Water get totally jammed and are kind of crazy at night (for example, inebriated folk picking fights with one another while I wait in line for ice cream).

At any rate, here's what I was able to sample this year...

Caribbean King: Jerk Chicken
Eva's: Ruskie Pierogies
Jerk Hut: Jamaican Style Patties
Kalzonies: Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone
Lao Village: Fried Spring Roll with chili sauce
Las Delicias: Empanada
Liehs and Steigerwald: Hot Dog
Mai Lan: Spring Roll
Merritt Estate Winery: Wine Slushie (x2)
Shipwreck: Seafood Chowder
Big Mama's Cheesecakes: White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake

I wasn't able to get to The Mission, nor did I get my usual lobster roll at Charlie's (that area got mobbed with people when the Charlie Daniels Band started playing on Saturday night, so I decided to skip it).

Here are my Top-5 Choices...

1) Kalzonies: Chicken Bacon Ranch Calzone
For those who have been to any DP Dough location, this wasn't too far off. I'm sure my college buddies would call this blasphemy, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this may have been one of the best calzones I've ever had. Excellent combination of flavors with the mozzarella, bacon, and ranch, a large portion size for $1, and a freshly baked and yet soft exterior. I feel weird saying a calzone was the best thing I had, but it's true.

2) Big Mama's Cheesecakes: White Chocolate and Raspberry Cheesecake
Amazing. A nice velvety consistency and the small raspberry dollop on top added the perfect amount of tartness. Did I like this better than Junior's Cheesecake in Brooklyn? Me thinks so. As a side note, look for Big Mama's Cheesecakes at local restaurants (like Empire Brewing Co) as well as in Times Square and NYC.

3) Jerk Hut: Jamaican Style Patties
Soft and flakey crust filled with a spicy ground beef and bean interior served at the perfect temperature. I probably could've eaten a bunch of these.

4) Eva's: Pierogies
Pretty sure it's my staple when I go to the Taste of Syracuse. Doughy pierogies filled with potatoes and fresh farmers cheese, add some sweetness and sour from the sauerkraut and sauteed onions and butter on the outside, and topped with chopped parsley. Love it. I suppose it doesn't help that I also have a severe weakness for attractive Polish girls handing me amazing food.

5) Mai Lan: Spring Roll
Shrimp, fresh lettuce, bean sprouts, vermicelli, and mint wrapped in translucent rice-paper and topped with grated carrots, crushed peanuts, and a thin and tangy Vietnamese sauce. I usually get these and they never disappoint. Not to discredit any of the other places at the event, but the vendors are always so nice here too. I'll have to get over to the restaurant one of these days for an actual review.

Other notes...

I burned my tongue on Shipwreck's seafood chowder - it was served scolding hot and I kept eating it like a dummy - so I unfortunately wasn't able to totally enjoy it. It had good flavor, red potatoes with the skins on, and a thinner consistency than what you'd expect from a New England style chowder. The thinness reminded me of clam chowder I had recently at Neptune Oyster in Boston (which goes on record as my favorite of all-freaking-time), but this chowder didn't really have all that much "seafood" in it. I probably should've went back later on to give it another shot.

I did end up going to Kalzonies twice, but they were out of the Cheesecake Calzone the second go-around, so I opted for another Chicken Bacon Ranch.

Speaking of Kalzonies, they have a new location opening up in Armory Square at the former Goodfella's Pizzeria spot. I think it's an excellent move for them (they were/are down on E Jefferson St in no-man's land) and they'll be open late until 5am and will also offer late night delivery.

I know I already had a post about this, but has anyone noticed how many new restaurants have been popping up around downtown this year? Here's a list of 12 new places that have opened or will be opening soon.

Overall, I give a big thumbs up for the city. I think the Taste of Syracuse has really grown into a nice yearly tradition for Downtown. From a personal and well... bragging standpoint, it's nice to be able to walk a short distance from my apartment to enjoy things like this. I look forward to it every June and it's a nice "appetizer" to the State Fair.

Feel free to respond in the comments on what you guys had this year and what your favorites were.

Odds & Ends

2010-05-19T18:14:00.005-04:00

Apologies for the lack of reviews lately. I'll be focusing on moving over the next week or so (Downtown, wooooo!). I do have some reviews to put up but just need to put some finishing touches on them.

A few other pieces of news...

Two new restaurants have opened up in Clinton Square: Riccardi's Pizzeria and Darwin.

Syracuse Real Food Co-op is ready to expand and will be moving to East Genesee St.

Empire Brewing Co will host a slow food dinner this Saturday at 6 PM.

Not necessarily food-related, but the Downtown Living Tour is this Saturday as well. Advanced tickets can be picked up at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.

And while it's still a couple weeks away, I'm getting extremely excited about Taste of Syracuse in June. I plan on eating a ton and taking plenty of pictures. I was contemplating doing live-blogging, but I think I'll just keep it simple and do a normal post.

Empanadas, sushi, pierogies, spring rolls... CANNOT WAIT.

Asti to Reopen This Thursday

2010-05-11T07:52:00.001-04:00

After closing due to a chimney fire on April 1st of this year, Asti (formerly Asti Caffe and Trattoria) will reopen on Thursday, May 13th, with an official grand opening on Monday, May 17th. More info can be found at syracuse.com and on the official site.

Local links and weekend happenings

2010-04-28T07:24:00.005-04:00

Real Ale Fest kicks off at Clark's Ale House this weekend, 4 PM to Midnight on Friday, April 30th and Noon to Midnight on Saturday, May 1st. The event will feature 18 kegs of real ale from Brooklyn, Empire, Fuller's, Ithaca, Landmark and Middle ages, to name a few.

Via the storefront blog, here's some info regarding restaurants around Clinton Square, including Byblos Mediterranean Cafe, which opened on Monday and serves Lebanese cuisine.

Never had Lebanese food before, but I will check this place out. And I do love how new places are moving into the Clinton Square area.

Pretty cool video on syracuse.com on how to cook and eat bullheads.

I was at Jim's Fish Fry last week and while walking in noticed a sign that said they're now serving bullheads. I guess I'm just finding out that bullheads are a spring tradition here in Central New York.

Eat First, an excellent local food blog, offers some thoughts on DiLauro's Bakery and its luna, a what could be lesser-known regional delicacy.

In case you didn't know, DiLauro's bread is awesome. Go right now.

And lastly, here's an article from 9 WSYR about the economic improvement of the local restaurant business. Always good news.

Review: Fresco Tortillas Grill

2010-04-24T10:35:00.007-04:00

Name: Fresco Tortillas Grill
Address: 214 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 472-8226
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/fresco-tortillas-syracuse
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Mexican, Tex-Mex, Asian Fusion
Restaurant Hours: 11 AM to 9:30 PM Monday-Thursday, 11 AM to 10:30 PM Friday-Saturday, 12 PM to 10 PM Sunday
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes

Ummmm...

Uhhhhhh...

Errrrr...

I don't like writing negative reviews. Mainly because I don't want to bash a place that is just trying to fit in. But I have no idea what to make of this place. Objectively, I suppose you could call the food here Asian Fusion, but it's more or less a Chinese restaurant attempting to serve Mexican food.

In what was the old Movino's Pizza location on Walton Street, Fresco Tortillas and Grill has been open in Armory Square for about a year now. The name is borrowed from a family restaurant in New York City of the same. Other local family businesses include Dragon City and Oishi Sushi.

Inside are a few high tables, tall chairs, a flat screen TV playing the news, and a counter in the back for ordering. I was the only person in here sans for what I assume was the owner's child playing with toys around one of the tables.

The menu is laid out like a typical Chinese restaurant with numbers along sides of menu items. It's relatively small, but has some tempting options like nachos, taco locos (flour tortilla with cheese wrapping a hard shell taco), tostadas, chili con carne, and quesadillas (the mixed vegetable with bok choy, baby corn, and carrots is probably the perfect example of "Asian Fusion" here). A decent portion of the menu is made in-house including the beans, salsa, tortilla chips, and flour tortillas.

The order...

Chicken Burrito: $4.99
Shrimp Taco: $3.09
Sprite: $1.09
Total money spent with tax & tip: $9.60

The food came out extremely fast. Probably the quickest I've ever gotten food that wasn't fast food. There was something kind of awkward about being in there by myself the 1-2 minutes while I was waiting for my food. The interior is kind of strange and uncomfortable, so when I got my meal (which had already been placed into a plastic bag) I decided to take it over to Armory Square Park and eat outside.

Pictured here is the shrimp taco with lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese all in a hard shell.

The taco shell was good; a nice crunch and served warm, but nothing else really held up. The shrimp was more or less the stir-fry kind you'd find at a Chinese buffet and there were large pieces of lettuce with just a couple pieces of tomatoes inside. The salsa and sour cream both came in separate mini plastic containers. Although it's advertised as homemade, the salsa was essentially what you'd expect from any canned salsa. A pretty basic taco, but I didn't finish the shrimp (which is blasphemous in my family).

BURRITO BALL.

Pictured above is the chicken burrito: a grilled 12-inch flour tortilla served with chicken, white rice, black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese.

A HUGE portion size (essentially a giant rolled up ball of food), but most of which consisted of rice and beans. Very few tomatoes, large pieces of romaine lettuce, and generally bland black beans. While hot and fully cooked, the chicken was moist, albeit a little spongy, and the rice was pretty soggy (dare I say, sticky rice?). I did like the grilled flour tortilla, but the rest left a lot to be desired. Certainly edible, but I just wasn't up for finishing it.

Some other things of note...

- Fresco offers catering to nearby businesses

- They also offer delivery within Downtown with a $10 minimum

I suppose if you like the individual ingredients (say, beans, cheese, or rice) it will suffice here. Nothing was really coming together for me though. The tortillas were respectable, but what's a tortilla if the actual ingredients don't hold up? It's very quick food, so if you're stretched for time during a lunch break, it might do. I think my money may have been more well-spent had I walked across the street and picked out a roll or two at Sakana-Ya.

Sorry, Fresco. I know you're trying, but I wasn't feelin it. A half star for friendly service.

My rating of Fresco Tortillas Grill:

Your rating of Fresco Tortilas Grill:

Review: Cosmos Pizza & Grill

2010-04-20T21:49:00.013-04:00

Name: Cosmos Pizza & Grill
Address: 143 Marshall St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 472-6766
Neighborhood: University Hill (Marshall Street)
Website: www.cosmospizzagrill.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Diner Food, Traditional American, Pizza
Restaurant Hours: 7 AM to 1 AM Monday-Wednesday, 7 AM to 2 AM Thursday-Friday, 8 AM to 2 AM Saturday, 8 AM to 1 AM Sunday
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Delivery: Yes

Operated out of the same tiny location on Marshall Street since it opened in 1959, Cosmos has been providing late night eats and classic quick-to-order American cuisine to SU student, alumni, and Syracuse locals for decades. For lack of a better description, it's a diner on the inside complete with an open kitchen, small booths, a long counter, jukeboxes at the tables, and quirky colored walls.

The smell of homefries, onions, burgers, and pancakes on the grill is enough to get your stomach growling while you look over the huge list of options on the menu. Offerings at Cosmos include burgers, sandwiches, chicken wings (which can be ordered up to 100), salads, pastas, pizzas, subs, and breakfast options served anytime.

The order...

Vanilla Milkshake: $3.69
6 Hot Chicken Wings: $3.99
Small Mozzarella Pizza: $4.59
Total money spent with tax & tip: $15.50

Though advertised as so, the milkshake was neither "thick" nor "creamy". It did have a subtle sweet flavor, but it wasn't really mixed well and was very much on the watery side.

Pictured here are hot wings served with celery and blue cheese. And yes, I really need a real camera.

These certainly had that nice, classic hot sauce flavor, but the actual wings were meh. They were served extremely hot (temperature-wise) but the chicken tasted a bit old and dry. For what it's worth, the blue cheese was a little off-putting, bland, and had a similar consistency to ranch dressing. A little disappointing dunking a wing into not so great blue cheese and having nothing stick to it. I probably wouldn't get wings again.

Pictured below is Cosmos authentic New York style pizza prepared from fresh dough, special recipe sauce, and topped with 100% whole milk mozzarella and imported Romano cheeses.

The bite marks are mine. I was starving.

There was a lot of sauce and it could have used some more cheese, but I thought this was ok overall. I really enjoyed the thin, flat, and crunchy, almost slightly-charred crust (which is baked on bricks for that uniqueness) and the tangy tomato sauce, but the cheese was pretty bland. I'd get pizza again here, but would try out some other toppings.

Overall, it's a cool place that keeps it simple and has that unique throwback charm. And I'm sure that if I were an SU student, I'd love going there for late night eats. Good menu, value, and portions. Despite the mediocre food experience, I'd go back for breakfast or to try out some other things on the menu. I've heard great things about their Toasted Honey Buns (or THB as they're known - served with a dollop of butter or scoop of ice cream) and am kind of kicking myself for not ordering them, so if do end up going back, I'm most definitely trying them out.

My rating of Cosmos Pizza & Grill:

Your rating of Cosmos Pizza & Grill:

Site Updates

2010-04-13T16:24:00.005-04:00

You can now check out Pulled Into Syracuse on Facebook, view the Photostream on Flickr, read via RSS, and follow through Twitter. I'll put some links along the side of the ol' blog when I figure out what I'm actually doing for the redesign.

All of this "technology" really came out of nowhere. Where was all of this stuff like 5 years ago?

Top 5 Places for Eats in the Near Northeast Neighborhood

2010-04-08T07:37:00.017-04:00

It's a neighborhood that many people don't even know exists. Overshadowed by both the general "Northside" designation and the recently proclaimed Little Italy district, the Near Northeast is a tucked-away and much overlooked enclave in the northeastern corner of 690 and I-81 and incorporates the southern section of Little Italy, a portion James and Park Streets, and the entire Hawley-Green district. I can only attest to living in a few neighborhoods thus far in my life, but the Near Northeast had some of the friendliest shop owners that I've ever met and it's one of my favorites for food (I'm not really sure if anything can surpass Boston's North End). While there are many good places for dining (Sparkytown, Ilario's Trattoria, Freedom of Espresso), for pizza (Italian Chef, Pavone's) and for shopping (Vino Mania, Lombardi's Imports, Thanos Imported Grocery, Donze Meats), the following are my top 5 places for eats in Syracuse's Near Northeast neighborhood.

Italian bread from Columbus Baking Co.

1) Columbus Baking Co: 502 Pearl St, Syracuse, NY
The two best smells in the neighborhood when the wind is just right: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que and this small, old world bakery on Pearl Street. Serving some of the best bread in the city from of a bakery location that is over 118 years old, it's hard not to put Columbus Baking Co as #1 on this list. Using the same brick oven that's been in use for generations, a loaf of freshly baked Italian style bread really doesn't get any better than it does here. In 2008, Columbus Meats and Cheeses opened up right next door serving sliced-to-order Boar's Head meats like sopressotta, salami, proscuitto, and capicola, cheeses like locatelli, mozzarella, and asiago, and offering six different varieties of olives. They're great toppings to go with their already amazing breads. Pizza dough should also not go unnoticed. Between the bakery and deli, you can make an excellent pie for under $10 - all rung up its still in operation, 50-year-old cash register.
[link] [map]

2) Asti Caffe: 411 N Salina St, Syracuse, NY
While going through several incarnations prior, Asti Caffe officially opened its doors in 2001 in the southern-most section of Syracuse's Little Italy and has been serving up excellent Italian food for almost a decade now. Enjoy traditional dishes like linguini alfredo and homemade lasagna as well as specialties like calamari frito and Asti-style Utica greens. The interior is great for formal and intimate dining and is complete with a wood burning fireplace in their recently expanded upper room. They do take walk-ins, but I'd highly recommend making a reservation beforehand as it can fill up quickly on Friday and Saturday evenings.
Note: as of 4/1/10 Asti Caffe closed temporarily due to small fire damage. It should reopen soon, so check their official website for details.
[link] [map]

3) Riley's: 312 Park St, Syracuse, NY
What opened as a saloon in 1897, has become a local neighborhood bar and restaurant destination since 1979. Tied right into the neighborhood and tucked away on the corner of Park St and Whitwell Dr, Riley's is an excellent spot for traditional American cuisine and upscale bar food all in a fun and comfortable atmosphere. Incorporating local food like breads and sausage into their dishes, and with a large portion of a menu that changes daily, excellent options include Riley's 7-ounce burgers, deserts like blueberry pie and raspberry cheesecake, and unique-to-the-area specials like fried Ipswich clams and lobster rolls. Don't be surprised if you hear some music on the upright piano. Every Saturday night the owner, Terry Riley, entertains the patrons with few tunes.
[link] [map]

4) Sugar Pearl Cafe: 600 Burnet Ave, Syracuse, NY
Although it might not look like much from the outside, inside you'll find a totally different environment: chic design, funky furnishings, and a completely unique interior for a coffee house. Sugar Pearl contains a full-service espresso bar (boasting the best French press in town) as well as a sit-down restaurant with a stage for live music and poetry readings. It's a predominantly vegan-focused menu that consists of vegan wraps (like the Chinese black bean wrap with gingered black beans, guacamole, corn, and roasted red peppers), vegan Philly "cheese" steaks, pizzas, and vegan burgers. Breakfast is served all day here as well and also features tasty options for non-vegans.
[link] [map]

5) Gentile's Restaurant: 305 Burnet Ave, Syracuse, NY
Enjoy eclectic and romantic dining at Gentile's on Burnett Ave. An intimate atmosphere (with dim lighting and exposed brick walls) and exceptionally creative Italian cuisine with appetizers (like glumkis: Napa cabbage filled with ground lamb, pine nut, feta risotto, in a minty and smoked tomato cream), salads (like the Belgium Caesar: endive paired with hard-boiled egg, anchovy, capers, tomato salsa, pepperoncini and homemade crouton finish with garlic oil), unique pastas and risottos, and contemporary entrees like eggplant roulad and quail and filet.
[link] [map]

Honorable Mention
Mai Lan Restaurant: 505 N State St, Syracuse, NY
Located across the street from St. Joseph's Hospital, Mai Lan is an excellent place for Vietnamese cuisine. Friendly services greets you in small and cozy interior (complete with travel guides to Vietnam along the wall). Notable menu items include spring rolls with roasted peanut sauce, beef pho, and deserts like jackroot ice cream. Meals are made from scratch here so call ahead for take-out.
[link] [map]

Site Updates

2010-04-05T07:58:00.000-04:00

Some changes going into effect soon: adding a new site URL, launching a mobile site, a site redesign, a Facebook page, moving all images to Flickr, and possibly creating a small iPhone app (so long as I can get my programming skillz back to what they were a few years ago - but don't hold your breath). As always, you can stay up-to-date with Pulled Into Syracuse on Twitter.

Apologies for the lack of reviews as of late. I'm concentrating on moving back into the city relatively soon but will hopefully add a few more reviews before then.

If you know of any good apartments available, let me know.

Last Meal at Doc's Little Gem Tonight

2010-03-31T07:40:00.001-04:00

Doc's Little Gem Diner will be serving its last meal tonight before closing at 10 PM. More info here.

Sad to see it shut down, but hopefully it gets reopened by the proper person soon.

NCAA Cleanup Effort

2010-03-19T07:20:00.007-04:00

The Sweet 16 and Elite 8 tournaments come to town and the city is asking residents to help volunteer to clean up before the basketball crowds roll in. Organized cleanups are set for this Saturday and will take place at...

- 8:30 AM at the parking lot at Erie Boulevard E, S Warren and James streets
- 8:30 AM at Forman Park across from the Renaissance Hotel
- 9 AM at the VA Medical Center, University and Irving avenues
- 9:30 AM at the Museum of Science and Technology, Jefferson St lawn
- 9:30 AM at E Adams St and University Ave
- 10 AM at Harrison St and University Ave
- 10 AM at Harrison Pl between E Adams and Harrison streets
- 10:30 AM at Walnut Park, Walnut Pl and Waverly Ave

Equipment, juice, and snacks will be provided. Lunch will be available to volunteers at Varsity Pizza and J. Ryan's after the cleanup. More info is available here.

Is it so hard for the city to organize something like this every spring instead of doing it only when visitors are in? Sigh...

Miss Syracuse Diner to Reopen

2010-03-17T07:35:00.003-04:00

The Miss Syracuse Diner, which has gone under many incarnations over the last several years, is set to reopen soon.

The diner will officially be called JJ's Boca Grande but will have signage that says both JJ's and Miss Syracuse Diner. It will be run by Joe Todisco, best known for his partnership in JJ's, an Italian-American food stand next to Baker's Chicken Coop in the state fair's restaurant row.

I already can't wait for food at the Fair. Pretty sure I gorged myself last year.

Specials will range from homemade meatloaf, chicken riggies, pot roast, fresh roast turkey, shepherd's pie, chicken and dumplings, burgers, dogs and coneys, fried bologna every day, an inside-out cheeseburger, and more.

I've already voiced some thoughts as to what could be done to change the old setup. Hopefully the new restaurant does well with what they plan on doing. That inside-out burger sounds tempting.

Review: The Blue Tusk

2010-03-03T19:01:00.011-05:00

Name: The Blue Tusk
Address: 165 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: 315-472-1934
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.bluetusk.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Upscale Bar Fare, Sandwiches
Bar Hours: 11 AM to 2 AM Monday-Saturday
Restaurant Hours: 11 AM to 11 PM Monday-Saturday
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar

On a snowy afternoon and looking for some lunch prior to the big SU basketball game, I wandered into Blue Tusk on Walton Street in Armory Square.

Inside is a tad upscale compared to most local bars, yet it doesn't prevent the place from being fun, casual and lively complete with friendly bartenders and a good mix of patrons (on this particular visit, it was filled with a plethora of suburban entitled SU fans and families, but I digress...). The vibe is really laid back and comfortable and the music selection, via Sirius Satellite Radio, fits in well too. It's more or less indie rock and jam bands, but it ties in really nicely with the whole ambiance. For what it's worth, the music was also set at a perfect volume (I really can't stand when a place has it inappropriately loud or is playing the wrong style). Thumbs up.

Speaking of music, there's quite a bit of Grateful Dead themes going on here (artwork on the front of the menu, the website design, and even music that was playing as I was ordering my food). I'm not a big Dead fan honestly, but it's nice to see that they have a theme and a brand down. It's good marketing.

There's plenty of different areas to grab a seat or table: there's a few long, cafeteria-style tables in the back room, a couple small and intimate booths in the middle room (which is very reminiscent of my old College bar hangout), stools and a long counter along side the expansive windows facing Walton Street, stools at the bar, and tables up near the main entrance that overlook the pedestrian courtyard and walkway between Walton and Jefferson Streets. And weather permitting, there's a lot of outdoor seating at the courtyard and along Walton Street which is great for groups, socializing, people watching, and eating outdoors in the city.

Ordering food and ordering drinks takes place at two separate areas: the counter off to the side is for ordering food and where you'll see menus and a list of daily specials, while the bar is solely for drinks (on occasion you can consult the bar staff for a menu and order food as long as it's not too busy). There's no table seating and if you end up getting both drinks and food, bills are on separate checks.

Needless to say, with 69 beers on tap, the beer selection is phenomenal here. It's without a doubt the biggest variety in the city. Not only does Blue Tusk boast Young's Double Chocolate Stout, Duvel (which was St. Patties green on this occasion), Ommegang Witte, and Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA all on tap, but also features a nice selection of champagne, white and red wines, and various bourbons at their full bar. Beer tends to lean on the pricier side for Syracuse (about $5 a pint) but totally worth it given the quantity and quality to choose from.

The menu is creative for pub food and even gourmet in some cases. There's some really unique and interesting things to choose from like quesadillas (like the prosciutto and brie with cranberry chutney), specialty salads, chowders, gourmet soups, cured meats and cheeses, cold Mediterranean vegetable plates, grilled panini, specialty sandwiches like pigs in zen (with pulled pork, pâté, bacon, kimchi, red onion, cilantro, mayo and hot chile sauce on a round roll), and a carving board with meats that are slow roasted on premise and hand-carved to order. It's really a fantastic menu with a lot of temping choices.

The order...

Middle Ages Local Real Ale: $5
Jambalaya: $4.50
Lobster BLT: $11.75
Total money spent with tax & tip: $23.25

Pictured here next to the pager that you receive after placing your menu order, is Middle Ages Brewing Company's Local Real Ale: fresh cask conditioned ale, hand-pulled with authentic British beer engines.

A darkish, amber colored ale with an extremely smooth taste. A bit like a pale ale but with a significantly less overwhelming aftertaste. An excellent beer that by chance had just been delivered here the day prior.

Pictured above is the jambalaya (with white rice and thinly sliced pieces of sausage, onions, and celery) served with stretch bread.

The soup was served hot (a huge pet peeve of mine when it isn't), but I would have preferred a meatier and spicier sausage and maybe an additional vegetable (like peppers) as it seemed like it was missing some sustenance. There was a little bit of spice in there, but overall it was all a tad flavorless. Not bad by any means, but I'll opt for a different soup next time. As for the bread, it was great for dipping into the Jambalaya. I have this theory that if you add Pasta's stretch bread to anything, it instantly kicks everything up a level of awesomeness. Love it.

Also above is the lobster BLT: homemade knuckle and claw lobster salad, bacon, Gruyère cheese, Romaine lettuce, and thinly sliced tomatoes and red onions on a flaky croissant.

For what it's worth, I'm a huge lobster fan. It can be tough to find it on a menu in 'cuse, so seeing it here was a bit refreshing. But oh man, the lobster was really tasty - especially considering we're not anywhere near the coast. While the "salad" aspect was a bit non-existent (I wouldn't have minded a slightly better presence of mayo or salt and pepper), the lobster tasted very fresh. It's hard to bicker about missing subtleties when the main ingredient tastes so good on its own. Also, I've never had Gruyère cheese before, but it's a really unassuming cheese that's a bit like a mild Swiss and fits in really well here. Add fresh veggies and smokey bacon and it was a really good combination of tastes. Overall, it was an excellent sandwich with great textures and a nice balance of very fresh ingredients. I would definitely order this again (maybe even splurge the extra $6 and get double meat) but I'm just as enticed by a lot of other things on the menu.

Some other things of note...

- Space is available for parties in the back room and can be reserved at no charge. Check their official website for details.

- Happy Hour runs from 11 AM to 8 PM every day. $1 off all 20 oz pints and $10 off all bottles of wine.

- There's a flat screen TV near the bar that's good for watching a sports game.

- It can get busy on Friday and Saturday nights.

- This may be the only place where you can play Buck Hunter and drink Duvel. I'll have to check on that.

- Again, great place to watch the snowfall if you get a seat near the window.

Overall, I liked it here. It's a hip space in a great location with a creative pub menu and fantastic beer and wine selections. I'd say it's probably a better spot to get some finger food or for lunch than for an actual formal dinner out. It may hint on the pricier side for 'cuse, but with a great vibe, unique menu offerings, a clean and cozy interior, and good mix of people, it's a trade-off that's well worth it.

My rating of The Blue Tusk:

Your rating of The Blue Tusk:

Doc's, Popcorn, and Chiefs

2010-03-03T07:49:00.004-05:00

Per syracuse.com, Doc's Little Gem Diner is up for sale.

I suppose it was bound to happen at some point. Hopefully it gets bought soon by the proper person.

A little overdue on this story, but The Karmelkorn Shoppe on W Jefferson Street closed recently and has moved out the Great Northern Mall.

Although it's a must-do prior to going to the movies at Carousel, I never went into the location on Jefferson (though did frequent the previous business, The Peanut Shoppe, back in the day quite often). It's a shame there isn't a movie theater downtown because Karmelkorn would have been more successful with one nearby.

The Syracuse Chiefs will host a St. Patrick's Day party at the Hank Sauer Room at Alliance Bank Stadium on Tuesday, March 16th. The party will be this year's first installment of th Dinner at the Diamond series. The event starts at 5 PM and the menu features an assortment of Irish-themed appetizers, corned beef and cabbage, Irish stew, and Chicken O'Flaherty among other items. Tickets for $15 for adults and $10 for children. More information can be found at the official website.

Review: Blarney Stone

2010-02-10T17:10:00.006-05:00

Name: Blarney Stone
Address: 314 Avery Ave, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Far West-Side (Tipperary Hill)
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/blarney-stone-syracuse
Menu: n/a
Cuisine: Standard Bar Fare, Wings, Burgers
Bar Hours: Monday-Sunday 12 PM to 2 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: No
Alcohol: Full Bar

Blarney Stone is situated on the corner of Avery and Hamilton Streets in the Far West-Side section of Syracuse. It's one of the many neighborhood-style bars in the city's historically Irish district known as Tipperary Hill (or as locals say, Tipp Hill). A green, neon sign highlights the place from the outside and the friendly Gaelic saying of "cead mile failte", or a hundred thousand welcomes, greets you at its front door.

Blarney may not be an Irish pub per se, but it may as well be given the name, location, and Irish-oriented feel of things on the inside. The place is laid out in 3 small sections: a bar area with a few tables, darts, TVs, Golden Tee, and a popcorn machine, a middle area mostly for standing and watching the big game, complete with a pool table, foosball table, and jukebox, and the back area with booths, tables, TVs, and the kitchen. It's hard to believe that all of these things can fit into such a small establishment, but it all works here and comes together seamlessly.

As noted in the Top 5 Places to Watch SU Basketball, Blarney Stone lives up to the hype during basketball season and can get crowded on some occasions (and not just during games, but also on St Pattie's Day!). Some good advice: grab a table early if you can. It wasn't too crowded on this occasion, given it was a Thursday night and there was a wing special on. There were no games being televised, but still enough of a crowd where you had to wait a little while to grab a table. Seating consists of stools at the bar, tables in all three areas, booths in the back by the kitchen, and an outdoor porch (weather permitting).

Ordering food is quasi cafeteria-style: go up to the counter near the back, place your order, go back to your table, wait for your name to be called over the loudspeaker, and then pick up and pay for your order. And it's not at all uncommon to get a good ribbing from the food staff as you're ordering. Obviously, you're not in some high-class place, so don't be surprised if one of the cooks gives you a deadpan look and says "yeah, we're out of wings" just to get a reaction out of you.

The small, yet simple menu offers standard bar food like wings (hot, medium, mild, or barbecue), burgers, and fried foods (mozzarella sticks, chicken, shrimp, etc...). And for the vegetarians, they also serve a veggi burger (which can be spiced up with pepper jack cheese and chipotle mayo on request).

The order...

Pabst Blue Ribbon (Tall Boy): $2
10 Chicken Wings (Hot): $2
Blarney Burger: $3.50
Fries: $1
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $9.50

First off, this is unbelievably cheap food. Secondly, as far as value is concerned, I can't imagine finding a better deal for such tasty bar food.

Pictured above are Blarney's wings served with celery and blue cheese.

The wings were excellent: crispy skins, juicy chicken, and good portion-sized. I thought the actual sauce could have been hotter, but overall, I'd say the wings were well above average.

This may have been the best burger that I've eaten in Syracuse: juicy beef topped with fresh lettuce, onions, tomatoes, mayo and ketchup, all sandwiched between two lightly grilled and airy burger buns. Soooo good and such a good deal for only $3.50.

These fries were amazing: shoestring style, served hot, and perfectly crunchy on the outside with just the right amount of starchy potato on the inside. An excellent accompaniment to a great burger. Some of the best fries I've had in 'cuse.

I was in bar-food heaven. Standard fare, but they were all done so well. One of the best things about eating a great meal is when everything in front of you tastes great, you're never quite sure where to look or what to eat next. I mean yes, it was an extremely unhealthy meal in every aspect of the word, but you only live once and I loved it all. Definitely a meal that I could eat again and again.

Some other things of note...

- There's a 20 cent wing special on Thursday nights (starts around 6 PM) and during SU basketball games. Again, it can get very crowded during the games, so plan accordingly and be prepared. Don't let the crowds deter you though. It's can be a very spacious and laid-back bar on most weekday evenings.

- Half-priced drinks during happy hour and drink specials run just about every night of the week except for Thursdays.

- Ordering at the kitchen is cash only.

- Unless I'm mistaken, I believe the kitchen closes at 10 PM (feel free to leave a comment if you know for sure).

- There is an actual Blarney stone here near the foosball table and bathrooms. Not sure if I would recommend kissing it though.

It's hard to dock the Blarney Stone in any areas. I had zero complaints about anything. Quick and friendly service, a great neighborhood bar, fun atmosphere, cheap and amazing food, good portions, all in a comfortable sports bar. The meal was awesome.

My rating of Blarney Stone:

Your rating of Blarney Stone:

Thoughts: Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Corporation

2010-02-05T07:41:00.007-05:00

I've restrained my thoughts on this topic on the blog for about a year now. Mainly because I don't want to be the one who opens Pandora's box and I also don't want to assume or post anything that isn't true or slanders one of my top 5 restaurants of all-time. But after a recent article in the Post Standard started to shed some light on the subject, I feel like it's time for discussion (i.e. whatever the rumors are, whatever the truth is, whatever the future holds). And since this is a blog about restaurants in the City of Syracuse, I feel like it needs to be discussed. Especially when it concerns the one restaurant that just about everyone around the country associates with our city.

Last year, I learned two surprising pieces of information about Dinosaur: 1) that 70% of the ownership had recently been sold to the owner of TGI Friday's and 2) that everything sold (merchandise, grocery store food, sauces, shirts, books, ect...) all used to be under one name - now everything has their own LLC's more or less (the bottled sauces are now under their own name and sold through a company in Taiwan, if I remember correctly - you've probably noticed the new labels if you're a hardcore fan or have visited the actual restaurant in the past couple of months).

Also last year, was Good Morning America's contest for Best Barbecue In America. I was at Dinosaur when they announced over the loud speaker that they were the winners. Everyone was happy and yelled and clapped, including myself. Anything that puts Syracuse on the map in a positive light is a rarity and when it happens, you really have to soak up the moment. But that being said, does anyone really believe that Dinosaur is the best barbecue in the country? And at the risk of sounding like a conspiracy theorist, doesn't it make more sense for them to win a contest on national television if they now have ties to a national chain?

Whether these awards or behind the scene legal technicalities actually affects taste or not is for another discussion. I'm sure that the sauces and recipes will remain the same. But whether this changes the image of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, Syracuse's most iconic restaurant of all-time, is absolute worthy of discussion and something that I'm extremely worried about.

Will we feel more proud or less proud of our city now that Dino is corporate?

Will the Syracuse business suffer if locations are built in Boston, Connecticut, and New Jersey?

Will talking with the waitresses while ordering food feel predetermined and fake instead of spontaneous and sassy?

Will some customers feel alienated if it starts to feel more like a generic and polished chain and less like a hole-in-the-wall?

I don't have the answers. Only time will tell. Maybe nothing will change. Maybe it will continue to be amazing and a great asset to the city. I'm not going to debate whether or not it's all good or bad. In the end, it is just a business. And businesses change. But my main issue is: what's going to happen if our most beloved restaurant ever and something that makes each one of us proud to say we're from Syracuse (isn't that rare thing?) morphs into a chain? What do we have left to brag about? And why the heck would we want to brag about it if it's just going to feel exactly the same as the other 9 imitations around the country?

I put the ball in your court.

Review: Little Thai House (Part 2)

2010-02-02T19:33:00.013-05:00

Name: Little Thai House
Address: 2863 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 251-1366
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.yelp.com/biz/little-thai-house-syracuse
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Saturday-Sunday 1 PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes

Note: For my original review of Little Thai House, click here.

Little Thai House was easy to overlook when searching for Thai food on a Wednesday night. I ended up there on a whim (after not being too impressed on the one and only visit a year ago) and was surprised by the changes upon walking in: new lighting, new paint job, new carpets, new serving dishes, new tables and chairs, with the cozy looking bar area near the front entrance. Everything is tied in together very nicely and an improvement on how it was before. The ambiance is nice and it was both impressive and reassuring because now there's an affordable Thai restaurant in the city with a good dining atmosphere. And that isn't meant as a slight to Erawan, Lemongrass, or Lao Village. They're all good in their own right, but they do have their own highs and lows and it seems like Little Thai House has found a better fitting niche for themselves.

But if Little Thai House is going this route (i.e. maybe not fine-dining, but upper-end Thai), they can do away with the paper menu and paper napkins. I could care less either way about what kind of material I'm reading from or about a piece of folded cloth that spends 90% of the meal on my lap anyway, but I think the real thing in both cases would fit into the new scheme of things a bit better and make it feel less like a take-out spot.

Also changed is a menu that, unless I'm mistaken, seems a bit more organized and concise than it was previously. Menu items include Thai salads, soups, traditional Thai dishes like Pad Thai, Thai Curries, as well as vegetarian and noodle dishes. I made a note of how it was unorganized in my previous visit, so it was nice to see the changes.

The order...

Singha: $3.50
Curry Puffs: $5.95
Sweet and Sour Chicken: $11.95
Ginger Ice Cream: $4
Total cost with tax and tip: $31.43

Pictured below are the Curry Puffs served with Thai cucumber sauce...

For as much rave as I've read about the curry puffs at Lao Village (including my own experience), I thought these were infinitely better. And probably one of the top 5 individual items that I've eaten since starting this blog.

The texture wasn't anything you would expect by looking at them. The interior part of the crust was warm and chewy, while the outside had a deep fried yet flaky, croissant-like crust. It was a great balance of all the ingredients inside (minced chicken, potato, sauteed onion, spices). Flavor-wise, it deceptively tasted like Indian food, but no complaints here. These were amazing. Perfect textures and flavors.

Pictured above is the sweet and sour chicken and a side of rice, with peppers, onions, tomatoes, pineapple, zucchini, and carrots.

I wasn't too impressed by this dish. A bit too much going on for my tastes. The sauce was thin with a good balance and not too overpowering "sour" to "sweet" ratio and the ingredients were cooked very well (with the exception of one piece of chicken that wasn't) but nothing was really coming together for me. The cherry tomatoes seemed a tad out of place and I think I would've preferred the dish if it was just kept simple. Though it all tasted better reheated the next day for lunch at work, I probably would order something else next time.

The meal ended with some excellent ginger ice cream. The concept threw me off at first, but don't knock it til you try it, they say. Simple dessert, but very tasty.

Overall it was a great dining experience (clean, nice atmosphere, very friendly service, good menu, good food). I wasn't 100% sold on my entree, but Little Thai has won me over since my previous visit none the less. I'm going ahead and raising my rating from 2.5 to 4.0 because I'm now a fan.

My rating of Little Thai House:

Your rating of Little Thai House:

Downtown Dining Week and Winterfest

2010-01-29T07:13:00.006-05:00

Don't forget to mark your calendars for both Downtown Dining Week and Winterfest.

It was great to see that Dining Week was successful last year - even getting expanded an extra 2 weeks. This year, the event will run Monday, February 15th to Saturday, February 27th. Just a sample of the participating restaurants include Black Olive, Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, J Ryan's, Lemon Grass, Syracuse Suds Factory and Wise Guys Comedy Club. The selected restaurants will offer three courses for $25 or less. More information will be posted at www.downtownsyracuse.com when it becomes available.

Also, the 25th Anniversary Winterfest will be February 11th to the 21st. There's tons of things to do for people of all ages including a few food-related activities like cook-offs and cocktail competitions. Last year's winners include OC's Bar & Grill for best entree, PJ's Pub & Grill for best appetizer, Water Street Cafe for best dessert and Empire Brewing Co winning the Burger Bounce, Martini, and Cosmopolitan mix-off competitions. More information is available at the official Winterfest website.

I just missed the chili cook-off last year. I'm hoping I get a chance to check it out this time.

Twitter Launched

2010-01-28T07:23:00.000-05:00

To follow Pulled Into Syracuse on Twitter, click here.

Random News, Random Thoughts, Ect...

2010-01-23T16:12:00.011-05:00

Kitty Hoynes will host a presentation and a 5-course dinner featuring the beers of Harpoon Brewery on Tuesday, January 26th at 6:30 PM.

Just tried Harpoon's Celtic Ale the other night - I'm a fan.

Ticket's are $45 and more information is available at syracuse.com and at the official Kitty Hoynes website.

Big news regarding Clark's Ale House: The Landmark Theater will need the space when Clark's lease expires in 2012, so they'll be relocating to a new location that summer or fall.

And the countdown to see how many roast beef sandwiches and smoked gouda cheese plates I can eat between now and then has begun.

I walked by the old Dante location on Walton Street (Downtown's former tapas bar and Spanish restaurant) and it seems like there is some remodeling going on inside. But no indication of what is actually going in. The windows do still say "Dante" on them, so who knows.

Speaking of tapas, here's an interesting article on developments of a new tapas restaurant and bar in the Hawley Green District.

Lastly, I recently helped out AdaptCNY clean out some buildings on West Fayette Street in Downtown. Interesting to see what was there prior: one building was a huge, two-story tiki bar and lounge and the other seemed like a dance club and restaurant. Both looked like they hadn't been opened or cleaned since the early to mid 90's. Hopefully the next business venture that ends up there has a much better fate.