Review: Big Slim's Grill

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:

Review: La Taqueria Fresh Mexican Grill

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:

Review: Fresco Tortillas Grill

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:

Review: The Blue Tusk

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:

Review: Ambrosia

Name: Ambrosia
Address: 201 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.ambrosia201.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: New American, Asian Fusion, Sushi
Alcohol: Full Bar
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Saturday 5 PM - 10 PM
Bar Hours: Friday to Saturday 5 PM - 2 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes (available through TakeOut Xpress)

I arrived at Ambrosia on a humid evening around 6 PM. Parking was easy as I found rock star parking less than a block away on S Franklin Street. Amrosia has an absolutely superb location: directly on the corner of Franklin and Walton Streets overlooking the busiest intersection in Armory Square. There's some tables outside as you walk to the doors, but this was way too hot of a day to be eating outside. There's two entrances upon entering: one for the restaurant, bar, sushi lounge, and banquet area, and the other entrance for the nightclub. The sushi lounge can seat 40 and hold 70 for cocktails and oeuvres and the banquet room can seat 120 or hold 300 for parties and receptions. As for the restaurant interior, it's very nice: hip decor, subtle lighting, old hardwood floors, and a very sleek looking bar area. And with its big windows lining the exterior, you really get an outstanding view of Armory Square. Overall, I really liked the interior of the place. It borders on the trendy and pretentious side, but it's a nice change of pace from other Syracuse restaurants.

Other observations and notes...

- It seems like it would be a great place to host a business meeting or lunch

- Sushi is half-price on Thursdays.

- Happy hour is Fridays from 5 PM to 8 PM.

- The place was generally very clean, with the exception of my soy sauce bottle being extremely dusty.

As for the menus, the drinks menu looked really great. A lot of creative cocktails and twists on martinis. Though, there were no prices listed next to them (which is a pet peeve of mine).

The menu itself is predominantly modern American cuisine with a wide range of sushi varieties. The sushi portion was a little overwhelming. A lot of creative pieces, but I think the amount of offerings could be widdled down quite a bit. When you start labelling things as "#85" and "#127", I think the numbering system ends up doing your place more harm than good. And the appetizer and entree menu portion looked good. A decent selection of main entrees like pan roasted duck breast, grilled swordfish, and steaks, Though I think they could cut down on the sushi offerings and offer more than just nine appetizer options. Some of them even seemed a bit unorthodox (grilled cheese, fried mozzarella...). At any rate...

The order...

Mojito: $7
Lobster & Goat Cheese Rangoons: $14
Maki Mono Godzilla Roll: $15
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $42

Pictured above on the upper left is the Mojito (lime, mint, sugar, citrus rum, and club soda)

Not only was this drink not strong, but I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this it wasn't properly mixed as well. It didn't taste muddled (it was missing those little pieces of mint that float around). It was sweet and all, which I'm sure was the "citrus rum", but it was missing that mojito-flavor. And you can tell a good mojito once it hits your lips - especially when it's 90 degrees outside. I can appreciate it for its creativity, but I was really hoping that this would be a bit more refreshing than what it was.

Also above is the Lobster & Goat Cheese Rangoons, served with sweet chili glaze.

This sounded delicious on the menu, but it really wasn't. They tasted like they were fried, left out for some time, and then fried again (they were extremely crunchy and dark-colored which leads me to believe that they were refried right before serving. You can tell by the picture that they are all dark save for the one on the end). The cheese was bland and didn't have that punch that goat cheese has and the chili glaze was relatively uninspiring and tasted like duck sauce from out of the packets of a Chinese restaurant. The lobster meat itself was the only thing it had going for it: plump and juicy pieces that tasted like the sea.

Pictured here is the Godzilla Roll: Yellowtail, scallions, kani kama, avocado, panko encrusted and flash fried, rolled with wasabi tobikko and sesame seeds.

There were a lot of ingredients here, but I thought they all blended together nicely and it looked very colorful on the plate. It was a decent piece of sushi, but it was way too large of a portion size. (It looks fairly deceiving on the plate). I could barely pick a piece up with chopsticks, let alone fit it in my mouth. The ingredients were good, but it all tasted a little dry.

All and all, Ambrosia's food was relatively mediocre. The portions and plating were both great, but the food didn't give me that "wow" feeling that I was expecting. It was all generally bland.

Some other notes...

- The music that was playing felt more like 9 o'clock music instead of 6 o'clock music. Something a little more toned down would have been more appropriate rather than drum and bass.

- There is a dress code. I've read that the policy is "no jeans and no hoodies" though I could be mistaken. I also have no idea at what hour the code goes into effect. There was no bouncer at the door when I visited, so I was fine with a black tee and shorts. But it's just a heads up if you plan on eating there later in the evening that it might be wise to stay within the dress code.

- Service was slow. It may have been a fluke thing, but it took forever to order, get drinks, and get the check.

- If you're drinking at the bar, you have to spend more than $15 on drinks in order to get your card back.

I've read a bunch of reviews online that deal with a snotty waitress staff, rude bouncers, and a strictly and unfairly enforced dress-code. Although my visit was only for the restaurant and not the nightclub, I didn't encounter any of these problems. However, this was during the evening, so perhaps the rules change once the sun goes down and the bridge and tunnel kids start showing up. I'm sure the dress requirements get stricter and the wait staff gets a shorter and shorter fuse as the hours go on. They probably don't want to have a bunch of drunk 20-somethings wandering around inside the restaurant while people are eating.

Some improvements that I would consider incorporating: more refined Asian appetizers (like a few elegant, Asian-style soups for instance), quicker service, more appropriate mood music during earlier dining hours, separate entrances for the club and for the restaurant, and an organized and easier to read sushi menu.

For the quality of food, I thought it was overpriced. It's too expensive to warrant another trip back anytime soon. However, despite its faults, Amrbosia did have good things going for it: a hip atmosphere, an interesting sushi menu, creative drinks, good sized portions, and it's located at the quintessential spot in Syracuse's most desirable neighborhood. They have their niche: trendy, Asian-style dining in the heart of Amory Square. I don't know when I'll be going back again. If I do, it would more than likely be for cocktails and half-priced sushi on Thursday evenings.

My rating of Ambrosia:

Review: Goodfella's Pizzeria

Name: Goodfella's Pizzeria
Address: 229-237 W Fayette St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: armorysq.org/main/dining.php?id=162
Cuisine: Pizza, Salads, Calzones
Hours: Wednesday-Thursday 11:30 AM to 3:30 PM, 10 PM to 2 AM, Friday 11:30 AM to 3 AM, Saturday 1 PM to 3 AM
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: No
Delivers: No

Off the main drag in Armory Square and tucked away on West Fayette St, Goodfella's Pizzeria has been serving up pizzas, subs, and calzones to the Downtown area now for 2 years. The establishment itself is very small, as it's essentially an open room with chairs and tables set up around the exterior. Ordering is easy and made at the counter and all the while you can see what types of food is ready and available. If something isn't there, the staff is very helpful and friendly to assist.

The menu consists of calzones, bread sticks, garlic knots, subs, salads and a limited variety of pizzas (only cheese, chicken wing, and pepperoni). I have never had anything other than pizza here, but I'd imagine that the portions sizes are big with "one size only" calzones and 12" small subs and 16" large subs. It's a good selection for what it is, but I'd like to see some more varieties of pizzas.

Anyway, the order...

Slice of Cheese Pizza: $2.75
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $3.50

These are the largest pizza slices that I have ever seen. One is certainly enough to fill you up, and two slices is roughly the size of half a large pizza. But it was a great slice. Stringy cheese on a crispy crust and served very hot. The ratio is good (though I wouldn't have minded a bit more sauce). A-.

Some other notes...

- There are no bathrooms.

- It's cash-only, but there is an ATM machine inside.

- It can get rowdy on weekend nights after the bars close.

Goodfella's essentially has two target audiences for their food: Downtown workers on their lunch breaks and the late night crowd consisting of young, inebriated adults who are walking up and down Fayette Street at 1AM. Though, it's undeniable that Goodfella's actually does serve really great pizza. Alas, since this is a restaurant review blog, I have to dock them in other important areas such as cleanliness, food selection, hours of operation, and availability. Though not to go unnoticed, they get points for tasty and affordable food, extremely large portions, and friendly service.

Looking for a sit-down restaurant that serves a good selection of pizzas, salads, and calzones? You can probably do better elsewhere. In Armory Square or Downtown and looking for pizza on the go? This may be your place.

My rating of Goodfella's Pizzeria:

Review: Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant

Name: Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant
Address: 204 W Fayette St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.pascalerestaurant.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: New American, Fine Dining, Wine Bar
Alcohol: Full Bar
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Thursday 5:30 PM - 9 PM, Friday to Saturday 5:30 PM - 10:30 PM
Bar Hours: Monday to Saturday 5 PM to close
Parking: On-Street and Valet
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Reservations: Yes
Take-out: No

Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant has been a Syracuse venue for refined, eclectic, and sophisticated dining for over 25 years. Since its opening in 1982, Pascale has been home to some of the best fine-dining in the city. The interior is spacious and features an open kitchen, large bar area near the front, and plenty of intimate seating. However, something was rubbing me the wrong way about the interior overall upon walking in. The colors all seemed a little forced and really presented the place with an early 90's sort of vibe (the beige colors, the flower patterns on the booths, and the pattern of square, rainbow colors that are presented in areas like the ceiling, the windows, and even the candle holders). I mean it was fine, but it didn't seem trendy, or progressive, or romantic to me. And if that's what they're aiming for, I think they need an update on the color scheme, focus on dimmer lighting, and change the music (it was some sort of drum and bass trance music during my visit that didn't fit in at all with the rest of the restaurant). Really, they could take a few notes from Pastabilities as far as the interior is concerned. Everything seemed overly deliberate and jumbled. I'm really hoping that Pascale isn't "the most romantic restaurant in Syracuse" (per the Syracuse New Times). If it is, it implies that romantic dining is all downhill from here. Although I cannot attest quite yet, I'd like to hope that there is at least one better romantic place in the city. That isn't to say that Pascale isn't a good date spot (it is), it's just that the interior fell flat and didn't deliver what I was expecting.

The dinner menu is clear, concise, and contemporary. It's also updated seasonally and on this occasion featured a nice selection of appetizers like Seared Tuna, Risotto, and Foie Gras, and a very creative list of entrees like Venison Wellington, Moroccan Lamb Shank, and Moulard Duck Confit.

The wine list is extremely extensive and actually reads a bit like a book report. As noted by Wine Spectator, Pascale's award winning wine list features approximately 400 selections of wines from around the world. So yes, there is much to choose from. Even the liquor selection is large. I counted about 8 different types of tequila as I brushed through the selection of alcohol. If you're unsure about what to order or what you may like, the wait staff is very helpful and knowledgeable to give assistance.

The order...

Rose: Las Rocas 2007 - Spain (Bottle): $20
Seafood Salad: $8
Filet Mignon: $24
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $68

Pictured above is a basket of Pascale's homemade breads with a cruet of olive oil.

The breads, which are freshly made from Pascale Cafe & Bakehouse, were very good. Unfortunately, I didn't have the exact names, but I tried two of them: one was a whole-wheat artisan bread which had a hint of nuttiness to it and the other was somewhat of a traditional Italian with olives. Thumbs up.

The green olive oil? Thumbs down. I wasn't really a fan of it. Unless I'm way off base, it tasted like it had an infused herb (perhaps sage?). It was just a little too bitter for my liking. I suppose if it was combined with a basic, rustic bread I probably wouldn't have minded it so much, but a flavored bread with a flavored olive oil was too overwhelming. There was just too much going on - especially when you're dealing with something as simple as bread and oil. Instead, I think Pascale would be better off pairing the breads with a simple, nice olive oil - which might highlight the breads a little more.

Pictured here is the seafood salad with calamari, rock shrimp, scallops, spring vegetables, and a lemon basil vinaigrette served in a bowl of radicchio on a bed of greens.

You can't really tell by the picture, but this is a deceivingly big portion of food. The ingredients were all good and fresh and the scallops were simply amazing. I'm not even a huge scallops fan, but I think Pascale may have given me a 180 on the subject as these were some of the best that I've ever had. Nice and chewy and so tender that they almost tasted a bit like lobster meat. The other seafood ingredients were good but nothing noteworthy. The calamari was a bit rubbery, even for calamari and most of the rock shrimp were a bit on the minuscule side, even for rock shrimp. Overall it was a good salad, but there was too much stuff (roughly 8 different vegetables and herbs and 3 seafoods). It's a salad so it wasn't like there was anything clashing per se, but I think something a bit more concise like seafood, cucumber, carrots, red peppers, and a garnish on greens with a vinaigrette would have done the trick.

Pictured above is the Filet Mignon with Bearnaise sauce, green beans, and a garlic mashed potato.

The Filet Mignon was very good - very tender and juicy. Though, it was served moderately undercooked (I had asked for medium and it came out rare). I usually don't mind when meat is over/under cooked as I like most varieties, but to me it was just the principle that this wasn't what I had asked for. I suppose I could have asked the waitress to send it back, but I'm quite shy when it comes to things like that and try not to be one of those people.

At any rate, the meat was topped with a perfect, buttery Bearnaise sauce. The mashed potatoes were excellent. Creamy, garlicky, and had almost a hint of onion or shallot flavor as well. So good. The green beans were crispy and cooked perfectly and creatively garnished with thinly sliced carrots, red onions, and red peppers. Very, very tasty and well-cooked green beans. And finally, the plate was garnished with what looked like chickweed or wood sorrel. I don't know the name. Forgive me if I'm talking like a Martian. Either way, I liked the garnish (which was the same one that was used on the seafood salad). It gave the dish a nice, bright texture. Though, some of the garnish on the entree plate was wilted and brown. Which leads me to a much bigger issue...

If you don't consider your restaurant to be fine-dining then I normally wouldn't be making a mountain out of an ant hill about the Filet Mignon being undercooked and topped with sub-par garnish. But if a restaurant is implying that it is elite, then I think that you reserve the right to be picky on these kinds of things. I mean, if I got a piece of brown lettuce at Brooklyn Pickle, I would just pick it out and not eat it, but if I'm paying $24 for an entree, everything on the plate should be presented impeccably. And by no means am I referring to the plating because that was excellent. I guess what I'm trying to say is that the "quality control" could have been slightly higher (i.e. a correctly cooked piece of meat with a clean garnish).

Overall though and all bickering aside, this was a great, great entree dish; a very good combination of colors, textures, and flavors.

I've been in places where once you finish your meal, it almost feels like they are trying to rush you out as quickly as possible: clearing off your table, taking your water away, throwing the bill at you, etc.. That wasn't the case at all here. The wait staff let me sit, relax, enjoy my wine, and really just take in the moment. I wasn't planning on staying too long afterwards and I also wasn't planning on ordering any dessert, but by the time they rolled that dessert trolley near my table, I almost completely changed my mind. I admittedly didn't have enough room in my stomach to fit any more food, but it was quite amusing to see every one's eyes within a radius of 10 feet suddenly glued in like a deer in headlights on the mouth watering display of homemade cakes, pastries, and ice cream being rolled around from table to table.

A couple additional things of note...

- Pascale features live jazz music on Saturday nights.

- They also offer valet parking ($3).

- Although, I'd still call it a good "date spot", the ambiance can vary. I was there on a Tuesday night and it was somewhat loud.

- The clientele was also a bit more well-dressed here than what I was expecting. I was wearing a plain, dark tee and nice jeans and felt a tad out of place. So I'd advise that the dress is dressy/classy (i.e. no Nascar shirts, dude).

Overall, it was an excellent dining experience. The food was great and creative and the service was personable, attentive, and yet very professional at all ends of the restaurant. But giving it a 5-star ranking would be a bit of a stretch for me. I have to give Pascale a half star deduction on what felt like a forced interior and a slight miss on food execution. By all means I'd go back again, but probably only for a special occasion.

My rating of Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant: