Taste of Syracuse Recap & Downtown Thoughts

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.

Top 5 Places to Stay Warm During The Winter

For a city that averages 120 inches of snow every year, and has won the Golden Snowball award for 5 consecutive years in a row now, we Syracusans sometimes need to find comfort indoors during the cold months. And what better way than embracing the winter with good food. The following are the top 5 places to stay warm and watch the snowfall during the always snowy Syracuse winters.

Jambalaya & lobster BLT from The Blue Tusk.

1) Freedom of Espresso: 115 Solar St, Ste 101, Syracuse, NY
It's hard to imagine a more picturesque spot during the wintertime than at Freedom of Espresso in Franklin Square. Situated on the corner of Plum and Solar Streets, settle on a comfy couch with a great cup of coffee or hot chocolate, use some free wi-fi, all while overlooking beautiful Franklin Square Park. You may come to find all the troubles outside melting away. (And their location on Pearl Street should not go unnoticed either). [link] [map]

2) Eva's European Sweets: 1305 Milton Ave, Syracuse, NY
Stay warm here in this cozy restaurant with excellent, home style comfort food. Indulge in large portions of dessert and Polish delicasies like golabkies, pierogies, and hunters stew with a view of a snowy Milton Ave. [link] [map]

3) L'adour: 110 Montgomery St, Syracuse, NY
Located in the Courier building near City Hall right outside of Hanover Square, L'adour is casual and elegant inside, and it's an excellent place for a romantic dinner on a winter evening. Brunch should not unnoticed either with offerings such as crepes, Belgian Waffles, French cheeses, smoked salmon, and Quiche. [link] [map]

4) Saratoga Steaks and Seafood: 200 Waring Rd, Syracuse, NY
Located south east of the SU campus at Tecumseh Golf Club, Saratoga Steaks and Seafood provides a cozy, ski lodge-esque ambiance. Sip some wine, enjoy crab cakes, splurge on lobster tail, or get arguably some of the best steak in town near their comfortable, wood burning fireplace. [link] [map]

5) Alto Cinco: 526 Westcott St, Syracuse, NY
Alto Cinco can get cramped when school is in session with or without the snow on Westcott Street, but huddle up and stay warm next to people in this small and yet lively Mexican restaurant with veggie-style burritos, spicy jalapeno cornbread, and fresh salsa and chips. Did I mention jalapeno cornbread? [link] [map]

Honorable Mention
The Blue Tusk: 165 Walton Street, Syracuse, NY
With 69 beers on tap and creative bar food such as a lobster BLT, portabella and goat cheese quesadilla, and cherry peppers stuffed with proscuitto and provolone cheese, Blue Tusk is an upbeat spot to sit down and relax with good beer, food, and music. Inside you'll get a nice view of the snowfall too with large and expansive windows that overlook Walton Street in Armory Square. [link] [map]

Review: Eva's European Sweets

Name: Eva's European Sweets
Address: 1305 Milton Ave, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Far West-Side
Website: www.syracuserestaurants.com/base-website.asp?sn=evaseuropeansweets
Cuisine: Polish, European, Pastries
Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11 AM to 8 PM, Friday 11 AM to 9 PM, Saturday 12 PM to 9 PM
Parking: On-street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Takes Reservations: No
Alcohol: Beer & Wine Only

Despite only opening in 1997, Eva's feels like it has been located at a storefront on Milton Ave for generations. The interior feels a bit more like a cafe than a restaurant, but has that sit-down and homey quality to it - complete with Eastern European knickknacks and paintings on the walls.

The menu is really unique and has an extensive list of European and Polish specialties like Goulash, Potato Pancakes, Goloabkis, and Hunters Stew. The beer list should also not go unnoticed and features an interesting variety of European beers from Poland, Russian, Ukraine, and Germany. (Note: Eva's should really be given some much deserved credit for having these kinds of beers here, because most, if not all of them, you can't find anywhere in Syracuse).

There are two staples you MUST get when ordering for the first time at any Polish restaurant... say it with me: kielbasa and pierogis.

The order...

Zywiec Porter (16 oz): $4.50
Kielbasa Sandwich with onions and sauerkraut on marble rye: $7.75
Pierogis with sauteed onions, bacon, sauerkraut & butter: $6.95
Slice of Banana Mousse: $3.50
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $29.52

The porter was good - a heavy, Polish beer with a slight chocolate and coffee taste to it.

The kielbasa sandwich on marble rye (served with pickles and homemade mustard and garnished with a cherry tomato, olives, and parsley) was the best sandwich that I've had since starting this blog - juicy kielbasa with a crisp and snappy casing combined with the sweet onions and tangy sauerkraut. It was really hard to put this sandwich down and try anything else. The homemade mustard was a bit more like mayonnaise and horseradish than mustard but gave the sandwich an overall, nice kick. And I liked the pickles too - way better than that place that claims to serve awesome ones...

The pierogies were delicious - sauerkraut boiled in a soft, doughy casing and topped with parsley, onions, sauerkraut, and crispy bacon. I had never had pierogies that weren't filled with potatoes before, so these were a nice change of pace. Very filling too.

Aside from the actual restaurant, Eva's also serves their own homemade pastries as well. The pastry menu changes daily, so you'll have to see what's at the display case for yourself. On this stop, there was a nice range of chocolate and fruit cakes available. I went with a slice of Banana Mousse to-go.

The mousse was very light and airy, filled with chunks of banana and topped with a chocolate frosting. Mmmm. No picture for this one... mainly because I ate it so fast when I got home.

By no means is this fine dining, but overall, I thought Eva's was excellent and essentially flawless: a nice variety of traditional food, a nice drink list, and a homey and comfortable atmosphere with extremely friendly service. It's even good enough for a date, but more importantly has that sense of home style atmosphere where you almost feel like you're part of the family while dining. Not a bad feeling to walk away from after only my first visit. Welcome, Eva's, to my list of Syracuse's best dining experiences.

My rating of Eva's European Sweets: