Top 5 Places for Outdoor Dining in Downtown

To most Central New Yorkers, the opening of the New York State Fair usually chimes in that the end of Summer is right at the doorstep. But don't sweat it - there's still some time to enjoy good food outdoors. Here's Pulled Into Syracuse's Top 5 Places for outdoor dining in Syracuse's Downtown.

Photo courtesy of pastabilties.com.

1) Pastabilities: 311 S Franklin St, Syracuse, NY
Is there anything better than enjoying the sights and sounds of the street in the city's most successful neighborhood while inhaling Pasta's stretch bread and spicy hot tomato oil that was made right across the street? Me thinks not. The quintessential place for hip dining and food in the very hip district. [link] [map]

2) Dante: 215 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
If you're looking for good tapas, paella, and other Spanish-inspired foods in one of the more romantic destinations in Armory Square, Dante may be your place. Enjoy intimate and cozy outdoor dining on the more low-key end of Walton Street. [link] [map]

3) Nikos Pasta Pizza & Deli: 135 E Water St, Syracuse, NY
Outdoor dining at Nikos is a bit more toned down, quaint, and relaxing street experience as oppose to some of the others on this list. Enjoy some excellent (and underrated!) sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes right in the heart of Syracuse's tranquil and historic Hanover Square district. [link] [photo] [map]

4) The Mission Restaurant: 304 E Onondaga St, Syracuse, NY
What was once a Wesleyan Methodist Church, now serves up excellent Pan-American and Mexican cuisine. Enjoy a shredded beef enchilada or Puerco Pibil hard shell tacos in Syracuse's Columbus Circle with excellent views of beautiful architecture like the old Syracuse Public Library, the Columbus Circle Monument and Fountain, the Mitzpa Towers, the Onondaga County Courthouse, and the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. [link] [map]

5) Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: 246 W Willow St, Syracuse, NY
Perhaps the least formal of all the places on this list, but what could be more picturesque than eating a Big Ass Pork Plate on a picnic table, next to a row of motorcycles, with blues music playing in the background, and having 29% of your face covered in barbecue sauce? [link] [photo] [map]

Honorable Mention
Clark's Ale House: 122 W Jefferson St, Syracuse, NY
Located on the Southeastern edge of Armory Square, Clark's Ale House has been serving up sandwiches to Downtown workers for years. Outdoor seats are situated right on the corner of Jefferson and Clinton Streets. It's an excellent place to enjoy a local brew, a roast beef sandwich, and people watch during weekday afternoons. [link] [map]

The Mission Burrito & The Burrito Mission

Note: For my full review of The Mission Restaurant, click here.

So if you haven't already noticed, I am on a mission to find the best burrito in Syracuse.




Pictured here is The Mission's Peurco Pibil Burrito with Refried Beans, topped with Pico de Gallo, with sides of Spanish Rice and Cabbage Salad. Guacamole and Sour Cream on the side as well.

Peurco Pibil Burrito: $12.50

The burrito meat and filling were both good - juicy, Yucatan style Shredded Pork with Achiote and Orange and creamy Refried Beans lining the interior - but everything else on the plate was generally blase. Dry and bland Spanish Rice, Pico de Gallo that was 99% diced tomatoes, Cabbage Salad that was just awful and tasted like it had been sitting around all day, and Guacamole that essentially tasted like pureed Avocados.

As a Burrito, it was mediocre and as a meal, it was a legitimate let-down.

After visiting The Mission over the last several months, I've jumped onto this theory that its concepts are well-thought and have good intentions, but the food can come out completely bland and uninspiring. I usually end up leaving disappointed 50% of the time after eating here, and the other 50% of the time, I really enjoy my experience and wonder why I don't go back more often. It's such an appealing place, with a cool vibe, originality, and a creative menu, but such a let-down when the food doesn't suffice - perhaps because they have all of the right ingredients of aesthetics, but are missing some ingredients in their cuisine. For instance, would it kill them to add just a bit more cilantro, onions, and lime juice to the Pico de Gallo and Guacamole? God forbid we want some actual flavor in there...

I shouldn't be so hard on them. I just get picky after eating there sometimes. Mainly because some of the food could be elevated with just a few simple ingredients.

At any rate, I would say that The Mission has the best burrito from restaurants that I've reviewed on this blog thus far. A bit too early for an in-depth list, but the ranking would go something like...

1) Peurco Pibil Burrito at The Mission Restaurant
2) Smothered Burrito at Steve's Cantina & Grill
3) California Burrito at El Canelo

This also begs the question: is there a place to get a burrito in Syracuse where I do not need a knife and fork?

Review: The Mission Restaurant

Name: The Mission Restaurant
Address: 304 E Onondaga St Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Columbus Circle)
Website: www.themissionrestaurant.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Mexican and Pan-American
Alcohol: Beer and Wine
Hours: Monday 11:30 AM to 2 PM, Tuesday-Thursday 11:30 AM to 9 PM, Friday 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Saturday 5 PM to 10 PM, Sunday 4 PM to 9 PM
Parking: On street and occasionally free parking in a private lot on E Onondaga St (call for details)
Accepts credit cards: Yes

Note: I had had only two experiences at The Mission prior to this one: the first being about 8 years ago when they first opened and I remember the food being sub-par, and the second time was this Summer for a birthday dinner (where my family and I were treated to some of the worst service ever). Needless to say, I was hoping on this occasion that The Mission could make me forget my two prior visits. And yes, they succeeded.

I got into The Mission on a Tuesday evening around 5:30. Parking wasn't a problem as I found a spot on Jefferson St and walked about a block and a half to the restaurant. The Mission is uniquely situated in an old Wesleyan Methodist Church at Columbus Circle (complete history here). Inside, you'll see a wide range of colors and some of the best decor in any Syracuse Restaurant: An extended bar on the left side with giant, ordinate columns, stained glass windows letting in natural sunlight, booths on the right for more intimate dining, and a kitchen in the back where you can see the chefs preparing Pan-American and Mexican dishes.

The menu is great and has a nice range of standard Mexican fare (like tacos and burritos) mixed with creative new dishes. And in case you can't figure out what pasilla means, the back of the menu features a Spanish to English dictionary and pronunciation guide of sorts to help out with Mexican cuisine terminology that you might be unfamiliar with.

You are treated to fresh pico de gallo salsa and chips after you sit down...

The salsa was extremely tasty. Perfect chunks of tomatoes with onions, jalapenos, and cilantro.

The order...

Salsa Tasting Menu: $2
Basic Margarita: $5
Puerco: $17
Total cost with tax and tip: $29.68

The margarita was very good and had quite the kick!

The table salsa was so good that I just had to order the "salsa tasting menu". Salsas include a roasted tomato chipotle (pictured on top), tomatillo serrano (pictured in the middle), and a papaya habanero salsa (pictured on the bottom). The roasted tomato was smokey and had just the right amount of heat and garlic. The tomatillo serrano, though my least favorite of the 3 on the plate, was sweet and the blackened tomatillos were a nice change of pace. And the papaya habenero, which turned out to be my favorite, was a extremely hot and citrusy. This salsa was great and I loved the unique combination of tomatoes and papaya as a salsa.

The entree Puerco was: Rum and pineapple glazed, oven-roasted pork loin medallions topped with a grilled pineapple and red onion salsa. Served with sweet plantain fufu and vegetable del dia.

The rum and pineapple glaze was excellent except for the fact that there was a puddle of it at the bottom of my plate. Though, should I be complaining about having too much rum in my dish? Me thinks not. The fufu (mashed sweet plantains cooked with onions and bacon) was great and had a similar constancy to stuffing: sweet with the plantains and hearty with the bacon and onions. I would recommend giving this side-dish a shot, even if you have never had plantains before. The vegetable del dia (vegetable of the day) was cooked zucchini and squash. Although squash was one of the foods that was on my "would-not-eat-unless-it-was-a-life-or-death-situation" list, after trying them at The Mission, hey what do you know, I love squash now. Both vegetables were a great compliment to the fufu. The pork loin was cooked perfectly with just a little pink on the inside and the grilled pineapple and red onion salsa mixture was very sweet and tangy.

I suppose if I had to change one or two things about this place, it would be to exchange the tortilla chips at The Mission with El Canelo's. Not that The Mission's are bad by any means, but El Canelo's were thicker, served warm, and tasted more like corn tortillas. Again, not that this should warrant a star rating in either direction or be a big deal to anybody, but it's merely a small judgement call on my part. And I thought the music could have been a little more authentic. I have no problem whatsoever listening to Steve Miller while I'm chowing down on awesome Mexican food, but I think The Mission should set themselves apart from other places in the area and maybe play some Mexican-style music instead of Rock 'n Roll, as it might be better suited with the decor and food. Some instrumental music like this for starters.

Some other things of note...

- Salsas and guacamole can be ordered to go.

- Catering services and gift certificates are offered. Call for info.

- Free parking is available. Call for details.

- I'm not quite going to label The Mission a "date spot", because it can get fairy loud in here at times depending on when you visit

All and all, the entrees may be on the pricier side for some (and if that is the case, I would highly recommend their lunch menu with more affordable offerings) but your palette will be treated to a wide-range of flavors and ingredients that you will just not get by visiting most, if not all Mexican places in the area. And from a personal standpoint, The Mission deserves praise not only for totally redeeming themselves on the terrible service that I had prior to this visit, but for also reversing my view on squash. The service this time was very good and the food was excellent.

My rating of The Mission Restaurant: