Review: Alto Cinco

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:

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: 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:

Review: Empire Brewing Co

Name: Empire Brewing Co
Address: 120 Walton St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.empirebrew.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Traditional Bar Food, Creole, Tex-Mex
Restaurant Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 AM to 10 PM, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 11 PM, Sunday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 3:30 PM to 9 PM
Bar Hours: Monday-Thursday 11:30 AM to Last Call, Friday-Saturday 11:30 AM to 2 AM, Sunday 11:30 AM to Last Call
Parking: On-Street
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar

With a serious burger urge in my stomach all day, I thought I would venture over to Empire Brewing Co in Armory Square. Located on Walton Street in what feels like a hip, underground bunker, Empire is notoriously home to the some of the best Syracuse-made beer in the city. Inside you get a cool view of everything going on at this place, from the chefs cooking in the open kitchen and the glassed-in brewing facility, to the bartenders serving freshly brewed ales and patrons of all ages enjoying themselves. On a given day, you can find roughly 6 to 8 styles of Empire's beer on tap as well as live music on Thursdays and Fridays with 1/2 price deals at the bar all day on Thursdays (1/2 price on Empire beers, 1/2 price on wines by the glass, and 1/2 price cocktails). Don't miss their Happy Hour too (or Hoppy Hour). Times are n/a so just call for details.

Not only is Empire Brewing Company the first business in Central New York to have 100% New York State produced renewable energy, they also pride themselves on using local ingredients whenever possible - such as Gianelli Sausage, Big Mama's Cheesecake, and Plainville Farms to name just a few. Yes, they deserve serious props for this.

The beer and wine selection are both good with a nice range of house-made beer selections and a good offering of New York State wines. If you're new to the beer at Empire (or have fallen in love with them already) they offer $15 growlers for getting beer to-go and a $10 "beer sampler" where you can try a small glass of each of their brews.

There's a lot going on with the menu. I was merely up for a burger and fries, but they really have a bunch of different dishes here - to the point where I think they could clean it up a bit. I liked the way it was designed and organized (small plates, big plates, etc...) but the concepts were conflicting and a bit confusing if you're trying to gauge what type of cuisine they actually offer. For example, they serve calamari, pizza, gumbo, burgers, Indonesian sauces, pasta dishes, burritos, ribs, and lobster egg rolls - among other things. Being proud to serve local ingredients is great, but I think they could fine-tune the genre a bit, just so the overall menu concept(s) seems a bit more concise and directed - rather than a jumble of different kinds of random foods.

The order...

India Pale Ale: $5
Jambalaya: $6br> Bentley Burger (w/side of Fresh-Cut Fries): $9br> Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $25.60

Without sounding like I'm tooting my own horn, I consider myself to be fairly well-rounded in terms of liking different kinds of beers. And yet I honestly have a hard time enjoying, much less finishing, any beer that I've ever had at Empire. There's something about their beers where they leave a very bitter, uncomfortable and lingering aftertaste in your mouth. And the IPA on this occasion was no different. Hoppy and citrusy, but with an extremely annoying bitterness that made it hard for me to want to finish it. Though, perhaps this whole issue is just a personal preference. At any rate, I did not like it.

Jambalaya: a rice dish with shrimp, chicken, andouille sausage, and smoked ham seasoned with spices and topped with a homemade Creole sauce.

I wasn't really a fan of this. It was spicy an all but the flavors just didn't line up. The ingredients in Jambalaya are supposed to interlock and blend together (like a stew, for instance) and this just tasted like 5 or 6 ingredients thrown on top of each other with some spices mixed in. Not only that, but the rice was very overcooked and tasted mushy. And baby shrimps? C'mon. There was just no love in this (yes, you should be able to taste the love in Jambalaya). Also, cooling down the spiciness of this dish with their IPA didn't work for me and actually made the heat linger more. Empire should seriously consider putting beer pairings after each dish on the menu. For example, I think something like the Downtown Brown in this case would have accompanied the Jambalaya a bit better instead of the IPA. Not only would this suggestion be good in terms of taste, but it might give some initial thoughts to those who are unfamiliar with their styles of beer and what they taste like before ordering what they want to eat.

Pictured here is the Bentley Burger. Grilled, black angus beef with chipotle mayo, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions.

I have to say that I liked this burger a lot and it was a pleasant surprise after being fairly disappointed with my beer and Jambalaya. Juicy and perfectly cooked angus beef with the right amount of fresh lettuce, onions, spicy mayo, melted cheese, and a layer of large, creatively-cut pickles. No ketchup (I love ketchup on a burger) but they give you enough in a small bowl on the side for your fries so I was able to use some of that. I wasn't crazy about the fries. I think I expected somewhat larger cut fries - maybe even steak fries - but these were kind of a let-down. Fairly dry and bland. And for the record, I hate when fries have that weird breading on the outside (you know what I'm talking about). Something happened to American's perception of fries sometime during the early-1990's and I put the blame on Burger King. Give me some normal, lightly salted fries with the skin on and I'm a happy camper.

A few things of note...

Service was slow. It was a Sunday night, not incredibly busy, and yet it took a good 15 minutes to get the check after the waiter disappeared.

They also have a "Blues Brunch" menu served from 11:30 AM to 3 PM on weekends with breakfast pizza, breakfast fajitas, and other creative brunch dishes.

Overall, I love the decor of Empire, love that they proudly use local ingredients, love that they are keen about energy usage, and love that they make their own beer, but everything that I ordered fell flat - with the only strong point being the burger itself. I would go back for it again but would rather try my luck with a different beer, different side, and a different appetizer choice.

My rating of Empire Brewing Co:

Review: Little Thai House

Name: Little Thai House
Address: 2863 Erie Blvd E, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Salt Springs (Erie Boulevard East)
Website: www.littlethaihouse.com/syracuse.html
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Thai
Hours: Monday-Friday 11:30 AM to 3 PM, 5 PM to 10 PM, Saturday-Sunday 1PM to 10 PM
Parking: Private Lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take Out: Yes
Alcohol: Full Bar

On a Sunday night with a hankering for Thai food, I thought I would try my luck at the Little Thai House on Erie Boulevard. Despite the previous Northeastern snowstorm a few days earlier, parking was easy with a plowed, private lot located in the back. Little Thai House doesn't look like much from the outside (and actually looks more like a former Wendy's painted white), but the interior is fairly nice and a legitimate step up from most Erie Boulevard eateries that aren't chain restaurants. The atmosphere is a tad more intimate than what I was looking for, and even leaned towards the quiet / awkward side, but it was a nice change of pace and made for quite a relaxing Sunday dinner. There was no crowd here on this night, but if it happens to be packed when you step in, there's a quant mini-bar in the corner that offers seating while you're waiting for a table.

You may need a few minutes to look over the menu as there are quite a lot of dishes and they are not separated by vegetable or meat categories. At any rate... The order...

Satay: $5.95
Pad Thai: $11.95
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $23.33

The Satay was alright - skewers of sliced charcoal-grilled strips of chicken, marinated in coconut milk, lemon grass, and imported Thai curry spices and served with a peanut sauce and a cucumber dip. I did like the option of having two dipping sauces with this. Between the two, I preferred the cucumber dip as there was more flavor in there with the chopped red onions and carrots. It was tangy and a bit like a thin sweet and sour sauce. The peanut sauce was a little bland and I thought it could have been a tad spicier. To be picky, my chicken was a hair under-cooked and I would have liked to have had a better presence of coconut milk and lemon grass, as I could not really taste either of them in the marinade.

The Pad Thai was pretty good - Thai rice noodles sauteed with shrimp, chicken, egg, bean sprouts, and roasted ground peanuts in a tamarind sauce. Though there was a ton of food on the plate. (This was enough to last me for 3 meals). And I'm not sure how I felt about the plating and presentation. The thinly sliced carrots were a nice touch, but everything else was sort of plopped on the plate - with a pile of peanuts on one side. I only received 3 small to medium sized shrimp with the dish, but even so, they should have been placed on top and not hidden underneath the mass of noodles. And I'm also not sure as to why it was garnished with a lemon and not a lime which is more traditional of Thai cuisine. But given that, I thought it was a decent dish of Pad Thai. The rice noodles, despite being plentiful, were cooked perfectly and the bean sprouts were crispy and fresh. Though my one issue was the tamarind sauce. As you may or may not know, Thai food is generally supposed to be a balance of up to 5 flavors: spicy, sweet, sour, salty, and bitter. This sauce in particular definitely weighed on the "sour" side. Enough to make my lips pucker a bit.

Some things of note: The beer selection is dismal - only Singha and Singha Light, but the wine selection is good. They also serve Saki as well.

There really isn't too much more to say about Little Thai House. It was a completely mediocre dining experience, which I guess is better than an awful one. Would I go back? Yeah, I suppose. But I would try some different dishes than what I ordered.

My rating of Little Thai House:

Review: Pastabilities

Name: Pastabilities
Address: 311 S Franklin St, Syracuse, NY
Neighborhood: Downtown (Armory Square)
Website: www.pastabilities.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Italian, American (Traditional)
Alcohol: Full Bar
Parking: Street
Accepts credit cards: Yes
Music: Live jazz music on certain weekdays - schedule available here

Before I get into the review itself, I have this short question to let you ponder ahead of time: Is it blasphemous to not like the pasta at Pastabilities?

Getting to Pastabilities was painless. A drive through the city on W Fayette Street and available on-street parking spots right before the corner of Franklin and Fayette. Parking was a breeze on a Sunday evening.

When entering the restaurant, you're hit with a great range of sights, from the cooks next to the bar preparing meals as you walk by to dinner patrons at the window seats enjoying the views of Armory Square. At your first glance in here, you can tell Pastabilties has their entire package down: great location and ambiance, excellent lighting, clean tables and floors, and a hip and lively atmosphere. I think a lot of restaurants around the outer edges of the city, and maybe even the suburbs, could take a few basic notes from Pastabilties and improve their overall dining experience. I really believe that when you dine out you should be made to feel as if you are spending your money for a good reason and not just to eat food at some dingy, hole-in-the-wall place that makes you feel weird about eating there. But I digress.

I would put Pastabilities in the "date spot" category and it's even good for large groups of people as there is plenty of seating. And it's not just the amount of seating offered, there are about 4 or 5 unique seating sections here, including booths, private rooms, and outdoor seating, all of which provide a new point-of-view at each visit. I was seated in a cozy room in the back of the restaurant. Just to reiterate again, a short walk through the place and it's clear to see that Pastabilities has everything down: from candle lighting on each table to smooth, ethnic music coming through the speakers.

The range of food on the menu is pretty good (and the range of the wine menu should not go unnoticed). Any fan of traditional American cuisine to Italian food would most likely be able to find something of interest. Before the main courses are served, you are treated to a complimentary plate of spicy hot tomato oil and a basket of italian bread, freshly baked from Pasta's Daily Bread right across the street.

Despite the fact that I've only reviewed a few places thus far on this blog, I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is the best free food in all of Syracuse (though I would have no objection if something could trump this). The sauce is amazing - a nice balance of oil, tomato sauce, garlic, and spices - so good that I even forgot to take a picture of it before eating.

I had to order it in my main meal. Here is the order...

Homemade linguine with spicy hot tomato oil and sausage: $14.25
Total money spent with tax and tip: $17.25

The service was good and my meal came out in adequate time.

Though, I essentially had three issues with this dish.

First issue: the sausage. I suppose I wasn't expecting whole pieces of sausage. I was more or less expecting pieces of sausage cut on a bias. Not only could the two links have been a little bigger, but they really weren't up to par in my book. There wasn't enough sausage-esque flavor and there was no casing on the outside. It actually tasted more boiled than grilled and easily fell apart when I pressed them with my fork. I'm not sure as to what method they actually do here as the menu didn't say. And I also don't know if this was fluke mistake or if this is the way they serve (or make?) their sausage. Either way, I was not really impressed.

My second issue: the sauce. I was really excited about getting the hot and spicy tomato oil in an entree (see picture above). But it was kind of a let-down in my main dish. It was much more oily than a tomato sauce per-se - to the point where my noodles were dripping with oil when I would pick them up with a fork. I believe the sauce is suited much better as an appetizer than as a part of an entree because there was just too much of it and it made the noodles very mushy. Without sounding pretentious, I guess I don't understand why we Americans insist on totally covering our pastas in sauce. The noodles should really speak for themselves. I even thought to myself while eating, should they rename this place "Sauceabilities"? Har har.

My third issue: the pasta noodles. The linguine noodles were too think and too short for my taste, and combined with an drippy sauce, it actually made me feel like I wasn't even eating Italian food. And this is not the first time that I've had issues with their pasta. A few months ago during my first visit here, I had the penne pasta. It was overcooked and came out soggy by the time it was served. I'm a huge believer that if you are running an Italian restaurant, or any variation thereof, that you need to have the basics down (i.e. sauce to pasta ratio and al dante pasta). I'm wondering if this pasta issue is just me or if I am merely crazy because I have not had this problem at other Italian places.

For what its worth, the dish was topped with freshly grated pieces of Parmesan cheese, which was great, but overall I was unable to get away from the entire soupy-ness of the whole meal.

So I suppose my original question about blasphemy stems from the fact that I really like everything about this place, with the exception of what it is essentially known for. And I really want to like the main entrees here, it just hasn't happened yet. Despite my picky food critiques, I do wish there were more places with the kind of atmosphere that Pastabilities has. Syracuse could use them.

My rating of Pastabilities: