Review: Brooklyn Pickle (Far West-Side)

Name: Brooklyn Pickle (Far West-Side location)
Address: 1600 W Genesee St, Syracuse, NY
Phone: (315) 487-8000
Neighborhood: Far West-Side
Website: www.brooklynpickle.com
Menu: View Menu
Cuisine: Sandwiches, Soups
Restaurant Hours: Monday to Saturday 9 AM - 7:30 PM.
Parking: Private lot
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Take-Out: Yes
Outdoor Seating: No (Yes after Spring '12)
Delivery: No

The Brooklyn Pickle franchise is one of the longest running deli operations in Syracuse and has been serving up hearty sandwiches since appearing on the deli scene in 1975. Opened two years after its predecessor in Eastwood, the Westside location first opened at the current Byrne Dairy building along W Genesee St only to move kitty-corner to its present location a couple years later where it's sat since 1984.

Perhaps more so in its heyday than now, "Brooklyn Pickle" is typically mentioned within the same sentences as "Dinosaur", "Heid's", and "The State Fair" whenever the topic of local food is brought up around out-of-towners. Still, the local chain has rolled through the decades and continues to be a popular sandwich destination for Syracuse lunch and dinner goers.

The Westside location is general small inside. Roughly 10 booths or so round out the seating. Orders are placed and picked-up at the counter.

I'm partial to the atmosphere of the Burnet Ave location to this one, but that's not to say it's bad. It's small and cozy enough for a quick meal alone or with the family. They're also expanding very soon, with a large patio deck out front facing W Genesee St which will be nice for the warmer months (I believe a sign on door said ready by Spring 2012, unless I'm mistaken).

On the menu: salads, homemade salads, coleslaw, baked beans, pickles, knish, soups, cookies, puddings, cookies, chips, and plenty of sandwich and sub choices like roast pork, pastrami, capocollo, seafood salad, liverwurst, and meatballs, as well as all of your traditional delicatessen meats.

The order...

Neptune Stew (cup): $2.80
Sour Pickle: $1.35
Brooklyn Pickle Special (half): $4.35
Total Money Spent with Tax & Tip: $9.18

From the looks of the handwritten sign below the menu, Neptune Stew appeared to be one of their specialties. It contains shrimp, clams, onions, mushrooms, green peppers, and tomatoes*. So, as an avid seafood lover, you can't go wrong, right? ...Right?

Quite the rich color for a busy soup (or stew), but I found the whole thing to be fairly unappetizing and essentially a giant mess. The stew had a slightly peppery flavor and was mixed with flavorless veggies, scraps and shreds of leftover pasta noodles, a few tiny shrimp that were saturated, rubbery, and lacked any seafood taste, and a tomato broth that was very close to concentrated tomato juice rounding everything out.

*Also not listed on the menu is that it contains carrots and pasta.

I mean, I know we're in upstate New York here and really good seafood-style soups may be hard to come by, but would it be so much to ask for a bold, maybe spicy tomato broth, with fresh onions and peppers, a couple plump shrimp, littlenecks (maybe a few still in the shell), and maybe some chopped celery? (in other words, fresh, minimalist, and nix the carrots, pasta, and mushrooms?).

It's very possible I got it on an off day, but at least judging from this experience, I wouldn't order it again.

The sour pickle, pictured to the right of the soup, was indeed sour but I found the brine to be a little unpleasant and even a bit metallic in some hints. Fresh and colorful from the outside, but not much snap, crunch, or good flavor to it.

On the other hand...

Pictured above is the Brooklyn Pickle Special, garnished with pickle slices and along side a sour pickle.

I picked the Brooklyn Pickle Special blindly, not knowing exactly what it was. I could've asked, but figured if it's a house special and at the top of the menu, it's worth a shot in the dark. Tomatoes, lettuce, and onions were added upon request.

I'll be the messenger here since I wasn't able to find information about this sandwich online. Essentially, it's corned beef and Swiss with a Miracle Whip style dressing. Which leads me to something that I can't believe I've never mentioned on this blog before...

I LOVE MIRACLE WHIP.

Ahem. Yes, it's true. This may not have been the exact brand, but it was a slightly tangier and vinegary version of mayo perfectly dressed on white bread (I think I asked for this too, but in hindsight, probably should've ordered it on rye) with Swiss cheese and plenty of delicious corned beef stacked in the middle. The lettuce, tomato, and onions were nice additions (especially the onions), but this could hold its own without them, I think. Definitely the best sandwich I've had at Brooklyn Pickle and something that I'd return for.

As for the little additional pickles on top, presentation-wise, they look good and even the novelty of getting a few free pickle slices with your order at a place that has "pickle" in its name is fun, but I just wasn't hooked on them like I wanted to be. Very lightly brined for the most part, but taste-wise, they were flavorless and kind of detracted from the sandwich.

A bad review is tough here because I remember loving Brooklyn Pickle when I was a kid. I even have a T-shirt from one of my first visits. I know my taste buds weren't lying to me then (I loved the food at Dinosaur too). I think the franchise could use an overhaul of their menu, try to simplify things, and focus on what tastes best. Sandwiches seem to be AOK for the most part and who's going to complain about getting a pretty hefty one for about $4, but I think quality, which is a major factor, really isn't hitting the mark like it used to.

Return for sandwiches: Probably.
Return for anything else: ...that's a tough call.

My rating of Brooklyn Pickle:

Review: Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The order...

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

Several got snatched up before I could get a picture.

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

Holy cheese!

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

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

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

Some other Notes...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

My rating of Coleman's Authentic Irish Pub:

Alto Cinco's Tacos and Calamari

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

Shrimp Soft Tacos: $9
Fried Calamari: $10

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

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

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

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

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

Thumbs up.

Dinosaur Take-Out

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

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

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

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

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

Review: Darwin

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

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

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

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

The order...

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

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

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

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

Other notes...

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

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

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

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

My rating of Darwin:

Review: NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza

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

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

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

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

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

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

The order...

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

With a quarter of it missing because I got hungry.

Temperature: perfectly hot.

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

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

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

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

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

Overall pizza reaction: outstanding.

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

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

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

And yes, taste the flava!

My rating of NY Gianni's Bronx Style Pizza:

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: J Ryan's Pub

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

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

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

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

Other beer notes...

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

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

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

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

The order...

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

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

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

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

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

My rating of J Ryan's Pub: