I wanted to take my wife somewhere nice for dinner, as it was her birthday. Traveling was not a problem so I began to look a little farther afield than downtown Syracuse. Doing some searches, I found a number of positive recommendations for a place in Rochester. The place is called Next Door.
What shocked the heck out of me is finding out it’s run by a supermarket!
Santangelo’s has been around for over 25 years. It’s on Old Liverpool Road, just past the stoplight at the end of Electronics Parkway. Unless you’re new to CNY, or you simply don’t like Italian food, you’ve probably been to Santangelo’s.
The parking lot is large, but so is the interior. Many nights I’ve seen cars parked on the grass, or in some other place the owner felt they could wedge in. Reservations are accepted, and I encourage them, especially on Friday and Saturday nights.
I had heard of Lemongrass and that it was good from some co-workers older and more elegant than I. However, the thought of paying more than $10 for Asian food made my stomach hurt. Let alone a place that calls itself an ‘Asian Fusion’ steakhouse on its Facebook page makes me think it’s just a little too classy for my barbaric manners.
However, with Downtown Dining Week I decided to go. This event lasts through March and participating restaurants offer a first, second, and third course for $25 or less. Which is a pretty good deal for some of the restaurants on the list, including Lemongrass.
After a long, difficult week, the wife and I decided to treat ourselves. We’ve been to Justin’s a few times over the years, and decided a Friday night dinner there was just the thing.
Justin’s is just off Old Collamer Road, in the center of a nest of hotels near Carrier Circle (exit 35 off the Thruway). As such, most of the diners there during the week are business folks who walk (or drive) over from the surrounding hotels. The restaurant itself is fairly upscale. The decor and pricing is decidedly higher-end.
A friend of mine has retreated from the hectic pace of Manhattan to the more bucolic surroundings of Chenango county. To celebrate his birthday, the wife and I went to visit at his place on a private lake (not as fancy as it sounds). I’ve reviewed a number of places in the area, but this time we were looking for something a little more upscale. We made a reservation for the Silo Restaurant, which is technically in Greene, but actually closer to the hamlet of Coventry.
There was a wedding going on there that day. And no, I don’t mean just “wedding reception.” We were offered an 8 PM spot in the upstairs dining area because the wedding party was using the larger downstairs area, and we jumped at it. This time of year, the sun is already setting earlier, so we were treated to a sweeping view of the grounds and the surrounding area for less time than I would have liked. Right outside, next to a small fountain, the chairs and pavilion for the wedding ceremony were still set up. We’ve walked the grounds previously, but I never thought of having a ceremony there. Apparently it’s a regular thing for them.
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