Pane Vino

This Edible Experience builds off the two classic Italian staples : Bread & Wine, or Pane Vino for the Italians out there!  Nestled in the heart of downtown Rochester, this cozy restaurant is a hidden gem.

As soon as we walked in, we were overcome with the delicious aromas of traditional Italian cuisine.  Diners are treated to a waterfront view of the Genesee River, which is viewable from outdoors during the warmer months.  After placing our orders, we were able to indulge in the warm atmosphere with feelings of old-world Italy meets Modern with exposed brick walls, hand-painted designs and candelabras on the walls for an intimate feel.

For appetizers we sampled the Artichoke French, spicy Sicilian calamari, lobster bisque, and the homemade bread with choices of homemade herb butter, an oil mixture, grated cheese and crushed red pepper.  We have heard reviews on the Artichoke French and rumors are true: Best in the city!  The lobster bisque arrived and was consumed in several moments as it was creamy and delicious; it was impossible to put the spoon down. The calamari on the other hand, was intriguing on paper, but after trying a few bites, water was a must.  The flavor was enjoyable but salt was too prominent in this dish.  Not likely to order this next time.

After enjoying several glasses chianti, we moved on to our dinners.  Our table ordered a variety of options including Seafood Fra Diavolo, Veal Anthony, Pan-seared scallops in a brandy cream sauce over rice pilaf, and a special dish of the evening that included Filet Mignon & Wild Boar with a mint risotta and poached pears.  

The special was just that.  Indeed Special.  The choices of sauces on this plate alone was vast and were perfectly paired with the items on the plate.  Each sauce and food combo was a savory bite to enjoy.  

The scallops were perfectly cooked in a light but creamy sauce.  

The veal dish was fresh with artichokes, peppers, prosciutto, peas in a garlic wine sauce with asiago cheese.  This plate was cleaned in a hurry! 

Lastly, the medley of shrimp, mussels, and clams in a surprisingly fresh and chunky sauce.  The only complaint was that it wasn't spicy enough!

While there wasn't much room left, the tray of desserts show to us by our server tempted us to try a few of the delectable options for the last course.  We selected homemade cannoli made with Frangelico and a white chocolate, pistachio cheesecake.  The cheesecake was indeed a great choice but was very rich.  After a few bites, we couldn't eat anymore!  The cannoli were agreeably some of the best we had ever tasted.  And with an Italian heritage behind our dining table, we have tasted quite a few cannoli in our day!

Pane Vino Dinner Menu

SavorySawickys gives this Edible Experience 4 truffles out of 5!

Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant

For this edible experience, we are writing about a restaurant in Rianna's hometown.  Nestled in the heart of Fayetteville, NY is Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant.

The atmosphere has a hip vibe and often on weekends features a band in the bar area to listen to local musicians while grabbing a drink with friends or while waiting for your table in the dining room.  The exposed brick and eclectic artwork bring a fresh feel to diners as they await the unique meal options for the evening.

We started off our experience with three appetizers, truffle fries, Moroccan meatballs in a tomato sauce,  and Escargot. All of these were delectable and are sure to get your meal started off right!

For the salad course, we selected the Finger Lakes Farmer Salad featuring iceberg lettuce, goat cheese, candied walnuts, fennel, apples, and a homemade cider vinaigrette dressing.  While ingredients were very fresh, it didn't strike us as a must-have for our next visit.

For entrees we ordered a few dishes we have yet to experience anywhere.  First off was the Autumn Ravioli with candied pecans, pearl onions, and finished in a brown butter sauce.  A great choice for a cold fall night!

Next we tried the Wild Game Plate which included rabbit sausage, antelope steaks, and a whole quail over a nice polenta mash.  The flavors in this plate were great compliments to each other and offered diners the chance to try three meats not often featured on most menus at all, especially with all three on one plate.  A great value and an enhancement to our palates!

We also sampled from an order of Penne Vodka which was filled with cheesy goodness and was a hit for anyone who loves a classic vodka sauce.

As if we hadn't eaten enough, we went for the dessert round.  Below you can see a signature Caribbean Cappuccino with a nice hint of rum and topped with chocolate sauce.  Yum!

We also had the lemon pound cake with raspberry sorbet, which was light and delectable and a slice of the apple pie.  We usually stray from apple pie since we like to make it fresh ourselves, however, this may have rivaled Rianna's pie-making skills!

Service was excellent, food was great and we will definitely be heading back to Pascale when we are in the area!

Pascale Wine Bar & Restaurant

SavorySawickys gives this edible experience 4.5 truffles out of 5!

Lento

Local. Seasonal. Sustainable.  This is what Lento prides itself on and you can see it as soon as you walk in.  They have huge chalkboards that feature the local places their meats and vegetables come from.  Even their drinks use fresh ingredients, not typical flavored syrups that you might taste in most cocktails.

With a menu that changes everyday, you can go online after 5pm to see what the daily features will be or just walk in and be surprised. After sitting down at our table, we decided to share some appetizers before our entrees came out.

 For appetizers, we selected a few of the server's recommendations.  On the left we have fried cheese-stuffed olives, which were gone in a matter of minutes!  

Below we have dates in a fried pork-belly wrapping.  Out of this world.

Another favorite we wanted to experience at Lento was a beet and arugula salad.  We looked forward to the fresh, local ingredients and were not disappointed.

 One entree at our table was a personal fresh favorite, Salmon over a bed of spinach and a homemade latke. Local. Seasonable. Sustainable.

The fresh ingredients were evident and while we had to wait about 30 minutes past our reservation time, the food was delicious and staff was very pleasant.

Lento Menu

SavorySawickys give this edible experience 4 truffles out of 5!

Red Osier

For this edible experience, we take you to Red Osier, the best place for Prime Rib in the Rochester area!  

This place is always packed and rightly so for the simple but warm atmosphere.  When you walk in, you can see just how large the space is, featuring several dining rooms and a spacious bar with drink specials and friendly service.

Not only is the prime rib excellent, but Red Osier has distinguished itself from other restaurants with it's famous table side service.  The only thing ordered at our table that wasn't prepared table side was the homemade French Onion soup, though it was still delicious.

Next, we had the table side Caesar salad.  Servers bring out a cart with the lettuce, croutons, parmesan cheese, and ingredients to make the homemade Caesar dressing right in front of you!  Fresh ingredients and fresh taste!

 

Finally, everyone at our table ordered the Queen Sized Prime Rib which was one pound of delicious prime rib.  However, the menu gives the option to order prime rib in sizes from 12 ounces up to 5 pounds for the real meat-lovers of the world!  We had a side of New England mashed potatoes which includes huge chunks of lobster meat.  And of course, each order of prime rib is served with the house Au Jus.

While we were too full for dessert that night, Red Osier offers a wide variety of delectable desserts including a Bananas Foster, which they flambé table side, continuing with the original theme of the restaurant!

Red Osier Menu

SavorySawickys gives this edible experience 3.5 truffles out of 5!

Restaurant Good Luck

Our trip to Restaurant Good Luck was long overdue.  For months, we had heard from our friends about the originality of the atmosphere and quality of the food so we finally gave in and experienced it for ourselves.

The concept of the menu is unlike that of most restaurants you may experience.  For us, it was a bit confusing when looking at it online as the dishes are all "food to share".  However once we got there, our pleasant server clued us in to know we should order a dish for each person at the table +1.  It's similar to Tapas style but Restaurant Good Luck includes entrees as well as appetizer-sized dishes for a greater variety.

We started off the evening with the special autumn sangria, which was fruity and light.  It was great to sip on a flavor of the season while indulging in the atmosphere the restaurant provided.  The exposed brick walls and industrial feel was warm but artistic, as Restaitant Good Luck is smack-dab in the middle of the art district of Rochester.

As we went with another couple, we each chose one dish from the menu that intrigued us and shared each as they came out, one at a time.

First up was an order of Octopus a la Plancha.  It was light, fresh and delicious.  We have experienced grilled octopus at other restaurants and this was one of the best preparations we've tasted!  We couldn't wait to see the second dish that would follow this.

Next was the Pan-roasted Arctic Char, which is similar to Salmon.  It came with a healthy side of cauliflower, leeks, red potatoes and was drizzled in a red wine sauce.  A savory choice!

The third course consisted of a special, not featured on that evening's menu.  Pulled rabbit meat topped with apple chunks over a mashed polenta.  By far, our favorite dish of the night.

Lastly, we finished out the meal with a Good Luck Burger of grass-fed beef, high quality cheddar cheese, and a side of fresh fries.  It was sliced into 4's so we could all enjoy Restaurant Good Luck's take on the classic American burger.

After concluding our meal, we looked back on all the ravings from our friends, and we realized how crazy we were for waiting so long to dine at this great establishment!

Update:

We have since returned to this restaurant and are happy to report that the quality we experienced during our first visit was no fluke! We tried different dishes, including some specials and were pleasantly surprised by Good Luck's ability to transcend between multiple ethnic cuisines. 

 

 Fall off the bone pork shank with BBQ lentils

Restaurant Good Luck Website

SavorySawickys gives this edible experience 4.5 truffles out of 5!

Delmonico's Italian Steakhouse

Our latest edible experience is a restaurant we are no strangers to.  Rianna has been eating at Delmonico's for over a decade and Nick is quite the enthusiast for this delicious Italian food as well! When we walked in, we were immediately greeted by the manager and taken to the bar for complimentary drinks.  After catching up, we headed to our table, stomachs ready to be filled.

The menu consists of traditional Northern Italian dishes with an emphasis on their variety of homemade pasta sauces.  The decor matches nicely with all of the Italian celebrities and sports figures you could imagine, including a particular room that prides itself on Syracuse and it's own Italian culture.

We started off the meal with a traditional antipasto salad, covered with all the essentials: provolone, salami, cappacola, black olives, anchovies, and hot peppers, just to name a few!

Between appetizers and entrees, we were greeted table-side by our favorite magian, Shaun Robinson. He prides himself in coming around to tables and amazing guests young and old.   His magical presence is noticed throughout the restaurant as there are playing cards on the ceiling in places from where he made a card "disappear" and then "reappear" like that!  It is a great way to pass the time waiting for entrees and serves as a conversation piece for the rest of your night!

For entrees, our table selected the time-honored classic pasta with marinara sauce.  On top were two jumbo meatballs.  You will not go hungry, that's for sure! Another specialty we decided on was the Delmonico Steak, and at a $19.99 price point for over a pound of well-seasoned steak, it's considered "The Best Deal In Town".  The steak also came with a side of penne with the sauce of your choice.  We are particular fans of Delmonico's vodka sauce so that was an easy choice.




















Overall, the meal was filling and satisfying and did not leave much room for sampling the wide array of desserts on the menu.  But that didn't stop us!

We went for a fresh fruit zabaglione which features raspberries, strawberries and blueberries in a martini glass with a homemade zabaglione sauce drizzled on top.  Yum!  The amaretto cheesecake was also a must, super creamy with the right balance of cheese and cake topped with a layer of amaretto creme, raspberry sauce and whipped creme.

Then we really were stuffed!

Delmonico's Website & Menu

SavorySawickys give this edible experience 4 truffles out of 5!