I am compelled to tell people about perhaps the best meal I have ever eaten at the Hole in the Wall, tonight. The night's special, scallops on buckwheat pasta with corn and small roasted yellow tomatoes - oh my goodness. Subtle, not overwhelmed with sauce, but perfectly balanced flavors that kept pleasantly surprising me, interesting to look at, and textures that kept mingling, shifting, working well in every combination. I have had a lot of favorites here, it's true, but this really very quietly won my heart.
In general, I can't recommend the Hole highly enough, from breakfast to after-dinner treats. They still serve comfort foods from their diner beginnings, but they combine those with chef-prepared meals that can stand with any in any city or region. The service is generally excellent. They host food and wine pairing dinners that draw fans from Rochester (including Michael Warren Thomas, who hosts a radio show about food on WYSL). Chef Travis Barlow is young and creative but not innovating for innovation's sake - he keeps coming up with foods it is simply a pleasure to eat, as anyone who enjoyed the summer's Farmer's Market Specials know. The new location - after over 50 years on Main Street, the restaurant moved to Standpipe Road and expanded to include a bar/lounge - is comfortable and welcoming, accommodating many groups easily. And I utilize the wi-fi - at this very moment, for instance. I look forward to their new expansion.
I would call myself their biggest fan, but I know many would vie for the title. If you're anywhere near Perry, this is the place not to miss. (Okay, except on Mondays and Tuesdays, when they're closed. So come to Burlingham Books and I'll convince you to stay around until Wednesday!)
What a meal!
I am compelled to tell people about perhaps the best meal I have ever eaten at the Hole in the Wall, tonight. The night's special, scallops on buckwheat pasta with corn and small roasted yellow tomatoes - oh my goodness. Subtle, not overwhelmed with sauce, but perfectly balanced flavors that kept pleasantly surprising me, interesting to look at, and textures that kept mingling, shifting, working well in every combination. I have had a lot of favorites here, it's true, but this really very quietly won my heart.
In general, I can't recommend the Hole highly enough, from breakfast to after-dinner treats. They still serve comfort foods from their diner beginnings, but they combine those with chef-prepared meals that can stand with any in any city or region. The service is generally excellent. They host food and wine pairing dinners that draw fans from Rochester (including Michael Warren Thomas, who hosts a radio show about food on WYSL). Chef Travis Barlow is young and creative but not innovating for innovation's sake - he keeps coming up with foods it is simply a pleasure to eat, as anyone who enjoyed the summer's Farmer's Market Specials know. The new location - after over 50 years on Main Street, the restaurant moved to Standpipe Road and expanded to include a bar/lounge - is comfortable and welcoming, accommodating many groups easily. And I utilize the wi-fi - at this very moment, for instance. I look forward to their new expansion.
I would call myself their biggest fan, but I know many would vie for the title. If you're anywhere near Perry, this is the place not to miss. (Okay, except on Mondays and Tuesdays, when they're closed. So come to Burlingham Books and I'll convince you to stay around until Wednesday!)