ROC - The Red Fern

LOCATION: 283 OXFORD ST, ROCHESTER, NY 14607

Right on the corner of Oxford and Park, this restaurant is super cute with cross sections of tree stumps decorating the walls and a wrap around counter that fills the front half of this space. 

Sophia and I finally made the trip there and on a nice cool day like today, we decided to sit outside. Starting off, for a vegan restaurant, this place has a delicious looking menu that makes choosing very difficult. Both of us were stuck between a few choices (always good) and in the end Sophia ordered the Warrior Wrap and I got the Tofu Egg Sandwich!

My beautiful lunch date - still looking good with a semi full mouth!

Still not a fan of tofu but this sandwich was calling me and I couldn't say no to trying it. I was not disappointed. This sandwich has seasoned tofu, scallion cream cheese, roasted tomatoes, and balsamic field greens on focaccia. I'm also a chubby butt and added tempeh bacon and avocado spread. I'm glad I did. I got a side of field greens which also tasted awesome and in the end I was stuffed. Amazing. I would love to go back and try more off the menu, everything was pretty impressive and for being vegan, tasted completely not healthy for me (not that it was SUPER healthy in the end with all of my additions). 

Super excited to go back again one day. 

UPDATE 8/28/15 : 

Apparently 'one day' is soon because 3 days later I manage to drag Jon to Red Fern for my last lunch as his intern/assistant. We can't decide where to go for lunch, and Jon just throws out that he's looking for a salad - difficult because everywhere has salads. Red Fern is still on my mind so I throw it out there and attempt to be helpful for the first time this summer and he agrees - thought slightly reluctant. 

We come in around 1:30 and its still busy, quite a few full tables and people bustling around this little space. We get a seat and I say that we can share or not share but I AM DEFINITELY ordering the Pesto Zucchini Linguini (PZL). Jon wants to try it so he orders the Avocado Bacon Lettuce Tomato (ABLT) Sandwich and we share both. Adorable. The ABLT is great! Avocado spread, tempeh bacon, balsamic field greens, and roasted cherry tomatoes with a lemon 'vegenaise' on toasted sourdough. We inhale it. But the PZL.. this is where the magic is. Zucchini noodles that make Jon double check "There's no pasta in here?", a great pesto, roasted tomatoes, toasted pine nuts, and kale parmesan. We eat while discussing how they manage to make zucchini noodles. They're round in diameter not flat.. french fry devices of sorts? But they spiral... a conundrum we are very interested in. 

It's a hit. Jon says he HAS to bring his wife back and he demands I be a good daughter and bring my mom because he thinks she'll love it, not that he's spent more than 5 minutes with my mom at a time. I'll run it by her. Maybe she'll go with me. 

I'm glad my last lunch with him was such a success. Perfect way to end the summer. 

ROC - PI Craft

LOCATION: 100 MARKETPLACE DRIVE, ROCHESTER, NY 14623

Much like Pizzeria Favo, this place makes your own custom pizza right in front of you. They form your dough, add your toppings, and bake it in the oven right there! This place is pretty great tho. Cool atmosphere, fun graphics on the signs, and unlimited toppings which I'm totally down for! 

I decide on the Pi size which is a 13" x 6" pizza as opposed to their 12" round pizza. Then the toppings. I'm feeling like a veggie day so I just throw them all on. Pesto for my sauce, mozzarella cheese, artichokes, spinach, mushrooms, and zucchini. I miss the sign for arugula, and almost go for bacon or prosciutto but turns out they both cost extra and in the heat of the moment I chicken out on the extra couple of bucks.. I know.. I'm lame.. next time! They drizzle balsamic on top after they pull it from the rotating oven and this thing is great! Perfection if you ask me. 

Pretty happy for the pizza, love the unlimited toppings and all the choices. Clean and fun. Go Pi Craft! 

Work surprises

Just found this at work: 

#Butter. 

ROC - Eat. Drink. Roam.

My friends Jay and Chris love this place (probably because Chris' uncle owns it!) but because of them I've been dying to try it. What happens is, Rob decides he wants to go out to dinner again and likes to help me out by knocking things off my list so he takes a look and picks Roam Cafe.

Yes. 

LOCATION: 262 PARK AVE., ROCHESTER, NY 14607

We get there and this is a great space. Cosy decor and nice light. The bar is small but for park ave. it works well and the dining area is pretty grand. We get seated and our orders are taken and then they come. 

Turns out a wedding party is taking place there the night we decide to check it out. Three long tables full of people dressed quite nicely. Perfect for people watching. Only I'm kinda dumb and pick the seat that faces the wall. Smooth. 

Regardless, I talk Rob into splitting an arancini with me to start and then for dinner I get the full grilled beet and feta salad (with the addition of steak). After trying the arancini at Aunt Rosie's I'm kind of hooked. This one comes in, super hot, and covered in a red sauce. We cut into it to split and strings of hot cheese just pull everywhere. It's incredible. The rice gets a little crispy and sticky on the outside and I feel bits of it stuck to my teeth but that's something I get live with because this arancini is so good. Really happy for the order. The beet salad however, slightly fails to deliver. It's a dark salad when it comes out. Steak a little chewy for medium rare and not enough sunflower seeds in my opinion. The feta is a nice touch and the red wine tarragon vinaigrette is a nice touch but I'm not feeling it. The beets get kind of buried and it does grow on me a little as I near the end but I suppose my expectations were a little high and Roam kinda failed to deliver. The menu looks great with vegetarian dishes and paleo options but the food itself had minor issues that took away from the whole experience. Rob dislikes the ambiance and finds the place a little loud but what can you do with three tables of wedding party in the room. Would go back if I was asked but not on my list of high recommendations. We walked away giving it a 6.5. The owner was great and super nice, I just couldn't say I fell in love with this place.  

VA - Eden

On our family vacation to Virginia we decided to make a few stops on the way back. We basically splitting the trip into two days and are staying in Philadelphia for the night before trekking back home tomorrow, but on the way to Philly, my parents made sure to take a stop in this little asian shopping center in Virginia. Way too many jewelry stores but restaurant are on point and there was a giant grocery store dad was dying to get in to. 

First, we eat! We wander around and dad swears theres a restaurant his friend recommends that is supposed to be good but we can't find it so we wander into this place called VietRoyale.

LOCATION: 6767 WILSON BLVD., FALLS CHURCH, VA 22044

I was feeling like noodles but I'd had my traditional pho for the trip so I ordered a vermicelli noodles with beef and a fried spring roll. Such good flavors and the noodles hit the spot. The plate was just slightly sweet across the board which I wasn't a huge fan of. The beef was sweet, and once I mixed the noodles with the pickled carrots and radishes it was super sweet. Would've liked the meat to be a little more savory but the plate was still great. Good random find, but then again it always is.