Restaurant recommendation for Finger Lakes area [General]

2009 Jun 23
Just wonder if any one of you have been to Fingers Lake area. If so, any restaurant recommendation before I check the travel website? Which winery is good for visit?

Thanks for your help first.

2009 Jun 23
Maybe you're looking for something more fancy, but I enjoyed Doug's Fish Fry in Skaneateles. (www.dougsfishfry.com)

The fish and chips are great and the fried shrimp are exceptional. Prices are highish but worth it. It's a great place for lunch.

(I took this photo at the Cortland location but I've tried both and the quality is maintained across both locations.)

2009 Jun 24
Moosewoods is in Ithica (of the Moosewoods recipe book fame). The food is decent, but not over the top. I wish I could help with wineries, I was quite dissapointed with the ones we went to. (wish I could remember the names too - too long ago.)

2009 Jun 26
I saw something on this restaurant on TV.... heard good things. Sounds very unique.

www.danosonseneca.com

from the website: Welcome! Though modeled on a centuries-old Viennese tradition, there's never been anything quite like Dano's Heuriger on Seneca, America's first heuriger (pronounced Hoy-rig-er). Dano's on Seneca combines the traditional Viennese Winery Restaurant concept with the region's award winning wines and the superb Viennese-inspired cooking of Dano's chef/co-owner Dano Hutnik and pastry chef/co-owner Karen Gilman.

2009 Jun 26
Givenchy at Mirbeau Spa is first class fine dining.
Excellent Italian at Rosalie's Cuccina.
Both in Skaneateles ,,,,enjoy!

2009 Jul 5
Thanks for all the information here. Our travel plan changed and we will visit the area next time. I have bookmarked the recommended places for future visits. Thanks again.

We ended up having dinner in Syracuse on our way home. So far, we have tried the Chinese restaurants in Syracuse (only two recommended by the Chinese students from Syracuse University) and one Vietnamese restaurant.

China Road (川霸王)
www.chinaroad-ny.com/

New Centruy Vietnamese Restaurant
(no website, but I have the food photos and will post them once I got a chance)

I personally would not recommend the above two restaurants. Both places are pretty shabby. I can't breathe at China Road and had to eat and leave ASAP after I ate my noodles in a soup bowl. To be honest, the noodles I had was alright (2.5 out of 5). But the place is dirty and I don't feel safe eating there. The restaurant inside has ventilation problem as well.

I will definitely return to Bamboo Garden whenever I stop by Syracuse. The place is located inside a small plaza (pretty new). The service was great and the food was not bad.

Bamboo Garden
8097 Brewerton Road, Cicero, NY 13039
(Route 11, North Star Plaza)
Closed on Tuedsday

According to the waiter at Bamboo Garden, Syracuse used to have many Chinese restaurants. Unfortunately, many have closed one by one (because of low Chinese population and heavy tax). I laughed when they complained about heavy tax in US. The wait staff also told me that he used to own a Chinese restaurant and now he only works in Bamboo Garden. He indicated that it is easier to work instead of owning a restaurant.

Another restaurants that we tried before that is also our favorite.

Joey's Classic Italian Dining
6594 Thompson Road North (at Carrier Circle)
NYS Thruway Exit 35
Syracuse, NY 13206
joeysitalianrestaurant.com/

My friends lately returned to Joey for dinner and told me that the food wasn't as good as before. She was told that the restaurant has been sold to another owner and is under different management. Oh well.

P.S. We are so fortunate to live in Ottawa. I always complain about Chinese food in Ottawa. After trying the food in US, I shall not complain any more although I still prefer the Chinese restaurants in Toronto.


2010 Jul 11
Some more update:

Bamboo Garden no longer exists. The space has been converted into a Chinese take-out type restaurant. The cashier young lady told me that I won't like the food and hence we left.

We went back to China Road to check out. The place was packed on Wednesday night and we told the owner that we would like to sit in the area close to the door and not in the inside area. We found that the air in the area close to the cashier counter much better.

We all ordered their Pork Chop Noodle Soup (US$6.95). The noodles were not bad at all. I also told my husband to order something simple while traveling.

The owner, Simon, is a very nice guy. He talked to us a lot and told us that China Road has been opened for 15 years (he moved to Syracuse from New York City when his children went to University of Syracuse to study). He also told us that he lived in NYC for 20 years and was robbed at gunpoint 3 times.

Anyway, China Road website: www.chinaroad-ny.com