Eat First

Kasai Ramen, Syracuse

It was sleeting sideways when I visited Kasai Ramen for a late lunch in late January -- perfect weather for a pot of tea and bowl of steaming hot ramen.

 

I am not super familiar with ramen. I know that it's a staple of college life and sometimes the subject of jokes. Some people call ramen "College Soup.'' Open the dry noodles, add boiling water, wait for them to cool down a bit and presto! -- instant dormitory dinner. I also know that ramen is a Japanese cousin of pho, a broth-based soup with meat, noodles and other ingredients that's commonly eaten in Vietnam.

 

Kasai Ramen takes ramen to a whole other level: elegant, yet casual, sit-down meal. Tables are dressed with black linen cloths and set with linen napkins, soup spoons and chopsticks. The menu is tidy and your server will be happy to explain anything you're not familiar with.

 

I kept it simple, ordering the shoyu ramen ($13), made with pork and chicken broth, soy tare (or seasoning), dashi, chat pork roll (braised pork belly), six-minute egg, enoki mushrooms and baby bok choy.

 

I also ordered a spicy miso "flavor bomb,'' ($1), which is just what it sounds like. The condiment is delivered on a small plate, and my server said to add it in small pieces to the broth, until it reaches the level of heat you are after. Everything is made in house, from the savory broths to the six-minute eggs to the noodles. Ramen is surprisingly rich -- so rich, in fact, I couldn't finish the bowl and took some home to enjoy later.

 

Kasai Ramen opened in October. Chef-owner Kyle Mastropietro describes his restaurant as a ramen shop with "Salt City attitude.'' The menu also features kimchi smashed salt potatoes, steam buns (airy, bread-like pockets that hold a variety of fillings, including mushrooms, marinated pork and fried shrimp), a beet and lotus root salad, a double-battered fried chicken sandwich, several varieties of steamed dumplings and Kasai's take on meatballs. Specials are offered each day. The restaurant recently received its liquor license, so guests can now enjoy beer, wine, spirits, cocktails and flights of sake, Japan's signature wine.

 

I look forward to returning with a lunch/dinner mate and sharing a variety of things. You might consider giving Kasai Ramen a try during Downtown Syracuse Dining Week(s), which starts February 18 and continues through March 3. If you're curious about Kasai's steam buns, Mondays are a good day to visit. All buns are $3 on "Monday Bunday.''

 

LEARN HOW TO MAKE RAMEN:  Farm to Fork 101 and chef Kyle Mastropietro are teaming up for a class on how to build a ramen bowl with ingredients sourced from local farms. The class costs $70 and will include how to make ramen noodles, broth, dashi, tare and how to properly prepare vegetables for ramen. Class size is limited to 12. Participants will get a tour of the kitchen, meet the chefs and take home recipes and chopsticks. REGISTRATION INFORMATION

 

Kasai Ramen is at 218 Walton St., Syracuse. The restaurant is open six days a week (closed Sundays) and features a late-night menu, served until 3 a.m., on Fridays and Saturdays. Information: 315-310-8500, WEBSITE

 

 

Burger and Beer Nights at Greyrock Farm

Burgers and beer go together like eggs and bacon, wine and cheese, peanut butter and jelly. Burgers and beer are even better if the burgers are made with local, grassfed beef and the beer or beers are local craft beers. In Central New York, burgers and beer don't get any better than those at the seasonal Burger and Beer Nights at Greyrock Farm, near Cazenovia.

 

This is the second summer for Burger and Beer Nights at the farm. The events are a way to celebrate the growing season, the community, local brews and Greyrock's grassfed beef (raised, slaughtered and butchered on site).

 

It was a beautiful evening to be outside for the first Burger and Beer Night of the season on June 17. Matt Volz, owner-operator of the year-round CSA (community supported agriculture) farm, greeted guests, collected money and explained the evening's offerings: two burgers ($10-$12) and two sides ($2-$3). The Evergreen, a craft beer bar and restaurant in downtown Syracuse, brought in a couple beers from Stout Beard Brewing Company, Syracuse. Guests paid for their orders, picked up their burgers and beers and settled in at long picnic tables topped with wildflowers in Mason jar vases. Plenty of families were in attendance, and guests were encouraged to walk around the farm.

 

The Burger and Beer Night series kickoff also served as an introduction to executive chef Rich Strub and Eden, a farm to table collaborative restaurant scheduled to open in the coming months at 118 E. Genesee St., Syracuse (Hanover Square). In addition to a basic Greyrock Farm burger topped with fresh greens, Strub offered a deluxe Greyrock burger, topped with dandelion greens, rhubarb sauce and Camembert cheese from North Country Creamery. Both burgers, cooked to rare, were delicious. Available on the side were Strub's deviled eggs topped with bacon jam ($2) and arugula and strawberry salad ($3.). Also on the side were the traditional burger condiments, ketchup and mustard.

 

Burger and Beer Nights at Greyrock Farm are held the third Saturday of the month, through September. There will be no Burger and Beer Night in August -- Volz and his wife, Lela Niemetz, have reserved that Saturday to celebrate their recent wedding.

 

For more information on Greyrock Farm, including its year-round CSA, farm store, raw milk and upcoming events, CLICK HERE.

 

 

Chef Alicyn Hart joins Good Nature Brewing

When the newly expanded and relocated Good Nature Brewing opens its tap room to the public later this month, it is certain to be a magnet for lovers of craft beer -- and especially craft beer made with local ingredients. The new facility, on five acres outside the village of Hamilton, will allow co-founders Carrie Blackmore and Matt Whalen to brew more beer, can beer and welcome far more visitors than their small tap room in downtown Hamilton currently allows.

It will also allow them to serve food. So it's fitting that the brewery with a focus on "farm to glass” would hire a head chef with a passion for farm-driven ingredients and food. Heading up the restaurant team will be chef Alicyn Hart, well known for her eight-year run as chef and co-owner of Circa New American Bistro and Market in Cazenovia. Hart closed her restaurant in 2014, citing escalating rent and lack of improvements to the small space on Albany Street (Route 20). She has "popped up" as a chef at events, worked as a chef at the Foggy Goggle at Toggenburg Ski Center and at Labrador Mountain and helped the owners of a restaurant in Vermont get it open and on its feet. The Vermont job took her away from her 10-year-old son for long stretches, so she's happy to have a position close to home.

Hart's next chapter is unfolding in rural Madison County, at the big and brand new Good Nature Farm Brewery facility on Route 12B, south of the village of Hamilton, and she says it feels like a good fit, true to her brand and values. She remembers Blackmore and Whalen walking in the door at Circa to pitch their beers and have dinner and says she and the brewery owners have a shared vision and commitment to locally grown and sourced ingredients. The brewery has a small open kitchen with a wood-fired oven and the tasting room will have space for about 85 guests inside -- and many more outside in warm weather. Blackmore describes it as a casual beer garden, with long tables for visitors to have a beer and a bite.

Hart is still working on the menu, which will likely include a local cheese and meat plate for sharing, seasonal salads, wood-fired flatbread pizzas, grassfed beef burgers, gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches and hand-cut frites (French fries) with homemade condiments, including hoppy beer mustard, brown ale gravy and housemade maple ketchup.

"We are, first and foremost, a craft brewery,'' Blackmore says. "The restaurant is going to be an extension of what we already do, a small, locavore menu that changes as the seasons change. We're going to source from local farmers whenever we can. We were thrilled when we saw Alicyn's name come up... She already works with many of the farmers with whom we plan to do business.''

 Menu items will make liberal use of Good Nature's line-up of all-natural ales and the menu will likely suggest beer pairings. "Cooking with beer is a really hot thing right now,'' Hart says. "I need to educate myself more.''

In addition to being locally sourced, some of the ingredients will be grown on site. The Good Nature property, formerly owned by Colgate University, is home to the Colgate Community Garden, which will supply produce to the kitchen and be used in beers.

The Tap Room and restaurant's hours of operation are likely to be 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.Thursday to Sunday, with the kitchen serving until 9 p.m. Guests will order food at the bar and come to the counter to pick up their food when it's ready.

Good Nature, launched in 2010, has developed a loyal following for its line-up of year-round beers in kegs, cans and bottles like the signature Good Natured Blonde and American Brown Ale, as well as seasonal and specialty beers. The laid-back Good Nature Tap Room in Hamilton, a destination for beer by the glass, beer flights, growler fills and local music, will stay open -- and receive a makeover down the road, Blackmore says. 

More information on Good Nature Brewing: website Facebook

 

 

Basil Thai Cuisine, Phoenix

Photo courtesy of Robert Poormon

A reader of my food stories in the Syracuse New Times reached out to sing the praises of Basil Thai Cuisine restaurant in Phoenix, Oswego County, and suggest I check it out. That was more than a year ago. I heard more enthusiastic reviews and made a mental note to check it out when out that way. But I'm rarely out that way.

After Christmas, craving something fresh and flavorful, we made our way there. The restaurant is about 25 miles from our home on the east side of Syracuse and a couple miles north of the busy crossroads of Routes 57 and 31 in the northern suburbs.

 

THE VIBE: No-frills. There's no beer, no wine and not much in the way of atmosphere. The food is the star at this storefront restaurant. There's a TV at the counter and about 10 small booths and tables. Walls are a sage-y green and posters of Thailand, the kind you see in travel agents' offices, decorate the walls. The restaurant is owned and operated by chef Pong Siripornsawan and his wife, both natives of Thailand. She handles the front counter and takeout orders and waits on those who opt to eat-in. He does the cooking. We ordered tea (served in tall Styrofoam cups) and pondered our options.

 

CHOWING DOWN: From the short, uncomplicated menu of starters, soups, salads, rice dishes, noodle dishes, curry and meat dishes, we each decided on an appetizer, soup and main course. The deep-fried egg rolls ($1.79) are long and thin, stuffed with pork, carrots, cabbage and glass noodles, and served with a sweet dipping sauce flecked with red pepper. We could have eaten six apiece and called it dinner. 

 

Next, we turned up the heat a little with two soups. Robert had the tom kha soup with chicken ($3.49). This classic coconut milk based soup contains lime juice, galangal, lemon grass, straw mushrooms, baby corn and scallions, brightened further with cilantro. The soup, ordered medium hot, lacked heat but was full of fresh flavor. My tom yum soup with chicken ($3.49) had a nice, peppery punch, especially toward the bottom of the bowl, where the pepper appeared to settle. The soup is bright and slightly sour, with layers of flavors, thanks to lemongrass, lime juice and lime leaves, along with baby corn, mushrooms, scallions and cilantro.  It's the kind of soup you want to pick up the bowl and sip every last drop.

 

For our mains, we settled on a noodle dish and a curry. Robert ordered the pad see ew with chicken ($8.99) and was pleased with the al dente "chew" of the large noodles, tossed with broccoli, straw mushrooms, baby corn, carrots, cabbage and shredded chicken. My red curry with shrimp ($9.99), arrived with a plate holding a mound of jasmine rice and a small tureen with the curry. The savory sauce of red curry paste and coconut milk contained green pepper, bamboo shoots, basil leaves and about six perfectly cooked-medium large shrimp. The gentle spice of the curry pairs perfectly with shrimp and vegetables and was a refreshing change of pace after rich holiday fare like turkey, ham and the trimmings.  

 

SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT? The menu lists just two desserts, Thai custard and ice cream sundaes. Neither of them called out to us. We decided to pass.

 

WHAT'S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND? Plenty! Appetizers like vegetarian egg rolls, mee krob (crispy rice noodles with sweet and sour orange sauce), deep fried tofu with sweet chili sauce, curry puffs. All noodle dishes, several curry dishes, and most "meat" entrees can be made with tofu.

 

WOULD WE GO BACK? Yes. Especially if we find ourselves in Baldwinsville or Clay -- the restaurant is about five miles north of Great Northern Mall.

 

NEXT TIME: We'll try the chicken satay with peanut sauce, fresh rice paper spring rolls and pad Thai or one of the beef, pork, tofu or tilapia dishes. And the Thai iced coffee or Thai iced tea.

 

DAMAGES: $41 (including tip) for two appetizers, two soups, two entrees and two cups of tea.

 

Basil Thai Cuisine is at 219 County Route 57, Phoenix, in the Three Rivers Plaza (about seven miles north of Liverpool). The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch, dinner and takeout. Information: 315-695-2545, http://www.basilthaicny.com

 

Red curry with shrimp 

Dining Out: S2 Bistro, Scotch 'n' Sirloin, Syracuse

Summer is coming. Eventually. It's gotta be. We're looking forward to warm days on the veranda and in the yard.

Until then, there is the open-pit fireplace in the S2 Bistro at the Scotch 'n' Sirloin. Cozy tables for two ring the fireplace. Sit there for a while, and you'll wish you were wearing short sleeves.

 

Also, there is the food. In case you've been hibernating the last six months, Yann Guigne, former chef and co-owner of L'Adour Restaurant Francais (RIP) in Syracuse, has joined the Scotch as executive chef. His French touches are making a mark on the bistro menu, and last fall he introduced a new menu, the first in seven years, in the Scotch's dining room.

 

I cannot speak for the traditional steakhouse half of this landmark Syracuse restaurant -- it has been several years since we've eaten in the dining room. But the S2 Bistro is one of our favorite places.

 

We love that you can go for a drink and get warm by the fire. We like that there's complimentary popcorn and peanuts and that you toss the peanut shells on the floor. We like the community tables, which promote mingling with other patrons and offer a good view of multiple TV screens when a Syracuse University basketball game is on. And we love that we can have a casual meal of a couple really nice not-so-small plates and share things easily.

 

We went to the bistro for a belated Valentine's Day treat. Here's what we found.

 

THE VIBE: Cozy, intimate, warm, convivial, rustic, romantic. The bar is lively and so are the community tables. If you're after a more quiet meal, ask for one of the booths towards the back of the room.

 

LIQUID ASSETS: Beer, a nice selection of wines by the glass and bottle, signature cocktails and a long list of scotches and whiskeys for those who like the hard stuff. We would like to see more New York wines on the wine list.

 

THE MENU: The Bistro menu changes a couple times a year and includes soups, salads, seafood and fish, a flatbread pizza, burgers, sandwiches and pasta.

 

WHAT'S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND: Pretty slim pickings - this is a steakhouse, after all. The fall/winter menu offers Mushroom Fettucini tossed with tossed with shiitake, oyster, Paris mushrooms, Parmesan and truffle cream sauce -- order it minus the bacon and grilled chicken. There is a warm goat cheese baguette with herbs de Provence over mesclun greens. Also, truffle French fries with black truffle creme.

 

THE FOOD: We shared a lovely cheese plate ($16) that contained goat cheese, Camembert, blue cheese, Cheddar, walnuts, dried apricots and prunes, berry preserves and a pile of mesclun greens. Part of us wanted to ask for more baguette slices, but we knew if we kept eating bread and cheese we would spoil our next course.

 

I've loved every bite of the Poached Eggs Meurette ($9) twice now. Two perfectly cooked eggs are served on baguette slices, with bacon, onions, mushrooms, red wine sauce and mesclun greens. It's a really savory and elegant way of having breakfast for dinner, and Yann says the dish is a runaway hit with diners, who probably will complain if he removes it from the menu.

 

The slider plate ($12.50) stars all-natural, grass-fed angus beef from Drover Hill Farm, Madison County. The burgers were cooked to medium-rare, as ordered. Robert would have liked a more delicate roll with the sliders, to show off the flavor of the local beef. The burgers come with pickled green beans and French fries on the side.

 

Who can resist a ramekin of creme brulee ($6)? Not us. Creme brulee is one of our favorite desserts. The custard was thick and rich and not too sweet, with a beautiful brown crown of burnt sugar to crack our spoons through.

 

THE SERVICE: Very professional and attentive, even at the community tables, which can be tricky for a server to navigate when the room is crowded.

 

THE DAMAGES: $80 plus, including four glasses of wine. We probably should just order a bottle. Consider visiting on a Monday, when the restaurant offers 45 wines at 45 percent off, to celebrate its 45-plus years in Syracuse.

 

THE NEXT TIME: I swear I'm going to order something other than the Poached Eggs Meurette. Maybe the in-house smoked salmon? Or the trout prepared Yann's mother's way, with garlic and lemon butter? What menu surprises will spring bring?

 

THE DETAILS: The Scotch 'n' Sirloin is at 3687 Erie Blvd. East, DeWitt. Dinner is served 5 to 9:30 p.m. Monday to Thursday, 5 to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 4:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sundays. The bar opens at 4 p.m. daily. For more information, call 315-446-1771 or visit www.scotchnsirloin.com.

 

CNY chefs square off in EnvIRONmental Chef Cook-Off at Baltimore Woods

Chef Stephen Landon at last year's EnvIRONmental Chef Cook-Off at Baltimore Woods

Take four local chefs. Give them a surprise local ingredient to create entrees around, add the bounty of the local harvest and an array of locally produced meats, cheeses, wines and other ingredients donated by the producers – and what have you got?

The EnvIRONmental Chef Homegrown Cook-Off, a delicious fundraiser for Baltimore Woods, Marcellus.

The third edition of the popular event takes place Sunday, September 8. It features returning chef-champs Chris Kuhns of Phoebe's and Joelle Mollinger of Joelle's French Bistro vs. chef Chance Bear of Parisa (and the upcoming The 317) and Luke Houghton of Pure Catering and Events.

The pressure! The chefs have 90 minutes to prepare entrees that use a mystery local ingredient announced at the event. The dessert competition features Emily and Mike Woloszyn of Lune Chocolat (last year’s winners) vs. Jennifer Walls and Natalie Hansen of Sweet Praxis and Allyson Landon of The Sherwood Inn.

For guests, the only “challenge” is to eat, drink, mix and mingle and enjoy the scenery of Baltimore Woods. Chef Abigail Henson of LoFo will create cocktails and mocktails. Chef Stephen Landon of Vernak Farms will prepare appetizers and sides from potatoes donated by Cornell University.  And chef Luke Szabo of the Mandana Inn will use produce from Horsford Farms in a variety of appetizers.

 Those who purchase tickets at the patron level ($100) can enter a lottery to work alongside one of the chefs as their sous chef. All of the food prepared for the competition will be available for tasting, and guests determine the winners by vote.

 “The draw for many is a chance to come see their favorite local chefs in action and to support the mission of Baltimore Woods,’’ says Mary Kate Hartnett, executive director of Baltimore Woods. “We also find that many folks in the community who like to support locally owned and operated restaurants, businesses and farms attend for this reason -- it's truly a local event.’’

Emcees for the event are interior designer and TV personality Thom Filicia (“Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’’) and NewsChannel9 (WSYR-TV) anchor Carrie Lazarus.

Funds raised via the cook-off benefit Nature in the City, Baltimore Woods’ K-6 science education program in Syracuse and Auburn.

Last year’s event sold out, so don’t delay on making reservations.

Event details:

What: EnvIRONmental Chef Homegrown Cook-Off, to benefit Baltimore Woods

When: 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday, September 8

Where: Baltimore Woods, 4007 Bishop Hill Road, Marcellus

Tickets: General admission, $75; patrons, $100

Reservations: Call 315-673-1350 or visit www.baltimorewoods.org.

Cazenovia’s Circa ponders options, next chapter

Most of us are in denial that school starts in a few weeks, the days are getting noticeably shorter and the year is almost in its final quarter.

Alicyn Hart is already looking ahead to 2014 – and thinking about what it holds for her and her restaurant.

Hart, executive chef and owner of Circa New American Bistro/Market in Cazenovia, has decided not to renew the three-year lease on the space at 76 Albany St. (Route 20), that Circa has occupied since 2006.

In the seven years Circa has been there, her rent has doubled, Hart says. It’s ironic, she adds, that she sends a check each month to an overseas landlord to pay for a space that shines the light on local farmers and locally grown foods.

Hart made her plans known last month, in a short article she wrote for an advertising supplement to The Cazenovia Republican. Circa’s lease is up May 31, 2014. After that, the future is unwritten.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do and I’m not really worried about it,’’ Hart said Friday (Aug. 2). She said she is exploring options and has had several “interesting discussions’’ with people about possible spaces and locations for a new restaurant. She is open to having conversations and hearing ideas, but is not making any plans at this time.

Hart added that she is in excellent health following the successful removal of a brain tumor in March of 2012, but noted “an experience like that does change you.’’

“It’s time to simplify,’’ Hart said. “I feel like I have fulfilled our mission of introducing the community to local food and putting local out there.’’

Hart, a native of New England, has worked all over the world as a chef and taught culinary arts classes at BOCES before opening Circa in 2006. Her son, Owen, was born the same year.

Circa’s menu changes weekly and focuses on seasonal, locally grown produce, meats and other ingredients, prepared simply to play up their freshness and flavor. Some of her purveyors, such as Ingallside Meadows Farm, have been on board since day one. The restaurant is local down to its tables and bar, made from reclaimed barnboard and other wood by Hart’s husband, Eric Woodworth.

A chalkboard in the restaurant, which seats about 45, gives a shoutout to Circa’s local purveyors, as does her menu. The greens with the Nicoise salad I enjoyed for lunch were from Smitty’s Market Farm, Morrisville; the tomatoes from Emmi’s in Baldwinsville. The scoop of ice cream on top of your blueberry cobbler? It’s from local favorite Kimberly’s.

When Hart introduced Main Street Cazenovia to the concept of a restaurant that sources almost entirely from its own backyard, “local’’ was far from the buzzword and growing movement that it has become today, Hart says.

Today, some of the farmers Hart has supported over the years have found a market for their products in major retail markets like New York and Boston – and in some cases outgrown the need for wholesale customers in their own communities.

“Going to a farmers market is cooler than going to Wegmans now,’’ she says. “Local food is being recognized for its sustainability, its health benefits and because it tastes good.’’

Whatever the future holds for Alicyn and Circa, I wish her success and salute her for being a trailblazer in Central New York’s local food movement.

Circa is at 76 Albany St. in Cazenovia. The restaurant is open 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Information: Call 315-655-8768.

 

Eat First visits The Bucket BBQ, Auburn

Editor's note: For profiles of  a couple other CNY barbecue pit-stops, see my cover story in the May 22 edition of The Syracuse New Times. Click here. 

If you’re in Skaneateles or Auburn and have a hankering for barbecue, get yourself to The Bucket.

The Southern-flavored restaurant opened in February on Route 20, near Auburn, at the onetime home of The Pioneer Restaurant. It’s owned by partners Michael Henty, Gary Robinson, Tim Gillooly and Marc Albino.

Albino, a native of Auburn who is also executive chef at Rosalie’s Cucina, spent several at restaurants in the South after graduating from culinary school. He says he had a lot of fun developing The Bucket’s down-home menu – a big switch from the Northern Italian/gourmet Italian fare he’s known for at Rosalie’s -- and testing it out on his family, friends and partners.

Almost everything on The Bucket’s menu is smoked in a smoker in The Bucket’s kitchen, rather than a big contraption outdoors. The aroma of slow-cooked meat smacks you in the nose when you walk in the door.

The Bucket is a nice alternative to other fast-casual restaurants in the area, like perennial favorites Doug’s Fish Fry and Johnny Angels Heavenly Burgers. Bring the family and queue up for some ‘cue.

THE VIBE: The Bucket is casual with a capital “C” --  warm, wood-paneled and slightly rustic, with custom-made wooden tables downstairs and upstairs in the loft and picnic tables outside. It’s a plastic tray, paper plates and wait-on-yourself kind of place. Choose your meat at the counter, proceed down the line and choose your side dishes.

THE MENU: Meat, meat and more meat. You’ll find the usual suspects, like ribs, brisket and pulled pork, plus poultry (pulled chicken, smoked turkey), along with about a dozen side dishes (a k a fixins’). Some of the sides are traditional (macaroni and cheese, corn bread, salt potatoes) and some are more uncommon in these parts, like fried pickles and fried okra.

LIQUID ASSETS: There’s a soda fountain with soft drinks and a short list of domestic and import beers and wines. Utica’s Saranac is represented, and we started with two bottles of lager.

THE FOOD: The lemon pepper smoked turkey ($10.50 with two sides) was excellent – moist and fork-tender, slightly salty, with a hint of the seasoning shining through.

A half-rack of Kansas City ribs ($16.25) had a nice char and was fall-off-the-bone tender, but could have used more seasoning, we thought. The collards were cooked to perfection but lukewarm. As for sweet potato fries and onion rings: What’s not to like about deep-fried vegetables every now and then?

We really liked The Bucket’s trio of sauces in squirt bottles at each table. One is slightly sweet, one hints of mustard and vinegar and one packs a little heat. All worked well with the ribs.

WHAT’S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND: Not much, to be honest. You could ask for The Bucket’s Caesar salad minus the bacon (bacon? in a Caesar?). Or feast on the side fixins’, like a smashed sweet potato, fried pickles and okra, cream corn and coleslaw. Collards are prepared Southern-style, with meat.

THE DAMAGES: $38, give or take, including two bottle beers and a tip at the counter.

THE NEXT TIME: We’ll go back for the pulled chicken, smoked wings, smoked and deep-fried turkey leg and/or smoked kielbasa. Of the desserts, which we didn’t have room for, the bourbon blackberry peach cobbler sounds delicious and could be really good when local peaches and berries are in season.

THE DETAILS: The Bucket is at 3193 E. Genesee St. Road (Route 20), Auburn. Phone: 315-255-1227.  In spring and summer, the restaurant is open Monday-Saturday for lunch, dinner and takeout. Note: Large orders for 20 or more people require 24 hours notice.

RELATED: Get grilling at home with rubs and sauces with Central New York flavor.

Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply: Shop Mom and Pop

I’ve had a gift certificate to Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply since LAST Christmas.

It was tucked away in a drawer for a rainy or snowy day. It doesn’t have an expiration date, but it has been almost a year. That’s as good an excuse as any to take a spin through the store.

For the uninitiated, Smith Housewares is a fifth-generation family business located in an 1840’s Erie Canal-era building in the heart of downtown Syracuse.

It’s not as glossy as the gourmet cookware at the mall, but Smith’s is a magnet for both chefs and home cooks in the market for kitchen essentials and shiny, new culinary toys. The store features a rambling two floors of retail space (and some 18,000 items in the warehouse, according to the website).

You’ll find everything from cookie cutters (a whole wall of them!) to cutlery, cookware, barware, bakeware, small appliances, beer, winemaking and canning supplies, the Hyman Smith Coffee Roastery – and much more.

All your favorite kitchen/cooking brands are there: Le Creuset, KitchenAid, All-Clad, Cuisinart, Wusthof, Lodge Cast Iron.

In the words of one local baking professional: “It’s like a culinary Disneyland.’’

But back to that gift certificate: How to cash it in?

On a mega chafing dish for our next party? Whoa!

Or a Fondue Fun for Two set? Cute. But we don’t do fondue.

Or a ceramic pie plate in a favorite color? Sweet.

On a potato ricer and assorted other gadgets/utensils? No. So many gizmos, such little kitchen space.

On a pair of AireGourmet made in the USA insulated baking sheets?

That’s the ticket! A couple of our baking sheets date to 1980-something. They’ve served us well but are showing their age. These promise to be scratch-resistant, dishwasher safe and “built to last a lifetime.”

A lifetime? I don’t know.  But they’ll get a good workout over the holiday season, that’s for certain. Thank you, Eileen and Dave.

Smith Housewares and Restaurant Supply is at 500 Erie Boulevard East,  Syracuse (and 170 Court St., Watertown). Information: 315-474-8731.

Out and about: Gentile’s Pasta and Pizza Cafe

Figs on pizza? Oh, yeah! The Versace pizza.

It has been a busy year for Syracuse Chef Kevin Gentile.

Last fall, he diversified his “eclectic Italian’’ brand with the addition of Gentile’s Pasta and Pizza Cafe in Liverpool (Route 370, corner of Longbranch Road; site of the former Zorba’s Pizzeria).  And this spring, he moved his Syracuse restaurant across town – from its small spot on Burnet Avenue to bigger digs at 313 N. Geddes St., once home to the Park Circle and other restaurants.

Starved after a steamy Saturday afternoon spent strolling through the Great American AntiqueFest at Long Branch Park last month, we stopped at Gentile’s Pasta and Pizza Cafe for a bite before heading home.

THE VIBE: Casual, comfortable and family friendly, with an open prep area and kitchen and easy to read menu boards on he walls. It’s a quick-bite neighborhood restaurant, but cloth napkins on the tables let you know they take food and dining seriously.

THE MENU: Gourmet pizzas, pastas, salads, sandwiches and starters. The restaurant also features a $9.95 lunch buffet with pasta, pizza and dessert.

CHOWING DOWN: We love Utica Greens, so sharing a plate of Greens Gentile was a no-brainer. Amidst the escarole, we found broccoli – surprise! – along with prosciutto and plenty of garlic. The greens retained some of their integrity – they weren’t cooked to death, in other words. We would have liked them a little less wet and cut in more uniformly bite-size pieces.

From the list of “designer” pizzas with names like Armani, Fendi and Gucci, we chose the Versace ($12), a thin-crust pie topped with prosciutto, figs, arugula and goat cheese and drizzled with truffle oil. The combination of the sweet figs, salty prosciutto and slightly peppery arugula is a wonderful marriage of flavors and the goat cheese gave the pizza interesting texture without overwhelming the flavors of the other ingredients. We left with a couple slices in a take-out container, and it was just as delicious a couple days later.

WHAT’S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND? Design-your-own pizzas with a variety of interesting toppings, including sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, pesto, artichoke hearts; pasta specialties like gnocchi tossed with spinach, artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, shiitake mushrooms & pistachio pesto cream sauce; sandwiches like grilled zucchini, squash, roasted peppers, tomatoes and basil with a avocado aioli; and interesting salads, like a spinach salad with pine nuts, tomatoes, artichoke hearts, capers, dried cranberries; orange vinaigrette dressing and grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese ($7.95).

DESSERT: A selection of gourmet cupcakes baked for the restaurant was offered, but we were too full to indulge.

LIQUID ASSETS: The cafe has a small beer and wine list, in addition to soft drinks, bottled water, etc. 

DAMAGES: $40, including tax and tip, for one shared order of greens and one shared pizza, plus 3 beers.

NEXT TIME: Maybe we’ll share an order of char-grilled sambuca orange wings or “Banged Up’’ shrimp and the Gucci pizza (topped with steak, caramelized onions, basil, spinach, gorgonzola cheese and balsamic reduction). Yum.

THE DETAILS: 1349 Cold Springs Road (Route 370), Liverpool. Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday; noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. Information: 315-457-3333.