Pelican's Nest - Rochester NY

While this critic believes the atmosphere at Pelican's is second to none in the area, that is most of its charm.

Having visited Pelican's Nest a number of times, I have found the food to be both overpriced and lacking in taste.

In order to try to conserve cost on one occasion, I simply ordered a chicken quesadilla of the appetizer menu. This alone cost over $7! The tortilla was understuffed. The salsa was tasty but watery. I would not get this again. A fellow diner ordered the Calamari, again off the apetizer menu, and paid $10. The battered rings of clamair arrived hot. However, more batter than seafood was a disappointment.

A second visit to Pelican's again proved to be somewhat of a disappointment. Dinner service was crowded that night, and a table near the water was not available. The three diners at our table each ordered a different version of the same seafood pasta, a whopping $18 a plate. Dinner was to be served with house salad and choise of dressing and bread. The salad arrived promptly and was cold and crisp. The pasta arrived some time later, and was less than expected. Portions were good, taste was sub-par. Two diners had a red sauce that was almost too tangy in comparison to the seafodd which was almost flavorless. One diner ordered a white wine sauce and was almost blown away by the pepperyness of the dish. The bread that was supposed to be seved alongside the meal had to be requested before it was brought to the table. Again, another dissapointment as it was simply storebought dinner rolls, not a suitable pairing with seafood pasta.

The serivce at Pelican's is terrific, and they can easily make up for lost points on that. Our waitress was cheerful and always handy when we needed something. Pelican's again is a mostly outdoor restaurant but claims to be the only place in the area with moving walls that close in cold and inclimate weather. More parking is needed closer to the building to accomodate the large crowds that frequent the dinner service.

I enjoy the atmosphere at Pelican's and am hopeful that I will soon find a dish that matches. A full menu along with event schedule for Pelican's Nest can be found here.

Schooner's at Shumway Marina - Rochester, NY

The food at Schooners is fantastic. The french-dip with au jous is a real treat. The sandwhich is served with thinly sliced roast beef and melted provolone cheese on crusty french bread. You can get this sandwhich with the standard side of potato chips, which are store bought and plain or choose from a selection of sides. The Anonymous Critic suggests getting an order of sweet potato fries. Served with honey, these fries are sweet and savory.

In the mood for something different? Try the muffaletta. Shaved ham, salami, and provolone accompany an olive salad in light vinagarette on focaccia flatbread to make this sanwhich.

Along with Coke products, Schooners is a full serive bar with a wide selection of beer on tap. A full menu can be found here.

Seating at Schooners is open, so the restaurant is closed in the fall and winter months. It is nice to sit at dinner in the evening and watch the boats come in to dock for the night.

One thing to keep in mind, however. Because Schooners is primarily a bar, be sure to have you ID. The sign posted at our evening stop requested 2 forms of ID, one HAD to be a New York State ID. This could potentially create a probelm for out of state guests, although we had none that night.

Serive at Schooners is average. Most of the waitstaff appear to be high-school age girls. Overall, I have to say that eating at Schooners is a highlite of our trip and something we look forward to all year.