O'Connors

Do you feel like going somewhere different and special for dinner?  Then I know exactly where you should go!  O’Connors Public House located right in the center of Downtown Rochester.  It is the largest authentic Irish Pub in North America and it is designed and decorated to tell you the rich history of Ireland.  The floor in the main bar area is more than 140 years old, and the stone wall that separates the bar from the dining room was once an exterior wall giving a very rustic feel.  My personal favorite part of the restaurant  is the beautiful stain glass and wrought iron that came from crumbling churches all over Ireland. Each stained glass is very unique and different from one another.  The elaborate interior of the restaurant really allows you to experience some of the Irish culture. Also, when you walk in, you immediately notice the joyful Irish music playing, and as you eat there you truly feel like you are in Ireland. Once we got there, we were greeted by the friendly staff and seated rather quickly. The people working there were clearly Irish. You could tell by their red hair, and some even had accents. I went there around lunch time, so I ordered the Piedmontese Burger which is made with northern Italian cattle beef which has less cholesterol and fat than chicken. So, if you are  looking for a burger but still want to stay healthy, than this would be a great choice! It is one half pound topped with shredded lettuce, tomato, onion, and secret sauce. It was the most delicious burger that I have ever tasted in my life hands down. It is so flavorful that its not even necessary to add anything else to it. The fries that I ordered were also amazing. They were very fresh and crispy. Other popular items on the menu are stakes, and fresh fish. And of course, they also have a drink menu that consisted of aged Irish wine. Their menu is is surprisingly affordable, the highest price would be around $11.00. Something really cool about O’Connors is that it provides a lively and exciting atmosphere because there is something going on almost every night, so you don’t have to worry about getting bored. On Mondays, it is trivia night, Wednesdays there is live music, Thursdays there are acoustic artists, Fridays there is live music, Saturdays, there is also live music, and Sundays there is a jazz brunch, (which I hear is amazing) and in the evening there is a live Irish session. Their hours during the week are 11:00-2:00 AM On Sunday, they are open from 10:30-2:AM. There is no other place like O’Connors and I am sure you won’t be disappointed. I had a great time there and I can’t wait until I go back. Give it a try,I strongly recommend it to anyone!

Maggianos

On Tuesday afternoon, my mom and I ate at  Maggianos, an Italian restaurant on 16 mile  in Troy, across from the Somerset Collection. I was really excited to go there because I love Italian food and It was my first time. I have to admit that I was very disappointed. When we walked in, we  we were immediately turned off because of the dark, cold atmosphere. We looked at each other, and debated on weather we should leave or not. The restaurant appears to more of a business meeting place, due to it’s lack of pizzaz. It had a formal feel, similar to that of the Capital Grille. There was no music playing, and the place didn’t have a welcoming feel. We decided to give it a try, because we assumed the food would be decent, and were curious, having never tried it. Once we were seated, we immediately noticed a freezing draft. At one point my mom said “it feels like we are sitting on an iceberg” and I promise you, she was not being dramatic the slightest bit. We mentioned to the waiter how cold we were and all he had to say about that was “that everyone says that, but I'm fine.” So we sat and ate with out coats on the entire time, and we noticed the girl sitting behind us doing the same exact thing as she was talking about how cold it was. We did not order an appetizer, but we were served bread, which aside from that fact that it was warm, was dry and tasteless. We had no silverware, and had to flag down our waiter for butter. My mom ordered coffee, and had to find the waiter again for the creme she requested.  By the time she got the creme, her coffee (which was almost too strong to drink) was cold. For lunch, I ordered the chicken and apple salad that was good and very flavorful. The only problem was, was that the arugula lettuce was full of stems which made it annoying to eat. Looking back, I wish that I would have gotten a pasta dish, or asked what the favorites were on the menu. My mom ordered a salad as well, which came covered in thick chunks of grilled red onion.  This was an unwelcome surprise. Also, her salad was drenched in dressing, making the ice cold lettuce extremely wimpy. Limp, cold lettuce=no fun. All we ordered to drink was coffee and a coke. Since hypothermia was beginning to set in, we paid the 32.00 bill and got out of there.  I will leave you with my mom’s words as we peeled out of the parking lot. “That was the worst 40.00 I have ever spent.” Thinking back, both salads were around 12.00.  Why was our bill 32.00? I’m thinking that will definitely be my last trip to Maggianos.

Down Town Cafe

On Monday, I went out to eat in Down Town Rochester for lunch with my mom and our good friend at the Down Town Cafe. It is a small, cozy, and very plain one room cafe with tables spread throughout the entire room. If you prefer to eat outside, there is  a small area outside the cafe with tables. The smell made my mouth water as I stood waiting to be seated.  The restaurant is so small that there is literally no where to stand while you are waiting for a table. As more and more people come, you are basically standing on top of each other and others while they are tying to enjoy their meal, which I found very aggravating. The restaurant is one of down town Rochester’s most popular cafes and is always very busy. They have amazing breakfast. Some of my favorites are the creme brulee french toast, or the honey waffles. For lunch, I ordered the sun dried cherry salad. I thought it was outstanding and everything was very fresh.You can get so much to eat for a good price. It is a perfect place to go to for a quick meal. The service was great as well. Our waitress was polite and we didn’t have to wait long for our food. As I mentioned before, the cafe is very plain. I didn’t notice any music playing while I was eating there, which I found a bit awkward.  There is nothing special about it that makes it unique, so people that are looking for a fun lunch or breakfast date might be disappointed and find themselves very bored. I think that if the owners fixed the restaurant up, made it a little bit bigger, and create a better atmosphere, the place would be even a bigger hit. Around the Cafe, there is a lot to do. Down Town Rochester is a nice little town that makes you feel like you are up north. It has several shops and a beautiful park. There is also a Dairy Queen right across the street from the Down Town Cafe, so if you want to go elsewhere for  dessert, it is just a few steps away.  Down Town Cafe is the perfect place to go to if you just simply want a quick and easy meal that is also very satisfying. Even though  Down Town Cafe is not the nicest and most fun restaurant, it is still delicious. I am sure you would like the food if you go there and I highly recommend it!

Ivy Dining Room

Over this past weekend, my family, along with Tim and I, went up to Port Huron, Michigan to watch my younger sister compete in the Miss Michigan Teen USA pageant.  Luckily, after a difficult and nerve wracking two day competition, she was crowned Miss Michigan Teen USA 2012.  We were all ecstatic and immediately went out to celebrate.  Unfortunately, there are few decent restaurants in Port Huron, since it is not much of a cosmopolitan town.  To our surprise, we stumbled upon quite a nice restaurant inside the hotel we were staying at.  The Ivy Dining Room, located inside the Thomas Edison Inn just beneath the Blue Water Bridge, offers its guests a breathtaking view of the St. Clair River, along with the a premier view of Canada as well.  The Ivy Dining Room is decorated magnificently in a sophisticated English Tudor style, requiring guests to dress business casual, especially during the evening.  Many guests of the hotel, along with Port Huron locals, enjoy the exceptional dining experience given in the Ivy Dining Room.  Once our party walked into the restaurant, we were immediately greeted by the friendly hostess and Maitre’D.  The warm and comfortable atmosphere of the Ivy Dining Room truly enhanced our dining experience that evening.  The cozy booths, oversized chairs, and gorgeous view of the St. Clair River made our table enjoy the restaurant even before we peeked at the menu.  The large menu listed numerous hors d’oeuvres, each sounding more delicious than the first.  Our table could not resist trying the calamari, hot spinach artichoke dip, basil tomato bruschetta, and the oven roasted stuffed Portabella mushrooms.  After we finished every last morsel of our various appetizers, our soups and salads arrived promptly.  The Michigan onion soup and Thomas Edison Inn salad were two favorites of ours.  At this point, all of us were already full, each positive we could not have another bite.  Although, when our Entrées were set in front of us, we quickly changed our mind.  Char-broiled filet mignon, lemon pepper white fish, oven roasted rack of lamb, and sautéed penne pasta were enjoyed by my family.  Regrettably, I did not get to try the Surf and Turf, which was a Thomas Edison Inn favorite, according to our server.  All in all, the breathtaking view, friendly and well-trained service, and outstanding cuisine make The Ivy Dining Room inside the Thomas Edison Inn a unique restaurant ideal for vacation getaways, wedding receptions, business conferences, and more.