Joe's Brooklyn Pizza

Cut from the same mold as Pizza Stop (the respective owners of both shops are relatives), Joe's Brooklyn Pizza whips a spicier variation of the perfection Pizza Stop delivers. I can't say enough about Joe's Brooklyn... the pizza is just plain delicious.

Last night, the wife and I ordered up a pie (Grandpa's to be exact) and after one bite, we both agreed: These guys are doing something very right. In all honesty, this isn't the first time we've eaten there. We started going here as soon as it opened because I knew the guy running it was of the Pizza Stop cloth. So we knew what we were getting. Still, though, we were taken aback by the pizza. Even Joe was proud of it (as he opened the box and gawked at it along with me upon pickup). The guy simply cares about what he puts out the door. Name me another Rochester pizza staple that does that.

Getting technical: The sauce is spicy with a sweet finish and the toppings are fresh and top of the line. Veggies are crisp and the cheese isn't too thick. The pizza is a testament to proper proportioning. You'll eat one more slice than you should have.

If you're in Henrietta and you're hungry, do yourself a favor and stop by. You're guaranteed the real deal.

Juan & Maria's Empanada Stop

I wish I would have brought my camera to the Market with me today because we hit up Juan & Maria's Empanada Stop for breakfast. I had two Breakfast Empanadas and the Missus had a Veggie and a Cheese. (For the uninitiated, an empanada is basically deep fried dough filled with an assortment of meats, veggies and cheeses.. Think of a giant, deep fried perogie with meat instead of potatoes and you're getting close.)

We snagged the Spanish Mayonnaise and proceeded to not speak for the 10 minutes it took us to inhale our empanadas. I even made out with a sweet sticker:

I can't really say what I like best about Juan & Maria's.. The food or the street-vendor-in-a-foreign-land vibe I get from it. I guess it's the marriage of both. The hustle-and-bustle of the Market in the background certainly adds to the experience. In any case, the things are delicious and addictive. Eat them!

Dogtown Hots

"Where the best hotdogs live". Three hungry guests. Six specialty hotdogs and a side of onion rings. I sampled the Cincinnati Red Dog and the Southern Hound Dog as pictured above. The hotdog:bun:toppings ratio was perfect. I could not find a single crumb left in any one of our serving baskets. Dogtown does it right. It's the themed "doggie-style" menu with every combination of toppings imaginable. Surprisingly, the generous toppings do not overwhelm or mask the flavor of the quality hotdog. It's the walls of the restaurant that are graced with hundreds of photographs of patrons' pooches. It's the perfect French bread that each hot dog rests in. The bread is the secret that takes these dogs over the top!

Be sure to visit the Dogtown Hots website for a full menu.

Live from the Home of the Garbage Plate