Next Door Bar and Grill

Up in Rochester there aren't many 'trendy' places to go out.  Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to live and there certainly are some upscale restaurants to try, but nothing you could compare to a lounge in NYC or even Boston.  A few months ago, Wegmans opened up a new restaurant in Pittsford called Next Door Bar and Grill that was creating some buzz around town.  The first time I went there was this winter, and we only went to the bar.  The moment we walked in, I knew it was something special.  This level of coolness has not been seen in Rochester before, I can assure you that.  The bar isn't very big, but has plenty of space for everyone to pile in and order some fantastic drinks.  They also have cabana style rooms that branch off of the main bar area for more privacy, with benches and pillows and billowy canopy style curtains for a little privacy.  The dining area could not be seen or smelled from the bar (smelling food from a restaurant while at a bar is one of my BIGGEST pet peeves!), so I didn't get a chance to even get a glimpse of what it's like to eat there.

Well last night I went with 4 of my best girl friends for our monthly supper club, and it was a bit of a special occasion since we were sending off one of the girls who will be moving to Philadelphia at the end of the month with her husband.  We decided to try Next Door and see if the food was as good as the bar and decor.  The minute you walk in, you're greeted with the fresh aroma of green apples, as they are displayed on wine racks in the entry foyer.  They must replenish these apples every week, because they would certainly not smell so fresh if they had been sitting there for weeks on end.  The hostess was very nice and seated us 5 minutes early, our table was ready.  Another pet peeve is when I go to a restaurant where I have a reservation, and I end up waiting 15 minutes to be seated.  No waiting here.  The dining room at next door is very hip and urban chic, something I certainly haven't seen up this way.  There were many large parties seated, and we were surprised at how busy it was for a weekday evening.  There seemed to be at least 10 large parties of over six people there for dinner.  In the center of the dining room there was an exposed sushi bar with seating all around it, where couples were seated for dinner. Along the perimeter, were sliding doors that offered private dining areas for large parties and privacy.  One of the side rooms was decorated with branch-like chandeliers and had a large wooden farmstyle dining table for 20 with luxurious upholstered chairs.  I was very impressed, and will keep this in mind next time I want to go out for dinner with 20 of my closest friends!

Everything we ate at Next Door was excellent. We started with Edamame Hummus and Tuscan French Fries for our appetizers.  There were many options from mussells and oysters to crabcakes and flatbread pizzas, and they all appealed to me.  Prices on appetizers were reasonable and ranged from 5-$12.  The entrees all looked fabulous, and there were a few specials to choose from as well.  The other part of the menu that excited me was their extensive sushi list.  I eventually settled on a duck leg served with greens and beans.  For such a decadent dish, I thought the $19 price tag was more than reasonable.  While I don't have any pictures to share (my camera battery died!) I can assure you this dish looked and tasted exquisite!  Sometimes duck can be too fatty and flavorful, but this was cooked to perfection.  Many of the girls at my table got sushi, and one of my friends described it as the "best sushi outside of California" that she's ever tasted.  That sounds like a great review to me.  The entrees all ranged in price from about $15-$35.

I can't help but give this place an A+ for it's service, decor, food, and drinks.  While I didn't even touch on the drinks in this post, their bar area and drink menu are superb, as is their wine list in the dining room.  I had an Australian Shiraz for $5 a glass that was excellent, especially given the low price.  Their list had a wide range of variety and pricepoints.  This place is great for anyone who wants a gourmet meal in Rochester at a less than gourmet price.  I can't wait to go back!