Look into alt.culture.ny_upstate. Folks there are always talking about local restaurants and food specialties. Meanwhile, in Rochester, there's a fairly good French-ish place (pricey) called Chappell's. It's in the dungeones of the old city lockup in a building behind and connected to the Monroe County Building (great marble interior) on Main Street just steps west of Main and State/Exchange Sts. (Rochester major streets tend to change their names at certain intersections without warning.) Ask a cop. And don't miss the total hot dog experience at Gitsis on Monroe Ave, Original Don's and Vic & Irv's in Seabreeze, and lots of other places. Here's a primer: There are red hots and white hots. Red hots are often called Texas hots, white ones are known as porkers. Red hots are not like frankfurters, kosher or otherwise. They are also not like so-called ballpark hots or weiners or good old hot dogs. Porkers look like weisswursts or bratwursts but are a unique wurst. They are grilled, sometimes over charcoal, sometimes not. Order them with "everything". Everything is: French's mustard, chopped raw onion, and hot sauce. Every hot dog place makes its own secret recipe hot sauce. Some are quite spicy. They all contain chopped beef. No one ever asks for sauerkraut on a Rochester dog. No native anyway. But oftentimes it's available. If you want green pickle relish (always available), you have to ask for it special, as : "One porker with everything and relish." French fries are known as "an order." Chocolate milk (a perfect accomp- animent) is usually called "chocolate chill" or "a chill." This practice is falling into desuetude, though. Pickles you get yourself (pickle chips) from big crocks--if you're lucky! Hamburgers are Ground rounds. Cheeseburgers are Cheeseburgs (no ERS.) And try the pizza at Amico's in the northeast part of town. And don't miss Abbott's frozen custard. Especially down by the Lake in Charlotte (pronounced Shuh-LOTT.) It's at the end of Lake Ave., which turns into State Street, which becomes Exchange Street when it meets Main--by Chappell's. Have a nice time Carl Desens
Rochester, NY