Rochester is OK!

The Tap and Mallet rolled out their spring menu this past week. A lot of old favorites return, but there’s plenty of new to sample.  For an appetizer, I had the Crab, Corn, and Red Pepper dip, which is a thick flavorful dip with pita bread. It was fantastic. I almost filled up on, but left enough room to try out their new Reuben sandwich, which is served open face. I’m a big fan of Reubens and I try to eat them wherever they’re served, and the Tap and Mallet’s is excellent.

I’ll probably be back in the next week or so to keep trying new stuff.

Also note that they will be closed this Saturday for a wedding (congratulations to Jeana and John).

You can check out their new menu on the web, or if you have an Android phone or an iPhone, you can get the menu app for either, which will allow you to keep tabs of their ever revolving beer taps from anywhere.

I wish I had a better picture, but sometimes I don’t feel it’s appropriate to whip out a camera with a flash in a public place. It’s distracting to the other folks around me, so my trusty iPhone’s camera gets the job done. What you see on the left is a glass of Magner’s Irish Cider at the Tap and Mallet, located at 381 Gregory Street, between South Ave and South Clinton. I apologize to the Tap and Mallet now, as my iPhone’s camera isn’t doing it the justice it deserves. I met up with a few friends last night, and decided it was time to profile another one of my favorite spots.

The Tap and Mallet, in my opinion, serves two important markets. The first is in regard to their beer selection, which is the finest in the city. If you want it, they probably have it. On tap. If not on tap, they have it in a bottle. Not into beer? They have a decent selection of ciders and fancy soda’s. Their beer selection is constantly revolving, evolving, changing. Taps and casks are changed almost weekly, and their menu is constantly being updated. If you really want to stay on top of it, their website is always up to date. If you’re really hardcore, they even have an iPhone app, which encompasses their website in an easy to read format. If you want to delve more into the beer aspects, my friends over at Beercraft are far more qualified than I am. My favorite aspect of going there is that I’m able to try something new each time. Their bar staff is very knowledgeable of the products they peddle, and can make a great recommendation depending on your mood. Crisp lager? Fruity ale? Chocolatey stout? Let them know what you’re feeling, and they’ll pour you a glass of happiness.

Their second market is definitely for the foodie. Their menu is fantastic. This isn’t simple bar food by any means. although they do supply the staples (wings and chicken fingers), and they are awesome. Most of my eating there has been exploring the revolving sandwich menu. I’m not 100% sure of how often things are rotated on and off, but there’s always something new to try, or something I may not have noticed the last time I was there. I believe the last several times I went for the Steak Chimichurri and the Tuna Wasabi, both of which were absolutely to die for.

Typically, I walk there, but if you’re not from the neighborhood, there’s parking in the back, and plenty of street parking in the surrounding neighborhoods. They have streetside tables in the summer, and a deck in the back for outdoor dining and beer enjoyment.

If you’ve never been and love beer, check it out. If you’ve never been and love good food, check it out. If you love both as much as I do, it will definitely be one of your top places to visit.

Tap and Mallet

381 Gregory Street
Rochester, NY 14620
(585) 473-0503

http://www.tapandmallet.com/