I wanted to see the movie “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” and the only place it was showing that night was in Canandaigua. So, I went looking for a place to eat before the show.
I dragged the Food Dude along with a promise of a wonderful foodie experience, along with a promise of popcorn and JuJu beans at the movie theater.
I dove into the internet long and hard. Where to eat … what do I want … what is good on this menu … what is new and exciting … and as the Food Dude walks by me with the smell of microwaved leftover pizza wafting through the air, he says, “Try Bon Ami. I have heard good things about it.”
Are you serious, I thought, as I typed in Bon Ami. To my amazement, it popped up. I looked at the website and clicked on the menu. I immediately flew into … slow down … take a breath … wow, this looks nice!
I could not call the place fast enough. Believe it or not, someone answered. “Hi,” I said. “We are going to see a movie at 7 and would like to have dinner at your establishment.” In a pleasant voice, the man who answered said, “Well, I would suggest you dine at 5 so you have plenty of time to make your movie. How many for dinner?” I said there would be just two of us dining.
To my second surprise, he said, “We will save a nice table by the window for you.” We then had a very pleasant conversation.
My third surprise is that I was talking to the owner, George!
Bon Ami is at 215 S. Main St. We arrived at 5 the next day, were greeted by name, and were led to a wonderful table by the window as promised.
I started with a glass of Tornatore Bianco, and the Food Dude opted for a Mojito. We ordered the octopus as an appetizer. Usually, I am not a fan of calamari, but this was nowhere near calamari. It was soft and not the least bit chewy. Not fried, but softly poached, as we found out.
The Food Dude next opted for a cup of the soup du jour, which happened to be a country stew, well-seasoned and not overcooked. I chose the salmon as a main course, and the Dude went with the pork chop.
The chop was a nice, thick cut with the bone in, covered in a Dijon-based gravy, over a seasonal vegetable starch with a texture of mashed potatoes. Very unique and different.
The salmon was encrusted in an almond and basil coating, pan seared and cooked to a perfect doneness. The lemon beurre blanc was just the frosting on the cake, if I can use that metaphor.
The meal must have been very good because the Dude did not utter two words the entire time, as I chatted endlessly with our attentive waitress, Casey.
We went all-out for this meal and finished it off with the housemade blueberry cobbler a la mode. Délicieux!
To round out the evening the movie was good, but not nearly as funny as the first two. But that is another story.
“Restaurant Experiences by Dinah Lott” and her son the Food Dude are not traditional “reviews” but are based on one-time experiences, which we realize can be positive or negative depending on a host of circumstances. Dinah and the Dude eat out often in a variety of different types of eateries. They always dine anonymously so restaurant employees do not know they are there for the Times, and neither Dinah nor the Dude ever accept a free meal! If you’ve been to any of the places that they visit and want to relate your experiences, please go to our website, www.fltimes.com or Facebook page, and post a comment with Dinah’s story. She checks there often and will write back.
Dining and Cooking