Mise en Place

I've never been quite sure what to make of Mise en Place; When I've stopped in over the past 8 years it never seemed to be the upscale market they were going for and like the South Wedge, where they are anchored, it always promised to be up-and-coming (which is especially ironic given their name) but never seems to have arrived. Admittedly, Mise en Place has certainly made it to a respectable, upscale corner store.

Last week I was taking a tour of "gourmet" Rochester establishments and after sampling many sweets on South Ave we made our way to Mise en Place for lunch. I noticed they had a $3.50 breakfast sandwich and proceeded to order a bacon, egg, and extra sharp cheddar. I stopped to ask the nature of the hard roll and was told they were out of them. The woman behind the counter offered to put it on a section of Italian bread which sounded more than fine to me.

I took a seat in the dining area with other folks on our tour as the owner and chef, Casey Holenbeck, gave a short talk about the tragically named seasonal greens: ramps. When my sandwich arrived it looked respectable with its gooey cheese and overflowing bacon. I took a bite. The bacon was thick and salty, and just what I was looking for to counter cheesecake and chocolate for breakfast. The egg was a little hard but I didn't specify how I wanted it fried so no big deal, but the cheddar, oh man, the cheddar. I usually avoid ordering cheddar on egg sandwiches as diners tend to have the most flavorless cheddar on hand, but this was not that. Salty, creamy and sharp made this sandwich a cut above many. And the bread was good, too. Not sure if it was baked there (the sign near the deli counter says that everything is made in house) or if it was from Baker Street (they sell their loaves in the market area). Either way, firm but not tough, soft enough to eat a sandwich on but not flatten to nothing. This was a good egg sandwich.


Mise en Place
Sandwich cost: $3.50
Sandwich rating: An upscale sandwich at a downtown price

Pat's Coffee Mug

It's a beautiful Saturday morning and there's plenty to do today; Better eat a solid breakfast. Karen picked me up and we headed to the South Wedge to investigate Pat's Coffee Mug after hearing many colorful reviews of it.

There's not much to look at or notice from the street so I was surprised to see the sprawling diner that was inside. A counter with stools in the front section, a middle section with some big tables, and an adjoining dining room with lots of booths and tables. And wood panelling. And a fireplace with snow globes on top. And hockey sticks on the wall. This is just some of the decor, you really should go and check it out yourself. Karen summed it up as Elks' Lodge basement circa 1975. But in a charming way. This is a real-deal, genuine neighborhood joint.

Menu was straightforward and cheap! They listed the fried egg sandwich on a grilled roll and I didn't have the energy to inquire what kind of roll. I ordered it with bacon and figured I'd steal some of Karen's home fries. Our food came out quickly and it was nice to see that the roll was toasty and buttered, but the real pleasure came when I put the sandwich together to reveal sesame seeds. Oooh! Aaah! Ohhhh! It may have been from a supermarket, but not having that smushy Rochester hard roll is a victory in itself. I dug in: fried egg cooked but not crispy, cheese melty and salty, bacon with alternating crisp and chewy salty goodness. And the roll did not collapse after a few bites. This makes for a pretty darn good $3 breakfast sandwich! Beverages were refilled without asking and everyone is happy! I did steal some home fries from Karen's plate and did not regret not getting my own. These are the home fries my grandmother Yetta would try to get the greasiest spoons to serve with fail: dry as a bone and unseasoned, but I like a little more going on with my potatoes.

Pat's Coffee Mug
627 Clinton Avenue South, 14620
Sandwich cost: $3
Rating: A breakfast sandwich if ever there was one