I was visiting my aunt and uncle who live in Skaneateles this past week (they're originally from…read moreChittenango/Bridgeport, and I grew up in Liverpool, now live in Chicago, come back to visit a couple of times a year), and yesterday, after a nostalgic drive to Chittenango, we stopped for dinner at Ruby Begonia's, which I found on Yelp. Southern cooking is one of my favorite cuisines, though my aunt and uncle aren't necessarily of the same mind. They went along because they love me and it was my last night in town. We were greeted by a nice gal named Danielle who got us seated and asked if we'd like drinks first since it was a little before 5 and the kitchen hadn't quite opened. My aunt and uncle loved their glasses of 19 Crimes Cabernet and I was very happy with my Mint Julep, minus the sugar cube, since I don't like my drinks sweet. We started the meal with the Housemade Buttermilk Cornbread and Fried Green Tomatoes. Neither are to be missed (the cornbread was like having a tiny dessert before dinner, which you'll never hear me complain about), but the tomatoes--dang! Next time I'm going to order two plates just for me and call it my dinner. DO NOT MISS THE FRIED GREEN TOMATOES! My aunt and uncle had the Fried Chicken Plate, which they loved, repeatedly saying, "This is way better than the fried chicken at Tops!" They couldn't finish all of it and brought it home to eat for lunch today. The online menu says it comes with Slow-Cooked Green Beans but the in-house menu serves it with Slaw. While they loved the slaw, they said they might've preferred the green beans as a more substantial veg accompaniment. Danielle was perfectly happy to make reasonable substitutions, so if we'd thought to ask her, I bet she would've said yes to shifting out the slaw for green beans, or yes with a minor upcharge. I ordered the Fried Fish & Slaw which was amazing. My favorite meal in the world is fried catfish, but it has to be done right. The place I think that does it best is me in my own kitchen, but I will now say that Ruby Begonia's is tied with my own kitchen. Maybe even slightly ahead of my own kitchen because whatever seasonings they use kick ass. The fish was actually a freshwater catfish from Southeast Asia called Swai, though it was hard to distinguish from regular catfish. It was perfectly fried, served piping hot (as were my aunt and uncle's entrees), and I stopped talking while I ate it because it was so freaking good. I asked Danielle if she could switch out the accompanying French Fries for Grits and she said no problem. I love grits but often they need to be jazzed up with cheese or sauces or other flavorings to be exciting. I have no idea what was done to make my plain white grits so fluffy and out-of-this-world, but like everything else we ate last night, they're not to be missed. I know this is a long review, but too bad y'all! I like long reviews because they give me a sense of what to order, the general ambience of a place, and the degree to which the staff is willing to engage with their diners. I like to talk to people who work in restaurants. I've rarely met a server who's steered me wrong in terms of what's good to order on the menu. I also just like to meet people, find out where they're from, and what brought them to their current jobs. Danielle was a sweetie pie. There were two large parties on either side of us and she made sure our order went in first. She also checked on us after each round of deliveries--drinks, appetizers, and mains. We would've ordered dessert but we were too full. Next time. Because we're definitely coming back. One small suggestion: None of us are vegan/vegetarian but we know some vegans/vegetarians we'd like to bring to Ruby Begonia's, and it would be good to have a permanent vegan/vegetarian entree, like, for example, the Trumpet Mushroom Ragu Over Grits listed on the Sunday Supper Club menu on the restaurant's website. My aunt would also have loved to see a salad option listed on the Sides menu.

I will start this as I always do by saying that I don't give out five stars really blown away…read more We came here because my significant other really likes southern food. There are some good things about it, but I was not blown away. The staff was super friendly. The atmosphere was nice, but there was a sort of smell that my group kept mentioning when we were sitting in the bar area that threw us off a little. Not sure if it was a scented candle or something else. The normal bartender was not there, but the one behind the bar was entertaining enough. Even if the drinks came out a little bit slow. Our waitress is awesome. Very on top of things. The cornbread was awesome. Would come back here just to eat the cornbread. Same goes for the fried green tomatoes something I wish I could have all your round they were banging. My better half that chicken was good. Nothing to write home about. My salmon was cooked perfectly but the sauce that was on it probably could've done without. The sauce was a little bland with chunks of shrimp and scallop on it. But the same being cooked perfectly didn't need that extra moisture from that sauce on it could've just been seasoned. I would've been thrilled. Just my opinion. I'm not sure I will run back and frequent this location, but I would come back if somebody else had the suggestion. Met the owner and she was wonderful. She may want to come back just to see her again.

We've wanted to try this place for years, but it's never occurred to us during a Friday or…read moreSaturday, which are the only days they're open. Last Friday was one of those days we knew we needed to order out, but we were well on track to make a whole evening out of fretting over where to go. I don't know what it is, but sometimes absolutely nothing in the world sounds good. By some act of god, I remembered this place and our evening was saved. Their menu changes weekly, so we referred to their Facebook page for this week's options. I've only heard great things about them, so I had no question whatever we ordered would be good. No prices on their website, and money was definitely an issue on the eve of the St. Patrick's Day Parade, so we made kind of a flow chart in case pricing got crazy. Placing the order over the phone was difficult. They couldn't understand us, and they had to run every question by somebody else and get back to us. We ordered the jerk chicken and smothered pork combos, then threw in a pint of shrimp fried rice. I wish I could have tried everything; it was really tough coming to a decision. Cash only. I read so many reviews and everything they had online and didn't see this mentioned. Luckily I had just hit the ATM for the parade. The place is pretty small, take-out only. Easy parking, easy in and out. Everyone's super friendly. A lot of the appeal is how clearly they take pride in what they do. All around it just seems incredibly authentic and like nobody's cutting corners. So the food was great all around. We'd eaten garbage all week and were really going for that fresh, wholesome feeling, and they delivered in every way. The only hiccup was that they gave us Smothered Chicken (I think) instead of Smothered Pork. They labeled the box SP, but put the wrong thing in it. I was disappointed to see it because the pork was the first thing I knew for sure I wanted to get. Six seconds into the meal though, I truly didn't even care anymore. It was absolutely amazing. So tender it came right off the bone. It has to be the best I've ever felt about a chicken thigh entrée. I've only tried Jerk Chicken a few times, and mostly from a few Jamaican restaurants right here in town. I never really understood the point of it, like the taste just never amounted to anything I cared about. One bite of this one and it all made sense. Like, I now understand what they're going for with the flavor. Same perfectly tender chicken, and we absolutely loved the taste of both. We were curious about how the Shrimp Fried Rice would shake out with soul food, and it's definitely unique from Chinese takeout. Nowhere near as greasy, and it had a more savory, mildly smoky taste to it. No conflict with the beds of rice our entrées came on either. This wasn't our favorite fried rice, but it was good to have with our meals. My favorite side was the baked beans. Perfect texture, amazing taste. So soft and yet, so completely distinct. Didn't even know I could enjoy plain no-frills baked beans this much. The collard greens and yams were about average. I think for yams I'm used to a lot more butter and sugar than these ones had. Collard greens were just straightforward as well, no taste outside the greens themselves. Texture couldn't have been better though. Mac and cheese was good, but well past al dente. Super soft and didn't really pack enough flavor to make it top tier. The cornbread is standard issue - really soft and pretty dry with just the regular cornbread taste. I'd love to try some of the other things on the menu, but probably wouldn't for the price. There's nothing here I wouldn't be absolutely excited to have, but the experience wasn't profound enough to pull us back for $25 a plate.

On my way to the airport to fly back home to Detroit, found this place and boy was it a home run!!…read moreGreat smothered pork chops with green beans and collard greens. I will definitely hit this place up again the next time I'm in the area. Also the people were very friendly!

Great food at reasonable prices. They're also good at customizations which is great for helping me…read moredeal with my garlic allergy. They also brought out a slice of cheesecake because it was my birthday! Server was nice and helpful. The place easily accommodate larger parties which is super helpful. Parking on that side of the mall can get full easily, so leaving an extra few minutes to park is a good idea.

I love this place for a celebration! It is a little pricey, so a birthday was a perfect time to go…read more The scallops with the "everything" sauce and medium spice, yum!! Add the sausage or eggs for a bit of extra protein! And have some hush puppies which come hot, crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Service is attentive and they did come out and sing happy birthday with a free cheesecake slice!

Located in the Salt City Market. It's very rare that I can find a full meal at a stall in a food…read moremarket for my child with multiple, food allergies. I saw that Miss Prissy's offers a half roasted chicken so I inquired about it (I believe it was called grannie's plate). The lady working at the counter was so kind and patient. She read over my daughter's allergy card thoroughly and knew what was in the dishes. Grannie's plate came with two sides. I was surprised that the candied yams and green beans didn't contain dairy or ham (there's turkey in the green beans). Chicken was juicy and just fell off the bone. Candied yams and green beans were well seasoned, like a big hug in food form. It was also a ton of food for the price. I did see several things were sold out. We came at 1 pm on a Sunday so I'd imagine you'd want to come sooner to avoid sold out food.

So far I have yet to go to Salt City Market and not have a great meal. I've still only scratched…read morethe surface, but we finally got a chance to go try another one. Based on the reviews, it looks like their menu must change often. We pretty much cleared the whole thing with our order, and I'd be excited to reroll on the next one. We got the haddock meal, the rosemary chicken meal, and an order of the wings, along with all the sides included. Mac & Cheese, Collard Greens, Yams. I thought the meal sounded pretty plain when I looked over the order, but we were just excited to eat a well-cooked meal we didn't have to make ourselves. The rosemary chicken ended up being my favorite part. So melt in your mouth tender, while the skin was snappy and crisp. The haddock was pretty much standard issue, same breading and texture you'd expect from a fish fry anywhere you go. We got three squeeze packets of tartar sauce we weren't expecting to like, but it was fine. The fish wasn't really a memorable part of the meal, but always a welcome addition. The wings were golden brown, the exact texture you want in great quality breaded wings. They were very flavorful, with a sweet and tangy sauce. The sauce is buttery, which helps it carry the flavor, but also turns into sludge if it gets cold. I wish they came with a dipping sauce - I think even a good ranch would have brought them home. I'm doing my best not to just say "melt in your mouth" a thousand times in this review, but it came up a lot while we ate this meal. The chicken, the mac and cheese, the freaking yams. My first impression of the mac and cheese was that pasta should never be this soft, especially in something that is baked. Then I tried it, and it's perfect. Super soft while retaining the pasta texture, but with a blast of creamy cheese in every bite. The yams -- again, my language is falling short so I'm just going to say it. The yams melt straight in your mouth in the best way possible. I hope they are always on the menu. These are kind of express restaurants at Salt City, so I get why their menu is so small. Going through the photos and reviews online make me sad I didn't come here sooner, but also excited to return later and see what else they have. With the quality of this meal, I have very high expectations for whatever they do next.

The Mandana is fairly close to where we live so we dine there quite frequently. Nice atmosphere and…read moregreat tentative wait staff. My husband and I have our favorites and have always been happy with our choices.

Unwelcoming hostess, should have been our first clue that this was going to be a disappointing…read moredinner. 6 pm reservations for 4. Our main entree came out almost 2 hours later, with no explanation from the wait staff. On the upside the Thai Calamari was delicious. With the numerous choices of dining places in the area, I'd think twice about the Mandana Inn.

First timers March 15, 5:30 w/reservations for 2 using…read more"OpenTable" app. Using the App was seamless and intuitive. 5 star for the App Seating was comfortable with plenty of options. Servers name was Brian and he was very friendly and knowledgeable. Eric was the pit boss and checked in on us five minutes after our food arrived to make sure everything was OK and he also was super friendly. Wine selection was very good and the Bloody Mary was delicious. Garden salad and Caesar salad to start Fresh ingredients on cold plates 5 star. Entrees included Autumn Pasta and Braised Short Ribs Pasta was a solid 5 star, however the short ribs missed the mark. Slightly overcooked and a bit tough, but delicious nonetheless. See pix Overall, very good experience, and we will most certainly be back

A little late opening but well worth it. Food was delicious, well executed and Saranac paired very…read morewell with the foods. Tempura fried shrimp were melt in your mouth with a crisp start and dip sauce of mango chili reduction mixed with green apple slaw enhanced the flavors. QThe compressed watermelon and prosciutto crudo was epic and paired very well with the Blueberry Blonde. Peach BBQ glazed baby back ribs fork pulled and mouth melted and the chipotle potato salad made the Maximus Super Lager an even flavor pair. The strawberry rhubarb crisp with vanilla ice cream and lavender infused whipped cream was an epic ending I wish I could have finished that the Mai Bock German Lager was a compliment too but alas not a lager fan a few sips were good enough for me. Everyone was beyond accommodating, fun, loves what they do and it shows. Very full, very happy with this event and looking forward to another. Price comparable to other similar events in the area.

The seafood was excellent and seasoned very well. I ordered take out, the man didn't give me a time…read moreto be there but I arrived about 20 min after I ordered and only had to wait another 3-5 min for them to finish. Totally worth it! The service was great, the inside was clean and decorated in seaside/coastal decor. I would dine in next time. The atmosphere and music were good. Can't wait to try another seasoning for my seafood!

This was a fun experience to try overall. There's not many seafood boil places around here. It is a…read morelot of work to get to the actual meat. It's also quite messy, but that's expected. The food was good however it was slightly overcooked. It could've been a bit more tender and easier to pull out. The seasoning was delicious. Service was great.

Went here for the first time for a brunch service. The server was spectacular, very attentive. They…read moreboxed up our food and checked on everything. It was a nice comfortable feel indoors with a cute outdoor patio. There were two steps to the dining area so it was a bit difficult for my parents to navigate with limited mobility, but doable. The food tasted really good. The only improvement would be to make the yolk more runny on the eggs benedict and the potatoes were SUPER crispy. They could have cooked a touch less but all in all very tasty and good portions. The potato cake on the benny was crispy on the outside and creamy inside. The dijon on the croque sandwich was the perfect sharpness to cut through the rich cheese and bechamel. The carmelized cook on the breakfast skillet veggies was nice, and the bacon was perfect. The best cook on bacon I have had when going out to eat.

If you never been here - it's a MUST go! Staff is wonderful and super kind. Menu is amazing with so…read moremany options and great value for what you get. So many summer cocktails that were SUPER yummy! Will definitely be back!