Rochester NY: Pane Vino

My friend Eby Friedman knew that I needed an Italian food fix, so he took me to Pane Vino. It's located in downtown Rochester in an old building that has been elegantly renovated and furnished. The atmosphere is great and the service is very gracious and generous.

We started with some great sautéed calamari. The tomato sauce included some olives that gave it a wonderful tang. The dish was light enough to make a perfect appetizer.

For my main course, I selected the veal saltimbocca, something I haven't had for awhile. It was also superb. The sauce was savory but light. The side vegetables were hearty and tender. Eby reported that his lobster in cream sauce was outstanding.

We also tried the pasta. It was light and had the perfect texture. The sauce was good but it didn't have quite the pizzaz of the other dishes.

For dessert, I selected the crème brulee, which was perfectly prepared with a crispy crust and an eggy, creamy center. Eby enjoyed the waiter's recommendation for the cream cheese pound cake as a dessert that wasn't overly sweet.

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