Syracuse - the heart of New York State

On the edge of Armory Square in downtown Syracuse is the famous Dinosaur BBQ. Established by 3 bikers, it's a great hangout for the Harley crowd . You can dine indoors or outside and will always find a lineup of Harley-Davidson's at the curb.

A full service bar and restaurant, the Dinosaur is open for lunch and dinner. Live blues music is performed 3 nights a week.

The menu has a full line-up of southern/BBQ favorites. For Palate Igniters (appetizers) start with fried green tomatoes, catfish strips or AK (ass-kickin) chili. Entrees from the pit feature ribs, steak, beef, and chicken with 2 homemade sides dishes. My personal favorite is the pulled pork sandwich platter w/ macaroni salad and tomato cucumber salad for sides. BBQ beef and chicken breast sandwiches are also availiable. For those with a hearty appetite, order one of the samplers from The Big Eaters Club.

Eating at the Dinosaur is an experience rubbing elbows w/ bikers, tatooed waitresses and downtown business people out for lunch.

The BBQ has become quite successful, now sells its sauces in supermarkets and online, has a cookbook for purchase, does local catering and opened a restaurant in downtown Rochester. The latest expansion is to NYC - scheduled opening is October 2004 on the Hudson River.

On a busy Saturday night, we waited nearly an hour at this popular Italian restaurant. However, the waiting area has comfortable seating and a view of the dessert display case - tempting enough to save an appetite for. The menu includes the usual Italian fare - a variety of pastas, seafood, chicken, veal, and beef. Pizza is also available, and soup of the day. If you can't decide, the Italian platter is a good choice - baked lasagna, ravioli, rigatoni, meatballs, sausage, salad, bread, and tortoni - for under $10. My personal favorite is chicken tenders with broccoli and fresh mushrooms in butter-garlic sauce over linguine.

Most diners, leave with a container to finish at home, especially if they save room for dessert. Homemade pies include lemon meringue, coconut cream, and chocolate peanut butter. Carrot cake is a favorite, along with cannolis, almond honrs, and sfogliatelle.

Dominick's is worth the wait and definitely a great value. Good place to take the family or out-of-town guests.

This double-storefront restaurant provides a cozy dining experience in downtown Syracuse. The brick walls and painted tin ceiling combined w/ old photos and prints gives a nostalgic atmosphere. Many diners come here before theater and symphony performances. The wait staff is friendly and very accommodating in getting you served and to your venue on time.

On our recent visit to the Brick Alley, a special menu was featured for Syracuse University graduation weekend. Tables were decorated with dark blue and white cloths and bright orange napkins, the school colors.

Appetizers included fried calamari, pizza with BBQ chicken, coconut popcorn shrimp, and crabcakes. Their chowder won first place in the annual Winterfest chowder cook-off. Seafood, pasta, and grilled entrees are priced in the $15 - $25 range and include a salad. Surf and turf, prime rib, pork chops, and various chicken dishes come from the grill. Pasta entrees included chicken gorgonzola, shrimp/mushroom/broccoli alfredo, and the favorite, lobster ravioli. From the sea, they offer haddock, salmon, and several other seafoods. All are prepared with unique sauces and seasonings.

If you have room for dessert, the Fruits of the Forest pie is a good choice, or fudge cake for the chocolate lover, cheesecake, and tiramisu.

Brick Alley is open six days a week for breakfast, lunch, and dinner; on Sundays, they have brunch.

Every Saturday morning throughout the year, the Regional Market is bustling with activity. Fresh from the farm are fruits, vegetables, cheeses, and eggs sold in five sheds. It's the place to buy your spring flowers and vegetable plants. Pumpkins, apples, and fresh cider abound in the fall. In the weeks before Christmas, wreaths, trees and poinsettias are available.

During winter, there are fewer merchants but the market remains open. Food vendors offer donuts, pies, pizza fritte, Laotian cuisine, hot dogs, bagels, honey, jams and jellies, and Ma & Pa' s Kettle Corn (my personal favorite). Local crafters sell unique gift items ranging from wooden decors to furniture, and jewelry to quilts.

Adjacent to the Market is a building of shops - a Mediterranean deli market, an exclusively New York State wine store, and several gift shops.

Rain or shine, the Regional Market is the place to be on Saturday mornings.

A 30- to 40-minute drive northwest of Syracuse takes you to apple country near the southern shores of Lake Ontario. There are many orchards to choose from but our favorite is the family-run Apple Grove Farm. It's best to call during the season to see what varieties they are picking . It's very user-friendly - you can drive right up to a row of trees and easily pick of bushel of apples. A few samples along the way are allowed, of course.

After you have picked enough apples, head into the farm store where the aroma of freshly baked bread and pies awaits. Donuts and cookies are also baked on premises and, recently, BBQ chickens were added on weekends. There's a large selection of jams, preserves, dipping oils, flavored vinegars, salsas, honey, pickles, baking mixes, and popcorn. Most are locally produced, but some products are shipped from Texas and Arkansas. Fresh cider is made in fall and there's aged cheddar to go with your apples. Bags of apples and other seasonal produce are for sale as well.

It's worth the drive to the country on a crisp fall day.