LIFESTYLE

Cheap Eats: Wegmans eatery in Pittsford changes focus

Karen Miltner
@KarenMiltner

So long, crab shack.

Hello, burger bar.

The protein galaxy has taken a seismic shift at The Food Bar, orbiting more closely to what consumers apparently want to eat (meat) rather than what they should eat (fish).

Rumors of the revamped menu sent this hungry cheapskate back to the Pittsford Wegmans eatery. My first report was issued in late 2010, a few months after The Food Bar's opening. In case you need a refresher, The Food Bar filled the void when the grocery chain pulled the plug on Tastings Restaurant and ideated a drastically more casual eatery.

Food Bar 1.0 had a lot of fried fish baskets and some pricy fish entrées and appetizers. The upgraded Food Bar is all about finding interesting things to put in a bun that could be whole wheat, sesame or gluten-free.

Beef burgers with bacon and cheddar or mushrooms and brie turkey burgers with avocado and arugula, bison burgers dressed with mozzarella and pesto, and lamb burgers going Greek with tzatziki, cucumbers and tomatoes.

There are also three different meatless burgers and some chicken, steak and salmon sandwiches.

All burgers and sandwiches are $10 or less and include soup, salad or fries. There is no sticker shock here as could occasionally happen at Food Bar 1.0.

Given these changes, Wegmans will be rebranding The Food Bar as The Burger Bar as soon as the new sign is delivered. (And in case you missed the memo, Next Door Bar & Grill across the street is now Next Door by Wegmans.)

Miss your seafood? You can still get crab cakes on Wednesdays. They're burger-like, right? Lobster rolls are there every Tuesday, and fish fries get top billing Thursday through Saturday. If that's still not enough, add salmon or scallops to the meal-size salads.

Gone, thank goodness, are the disposable plates and cutlery, the buzz-kill pagers and the malfunctioning wine dispensers.

In their place, sturdy Melamine plates and pebbled stainless steel flatware and a far superior food and beverage delivery system that means a lot less up-and-down from your chairs. Once you place an order at the counter, you take a number tag so that staffers can carry food to you after it's cooked. Wines are hand-poured instead of dispensed by machine. Staffers even clear the tables after you are done.

The no-tipping policy remains intact.

There are more wine picks by the glass and bottle and more beer options by draft or bottle. There are more frozen custard dessert options, including boozy adult shakes.

Food Bar 2.0 is also a boon for families on a budget. Kids' meals (for ages 12 and younger) are only $5 and include a side (choose a healthy salad or fruit cup or fries), a small drink and kiddie cone.

I was thrilled with my lamb gyro burger with a side salad ($10). The tender, buttery sesame brioche roll stood up to a thick, medium cooked burger that was smothered in this addictive yogurt sauce , parsley and cucumbers. A little messy but worth it. A baby kale and arugula salad dressed in vinaigrette was textured with walnuts, golden raisins, goat cheese, dried cranberries and chewy wheat berries.

I also ordered a side of the signature Tuscan fries ($3), medium-thick, skin-on fried potatoes dressed with rosemary and garlic. If nothing else, The Food Bar sets a new bar for this must-have burger companion.

The Food Bar (soon to be renamed The Burger Bar)

Address: 3195 Monroe Ave., Pittsford (next door to Wegmans).

Phone: (585) 248-8685.

Web: Go to "stores" then "The Food Bar" at wegmans.com.

Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily.

Accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible.

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