Marrow — Restaurant in Rochester

We have been to marrow since its opening for a total of three times with three entirely different experiences. Our first dinner was wonderful. We we offered freshly baked local bread and butter. Their original plan was to bake different breads with a unique butter every week. We have not seen nor heard from the bread since the first visit. Our initial meal was a la carte with standard menu options. Standout on the menu were the fried potatoes with taleggio fondue - ordered it twice. Entrees were great. We really enjoyed our first visit.

During our second visit we were greeted with a new menu style consisting of a pre fixe experience with choices from several sections of the main menu to create a unique course. You could also order the main menu a la carte. Overall the food was great. However, we were now not allowed to order the fried potatoes at a regular table-only at the bar- although there were only two other parties currently dining. That felt unusual. We therefore had our pre fixe meal, and transitioned to the bar to finish with the fried potatoes. Unfortunately the potatoes underwent their first change. Instead of smaller crispy bite sized potatoes, we now had massive potato halves that needed to be split to be eaten. Because they were so large they lost their crispy goodness. The tallegio sauce remained delicious. Later that night I was out with a bout of food poisoning. Major red flag.

But we went back for a third time. Again, entirely new dining style was presented. No more pre fixe option like before. Now they are doing a chefs tasting menu. We were very much going to order that for our table, but we were quickly told that the new rules require the chefs tasting to be conducted at the counter. There was a couple currently dining there but the rest of the seats were open. We were told that there was no availability for us for tonight. Throughout our entire dinner no one else joined the chefs tasting counter. We ordered from the a la carte menu instead. Some of the food felt very much like a conglomeration of flavors that should never be presented together. Some dishes were great including carrots and steak. Of note, the potato dish now appears to be soft potatoes drenched in taleggio fondue. The cheese again is excellent but the potatoes are no longer the focal point of the dish. The salmon in the entree was impeccably cooked and of great quality, but the three different sauces it was drenched in drowned out its delicate flavor. Octopus pasta tasted great but looked like a murder scene and left us with black teeth. Did not get asked about refills of our wine until the last bites of our main - and final courses. A hair was baked into the glazed carrots. Don’t even bother looking at the dessert menu unless you love foie gras inside a donut and basic ice cream.

Overall, this place has sometimes featured unbelievable dishes and clearly has excellent food potential but the dizzying amount of ever changing rules make it a chore to eat here.. Furthermore the inconsistency is prohibitive given the cost and some dishes feel like they were created across the street at bleu duck with the excess of overpowering sauces and competing flavors/textures. We have elected to go elsewhere in town with admittedly lesser quality food numerous times because we didn’t feel like being surprised or disappointed… and probably will...

We had such a wonderful food experience last night. We started with the confit farmer potatoes & blistered jimmy nardellos. The potatoes were very tender and swimming in a bowl of the best cheese broth we’ve ever had. The nardellos are a sweet variety with a touch of smokiness from blistering them, served whole. A base of creamy eggplant and small slices of smoked scallops and caviar tzatziki throughout. Each bite was a mix of sweet, creamy, and smoky. If this wasn’t a fancy restaurant I would have licked both dishes clean.

Next up was the barbecue carrots with black lime labneh and pistachio dukkah. Perfectly cooked and spiced carrots, expertly balanced by the black lime labneh.

I personally ordered for myself the Octopus with consisted of chili braised squid, smoked pork jowl, ring pasta and pine nuts. The octopus was very tender and cooked with true skill. The smokiness from pork jowl paired with the chili base so well. The ring pasta added a unique mouthfeel to distinguish itself from the tenderness of the octopus.

For my wife’s main dish, she ordered the sweet corn scarpinocc-basil pesto, preserved tomatoes & grana podano. It was a light and fresh stuffed pasta dish bursting with bright summer flavors.

Again, all of the plates left without much of a speck of food left.

We finished with the white chocolate & caramel ice cream, and peach parfait. The ice cream was creamy and silky, and a great combo of white chocolate & caramel.

The parfait had grated frozen peach on top of vanilla crème fraiche. It needed a bit more overall sweetness to help balance with the peach.

All in all, this dinner was easily the best in Rochester, and I am so very excited and happy we have such a gem like Marrow in town. Thank you to the whole crew at Marrow, truly wonderful...

We splurged and did the tasting menu with wine pairings and it was surprisingly wonderful! Right on par with our dining experiences in big cities at restaurants with JBS or M* accolades.

Most impressive- The Maple Glazed Short Rib was the type of dish you can build a restaurant around— un-freaking-believable. The Salmon Terrine was extra salty but extra special (though I wish I didn’t need to employ a knife to cut the accompanied romaine). The Nutella and Foie Gras filled Donuts were mind blowing. I also want to mention the wine pairings were thoughtfully done and spot on. I love it when a sip before the food and a sip with the food feels like two different wines.

Random thoughts by an eater that definitely couldn’t cook like this at home- I think the Comte cheese with the pork belly would have been better as a mousse or other presentation as it looked weird and sad to be grated on a pile of shaved sprouts. Also the pork belly was super tough and difficult to cut, but the flavors were there. Please don’t roast me on this comment- both me and my dining partner were puzzled (he thought the comte should have been left out all together, but I personally love Comte). A lot going on with this dish (even an anchovy!), but I think I know where the chef was going with it.

Rochester- you are so lucky to have...