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Lento Restaurant
Category: Restaurants American (New) American (New) [Edit]
274 N Goodman StRochester, NY 14607
(585) 271-3470
- Hours:
Tue-Sat 5:30 pm - 11 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy, Intimate
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
45 reviews for Lento Restaurant
Review Highlights
"The lento menu changes daily - but when I was there, I had."
(in 5 reviews)
"The homemade ice cream was really good and velvety."
(in 10 reviews)
"...and I had the lamb and steak with a side of duck fat fries."
(in 3 reviews)
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45 reviews in English
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Review from Jody G.
10/9/2011
Full disclosure: I find something wrong with just about every restaurant I go to. Sometimes the service just isn't up to par. Sometimes the portions are too small (or too big). Sometimes the food tastes a little off. Sometimes the setting just doesn't feel right. I'm just that way. But tonight after dining at "Lento" I just can't find one thing wrong. This restaurant and this dinner were as close to perfect as I've experienced... and I eat out a lot!
The hostess made me feel welcome the second I arrived. The setting was warm, but sleek.... Just about perfect, really. And the service was attentive and friendly. The wine list was fabulous too! But, let's be real.... when we go out to eat, it's for the food.
I would say everything I had was just one notch beyond perfect. The menu changes DAILY here and is always locally grown, seasonable, and sustainable. I almost felt like I was back in Portland (Ahhhhh.... fond memories, but I digress).
The bread and olive oil that were brought to the table were flavorful. My heirloom tomato salad with THREE kinds of basil and homemade mozzarella cheese was dreamy. And my (WILD) salmon over buckwheat pasta with tomatoes, eggplant, fennel, olives, and caper berries was just wonderful.... Well, maybe not the caper berries.... Try as I may I just don't like their texture. But, the favors were perfectly balanced. Every ingredient just popped. I LOVED that dish! Oh, and did I mention it was FRESH pasta? None of that boxed stuff here.
Dessert (again, all of the choices are homemade) was a pumpkin whoopee pie. Seriously! With spicy cake sandwiching vanilla cream and garnished with a nutty, apple compote and REAL whipped cream. It doesn't get any better than that! -
Review from Kristina W.
Rochester, NY
10/20/2011
It's overpriced and the service is sluggish going on irritating. If it was half the price, I'd be OK with it.
The establishment's saving grace is its creative cocktail menu and usually very good and friendly bartenders. If you want an interesting cocktail and a mellow environment, choose Lento over Owl House or Good Luck. -
Review from Gareth L.
10/5/2011
This is one of the most interesting restaurants I've been to in Rochester. Almost all the food is locally produced, except the seafood, which is imported from other locales. My wife and I had the lamb and steak with a side of duck fat fries.
My steak was pretty good, but the lamb was tough...to the point that my wife didn't finish it. We took the dish home, but just never felt like heating it up again. They have vegan options, and honestly the vegetables that came with our meal were the best part.
As an appetizer we got the calamari, which was good but very heavy. I think I'll be back, because the menu is very compelling, but I may stick to veggies or seafood. -
Review from Chris M.
Rochester, NY
1/13/2012
Good but not great.
Oysters - the best thing i ate. We were there on a tuesday, $1 oysters. Very pleased.
Calamari - perfectly cooked, tender morsels. Came out what felt like 2 minutes after ordering them, which was perfect, since I ordered after we already received our other food. Slightly greasy but didnt bother me.
Duck fat frites - i don't get it? i was really underwhelmed given all the reviews. They weren't bad, but I needed to have those fries with the sauce they served to keep myself entertained with them. Didn't eat them all. Gave to the table to finish off.
My wife got a mushroom soup. We both like mushroom, but neither of us cared for it. just lacked flavor.. bland
Dark & Stormy - not impressed. It was made with gingerale! it should be made with ginger-BEER (to their credit, i guess they did say "ginger soda" on the menu). preferably house made ginger beer.
Some tequila drink unique to their menu - very good. Tequila, ginger (yes real ginger), and.. cilantro? I forget what exactly was in it, but the flavor was nice and light, and went suprisingly well with those delicious oysters I was having at the time. well done.
Service was excellent. Atmosphere was upscale but comfortable.
4 stars because I do indeed want to go back. but only on tuesdays for those oysters! -
Review from Marc A.
Le Roy, NY
1/6/2012
I'm big on reading reviews and doing my research before going places, yet I rarely feel moved enough to do a review until I ate at Lento on New Years Eve. It is very hard to find vegetarian and vegan options in Rochester, so I wasn't expecting anything great while giving this one a try. The only negative aspect of the whole night was the seafood smell right when you walk in. The smell quickly disappears as you make your way to your private well spaced out table and the most pleasant servers I've had in a long time. The brie, crostini and hot pepper jam was spot on. The drink that I can highly recommend is The Good Gentleman. I wish I could remember what was in it because it was phenomenal. No complains about any of the 4 entrees at the table and the vegan chocolate sorbet with coffee for dinner was perfect. Great wine list and a wonderful evening. I will be back.
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Review from mike b.
12/4/2011
I loved the location of Lento and the reliance on local meat and produce. The menu was very innovative; however, like others, I found something lacking in the dishes. I ordered the marrow bones and one was great and the other was hard and inedible (they say they have never seen that and brought me another one, but it arrived around dessert time). The duck confit was a good idea but had poor execution. The duck was basically deep fried (no batter) instead of slowly cooked in duck fat. I've had it this way at other restaurants trying to skimp on the cooking time required for a good confit. There was bacon in the side dish, but it was so well done and in such large chunks as to be chewy. I would go again, but probably not before trying out what other nice restaurants Rochester had to offer.
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Review from Katrina D.
Old Bridge, NJ
11/8/2011 5 photos
Reviewing this restaurant is frustrating! Each individual portion of the appetizers and entrees were delicious as standalone ingredients (minus a few technical errors discussed below), the major issue was with their combination. Our meal started by splitting the steak tartare and the poutine (I requested duck fat fries instead of butternut squash fries, a request that the restaurant happily satisfied.)
The tartare appetizer had four components, the tartare, sliced baguette, oil cured olive aioli, and a small watercress salad. By themselves, the ingredients were amazing the aioli was the best I have tasted, the bread met expectations, the watercress, with its vinegar dressing, helped to cleanse the palate, and the tartare was tender and flavorful. Having individually sampled each component I went for a combination, baguette smeared with aioli, topped with tartar and garnished with a leaf of watercress. Disappointing would be an understatement, the delicate flavors of the tartare were completely overpowered and the resulting favor can best be summed up as a olive-enriched marmite paste.
The poutine had the most amazing cheese curds I have ever tasted (First Light Creamery), the pale duck gravy was a nice pairing with the curds. The issue related to the fries, as I said above I request duck fat fries in lieu of the butternut squash fries so that might have created the issue. The issue was that the fries were soggy, even the parts that were not covered in the gravy or curd. The resulting dish was a mushy mess that lacked the texture that I crave in a poutine.
For the entrees, I ordered a medium rare duck with a red rice pilaf and radicchio. The radicchio was balsamic grilled and was truly delicious. I am not a rice person but I enjoyed the pilaf, and the duck was a tender piece of poultry and was served medium rare, as requested. The issues were that that the duck fat was not properly rendered and the result was an unappealing layer of fat residing where the crispy skin should have been. Also, the dish was visually unappealing. All the components were red (or at least dark enough to be confused for red in the restaurants dim lighting. Moreover, there were no flavor contrasts and very little textural contrast. I could have ignored the technical mistake on the duck if the rest of the dish was robust and exciting but the composed dish was monotonous on many levels.
My friend's entrée was the pumpkin stuffed house-made raviolis, served with chard. The meal was a little too sweet for my taste, as I do not enjoy sweet entrees, but in fairness, it was entirely palatable. I enjoyed the treatment of the chard and the ravioli filling was very pleasant. A small technical error was that the raviolis needed to be cooked for another thirty seconds; they were tough and chewy where the dough was crimped.
My friend ordered their white rabbit cocktail and really enjoyed it. The décor, ambiance, and service was an appropriate fit for a fine dining restaurant.
As you can tell, there were a lot of ups and downs at this restaurant. I gave it three stars, although, I would have given it 3.5 if yelp would let me.
I will give this restaurant a second chance and hope that this was just an off night. But to be safe, I recommend ordering a number of appetizers instead of ordering an entrée. -
Review from Kimberly J.
Rochester, NY
6/1/2011
I will keep this brief since we are already about 30 reviews deep:
Had a drink at the bar before dinner-- the cocktail list looks amazingly creative. I had the Red Queen and loved it. When I go back it will definitely be on the BOGO cocktail night. The night we went it was a buy-two-entrees-get-a-free-bottle-of-wine night. I also had a crab claw at the bar.
Appetizers: the BLT/fried green tomato salad and the duck fat frites. The salad was just ok, but the frites were pretty amazing. They were served super hot with a very tasty seasoning blend. The bummer about the frites? They came with an aioli that was BROKEN. I am tempted to take a star off just for that, if the aioli is broken, don't serve it. Make a new one or serve something else. I'm not sure how this even left the kitchen and was sort of annoyed that they would try to pass this off on me.
Entree: Duck breast with gnocci. First of all, the menu described it as "crispy," there was nothing crispy anywhere on the plate. The gnocci was pretty good though, and the porcini's really complemented the dish. The dish also was served with some fiddleheads that were smoky and delicious.
The service was great, can't complain. While the meal was not perfect, I really appreciated the creative menus and look forward to trying Lento again. -
Review from Rachel O.
Brooklyn, NY
8/23/2011
Really great spot in Rochester!
There is outdoor patio seating and then an expansive indoor space with elegant and tasteful design. Upscale but not trendy, obnoxious or cold.
I appreciated the focus on local, fresh foods that was consistent from the wine and cocktail lists to the salads and entrees themselves. The heirloom beet salad was a delicious appetizer, and a surprising blends of tastes - pistachios, cilantro, fresh beets and feta.
I really enjoyed the vegetable latkes which were also unique and scrumptious. My husband enjoyed the filet - very good quality and tender. The potato accompaniment was a bit disappointing, however.
The service was fantastic - very friendly waitress, with solid recommendations and fast service. -
Review from Dan B.
Baltimore, MD
9/26/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I really enjoyed myself at Lento on Saturday night. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable, and the menu looked great. I had a great heirloom beet salad as an appetizer, and a delicious stuffed squash for an entree. Both were very very good. I had the watermelon sorbet for dessert, which was good but not great.
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Review from George J.
Fairport, NY
2/20/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I can't help but burst the Lento bubble here. We are not particularly picky or high-maintenance, but we were not impressed at all by Lento on our visit there last weekend. We had reservations for 8:30PM - perhaps all the good food was gone by then?
We ordered four dishes - appetizers to entree - and Lento failed to impress us on several fronts with all of the dishes.
The rosemary bread was not warm (owing to Yelp reviews, we were anticipating it to be warm and very fresh) and I felt that the taste of rosemary in the bread was just a tad bit overwhelming. Not much of a problem, however.
We were very much looking forward to the calamari dish - again thanks to the overwhelming positive reviews in Yelp - but in reality, the dish was such a let down. The biggest problem was that the calamari was too salty. Usually, I put additional salt in my food, so I simply could not believe that the dish was so salty. Perhaps it was an honest error and we should have notified the waitress / chef? We did not -- as mentioned earlier, we try not to be high-maintenance. Another issue is the way it is served - in a wraparound paper cone - it is different and curious but not practical at all; It was difficult to use a fork and so we promptly proceeded to transfer it to a plate.
The mushroom soup was a creamy puree, topped with a crostini and goat cheese. To my surprise, the soup was not even warm when I got to eat it. However, the soup perhaps was the best dish that we had at Lento. The beetroot salad was super fresh, with the vinaigrette dressing being sharp and cutting, but we both felt a bit underwhelmed with the salad.
We were very much hoping that the main entree would knock our socks off, but it did not. We got quinoa cakes with capers and olives in a tomato sauce base with chopped parsley (3 large cakes; enough to split between the two of us). The cakes were served in bowls, which made it a bit clumsy to eat. The cakes resembled hamburger patties and the sauce looked dark red, with the entire dish looking not very enticing.
The staff at Lento are absolutely sweet and they make the entire experience pleasant, but our sense of taste was wanting for more. -
Review from Nicole I.
Wayne, NY
9/18/2011
Not sure what all the hype is about. Not impressed and probably wouldn't go back. Although the duck fat frites were good... but I wouldn't make the trip there just for really good french fries.
The place had a terrible odor of fish, was very warm and stuffy. It's also really quiet inside the restaurant, making it difficult to have a conversation without the entire place overhearing. I guess our first clue should have been when every other place we wanted to go was full and Lento had lots of open tables on a Friday night. -
Review from Andrew K.
Rochester, NY
1/7/2011
We had reservations on New Year's Day for 2 at 6:00. Probably not necessary, and we showed up at 5:45 and they seated us right away. Actually, it didn't really fill up until we were ready to leave around 7.
They brought out the rosemary focaccia and we devoured that in seconds... the olive oil was flavorful and the bread was warm. We started with the fried calamari and would have to agree with previous posts that the aioli would much better serve the dish if it came on the side. However, this did not subtract from the flavor for me. While I prefer my calamari crispy if fried, it was still delicious and a good combination of flavors. The lemon went well with the dish and the peppers added a sweetness to the overall dish. I would order again for sure. We also had a mussel soup, which was steamed mussels in a seasoned broth. Very simple and clean flavors which seemed to be the theme of the night.
Next to the entrees. We had the Atlantic sea dab and the Alaskan scallops. The scallops were perfectly seared and perfectly cooked (not over cooked). The seasoning was simple with salt and pepper on the scallops. The potato, cabbage and leek salad was again simply prepared and not over seasoned. What I love is that you could taste all of the ingredients. I could taste the cabbage, I could taste the leek and I could taste the citrus in the sauce. A lot of times when you order a dish like this not all of the food stands out. I like when I can tell what went into a dish without looking at the menu. The portion is small, so if you don't order apps, you may be disappointed.
The other dish was perfectly cooked, flaky fish wrapped around crab and scallion risotto. I love creamy risotto... and this was the closest thing I found to what I like to make at home. I am not a fan of the brothy risotto, even if that is technically correct. This was thick, creamy and very flavorful. The sides on this dish were outstanding. Simple carrots and spinach with a garlicky glaze and some pureed celery root. The carrots were still crunchy (this is a good thing), the spinach was lightly sautéed.
No room for dessert, and no cocktails this time (New Years Day should explain that one). This is one of my favorite meals in Rochester to date. $100 with tip.... no alcohol. So, on the pricey side, but to me, this type of food is worth every penny. -
Review from Kristan H.
Cincinnati, OH
1/6/2011
I'm basically going to second Chris L's and Mark C's reviews...
In a nutshell, Lento had great service, delicious food, and a pleasant, upscale-but-not-pretentious feel.
For more details:
- The waitress was patient, friendly and helpful, and her assistant servers kept our glasses full and our empty plates cleared.
- The calamari and duck fat fries were tasty appetizers; my pasta was obviously hand/home-made and quite delicious.
- Portions were large -- both me and my boyfriend's mom took to-go boxes home.
- We had dessert as well, and I can highly recommend the carrot cupcakes (with white chocolate cream cheese icing! I usually don't even care for icing). The profiterole was delicious too, but much larger than we expected. Definitely can feed two. (Maybe even three...)
I can't speak to the final bill, but in reading over the menu I thought everything was fairly priced, given the local/organic ingredients and fine dining experience. I'm not in Rochester terribly often, but I would definitely go back. -
Review from Joanne L.
Rochester, NY
9/17/2011
I have been to Lento on two occasions and was very satisfied both times. I love that the menu changes, and that the food is very different from what you get from your ordinary diner or seafood restaurant or Italian restaurant. I'm a vegetarian and I have no problem finding something I like on the menu. I could actually taste the freshness of the ingredients. The service is excellent and the ambiance is really lovely. A good place for date nights and anniversary celebrations.
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Review from Diana F.
Geneseo, NY
2/15/2011
I'm going to just throw this out here...Lento is probably, if not definitely, my favorite restaurant. So yeah, maybe I'm a bit biased. Just be forewarned that there's nothing but glowing reviews ahead.
I am a huge fan of meals taking large amounts of time, not due to poor service, but rather due to the need to savor every bite taken and enjoy the company of your fellow diners (call it "slow dining", I just call it a precursor for a good night). Lights a bit dimmed, wonderful decor, privacy of tables and exceptional food is what I look for in a restaurant.
Lento meets all of these expectations and more. I have never not enjoyed one bite I've taken at Lento, and from what I hear, my dining partner's haven't either. I probably love the food so much since it is all organic and locally grown; and because of this you can taste every luscious ingredient and every ingredient takes on another dimension of freshness you never knew it could possess.
Naming certain dishes I loved would be a bit useless since the menu changes quite a bit, but even from the get go, the impressive wine list and the rosemary bread/olive oil starter immediately puts one in the right mindset.
Bonus points that as a vegetarian I have a plethora of inventive, savory dishes that aren't a portabello burger or a salad minus the chicken.
Lento is a celebration of the sensations. Taste, sight, touch, sound. Coming here, you will be treated like royalty, both from the friendly/knowledgeable waitstaff and the food. Worth every penny. -
Review from Pete W.
Rochester, NY
5/16/2011 Seated via OpenTable
I try to keep my ratings realistic, a very good place gets 4 stars, so it is with much thought that I give Lento 5 stars. I had dinner there with my gal on Sat. night and nearly every important aspect of this place (food, service, atmosphere) was nearly perfect. At the end of the night, my girlfriend remarked that if I was to make a restaurant it would be Lento. She was right: a raw bar, in a classy loft like setting, with locally sourced food.
We started at the bar, and sat right in front of the small raw bar which provided direct access to the guy shucking the seafood. He knew in great detail the origins of the oysters and recommended a great bottle of wine. I love oysters and had 6 of them (Calvary Cup from PEI and something from Rhode Island) and my date had some huge fresh shrimp. The huge crab claws looked good too.
For dinner we chose to move to the small area just off the bar, it has a nice big window looking out into Village Gate. We started with a beet salad, on field greens with a super creamy goat cheese, a tasty blend of flavors wit the sweet from the beet, the bitter from the salad, and the mild goat cheese all blending together evenly. There was also pistachios mixed with the orange vinaigrette.
For dinner we split the steak. I have not had much red meet in the last 6 months, so there was a lot riding on the steak, I love steak, I just don't eat meat very often for various reasons. Deciding to break my rule here was well worth it. They must have a charcoal or wood grill, because the medium rare steak cooked medium rare and a nice sear, flavored by charcoal or wood.
The portions are not huge but after the raw bar, some bread and olive oil, and then splitting a salad a main dish, we were satisfied, as in not hungry anymore but not feeling overly stuffed.
The total bill was ($100 plus $20 tip). This included a bottle of wine and a bottle of sparkling water and espressos after dinner. We felt it was a very good value. -
Review from Nick R.
Rochester, NY
2/15/2011 1 Check-in Here
I dined at Lento last night for the 2nd time. The people are very nice and patient, as Kristan mentioned. We started with the fried calamari appetizer which is only lightly fried and features a creamy, almost cheesy sauce on it - it's awesome, I highly recommend it. I had the pierogies for dinner, which you can view here: http://www.foodspottin... (taken last night). The pierogies were potato and cheddar stuffed accompanied by cabbage, shitake mushrooms, chives, etc. I was actually very surprised with this dish. It looked better than I thought it would and the cabbage provided a perfect sweetness to it. I woke up craving it and would definitely order it again.
Also, keep in mind that the $$ rating above may not be accurate as most dishes start at $20. So, if going on a date, be prepared to pay $70+ for meal, glass of wine each, and tip.
Lastly, we ordered a bottle of Syrah which costed $25 and ended up equaling about $5 as opposed to ordering by the glass which start at $7 each. So, if going with 2+ people, definitely go with a bottle (assuming you love your wine as much as I do :).
All in all, this place rocks. The ambiance is high-class but welcoming to all. A true Village Gate gem. -
Review from Alice P.
Lafayette, IN
A trio of us came for dinner in spring, so there was a lot of rhubarb and asparagus. One of us had a pisco sour, and another had the Red Queen, a cocktail with rhubarb bitters. We shared 3 appetizers, 2 entrees, and 3 desserts. The menu changes daily, we understand, but we will share what we had anyway. Appetizers: the asparagus with poached duck egg and balsamic reduction; the fried soft-shell crab with asparagus, ramps and watercress; and a cold lobster salad with grapefruit and asparagus. Entrees: chickpea crepes with feta, roasted red peppers and spinach; and wild salmon with crab risotto and asparagus puree. Dessert: profiteroles with coffee ice cream, rhubarb creme brulée, and rhubarb ice cream. The meal was outstanding, the ingredients local, the service lovely, friendly and prompt, and the whole evening very agreeable.
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Review from Michael M.
Rochester, NY
7/6/2011
Tuesday is oyster night. $1 oyster. I ate 14 of them and loved them all a few days ago. Can't wait for my next visit!
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Review from Nathan S.
Rochester, NY
11/25/2009 1 photo
I've been to Lento several times now, and each time I seem to pick up something new that enhances my experience (examples to follow).
On a Saturday night, I had guests from NYC visiting, and after a day of wine tasting on Keuka Lake, I decided Lento would be the perfect place to dine. Unfortunately, they had no tables available for our eta, but we decided to head there and order a few apps from the bar area.
I must say, that from the moment we walked in, the maitr'd and other staff members were incredibly accommodating... adding extra seats to the bar area, promptly providing us with drinks as we ordered a few apps: including the cheese plate, the duck pate, the calamari, and some oysters.
Not long after we devoured the apps, was our table ready and available, a full hour before we we expecting to be seated. Of course, they transferred the bill from the bar area to our table (a practice that should be standard everywhere).
I had the the grilled duck breast with a hash of sweet potatoes, pancetta, sweet onion, and brussel sprouts (~$30). When asked how I'd like the duck cooked(medium,rare...) I asked for the Chef's preference, not knowing how I like my duck, since I have it only a few times a year. It was an excellent choice, and came to me moist, flavorful, and perfectly tender... I didn't want it to end... I also asked for a glass of wine that would pair nicely with the duck, and again, they scored excellently with a nero'd avola.
While there were a couple of people at my table that did not swoon over their food as much as I did, most were way beyond satisfied.
The table-side service was impeccable.
That said, I believe if you are a true foodie (as I aspire, with luck, to be;-), you take risks, and you should take your senses on journeys and various experiences (a lot like traveling and sleeping in remote village huts vs only 5 star beachside resorts).
Therefore, I must say, Lento is not for everyone, but it is for those who are conscientious about their food and willing to push their palates a bit further and, who knows, perhaps delight in a moment of ecstasy. -
Review from Debbie W.
New York, NY
10/4/2009
We found ourselves driving through Rochester around dinnertime, with no idea where to go, and were really suprised to find Lento-- a slow food, ingredients based restaurant tucked into a beautiful revived industrial complex. While it wasnt among the best of this type of restaurant we've visited, (and probably not on the 'must travel to try this place') if I were local to the area, I'd definitely have it on my list of regular places to go.
Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful, and there are blackboards filled with great quotes from 'slow food' giants and I love that their drink menu focuses on the non alcoholic ingredients like milk and local honey or fresh juices and herbs.
The menu is extensive, ambitious and really enticing. We had a hard time making choices because everything looked so good, and ended up choosing some great salads and a really delicious cheeseplate to start. The entrees were good (and really big, which is a tiny bit of a turnoff for me, but its hard to complain about having too much). I think they might have been better if they were a little less complicated, and focused more on tasting the underlying meats and vegetables, all of which were handpicked from local farms.
Overall, its exciting to see restaurants pursuing the slow food principles popping up all over the country and I definitely recommend a visit to lento.Listed in: W3, Ron and Fez (well Ron)…, Slow Food / Clean Plates…
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Review from Mark C.
Rochester, NY
1/27/2010
Very nice establishment!
Clean, upscale, does not feel crowded
Old building charm with modern flare
Oyster Bar is awesome, there were 4 varieties when we were there.
A bit on the pricey side, but if you're into luxury spending, then drop by here! There was a good bottle of wine for $20 which was nice. 4 people = $200, and we were not shy.
Will def go again, and def recommend.Listed in: ROC Stops
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Review from Meghan S.
8/10/2008
The lento menu changes daily - but when I was there, I had:
Appetizer: Fresh roasted figs, stuffed with gorgonzola picante, drizzled with Nissen Farms honey, Freshwise mixed greens, balsamic vinaigrette The appetizer was lovely. The gorgonzola slightly overpowered the taste of the figs, I might have preferred a milder cheese choice. But it was still yummy.
Main Course: I had the corn, red potato and cheddar cake, topped with sweet and tangy vegetable salsa, petit house salad. This is one of the few restaurants I have found in Rochester that offers interesting tasty vegetarian selections. I am sick of portabella burgers. But my meat eating family was ALSO impressed with the menu selection (two of them ordered the Gansz Farm confited leg of duck and one got the diver scallops). I rarely find places that are *highly* satisfying to both meat eaters and vegetarians. Everything was superb.
Dessert: I had the chunky coco brownie cake topped with bourbon, brown sugar, butter milk ice cream and a warm wet walnut sauce. While the sundae was delicious, my mom ordered the house made mint chocolate chip ice cream, and I wished I had too. It was too delicious for words.
Our waitress was attentive and friendly. The food was superb. The prices on the vegetarian items was reasonable - I thought the meat dishes were a little expensive. I will definately be returning to Lento soon. -
Review from Jason S.
San Francisco, CA
7/30/2009
I love Lento. The food is amazing (the menu changes often, so it keeps you on your toes tasting new and exciting things), the service is spectacular, and the atmosphere is exactly what I want in a restaurant. My friends enjoy the martinis, and I enjoy the wine list. The calamari appetizer is delicious, as is the BLT salad, the tamales, and the empanadas. Those that I have dined with have always had a meal that they loved.
If this place goes away, I'll very likely cry. -
Review from Naomi W.
Rochester, NY
3/2/2011
I went to this place a couple of weeks ago, just to try it out. I've read such good reviews about it. As I walked through the maze called Village Gate, I was beginning to get a little disappointed. Upon entering, I was impressed. The wait staff were inviting. We sat at the seafood bar, which was such a delight because the seafood bar staff were very knowledgeable about the food. We had an assortment of oysters (Tuesday is $1 oyster night), which were very fresh; they shuck them right in front of you! In addition, I tried the fried calamari with garlic sauce. The sauce was a little strong and overwhelming, but the freshly friend calamari was divine. I would definitely go again, if for nothing else, for the fresh seafood.
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Review from Cheddar C.
San Jose, CA
6/12/2009
I finally made it to Lento and have to say I'm a fan! Joining the slow food movement, Lento uses local and organic produce and meats whenever possible. The wine list is excellent and the service was awesome. I happened to go on a Thursday, which is a buy one entree get one free vegetarian entree for college students. Anyway, here's what I had:
Starter: seafood trio. smoked salmon was amazing
2nd Starter: prince edward island oysters. They feature 4 different varieties
Main: leg of lamb over rice, walnut pesto, and some yummy sauce. Was also able to try a bit of the scallops (which were excellent and I hate scallops) and the sweet potato empenadas (which were also excellent)
Dessert: ice cream sandwich with carrot cake cookies and cream cheese ice cream! (a must have)
For wine I tried the french brut and then a bottle of chilean carmenere
Big fan..go now! -
Review from Chris L.
Rochester, NY
I went to Lento for my birthday on a Wednesday night. We had a 6:00pm reservation, which proved unnecessary after seeing just five parties eating dinner over the course of two hours.
We were seated and our waiter promptly arrived to take drink orders. I ordered a Dark & Stormy, my dad got a beer, my mom got a Harvey Wallbanger, and my girlfriend got a made-to-order freshly squeezed lemonade. It happened to be buy-one-get-one-free classic cocktail night, saving us $8.
The menu looked great; so great, in fact, the waiter had to come back three times before we could even decide on appetizers. I wanted something out of the ordinary, such as the headcheese or duck fat frites, but my parents' wanted something tamer. We finally settled on the fried calamari, piquillo peppers, chickpeas and garlic aioli and three cheeses, baguette, grilled fruit & nut bread. My father got the eggplant soup. In the meantime, four pieces of warm rosemary focaccia were brought to our table with olive oil.
The calamari came in a paper cone made out of a Lento menu, which was cool, and my mom declared, "This is the best calamari I've ever tasted!" I wasn't as enthusiastic about them. They were good, but I would have preferred the aioli on the side, rather than on top, due to the sogginess factor that is often the downfall of otherwise delicious fried foods (i.e., leftover chicken wings, fries sitting in vinegar too long, etc.). The piquillo peppers were a nice touch, but the chickpeas added nothing and gathered at the bottom of the cone. The cheese plate was disappointing. It featured goat cheese, feta (really, goat cheese AND feta), and a gruyere-like semi-hard cheese. All three were decent, but the combination did not appear to have any rhyme or reason. The baguette was an unexceptional baguette and the grilled (fruit & nut) bread, which I mistakenly read as grilled fruit + nut bread was a bit dry, perhaps due to the grilling process.
On to the entrees. This, I soon realized, is where Lento shines and it is clear that the ownership places most of its emphasis on the mains, followed by appetizers and desserts, respectively. I guess it makes sense, since most budget-conscious Rochesterians are likely to skip appetizers and/or dessert so they can order the $36 steak. I ordered the Duo of Gansz Farms Duck; a crispy grilled breast with blackberry jus and rosemary crepe stuffed with duck confit, spinach and pecorino, roasted acorn squash puree. This dish was magical. The duck was cooked to a perfect medium doneness and the blackberry jus was the ideal tangy, acidic compliment to the rich duck breast. The crepes were like delicious duck tacos wrapped in fluffy dough. The pecorino made the crepes salty at times, but they were still excellent. The acorn squash puree was nothing fancy - just sweet squash and maybe a little butter, but it worked magnificently with the other components of the plate.
My girlfriend's zucchini latkes were also delicious - crisp and savory with heirloom tomatoes whose taste and fragrance, to me, symbolize the summer harvest. My parents both ordered steak; my mother, the Bedient Farms 12 oz. NY strip steak, grilled over a sauté of local broccoli, potatoes and roasted sweet red peppers, topped with garlic confit (minus the garlic confit), and my father, the Bedient Farms T-Bone with chanterelle jus and potato gratin. My father wouldn't let me try his, which probably means it was good, and my mother's strip steak was unbelievable. So beefy and tender.
All four entrees get 5 out of 5 stars.
Though we were stuffed, we all decided to gorge ourselves on dessert. My father, girlfriend, and I all ordered pots of coconut loose leaf tea. For dessert, my girlfriend ordered the profiteroles with espresso ice cream, my mother ordered the profiteroles with baklava ice cream (substitution), my father got the raspberry sorbet with biscotti, and I ordered the Irish Brownie Sundae. The profiteroles were good apart from the cold Pâte à choux, which had obviously been baked and refrigerated several hours before dinner service. The homemade ice cream was really good and velvety. I think a lot of women would have liked my brownie sundae; however, it was just too much chocolate for my liking. Something to break up the richness of the chocolate would have been nice, rather than putting ganache on top of chocolate chunk ice cream on top of a dense fudge brownie.
With a generous tip, the bill was a tad over $270 for the four of us.
I was glad I wasn't paying.
I think Lento is off to a great start and I hope it lasts a long, long time. The decor and ambiance is fantastic; a dark, intimate setting that is perfect for a date or a classy night out with friends and family. The raw bar is a nice touch and the oyster selection is the best I've seen in Rochester. The entrees are nearly perfect, and the desserts just need a little bit of tweaking.
If it continues to evolve, I will probably love this place. -
Review from Don S.
Honeoye Falls, NY
4/26/2011
The overall experience was ok. Bar area was nice but the dining exp was not great. Oysters were not good despite the selection. Two of us ordered scallops which were good but the tenderloins were not cooked properly. The server was also a little inexperienced. A little pricey for the quality. Nice atmosphere though
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Review from Melissa H.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 3/20/2009
I came back to Lento tonight for a celebratory dinner.
To start, I had more of those oysters I raved about last time. They were just as good, if not more so. My companion had parsnip fritters; they were incredible. They resembled croquettes, but were smaller and not greasy at all. They were served on a bed of lentil salad and yogurt-like dressing that were also delicious. A great start.
For an entree this time, I had a cod fillet on a bed of shrimp risotto surrounded with clams. It was so pretty and absolutely perfect. Everything was cooked to perfection, and even the clams were devoid of flaws. (No sand crunch in my teeth, etc.) My companion had salmon with an orange, olive, and greens "salad." The "salad" part was cooked, which we weren't expecting, but it worked. It was tasty. He was skeptical about the olives (as he's not a fan of them), but he wound up enjoying them a lot. Excellent meals.
For dessert, I had a creme brulee. They change their flavors daily, so today's was cardamom. The server (who was excellent and could totally work at a big name restaurant in San Francisco or Napa easily) explained that the taste would resemble chai. It was really subtle and complex, and a fantastic end to another perfect meal. My companion had an apple crisp that had hints of orange and ginger, oatmeal on top, and was served with house-made vanilla ice cream. He loved it, but it was another dessert (like the banana fritters I had before) that could have definitely been shared between two people.
Awesome service, food, and the ambiance seems to be getting even better than last time. It's hard to believe this restaurant is in the middle of nowhere, NY, rather than a big city in CA. I am impressed once again.Listed in: Flower City Awesomesauce
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/9/2009
There are few restaurants in Rochester that serve local, slow food. Lento is one of the best.
For an… Read more »
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Review from george t.
Long Island City, NY
11/12/2009
Came here for valentines day. Had a really great experience but the food prevented me to give this place 5 stars.
We made reservations and was promptly taken to our table. The decor is well thought but not pretencious, it feels like you are dinning in a upscale place without the upscale attitude. The service is excellent, very attentive and not intrusive. The apps were great and the drinks are fairly priced. The entree however, which I order the duck, was not very good. It was seared so its rare in the middle, chewy and unflavorful, I couldn't finish my plate, and the dish was recommanded by the waiter! the dish my date had was much better in comparison, the sea bass was cooked to perfection. Maybe i just caught them on an off day, but the duck entree killed the 5 stars for me. -
Review from Bryan H.
Rochester, NY
12/29/2009
I think is a great place for a birthday party or a romantic night out.
Very attentive service -- great with drink recommendations. Having eaten here a few times, my general impression is very positive (especially with respect to vegetarian options).
I was not impressed by the meat dishes I've had there (either on the bland side or too done-up for my tastes), but I would still recommend trying the dishes since they vary considerably week to week. Mad props for buying local and for creating a place with a different vibe. -
Review from Sonia M.
Huntington Beach, CA
6/12/2010
The food & drinks are so fresh & amazing here! I always have trouble choosing what to order -- everything sounds so delicious. My friends and I choose different meals, so we can taste a little bit of everything. The bill can add up rather quick, but you get what you pay for. The menu changes daily & explains where the local ingredients are sourced from. Staff is very friendly. Great atmosphere & very clean. Ample parking. I highly recommend!!
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Review from Kendra Z.
Rochester, NY
9/8/2010
We went to Lento for my birthday dinner...OMG it was so good. We made a reservation early in the day however our table was not ready when we arrived (we were about 15 minutes early). We took a seat at the oyster bar and enjoyed some great oysters and wine. They had a variety of both. When our table was ready (right on time) we took a seat and really dove into the menu. It changes everyday but we had two delicious appetizers - calamari and prosciutto with melon and mint. Then we had entrees...they were all very fresh with more than complimentary flavors. Even after we gorged ourselves on dinner, we had dessert including hazelnut ice cream, espresso ice cream stuffed pastries...
Yum yum yum...
The service was very attentive...I don't think we had to ask for a single thing.
There is ample parking, but be careful. Our car was broken into while we were dining even though the lot is very well lit. -
Review from Michael W.
Rochester, NY
2/18/2011
Fantastic place for upscale, local cuisine. And when I say local, I mean local. This restaurant lists the farms/locations where it sources its food, especially all of the meat products. Everything is freshly made and great. Also, if you're vegetarian, Lento serves up some amazing dishes. You have to come for their specials, such as $1 oyster nights on Tuesdays. I just wish that they would bring back the student special for us poor folk.
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Review from Tom B.
Macedon, NY
9/19/2010
Stopped in to the bar at Lento last night... Before an art opening. Tried some wines and though the selection was limited it was fun... And the pour was generous. Paired with a pate plate it was a perfect interlude.
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Review from Jill R.
Boston, MA
11/30/2009
Warm, inviting and delectable. Fantastic comfortable atmosphere, friendly witty staff & whimsical, fresh satisfying food. You can dress up or go casual, you will have a great meal.
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Review from Erik S.
San Francisco, CA
5/18/2010
Amazing. Huge portions. Easily the best restuarant in Rochester.
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Review from Sunny W.
San Diego, CA
11/10/2009
Previous Yelp reviews helped me find this great place. I travel every so often and get the opportunity to try new restaurants. Lento is great because they create seasonal dishes from food grown or raised locally. The menu changes based on what's available, and if you like variety, this place is for you. Their menu also has several vegetarian dishes, and though I'm not a vegetarian, a restaurant that offers vegetables as main courses and not just as side dishes is worth trying out. (Imagine what they could do with meat if they could do wonders with vegetables!)
Everything sounded good, but I finally decided on the duck liver pate and had the gnocchi with cauliflower and leeks over pumpkin sauce as my main course. The pate had a note of citrus, though I'm not sure if it was. It was still good though. The gnocchi was better--it was nicely browned and the flavor combination of pumpkin and leeks was comforting. The pepitas added a nice texture contrast. I finished with a scoop of Bailey's Irish cream ice cream. They usually serve 3 scoops but since I was stuffed they kindly offered one.
Service was great, the hostesses were very friendly and my food server was informative and helpful. I also dined alone and they were especially attentive without being awkward. -
Review from Candice U.
Buffalo, NY
12/13/2009
Multiple vegetarian options beyond pasta and marinara at a upscale restaurant is usually unheard of but this place delivers with four different options, soups and appetizers. And all options were equally interesting and delicious. Although a more expensive dining experience, the atmosphere, fresh local ingredients and attentive service make it a greta place for a special location.
