As I write this it's snowing again. Wonderful. As the temps drop below 40 degrees in April you've got a good excuse to drown your sorrows once again. To do so, I headed to the newly remodeled Winfield Grill the other night. For those of you who knew it as it was --- dark and eloquently dive-ish with great food and seedy characters --- prepare to be shocked. Kind of. The Winfield is all done up.

The bar area is beautiful. It's a rectangular oasis for people watching, with flat-screen TVs at every turn, cozy booths, and that oh-so-polished wood gleaming at the edges. If you didn't know any better you'd think that you just walked into a chain restaurant, a too-tidy Outback Steakhouse. Truth is, with its spiffy new look the Winfield will need a few more years before it feels like a neighborhood bar again.

And the thing is, that's OK. Improvement is what we need in Rochester; everything needs a makeover now and again. The Winfield was busy on a Thursday night, with men and women over 30 downing drinks from the excellent selection of beers and chowing down on the wonderful food. The restaurant really does have the best french fries, and a great chicken sandwich with poppy seed dressing.

Thankfully the crowd has stayed much the same, and the usual characters remain. My companion commented on the bar world's obligatory soul patch --- what's up with the soul patch and bar owners? Check it out for yourself seven days a week on Winton Road.

In other nightlife news, The Temple Bar --- the new venue run by former Milestones owner Mike O'Leary --- has finally opened on East Avenue. I hope to check it out next week. You should join me.