For the past 16 years Jembetat Gallery has been a mainstay on the Park Ave art scene. But in March, owner Robert Ament transformed the space to include a European-style cafe offering fine desserts, pizzas, and panini, and has retitled the business Jembetat Cafe and Gallery.

"Most of our art sales are online or out of state," says Ament, "so adding a cafe seemed like a great fit. Plus, we've already seen an uptick in art sales since opening the cafe."

Patrons to the newly rebranded venue can choose from 35 desserts made by 10 local bakeries and artisans, including cheesecake and carrot cake from Cheesy Eddie's, 13 flavors of gelato from Royal Cafe, or the full line of chocolates made by Hedonist Artisan Chocolates. Those looking for a light meal instead can select from three focaccia pizzas or paninis with ingredients provided by Rubino's Italian Food, Baker Street Bakery, and Savoia Pastry Shoppe.

"We know there's great baking talent in Rochester," says Ament, "and we're really big on supporting local businesses instead of saving money and buying lesser products from wholesalers."

Additionally, the cafe's menu offers coffee, espresso, cappuccino, and tea, and will soon include six draft beers (including a couple local microbrews) and an extensive wine list.

Customers will enjoy the cafe's atmosphere, which allows them to view the gallery's tribal art from central and west Africa, which rotates every few weeks. In addition, Ament enforces a no cell phone, no wifi policy in the cafe to promote good conversation without distraction for his customers.

To find Jembetat Cafe and Gallery in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Jembetat Cafe and Gallery is located at 645 Park Ave. Prices range from $2 to $8. Hours are Monday-Wednesday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-midnight; and Sunday 9 a.m.-7 p.m. For more information, call 442-8960 or visit jembetatcafe.com.

British birthday

British pub The Old Toad is celebrating its 20th birthday from Thursday, May 6, through Sunday, May 9; the restaurant opened its doors for the first time on Tuesday, May 8, 1990. The four-day birthday celebration line-up features an old-school celebration on Thursday, being coined "Throwback Thursday" by the owners, where the pub will offer menu and drink selections from when it first opened, and the food and alcohol will carry their original price tags.

Friday and Sunday will feature a variety of drink specials, but the real celebration will take place on Saturday night, the restaurant's actual birthday. Entertainment will be supplied courtesy of Beatles cover band Get Back 8-11 p.m., and there will be a birthday cake and a champagne toast to commemorate the event. There is no cover charge for the birthday event.

To find The Old Toad in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

The Old Toad is located at 277 Alexander St. For more information, call 232-2626 or visit theoldtoad.com.

Beer and food pairing

Firehouse-turned-restaurant Hose 22 is offering a beer-and-food-pairing event on Thursday, May 6, at 6 p.m. The menu features six courses paired with five Saranac beers: Saranac Summer Ale served with a jalapeno-breaded shrimp amuse bouche; a smoked-sausage beer-cheese soup served with Saranac Adirondack Lager; mussels steamed in IPA with toasted crostini; duck breast salad with pomegranate vinaigrette served with Saranac Pomegranate Wheat; braised baby back ribs served with Saranac Black Forest; and chocolate tiramisu for dessert served with Saranac Black and Tan.

To find Hose 22 Firehouse Grill in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Tickets for the pairing event cost $40 per person and include gratuity. To reserve a seat, call 621-2200 or e-mail contact@hose22.com. Hose 22 is located at 56 Stutson St.

New dishes for Rochester

Popular Henrietta Indian restaurant Tandoor of India has recently updated its menu to include three tandoori-style lobster dishes, a full dessert menu comprised of traditional Indian sweets as well as cheesecakes, several new vegetarian tofu dishes, and three signature dishes that reportedly cannot be found elsewhere in Rochester. Some of new dishes include chicken muglai, a boneless, skinless chicken breast prepared with a ginger garlic sauce served with cashew nuts; bhartha saag, eggplant and spinach cooked in a special house sauce; and malai kofta, minced vegetable balls cooked in a cream sauce, garnished with cashews and raisins.

To find Tandoor of India in City Newspaper's online Restaurant Guide - including a map, user reviews, and more - click here.

Tandoor of India is located at 376 Jefferson Rd. For more information, call 427-7080 or visit tandoorofindia.com.

Just like old times

The Genesee Country Village and Museum has picked a winner in its name-the-beer contest. William Gucker of Rochester suggested Fat Ox Brew, which was selected as the moniker for the museum's new brew out of nearly 1700 entries. As the winner, Gucker received a salt-glazed stoneware growler crafted by the museum's master potter, a family membership to GCVM, and 12 refills of the new Fat Ox Brew. The beer-naming event was inspired by the upcoming June opening of what will be the nation's only operational 19th-century-style brewery. Keep an eye on this column later this month for more news about the reconstructed brewery, which is modeled after an 1803 brewery in Geneva.

The Genesee Country Village and Museum is located at 1410 Flint Hill Rd in Mumford and opens for the 2010 season on Saturday, May 15. For more information, call 538-6822 or visit gcv.org.

Brewer's Fest update

Rohrbach Brewing Company owner John Urlaub has announced that there will not be a Flour City Brewer's Fest this year. In an e-mail, Urlaub wrote, "The main reason for suspending the festival for a year is due to many ambiguous regulations from the State Liquor Authority that we would like to get clarification on before hosting another brewer's fest." Urlaub has stated that the festival will be back in 2011.

Have a food or restaurant tip for our Chow Hound? Send it to food@rochester-citynews.com.