CHOW HOUND: Back to the neighborhood 

A neon sign stating "Sorry We're Open" greets you as you walk in the door of the newly renovated Bosco's Richmond's Tavern. The "Bosco's" might be new, but Richmond's has been an establishment in Rochester for years. Located on Richmond Street, a small side street off of Main Street, Richmond's had been a destination for live music and its famous chicken wings until it closed at the beginning of 2011. Enter Lin Bosco, the new owner of Bosco's Richmond's Tavern. Bosco decided it was time to give Richmond's a facelift, renovating and reopening the bar in November of 2011.

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• PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

Despite the renovation, Richmond's still has the feel of a good old neighborhood haunt. The space is small and intimate, with a large bar and open kitchen that leads to a stage area in back for the many musical acts that perform at Richmond's on a weekly basis. The night I visited, the venue was hosting The Roc City Pro Jam (it takes place the first Tuesday of every month), and it was nice to see the wide array of local musicians that were showing up lugging instruments and amps. Richmond's has a nice selection of beers on draft, including local brewery Three Heads' Kind IPA. Stairs lead up to a rooftop deck that I will definitely be taking advantage of once the weather permits.

In addition to the tavern's interior, the menu got a makeover as well -- except for those famous chicken wings. When Bosco took over, the chicken-wing recipe stayed the same. And speaking of those wings, there's a reason that they're famous. My group indulged in the sriracha-honey and the garlic-parmesan wings (five for $5.25), and found the sriracha-honey wings to be a perfect blend of hot and sweet. Don't worry; you can still get the traditional Buffalo offerings in mild, medium, and hot variations.

The burgers at Richmond's are massive. The Richmond's burger ($9.50) features a half-pound patty served with cheddar-jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion, and Richmond's Famous Sauce. Add a fried egg to a burger for a buck extra.

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• PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN

Those looking for lighter fare are probably not going to find it here, there is a salad on the menu...with hickory-smoked bacon and blue cheese dressing. But isn't that the pleasure of bar food? It's not supposed to be healthy. It's supposed to be a finger-lickin' accompaniment to a frosty beverage, and you can find plenty of it here.

Bosco's Richmond's Tavern is located at 21 Richmond St. It is open Monday-Wednesday 4 p.m.-2 a.m.; Thursday 2 p.m.-2 a.m.; and Friday-Sunday noon-2 a.m. Food prices range from $3 to $19.25. For more information, call 270-8570, or visit richmondstavern.com.

Get some class

The sun has finally graced us with its presence, which means it's time to stop hibernating and ordering take-out. Leave the house and take advantage of some of the great cooking classes we have available in Rochester. Below is just a sampling of the many upcoming options:

Rosario Pino's Artisan Foods is holding new spring classes. Chef Scott Defrees of Penfield Country Club will present a "Fresh Spring Menu" on April 15 and Derek Pino of Rosario Pino's will teach you how to make a "Tutto Siciliano" menu on April 25. For a full list of class offerings and more details visit rosariopinos.com, or call 267-7405.

Rochester Culinary at Vella has an exciting line-up of guest chefs for its spring schedule, including talent from Lento, The Rabbit Room, and Hedonist Artisan Chocolate. Enrollment fees range from $69 to $85 per person. More information can be found by visiting rochesterculinary.com or calling 421-9362.

Kill two birds with one stone and take a cooking class on your next visit to the grocery store. Both Wegmans and Tops stores offer a wide variety of cooking classes year round. Wegmans will be presenting a "Sushi 101" course at its Pittsford location on May 13 6-8 p.m.; tickets cost $65. Tops offers classes for both kids and adults, with prices ranging from $12 to $25. Information on class schedules can be found at both stores' websites (wegmans.com, topsmarkets.com).

Quick bites

"Hootie Hoo!" Chef Carla Hall from the fifth season of "Top Chef" and ABC's "The Chew" will be visiting the Pittsford Wegmans on April 25 6-8 p.m. to sign copies of her latest cookbook, "Carla's Comfort Foods." Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the signing; the event is free and open to the public.

Ramen restaurant Furoshiki (682 Park Ave.) now serves brunch on Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The menu features items like chicken and waffles, sweet-potato hash, and something called "Roc Eggs" which the menu describes as "chef's choice of just about everything in the kitchen scrambled with eggs." All menu items stay under the $10 mark. More information can be found at parkavenoodles.com or 771-0499.

An Earth Day Foodie Fundraiser to benefit the Friends of Ganondagan will be held at the New York Wine and Culinary Center in Canandaigua on Tuesday, April 22, 6-9 p.m. Heirloom Iroquois white corn will be the focus of the menu, prepared by Chef Jeffory McLean, lead chef instructor at NYWCC. Tickets for the fundraiser are $75. Details on the event can be found at ganondagan.org or by calling 742-1690.

Cheshire cocktail lounge, located above Solera Wine Bar at 647 South Ave., will be hosting a premiere party for the final season of AMC's "Mad Men" on Thursday, April 10, 6-11 p.m. The party is co-hosted by Jazz 90.1 and will feature a DJ spinning "Mad Men"-era tunes and bartenders will be serving cocktails inspired by Don Draper and company. Period attire is encouraged.

Openings

YoTality Frozen Yogurt has a new location at 1380 Mt. Hope Ave. in the University of Rochester's College Town project. YoTality is owned by the founders of Montana Mills Bread Company. Get more details at yotality.com.

Also in College Town, The Soup Spoon has opened another location at 1378 Mt. Hope Ave. The menu offers pho as well as num pang sandwiches and a large assortment of teas. A full menu can be found at thesoupspoonroom.com.

Chow Hound is a food and restaurant news column. Do you have a tip? Send it to [email protected].