DINING NEWS: East meets West 

Fusion cuisine is a common concept for restaurants. It allows for more menu options and an opportunity to blend traditional ingredients from more than one region to make something new and original. The concept for East/West Kitchen (337 East Avenue) is a fusion of Russian, Vietnamese, and American cuisine.

Andrea Lanphere, Alex Zapesochny, and Thuan Pham — who were co-workers at iCardiac Technologies — didn't have to look far for assistance when they decided to open their restaurant: Pham's uncle is Tai Lee, the owner of South Wedge Diner, and now part owner of East/West Kitchen. Zapesochny is Russian and many of the Russian dishes on the menu come from his mother's recipes. Pham and Lee are both Vietnamese.

The menu has traditional Vietnamese staples like Pho with Rare Beef ($7.95), Bahn Mi with Marinated Pork ($5.50, or $7.95 with one side) and fresh Vietnamese spring rolls ($3.50). The more traditional Russian dishes come as sides, like the East/West Potato Salad ($2.95), and Slavic Slaw (2.95) — white cabbage and peppers marinated in special oils and ciders. The dish that may personify the East meets West theme is the Cheeseburger Eggroll ($3.95 for two), a fried egg roll stuffed with ground beef, spices, and cheddar cheese. A Buffalo Chicken Eggroll is on the menu as well.

East/West kitchen serves beer and wine, as well as traditional, iced and hot Vietnamese coffee, which has become a favorite among employees from various East End businesses.

East/West Kitchen is located at 337 East Avenue. It is open Tuesday through Thursday, 12 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Friday, 12 p.m. to 12 a.m.; and Saturday, 4:30 p.m. to 12 a.m. Menu prices range from $2.95 to $8.95. You can find more online at eastwestkitchen.com.

click to enlarge PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN The apple and beet salad from East/West kitchen. click to enlarge PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN Cheeseburger egg rolls from East/West kitchen. click to enlarge PHOTO BY MARK CHAMBERLIN Pho from East/West kitchen.

Quick Bites

The difference between the preparation time and the consumption time for Thanksgiving dinner is staggering. And unfortunately, for the person hosting the meal, that usually means hours of prep and a significant amount of time spent cleaning up — while everyone else heads to the living room to slip into food comas in front of the television. It's enough to make you want to throw your hands up and exclaim, "I'm never hosting again!" For those that want to put down the carving knives and turn off the electric mixers, there are restaurants that do the cooking and the cleanup for you. Below are just a few of the establishments in the Rochester area cooking up turkey and all the fixings — and if you know of others, leave them in the comments at rochestercitynewspaper.com. Please note that reservations are required for all restaurants listed.

Nick's Sea Breeze Inn (4581 Culver Road) will take reservations for 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. and feature a roast turkey dinner ($17.95 for adults, $12.95 for children under 10) on their menu. However, who says you absolutely have to eat turkey on Thanksgiving? Other items on the holiday menu include prime rib ($22.95 for 12 oz.), veal parmigiana ($21.95) and more. Call 323-1950 for reservations.

Perlo's Restaurant (202 North Washington Street) in East Rochester will serve a traditional turkey dinner from 12 p.m. to 7 p.m. Pasta or gnocchi with meatball or Italian sausage, prime rib, and salmon are also available. All dinners are $23.95 for adults and $12 for children 10 and under. Call 248-5060 for reservations.

Tournedos at The Inn on Broadway (26 Broadway) will serve a Thanksgiving meal from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. The three course meal is $39.95 for adults and $19.95 for children. Call 232-3595 for reservations.

Mario's Via Abruzzi (2740 Monroe Avenue) will serve a Thanksgiving brunch from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. that includes selections from its carving board (roasted turkey, glazed ham, roasted leg of lamb, and seared salmon), as well as a seafood bar with shrimp and crab legs, and more. Prices are $44.95 for adults and $21.95 for children 12 and under. Mario's also offers a "Thanksgiving To-Go Package" for $159 that includes a full Thanksgiving feast to serve 8 to 10 people and can be picked up hot and ready to go. Orders must be placed at least 48 hours in advance. Call 271-1111 for reservations.

Richardson's Canal House (1474 Marsh Road) will take reservations from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. for its three-course Thanksgiving meal. Prices are $55 for adults and $20 for children. Call 248-5000 for reservations.

Why not leave it to someone else to cook the turkey and focus on perfecting your side dishes and desserts? Sticky Lips BBQ is taking orders for its hickory and apple smoked turkeys — a 12 to 14 pound bird will cost you $49.95. Call either of the store locations (288-1910 for Culver Road, 292-5544 for Jefferson Road) to reserve a turkey.

If you have decided to take the plunge and host Thanksgiving dinner this year and want some tips on how to achieve a Martha Stewart level feast, Wegmans Executive Chef Mark Makovec will offer turkey tips and more on his blog at wegmans.com/blog/2014/11/turkey-talk-with-chef-mark/.

Openings

After suffering a debilitating fire in August, Crossroads Coffeehouse (752 South Goodman Street) has reopened and is ready to satiate your caffeine fix.

D.P. Dough, a "national college calzone franchise," has opened at 400 Jefferson Road.

Closings

Hank's Ice Cream & Roast Beef Sandwiches in Webster has closed.

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