The Cub Room

While staying in Rochester, we decided to go to dinner at the Cub Room, as it had good reviews for the food. When we arrived at the Cub Room it was full and loud. We arrived eight minutes later than our reservation but it was honored, as their website does say they will hold a reservation for fifteen minutes. We were led to a smaller separated area up some stairs across the room. As a partial room divider, long windows were hung from the ceiling and were attached to a short wall lap high.

They were quick to service us. My husband chose Amish chicken, which came with a cream sherry sauce, with baby rainbow carrots, Cipollini onions, and confit red potatoes, which just means that the potatoes were cooked in a seasoned oil. They also had a sprinkling of coarse salt on them. My husband declared that he loved Amish chicken, but all that means is that they are raised free range without antibiotics or hormones. I had to laugh as that is what he gets at home.

I was not very hungry so ordered the Burrata cheese plate. The rounded cheese was fresh with a super soft center, with sour cream smoothness and texture. The plate was served with a pile of French bread. More than one could eat. There was only a trickle of the aged balsamic on the plate, certainly not enough to enjoy. It was a nod to balsamic, but not a serving. There was one very small, split, half-dried fig on the plate, and a little frisée salad came with it. I enjoyed what I had, but felt duped with the fig and balsamic.

The food was good, but it was so loud in the Cub at times that I had to actually cover my ears. Looking around, I realized that there was nothing to absorb sound; no carpet, no wall hangings, just bare wall and an open wood beam and pipe ceiling. I can well appreciate wanting to show off the foundry maple wood on the floor, which I learned was original to the previous business of a plumbing supply house, but the room did not have a comfortable conducive ambiance. We did not stick around for dessert. One reviewer called the place “classy,” but it couldn’t be further from the truth. It felt and sounded more like a college cafeteria with boisterous teenagers.