SYRACUSE EATS

Opening during a pandemic

UNDETERRED BY COVID-19, THREE NEW RESTAURANTS WELCOME DINERS By Jennifer Wing, Ashley Casey and Jason Gabak

Greens (N) Grains brings healthy options

Located at 1 West Genesee St. in Baldwinsville, Greens N Grains is focused on offering healthy food to area residents.

“There really wasn’t a healthy option nearby, so we wanted to cater to the community and offer something different,” said co-owner David Duskee.

On offer are smoothies and greens, grains and noodle bowls, and the menu gives customers the ability to build their own bowl and smoothie by choosing the items with which to build them.

Not feeling creative? No problem – they have devised creations such as the “Wake Me Up” smoothie, featuring Café Kubal coffee, bananas, rolled oats and almond butter and the “Green ‘N Chickpeas” bowl, with romaine, chickpeas, peppers, grape tomatoes, cucumbers, red onions, kalamata olives and feta. They also offer pizza made with a cauliflower crust, as well as varieties of toast, yogurt, oats and power balls.

Duskee opened the restaurant in late May with his aunt, Tammy Panebianco, who owned Dani’s Dessert and Wine Bar, and said business has been great despite having opened during the pandemic.

“In fact, business has exceeded our expectations given what’s going on,” he said. “We have daily goals and have exceeded them every single day.” The only challenge was that, at first, customers couldn’t sit inside, which has changed as restrictions have loosened.

“Our takeout has been incredible, and we have extended our hours to be open until 6 rather than 5 p.m., as people were having trouble getting here before we closed,” Duskee said.

You might say the restaurant business is in Duskee’s blood, starting with his uncle, who opened Red Door North in Pennellville. “We all worked there,” Duskee said.

His cousin owns 916 Riverside and Jake’s Grub and Grog in Brewerton, his brother and sister-in-law, Nick and Chanel, own Duskee’s Sports Bar and Grill in Phoenix and Chubby’s Sports Bar and Grill in Fulton and Duskee himself owned the now-closed Bittersweet in Downtown Syracuse.

Business has been so good that Duskee is now looking to expand in the near future, with plans to open another location. “Tammy also intends to start up a food truck in the fall,” he said.

“We have been looking at three possibilities for our second location, which, ideally, we would like to open in late spring of next year,” Duskee said. “This business has definitely been a success.”

Greens N Grains is open from 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. For more information call 315-303-0287 or visit grainbville.com.

Greens (N) Grains offers bowls, smoothies and toast along with other health-conscious choices on its menu. Pictured are Greens (N) Grains co-owners David Duskee and Tammy Panebianco.

Despite the restrictions and uncertainties faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, three local business owners bravely opened their doors and welcomed in Central New Yorkers.

Good Eats and Sips opens in Skaneateles

When Marie-Helene Gingras and her husband Don Agate opened Good Eats and Sips on June 17 they weren’t sure exactly what to expect, but quickly found that the community was excited to see what the eatery had to offer.

“It has been good, very busy,” Gingras said. “Right now we are focused on ordering online and we have already started to see familiar names and people coming back again. I think it has been a really good start and we are so happy to be here and to be part of this great community.”

Located at 18 W. Genesee St., Good Eats and Sips is described by its owners as a fast-casual dining experience that features fresh and modern cuisine.

“We believe in the power of food and incorporate tastes and textures into every delicious bite to fuel your active lifestyle. When you dine with us, it’s all good,” the couple shared in a press release announcing the opening.

Gingras and Agate have over 40 years of combined experience in the restaurant and hospitality industry. Before moving to Central New York, Gingras, a native of Canada said she discussed with Agate what their next move might be. “Being from Montreal and after living in Texas I was finishing my degree and I said I wanted our next move to be back to the northeast,” Gingras said.

Agate, who originally hails from the Cortland area, was also ready to make the move that brought the couple to Skaneateles. “He was very familiar with the area,” Gingras said. “His mom is living here and he knew the area, Cortland, Skaneateles, Syracuse, Auburn and we decided to move here.”

The idea for Good Eats and Sips evolved from hearty Canadian breakfast to bowls, and a focus on healthy options was also implemented, with a menu that includes items like the “Ana’s Noodle Bowl” that features rice noodles and shaved beef or “Emma’s Smoothie Bowl” that has acai, banana, strawberry, honey and house granola. The restaurant also offers breakfast bagel entrees, yogurt bowls, nutritious smoothies and highquality coffee among other menu items.

As all of this was happening, the concerns surrounding COVID-19 started and Gingras said the restaurant faced a few delays along the way, but in a relatively short period of time the space was revitalized and turned into Good Eats and Sips, a place Gingras said she and Agate are proud to share with the community. An accomplished chef, Agate said he is perhaps most proud to help his wife achieve her goals.

“For me, the real story is not about the awards I have won or my experience, it’s about my wife and this woman-owned business she’s created,” he said. “Together we have dreamed about opening a restaurant to offer family-friendly, diversified options, and now that it is a reality.”

Brick-N-Barrel offers American classics with a twist

“Devin, he’s been cooking since he was standing on a stool with a plastic knife cutting Velveeta cheese,” Amy Colclough said of her son, Devin Colclough.

By junior high, Devin was accompanying his parents to the CNY Regional Market to select fresh produce and combining flavors in creative ways for his family in Baldwinsville. He went on to study culinary arts and service management at Paul Smith’s College and has worked as a chef in the Lake Placid area as well as at Kasai Ramen in Syracuse.

Now, the Colclough family is continuing their culinary adventure with the Brick-N-Barrel gastropub. Brick-NBarrel features a revolving menu of classic American dishes — burgers, chicken sandwiches, macaroni and cheese — with influences from Korean, Jamaican, North African and Mexican cuisine. Craft cocktails and good adult drinks including adult milkshakes await customers to enhance their dining experience.

Just as Brick-N-Barrel was preparing to open, the corona-virus pandemic hit. Amy said the family rewrote their business plan several times before opening May 7 for takeout.

The response from Baldwinsville and beyond has been promising.

“People … tell us, ‘We try to rotate what the takeout is and it’s nice to have another option. A lot of people know Devin and they know he’s a pretty good yummy chef,’” Amy said, adding that Brick-N-Barrel has had customers from as far away as Sherrill, Oneida, Munnsville and Rome.

The Colcloughs have been sourcing items from Upstate New York: coffee from Shamballa Café in Baldwinsville, bison from Glenwood Farms in Ithaca and beef from Shults Family Farm in Canajoharie. The family has been working with local contractors to revamp the historic building on Syracuse Street as well.

“It’s important to our family to do as much business locally as possible,” Amy said.

Amy and Devin both have gluten sensitivities, so they are hoping to dedicate part of their kitchen to gluten-free operations, and the menu includes vegetarian options as well. SWM

Brick-N-Barrel is located at 7 Syracuse St. in the village of Baldwinsville. Visit brick-n-barrel.com or facebook.com/BricknBarrel315 to check out the menu.

Brick-N-Barrel’s revolving menu features American dishes like chicken sandwiches and burgers with a twist, inspired by Korean, Jamaican and other international cuisine. Shown here is the fan favorite crispy chicken sandwich, which features hot pepper jelly, bread and butter pickles, and mayonnaise with yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus and chili paste).