Pixley's Restaurant

Off to see Jurassic Park 3D in IMAX, which meant another search for a restaurant along Buffalo Road.  This time we tried Pixley's Restaurant.  Like a lot of what one sees on this stretch, it seems to have been there forever--an old school diner from the pre-Denny's era.  (It doesn't even have a website!)  Inside, it's spiffier, with a handpainted Hollywood in the 30s mural (why? who cares?), scarved overheads, and supercomfy booths next to huge windows.  Add in the fact that every server is supernice, and Pixley's starts ahead of the game on many fronts.

I'm happy to say the food is good in an old school diner way.  The menu is huge and supplemented with a long list of nightly specials.  I got there with the kids.  My husband was held up at work, so I initially planned just to order him a sandwich to go that he could sneak into the theatre.

So, we set in.  My son ordered the Cheeseburger and Fries off the kids menu.  My pasta queen ordered the Fettucine Alfredo with Grilled Chicken and Broccoli.  I got a bowl of the soup du jour, Lemon Chicken, and a bowl of Greens and Beans off the appetizer menu.

He loved the classic diner-style cheeseburger and the light, crispy, salty fries on the side.  It came with pickle slices, tomato, onions, and a cute decorative slice of orange.

She went nuts for the massive plate of pasta.  The Alfredo sauce was mild, which she likes, and the fettucine was a great pairing with the well-seasoned grilled chicken strips that combined a golden, garlicky, crispy exterior with a moist interior.  She was not a fan of the broccoli, though.  The entree was probably big enough for two, but it still came with two sides.  She declined both, even after told she could get a cup of soup and prompted to do so by her mother.  Which was a mistake because ...

My Lemon Chicken soup was delicious!  The creamy broth had a natural and not overpowering lemon taste with good chunks of chicken, peas, and carrots plus a nice portion of white rice.  Once she tried my soup, my daughter regretted her decision :)  I had never, ever had Greens and Beans before moving to Rochester--which is some kind of culinary crime.  Pixley's seemed to include a full can of cannelini beans!  The accompanying escarole still had a great firmness but had stewed long enough in the rich, garlic-heavy broth to pick up the full flavor.  So good!

While we were eating, my MIA husband texted, so we ordered him something off the specials menu: Chicken Carmelo (after Anthony? ah 'Cuse).  Two chicken breasts sauteed in a garlicky, creamy wine mushroom and bacon sauce and topped with mozzarella cheese--served with a side of rice pilaf and a salad.  How good is the service?  I asked them to serve it in to-go boxes just in case he didn't make it--and they did it without blinking!  But, all was well.  He made it, ate half of his, some of hers, and a bite of the boy's burger to boot.

Pixley's is from another time is all the right ways: generous homestyle diner cooking served by generous spirits.  As we finished our dinner and ran off to the movies, the place was filling with intergenerational families--grandparents with walkers, kids bouncing in booths, young people grabbing a quick bite.  Perfect!