Tavern58 at Gibbs

58 University Avenue
Rochester, NY 14605
585-546-5800
www.tavern58.com

The East End neighborhood of Rochester, NY has long been the city’s cultural hub.  It’s anchored by the Eastman Theater, named for George Eastman of Kodak fame.  While the area is home to various art galleries, theaters and music venues, it is becoming better known for its emerging and vibrant dining scene. Tavern58 at Gibbs has been a star performer since opening in September, 2008.

Chef Mike Schnupp, a 1991 CIA graduate, designed the menu which emphasizes steak, seafood and affordable, fine and adventuresome dining. The signature feature is a rotating selection of “tavern plates” which is comfort food with a twist. They appeal to those who are returning downtown to work, live and play. It’s fitting that a restaurant in the arts district be known for its creativity.

“We put a little twist on things.  I am not afraid to try different dishes….we always have the comfort food for the customers who crave it, but the more exotic creations are for the gourmets who want to explore,” Schnupp says. While he has served everything from kangaroo and boar to bison, Harbor Banks® seafood has had a starring role on the menu since opening night.

Schnupp explains that Harbor Banks products were spec’d because they are readily available, consistent and high-quality.  “I have never had a problem with the quality. We are sticklers for our costs and we try to minimize waste. I want the same exact cut every time and I want very little waste, because when you have waste it’s much harder to control food costs. It also helps with inventory control.”

Schnupp features a variety of items from Blackened Mahi over dirty rice and sautéed spinach with mango jalapeno salsa; Grilled Sea Scallops over spaghetti squash ravioli drizzled with apricot brandy butter sauce and Chilean Sea Bass over charred vegetables and baby lettuces, drizzled with dried cherry vinaigrette.

Schnupp adds, “Both the mahi and sea bass are great sellers, since both are light, flaky fishes that take on flavor well.  Neither one is a “fishy tasting fish”.  People can relate to that.”

For a recent beer pairings dinner, a second course of grilled jumbo shrimp and baby spring greens with citrus vinaigrette was served with a microbrew called Magic Hat.  What made this course so delectable?  “Beer goes good with everything,” says Schnupp with a laugh.  “So does shrimp - it takes on the flavor of anything you pair it with. The citrus dressing on the shrimp was made with oranges and clementines, so the flavors complemented the orange peel in the beer.”

Tavern58 draws a lot of business from the nearby theaters, so people come in for either a pre-show dinner or post-performance drinks.  Schnupp and his partners, Nicholas and Ryan Dwyer are self-described “three local guys in this town that are out there doing it.”

Schnupp says, “We opened our restaurant in the recession, although of course we didn’t know it at the time. We’ve only been open two years and it is going great.”  In spite of that timing, careful operations management both front-and-back house has helped the partners survive – and grow – in challenging times. And U.S. Foodservice played an important supporting role.

“I have been a chef in this town for the last 20 years. When we opened, U.S. Foodservice was a huge help. I recently took a U.S. Foodservice marketing session at a food show in Buffalo that helped me tremendously…. ‘How to get the most profits out of your menu’ - it really did help me a lot.”

Schnupp says he also made some FOH changes to the menu, rearranging some of the listings on the menu so the higher margin items appeared in a more visible spot where diners were more likely to see them first and order them.

Because Schnupp and the Dwyers have been willing to make these changes, the restaurant has been able to adjust to the economy accordingly and is well-positioned to stay in the spotlight.