Photo courtesy of Dano's Heuriger

By Jason Feulner, Finger Lakes Correspondent

Lenn has always intended that this blog emphasize wine and food, although there is so much wine news to talk about that sometimes we forget to mention food as often as we should. Admittedly I am not a foodie, and I know that I nearly always forget to write up my dining experiences in relating information about the Finger Lakes.

This article by Don Cazentre from the Syracuse Post-Standard does a wonderful job highlighting some new eateries as well as summarizing those culinary staples that already exist. I would recommend this article to readers who are thinking of visiting the Finger Lakes or who, like me, tend to fly a bit blind when it comes to planning meal stops between winery visits.

Last Monday evening my wife, daughter and I visited Dano's Heuriger on Seneca Lake, a five-year-old Austrian restaurant with unique architecture, an exciting menu and amazing food. Chef and owner Dano Hutnik came out to visit our table several times, greeting our 16-month-old daughter Elizabeth playfully as she worked up the courage to shake his hand and say "Hi!"

Elizabeth was especially fond of the tomato cream soup and I agreed with her wholeheartedly. I cannot even begin to describe the balance of cream and tomato, heightened with spices that begged for more spoon fulls. We could have made a meal just out of the soup.

I ordered the wiener schnitzel, which came very plain but crispy and tasty. My wife Kathleen ordered roast chicken with spatzle. The chicken was fall-of-the-bone good, perfectly roasted with what seemed like a hint of sage and thyme. The spatzle was chewy with a welcoming texture which we ate up with gusto.

I find German/Austrian food to be somewhat straightforward, and that's usually a good thing. This meal was by all measures a solid foray into simple but hearty cooking.

Unfortunately, we pulled into this restaurant a bit fatigued and tired from taking photos at wineries all day, so I have no images to provide from our dining experience (sorry Lenn!). Instead, do yourself a favor and go to Dano's to feast your own eyes. It's a must-see, a must-eat, and the people there are great.