CLUB SCENE:
ROOTERVILLE

7 North Hamilton St.
(Corner of Rt. 31 & Hamilton St.)
Jordan, NY
689-7924 or 689-7923

See Map

by Maryann McKinley

Good food. It’s promised by everyone, and once in a while, you find a place that delivers. In Central New York, that place is Rooterville. Owner and chef Mike Laschak, of Valley Diner fame, and partner Jim Froio, of Rooter’s, have teamed up to open a friendly, fun place for great food and great times.

Mike and Jim are serious about their food, with a menu that amazes. Start with breakfast – the simplest eggs with hash browns, or steak, or haddock, perch, whiting, catfish, salmon, crawfish – this is the finest country cooking anywhere. If you’re more inclined to pancakes, you’ve hit the jackpot – these cakes are made from scratch, light and fluffy as a dream. There’s also perfect French toast, huge Belgian waffles, giant fretta, luscious omelettes, and all day favorites chicken fried steak and philly steak. And that’s just the beginning.

Moving into lunch and dinner, you can get anything from an all-American burger (made like nowhere else) to delicious grilled reubens, specialty grilled chicken sandwiches, a 15 inch long philly cheese steak made from hand-sliced prime rib, to amazing meatball or barbeque pork hoagies. Then the menu gets serious. Dinner boasts juicy prime rib Friday through Sunday, an enormous chicken parmesan feast better than Mom can make, unbeatable chicken and biscuits, mouth-watering seafood alfredo, bourbon shrimp and scallops, barbeque ribs……the list of homemade, mouth-watering dishes just keeps going. Mike keeps the smoker going in the back, using his secret recipe to serve up the most delectable ribs this side of Memphis. Accompanied, of course, by his signature barbeque sauce. You can’t get enough!

The hallmark of Mike’s bill of fare is the incredible fish and seafood. You can put your fishing pole away and just drop in on Thursday for all-you-can-eat bullhead, flown in fresh from Canada, or come by Friday for a selection of haddock, perch, pike, catfish, smelt, or bullhead. You’d have to drive to Montana to find this kind of fantastic feast. Follow that with deep fried oysters, red snapper, scrumptious scallops, Cajun style crawfish, tequila lime prawns, and out-of-the-ordinary alligator medallions, and you have a memorable meal that will have you heading back again and again.

Just when you thought you couldn’t fit another bite, the dessert list beckons. There’s puddings, pies, carrot cake, chocolate peanut butter pie, oreo sundae, a smash-in apple pie extravaganza, thick, rich milkshakes, or just a cup of perfect coffee of cappuccino to end the meal. It’s a down-home atmosphere, but with a menu worthy of four stars. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to get a great restaurant up and running, and Mike and Jim send out a big thanks to Donovan Luska, Mike Gerharz and Larry Stirpe for their help. Friends indeed!

Rooterville’s food is fabulous, but there’s a straight-out fun side to this joint. Wander on over to the Tavern, where you can order beer, wine or your favorite cocktail on the outside patio, or stay inside and play a little pool or enjoy a game of darts in the comfortable bar. But hey, it’s summer! So head outdoors, where Mike and Jim host great parties popular with car enthusiasts, families, and just about everybody. Park yourself out on the expansive lawn and wander through the classic cars, listen to excellent music, and have a picnic at the outside cookout bar.

From May to September, Thursday has karaoke on the outside stage with Toby Tune hosting from 6 – 9 pm, then moving inside to carry on the fun for the rest of the evening. Friday is "Cruising with the Oldies" night, with a DJ from 5 – 9 pm. Saturday is the Classic Car Show, with the DJ again spinning your favorite tunes from 5 – 9 pm. Sunday, join the Cruise, Blues and Bar-B-Que from 2 – 6 pm, with open mic blues sessions, and a new host band every two weeks. There’s a horseshoe pit coming, a huge lawn to spread out on, and lots of room to dance and enjoy the summer evenings.

The Weekend Cruises happen every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and at the end of the season, regular cruisers who signed in 16 out of 20 weeks are invited to a free appreciation barbeque bash to celebrate another great season of great music, great cars, and great fun. Rooterville also has catered banquet facilities that can accommodate up to 150, with a menu specially suited to your event. Plan your wedding celebration, birthday, company picnic, or think ahead to the Super Bowl – your event will be a smash hit that your friends will talk about for years!

Rooterville is located conveniently off Route 31 in Jordan, just a quick drive from Baldwinsville or Auburn, so it’s a great afternoon ride destination, or a handy (and delicious!) stop when you’re out for a cruise. It sits right next to the Erie Canalway Trail, popular for a sunny Sunday hike. The official address is 7 North Hamilton Street in Jordan (behind the fire department), or get there from the Route 31 entrance just by the village edge. The restaurant kitchen is open from Tuesday through Friday 11 am to 10 pm, Saturday from 8 am to 10 pm, and Sunday from 8 am – 8 pm. Rooterville’s tavern welcomes you during the week starting at 4 pm, and on the weekends from 2 pm til closing time. Drop in for a delicious meal and the best socializing for miles around! Call 689-7924 for info on entertainment and specials. Enjoy!

Questions? Comments? Send your email to: mcmar01@yahoo.com.