Jared Paventi

North Syracuse, N.Y. — We must have looked out of place walking into Brick House Billiards on a Saturday night without pool cue bags slung over our shoulders. The North Syracuse pool hall was half full of single players and couples shooting pool, while we plopped ourselves down in a booth with absolutely zero plans of embarrassing ourselves by not lining up our shots correctly or me pulling my patented “firing the cue ball off the table” routine.

Dinner at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Chicken Riggies at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Dinner at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. The house cheeseburger at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Dinner at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Bank Shot Shrimp topped with sweet chili sauce at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Dinner at Brick House Billiards, N. Syracuse, N.Y. Cocktails at Brick House Billiards, including the Miscue Mule and an Orange Crush.

Syracuse, N.Y. — My wife will likely yell at me for sharing this, but during our recent visit to Isla Caribbean Cuisine in Downtown Syracuse, she really, REALLY liked the salted cod starter. “I want to lick the plate,” she said. “I’m going to try not to but…” The bacalaitos con salsa criolla ($13) were served with a Creole-style tomato-garlic sauce. It was very savory with a hint of sweetness that kept us both going back for extra swipes of our cod fritter, fork and fingers, but not our tongues.