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Camillus, N.Y. — Indulge me for a moment as I pull back the curtain and explain my approach to writing restaurant reviews.
My visits are unannounced, and I write about what I experience in an effort to provide an unbiased account of the food, service and atmosphere of the establishment. And even if the restaurant is terrible – and there have been a few in my 10 years of writing these – I try to find at least one positive thing to say. Sometimes a restaurant has an off night, but I’ve come to learn that two visits to the same restaurant often end in the same result.
So, with all of that said, my recent visit to the Bulfinch Taphouse and Bistro in Camillus was not bad, but it wasn’t particularly good either. If you and I were talking to one another and you asked me what I thought, I would shrug, tilt my head to one side and say, “Ehhhhhh.”
Eagle‑eyed visitors to Township 5 and drivers on Route 5 may think they caught a misspelling on the restaurant’s signage. After all, the brewery’s Destiny USA home and its retail‑sale cans are adorned with the word “Bullfinch.” The business takes its name from 19th‑century author Thomas Bulfinch, and the west side taproom – formerly home to The Brasserie Bar & Bistro – corrects the spelling error made when the brewery opened in 2022.
Both locations share the same menu of starters, burgers, sandwiches and flatbreads; the beer menus fluctuate based on availability. While the piece of paper detailing my beer flight (three small pours for $12) listed the Tabletop lager, Hex Hefe Hefeweizen and Sunburst summer wheat, each beer on the serving board had the hoppy flavors of an India pale ale. After taking sips of each, I largely ignored them.
We remember enjoying the duck bacon wontons ($18) on our visit to the mall location a few years ago. Our order of five folded and fried wontons tasted like the sweet orange glaze that they swam in. The duck bacon and sweet corn stuffing was drowned out by the gloopy sauce and flavors of frying oil.
Fried pickle chips ($11) were exactly as advertised. The crunchy pickle rounds retained some of their vinegary tang after deep frying. They paired well with their sides of ranch and beer mustard.
We appreciated the breadth of the gluten‑free selections on the menu, as one of the individuals with us has Celiac disease. Nachos Grande ($19) combined round tortilla chips with pico de gallo, jalapeño, queso, chicken and shredded cheese. There was nothing crazy or out of the ordinary here. It was a basic bar snack, available in two sizes (a half-order is $11), though you could add guacamole or substitute vegan chicken for an additional charge.
Kraken’s Wrap ($18) is one of four wraps on the menu. Taking its name from the mythical sea beast, this one combines shrimp sautéed in Cajun garlic butter with tomato, bacon, lettuce and garlic aioli. Garlic was the defining flavor here, as the shrimp absorbed this from the butter it was cooked in while the aioli punctuated the other ingredients.
The Burger of Three Rings ($19) had the looks of a calling‑card burger, overflowing with toppings and distinct flavors. Bacon, cheddar and onion rings on a burger? Don’t tease me with a good time.
Unfortunately, it was just a burger with stuff. The patty didn’t taste like anything, and instead served as a platform for two salty, if unremarkable, slices of bacon and three onion rings that tasted like frying oil.
Both came with coated French fries. While crispy and salty, the choice to serve coated fries continues to be an unforgivable letdown made by restaurants.
Some restaurants knock your socks off. When the food, service, bar, ambience and vibe all work together to create a first‑rate experience, you find yourself wanting to tell everyone you know. The reverse is true as well; we’ve all had lousy dining experiences, either because of what comes from the kitchen or how the enterprise is managed. You remember the places that evoke a reaction, regardless of whether you’re at a high‑end fine dining establishment or dive bar.
This was an occasion where I walked away from dinner with nothing to say. Nothing good. Nothing bad.
The Details
The Restaurant: Bulfinch Taproom & Bistro, 200 Township Blvd., Suite 20 (in Township 5), Camillus; (516) 907-2297.
Reservations? Yes, online and by phone.
Takeout/Delivery? Yes, by phone.
Credit cards? Yes with no surcharge.
Noise level: Manageable.
Access to the disabled: Entry is at street level, the aisles are wide and the restrooms are spacious.
Parking: A large shared parking lot.
Outdoor dining: Yes.
Special diets? The menu accommodates vegetarians, and dairy- and gluten-free diners.
Children’s menu? Not that we noticed.
Hours: Monday-Thursday, Noon to 9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, noon to 10 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 7 p.m.
Cost: Dinner for three with starters, entrees, alcoholic beverages, tax and 20% gratuity was $143.36.