Roybidoux's

Some months ago, a reader informed me of a new place, Roybidoux's, on Long Pond Road. This site was formerly occupied by Alloco's, which I reviewed in February 2015. Looks to me like Alloco's might've gone out of business sometime in 2016.
I often check out new places by stopping in for a lunchtime slice, but Roybidoux's doesn't open until 4:30, so I had to wait for a convenient occasion to bring home a pie.
I got a large, with sweet (green) peppers and onions on half, beef pepperoni and sausage on the other half.
First check, the crust. Medium thick, screen marks underneath, medium brown, firm but not crisp. Some separation of the cornicione from the rest of the crust.
Toppings were fairly ample. The pepperoni was nicely crisp. The crumbly sausage was a bit dried out. I'd prefer bigger chunks of sausage. The veggies were fresh but softened, just the way I like them.
The cheese was well melted and creamy. Bonus points there. The tomato sauce was noticeable, but basic, with a good sweet/salty balance.
But back to the crust. On biting into the pizza, I found that the crust had a very fresh, bready aroma. My daughter, on the other hand, thought it seemed "raw."
I can assure you, it was not raw. I think where she's coming from is, she likes the toasty aroma and flavor of lightly charred pizza crust. As do I, but I also enjoy pizzas that smell and taste like fresh-out-of-the-oven bread. This was closer to that.
You can find out more about Roybidoux's on their website, so I won't go on at length, but they offer over 20 toppings, and 14 specialty pizzas. Of note, they do a 14-inch, 8-piece pan pizza, which I would like to try.
Beyond pizza, there are wings (11 sauces), pasta, hot subs, "huge" calzones, plates, burgers, fried seafood ... well, check out their menu. There is ample seating inside, they deliver, and you can order online.
Sorry, for all you ratings lovers, but I'm not giving this a grade. If anything, this makes me realize once again the limitations of simple ratings, alphabetic, numerical or otherwise. But I'll recap. Crust was medium thick and bready, though the underside was underwhelming. Toppings were generally good, but the sausage could've been better. Cheese was well melted. Bottom line, I would go back.

Roybidoux's,
1742 Long Pond Rd., Rochester, NY 14606

Tuesday - Thursday 4:30 PM - Midnight
Friday & Saturday 4.30 PM - 1:00 AM
Sunday 4:00 PM - Midnight
Monday closed

Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer

Not all that long ago, Brooklyn, NY was thought of as a place where working-class stiffs spoke barely recognizable English. As in "toid" for "third."
And as a kid, I grew up hating ginger ale, because my mom always made me drink it when I was sick. After she'd stirred it enough to make it go flat. And it was always the same brand, ostensibly from the country to our north.
How things have changed. For some years now, Brooklyn has been more hip than Manhattan. It may soon be taken over in that department by Queens or even the Bronx. 
And ginger is hot, literally and figuratively.
So why not combine the two? That's what they've done at Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer, which makes genuine ginger beer in good old Brooklyn USA.
I recently received a review sample of four varieties of Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer: Traditional, Mango, Earl Grey and Lemon & Lime.
In transit, some bottles seemed to have leaked a bit, so my hands got a little sticky, but it was worth it. Each of these had a unique flavor that let the natural ginger flavor come through. I like the spicy kick of ginger, so unsurprisingly, my favorite was the Traditional. My wife is a tea drinker and loved the Earl Grey. The Mango was more fruity but not cloying, and the Lemon & Lime was like a gingery version of a well-known colorless soda pop, but more gingery than sweet.
In general, I avoid food trends, but I really do like the flavor of ginger. And these have it. I'd like to see them do a ramped-up version that packs some serious gingery heat.
All of these are made with the genuine article, and you will likely see some sediment in the bottle. I gently turned mine upside down before opening, just to evenly distribute the flavor. These are all non-alcoholic products, and are enjoyable as such, but I'm guessing they would make for good mixers if you so choose.
At the moment, it doesn't appear that this product is available at retailers in the Rochester, NY area. Visit their website for more information and updates. But if you can get your hands on some, and would like a soft drink that's a little more interesting than your typical sugary stuff, I don't think you'll be disappointed with Brooklyn Crafted Ginger Beer.