Andrew G.
Yelp
Just want to share first that this review is for the dinner service only - I know Public Provisions is open for breakfast and lunch as well, but the time I had below is based solely on a dinner I had here roughly a week ago
First and foremost when it comes to the ambiance and design of the restaurant, we're definitely at a solid 4/5. It looks modern inside without trending too deep into the world of Edisons bulbs and raw wood tables - but it's very nice, industrial, and has a lovely window wall looking out to the main market premises. When it comes to the wait staff and servers, we're at a solid 5/5 - friendly, doting servers and management that really made my friends and I feel welcome while we were there. Very caring and you could tell they wanted us to have a positive experience
When it comes to the food however, that's probably where the ball stops. If this restaurant were a *vegetarian only* restaurant, this review would easy be 5/5 stars without question. The baby leeks with pistacho romesco that my friends and I shared for an appetizer was by far the best bite of food across all of our appetizers, mains, and dessert. The leeks were soft and slow cooked likely in a ton of butter or oil, so much so that you could cut them with a knife, and the pistachio romesco was just herbacious, nutty, lemon-y, zingy, and so fresh it lit up all of our palates. While I'm sad only 3 half baby leeks grazed our appetizer plate, this is what I would order on every single future visit to this restaurant. Absolutely, incredibly delicious
When it came to our mains, we ordered the short rib with cabbage, the pork chop with the green mole sauce, and the wheat berry bowl with sausage for dinner. Unfortunately, while short rib tends to be a chewier cut of beef anyway I found it be fairly overcooked and stringier than I like a short rib/brisket cut to be. The pork chop was curious because it was seared and seasoned well, but it ate extremely dry even despite a thin wisp of pink in the middle. The wheat berry bowl with cooked sausage was fine but there was nothing fresh to bring it all together - it certainly tasted individually of all of its elements but there was no real cohesion to make a truly satisfying bite. Maybe more acid needed, maybe more freshness? It's hard to say exactly but ultimately it was just OK and nothing to write home about
The cabbage which was cut like a cabbage steak, slow cooked, grilled, and covered in and absorbing the aji panca and shallot demi-glace that came with the beef though was unbelievably outstanding. While it was only meant to be the side vegetable on a primarily beef dish, this was the star of all of our mains. In all honesty it was so delicious I almost wish the beef didn't come with it because I could've easily eaten 2 length-wise thick cuts of the cabbage!
So really to summarize, I firmly believe this restaurant should go the vegetarian route because my god they make their vegetables sing. If they went this route, I really think they could make a momentous name for themselves not only in Rochester but probably all of Western New York. Honestly had a really great experience all around, but at most I can only give 3/5 stars right now due to some of the misses on the actual proteins