Most students only leave campus for the occasional Wal-Mart trip or to hit State Street, but they’re probably missing out on one of the Binghamton’s key selling points: its diverse restaurant selection. Binghamton is known for being an area with lots of refugee settlements, and it shows in the variety of eateries around town. Take a break from Sodexo and the chain restaurants and check out some of these local, diverse food haunts.
Lemongrass Kitchen & Lounge
1550 Vestal Parkway East
Vestal, NY 13850
Lemongrass is the first fusion restaurant in the greater Binghamton area. Combining tastes from Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, India, Vietnam and Korea, the restaurant prizes its organic ingredients and strives to keep the menu authentic, healthy and palatable.
With choices such as pineapple fried rice with Malaysian curry and naan — a round, flat, leavened bread — the contemporary restaurant offers 20 entr√É.√©es that suggest a strong mix of elements from different cuisines, the ingredients ranging from saut√É.√©ed chicken to “drizzle of vibrant sauces.”
The dimly lit restaurant seems compatible with people searching for food from varying cultures. The pristine, yet relaxed atmosphere is a fit for both a business lunch and a dinner date, although whole Binghamton University classes have visited the restaurant before. The restaurant also has various choices of wine and other alcoholic beverages.
The eatery is busy during regular lunch and dinner hours, but anyone wishing to make a reservation can do so online or by phone.
The florid restaurant, however, has a price for its colorful food and trendy atmosphere. EntrÃ.ées range from $15 to $20, appetizers average $5 and desserts are $7 to $8.
—Irene Rekhviashvili
Kampai Japanese Steakhouse
108 North Jensen Road
Vestal, NY 13850
Picture yourself amidst hardwood oak, mahogany and redwood timber. The exotic, yet comforting sound of a shamisen (a stringed Japanese instrument) plays quietly in the background. Hot sake is available to chase the winter blues. You may be in a small, peaceful village in rural Japan, or you may also be in Vestal’s own Japanese steakhouse and sushi bar, Kampai.
This restaurant, located on the corner of Jensen Road and Route 434 just about a mile west of Binghamton University’s campus, has something to offer everyone. The economical students on shoestring budgets can find relatively inexpensive noodle dishes to satisfy their hunger, and the city-slickers with corporate cards have numerous options with which to impress their agents.
Started by Richard Matsushima as a hibachi restaurant in 1975, Kampai has expanded several times over the years to meet customer demands. The sushi bar was added in 1985, and a fresh supply of high quality seafood has been coming from New York City ever since. An additional kitchen was added in 1995 that focuses on more traditional dishes and caters to the quieter, classier dining room area.
Matsushima, from the city of Kobe, Japan, has spent 39 years in the United States. As founder and owner of Kampai, he acknowledges the difficulties of running a private business.
“It took time to get to where we are,” he said.
Yet it is easy for him to define his success: “We see families who keep coming back. When people come and spend money, we want them to be happy.”
With the dozens of menu items ranging from tantalizing appetizers to delicious sushi and live-action hibachi, it is not hard to see how he keeps the customers happy. There is even a full bar stocked with domestic and imported beers, authentic sake and myriad mixed drinks for the cocktail fans.
The casual vegetarians, considering fish an edible animal product, will also find an abundance of food choices. With all the varieties of sushi at one’s fingertips, this place is a pescetarian’s delight.
With everything Kampai has to offer, it is clear that no list of the Binghamton-area restaurants would be complete without its inclusion.
—Jarrod Williams
Whole In The Wall
43 South Washington St.
Binghamton, NY 13903
The Binghamton area has no shortage of American cuisine, from chain restaurants to smaller cafes, but Whole in the Wall is a beacon of light amidst the corporate bar-and-grills. The extensive menu will suit your taste buds’ desire for American fare and more, without clogging your arteries.
Eliot Fiks, senior partner of Whole in the Wall and a former BU student, opened up the restaurant on Dec. 6, 1980. The idea for the restaurant stemmed from the University’s own Food Co-op.
“I was interested in nutrition and social change,” Fiks said.
He used to make 200 bagels everyday in his apartment and sell them at the Food Co-op, and 29 years later, you can still purchase these 100 percent whole wheat bagels — made fresh daily — at Whole in the Wall.
Of course, this fine eatery offers more than just bagels. The menu is accommodating to all types of eaters. Vegetarian? There are variety of options like the stir-fry veggies with tofu or tempeh and homemade, hand-rolled falafel. Have a gluten allergy? Try the gluten-free cream of mushroom soup. While about 75 percent of the menu is vegetarian you can still choose from a number of beef, poultry and fish dishes. If you’re craving a fat, juicy cheeseburger, the Whole in the Wall offers all-natural, locally raised beef.
However, if you really want the real Whole in the Wall experience, you need to try their most popular item, the acclaimed “Best pesto in the Universe.” Whether you’re ordering a plate of pasta or taking home a container to go, you can choose from seven flavors, including fresh basil, sun dried tomato and dairy-free. The pesto is produced from scratch every Sunday.
“A lot of restaurants manufacture pesto products bearing their name, but don’t really make them,” Fiks said. “We really make it ourselves. We taste-test every batch.”
The pesto is distributed to 120 stores in 29 states and you can also order it online at wholeinthewall.com.
The food is not the only thing that will make your Whole in the Wall visit awesome. The friendly, cozy atmosphere is perfect for a quiet cup of coffee, an outing with friends or a date with that special someone.
“It’s a great date place,” said Fiks pointing out the antique seltzer bottles filled with lights that create a romantic, yet hip ambiance. “It’s intimate but not hoity-toity.”
Local residents, students and professors tend to frequent the restaurant; however you may even be lucky enough to spot a celebrity. A number of greats, including Bob Dylan, R.E.M., Stevie Wonder and Busta Rhymes, have all enjoyed a scrumptious Whole in the Wall meal.
Whole in the Wall is open Tuesday through Saturday, 11:30 to 9 p.m.
—Courtney Kates
Man Nam Korean Restaurant
4010 Vestal Parkway East
Vestal, NY 13850
Man Nam is a Korean restaurant located right next to the Kentucky Fried Chicken on Vestal Parkway.
Its exterior may look a little iffy, but inside it’s cozy, pleasant and hyper-Asian. Lotus-shaped lighting fixtures hang from the ceiling above every table and popular Asian icons are blazoned across the walls.
Myong Sun Kim and her husband In Son Kim came to America from Seoul, Korea in 2001, and opened up Man Nam in 2004 in University Plaza. They moved to Vestal Parkway in 2007 to be closer to students, who make up about half of their clientele. Myong Sun Kim said that many customers are repeats because the food is both “delicious and healthy.”
She said that before every meal, customers are given four side dishes free of charge. Prices on average are about $12 for a generously portioned meal. Myong Sun Kim said because of the size of the meals and the atmosphere, the restaurant is popular for couples. Though most Korean food involves a good deal of meat, Man Nam does have its vegetarian option: bi bim bap, a spicy rice dish loaded with vegetables. If you like spicy Asian food in a sit-down setting, Man Nam is it.
—Kate Lenhardt
Moghul Fine Indian Cuisine & Tapas Bar
4700 Vestal Parkway East
Vestal, NY 13850
Located in University Plaza, Moghul Fine Indian Cuisine & Tapas Bar offers a spark of high-class dining to a generally fast-food-dominated area. Marking its two-year anniversary this February, the restaurant receives its fair share of student and faculty diners alike. It’s not hard to imagine why when you survey the spacious and highly ornamented dining room. Basked in earthy shades of blue and salmon, the carefully carved wooden chairs and moldings provide the perfect setting for a special dinner or a date.
The restaurant also offers a “tapas” bar. Traditionally rooted in Spain, tapas are small meals or appetizers. Moghul’s fusion tapas menu strides away from Indian cuisine and offers everything from salted almonds to a fusion of Mediterranean and Asian flavors in sizzling chili shrimp. They also offer a daily happy hour, which runs from 5 to 7 p.m.
Moghul’s manager, Tony Taddio, said the atmosphere helps make the restaurant stand out.
“All of the food is made fresh, nothing is prepackaged,” he said. “Each meal is made to order, you can add or remove ingredients, get it spicy or mild.”
One of their most popular dishes is chicken tikka masala, $16. Roasted chicken is sautÃ.éed in a creamy sauce of tomato, onion and yoghurt. Other popular entrees include selections from the tandoori oven. Heated to almost 500 degrees Fahrenheit, the tandoor is a cylindrically shaped clay oven that slowly roasts meats and breads to perfection. Tandoori entrees range from $15 to $21 based on your choice of meat, poultry or seafood. They are served with a Moghul house salad and your choice of rice, coconut rice, curried potatoes, mashed potatoes or steamed vegetables.
Vegetarians should fear not, meat-free entrees are plentiful at Moghul as well. Palak paneer, $11, is a creamy spinach dish studded with chunks of paneer, the mild milk-cheese similar to mozzarella in texture. Mixed vegetable korma, $12, is a plentiful assortment of vegetables sautÃ.éed with cashews and raisins in a delicate almond sauce.
A major highlight of any Indian meal is the vast assortment of pliable flat breads. Naan, $3, is the most common and is prepared in the Tandoor oven. For an average of a dollar more, the variations include garlic, a fruit and nut topping and aromatic stuffings that include seasoned chicken, sautÃ.éed onions and melted organic cheese. Roti, $3, is a healthier option made using whole-wheat flour. Paratha, $4, is a denser whole wheat bread that includes stuffing such as spiced potatoes and grated cauliflower. For true decadence, poori is a rich and puffy fried flat bread that adds to any scooping/sopping experience.
Moghul may lie on the pricier end of Binghamton dining, though it provides a high-quality taste of India and the perfect atmosphere for a date.
—Stefanie Blejec
Los Tapatios
1101 Bunn Hill Road
Vestal, NY 13850
√É.√°Hola de Mexico! Well, maybe not from the country, but if you’re searching for some authentic Mexican cuisine, then Los Tapatios might just be the closest thing you’ve got.
Located right off Binghamton University’s campus, near Mando Books, Los Tapatios brings some hot and spicy flavors to the cold, dismal days that plague us Bearcats regularly. Owned and operated by the Lopez family, this small establishment is warm and welcoming, offering its customers a small sample of life outside the Southern Tier.
There is a wide array of combinations, platters and dishes on the menu, as well as vegetarian options. As a helpful bonus, for those who aren’t familiar with Mexican cuisine, the back page is devoted to explaining the difference between a chimichanga, an enchilada and a taco. However, waiters and customers alike specify that their fajitas are the best in the business and the steak ranchero offers a true taste of traditional Mexican food.
A majority of the dishes range in price from $7 to $12 so it won’t put a hole — at least a large one — in your wallet. Expect a night of casual dining surrounded by an accommodating waitstaff, fellow students and other Binghamton-area residents. Los Tapatios creates a pleasant and fun atmosphere to enjoy the company of a large group of friends, or even just a first date.
—Diana Glogau
Number 5 Restaurant
33 South Washington St.
Binghamton, NY 13903
If you’re looking for that special place to treat that special someone, then look no further. Number 5 Restaurant is the ideal setting for a romantic dinner. With a warm and rich environment, indulgent food and live entertainment, Number 5 Restaurant has all the ingredients needed for a romantic night out.
The history of Number 5, which takes its name from the Fire Station Number 5 building which now houses the restaurant, began in 1897. For over 75 years, it was home to Engine Company Number 5 where they would serve the South Side of Binghamton. In the late 1970s, the building became surplus property so it was auctioned off, and in 1978 Jim McCoy bought the building and turned it from a former-firehouse to a restaurant.
As for the food, some of the items in the menu are based on French cuisine, Kevin Shoemaker, a former prep chef said: “It’s traditional high-end food.”
There’s a variety of things to choose from, including fettuccini alfredo, original “Greek” tenderloin, stuffed lobster tail, filet mignon and garlic shellfish. The vegetarian section of the menu also offers grilled vegetable strudel and fettuccini primavera.
“Most of the seafood dishes and the baked French onion soup are popular dishes that customers tend to choose,” Shoemaker said. “Also, every Valentine’s Day, they have a special dessert served only on Valentine’s Day. It’s pretty special, but I don’t want to ruin it.”
—Louie Ip