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J.J. and Henry's one of Rochester's hidden treasures. It is
located on the second floor of the Bausch & Lomb building downtown Rochester, NY. If you didn't hear about it from
someone you would never know it existed. There is no external
signage. To go to the restaurant you have to enter the lobby of the
Bausch & Lomb building and take the stairs or an elevator to the second
floor. In either case you will arrive on the mezzanine of the Bausch
& Lomb lobby. Go to your right and you will see the entrance to the
restaurant as the second door on your right.
High quality low priced lunches is what JJ & Henry's is known for and
their reputation is warranted. Disregard what I am about to tell
you. JJ & Henry's is a cafeteria. If your mind conjures up
awful memories of corporate cafeterias and dissuades you from visiting JJ
& Henry's you will be doing yourself a disservice. JJ & Henry's is
more like a gourmet food court than a cafeteria. Nearly everything
about it is upscale, except the prices.
Entering JJ & Henry's you will find the dessert counter on your
immediate left. There you will find daily specials that are matched
to the seasons. On one visit you might find a hot apple dessert with
whipped cream topping amongst the more standard fare. On another
visit you might find a peach cobbler or some wonderfully warm gooey
chocolate extravaganza. On your right you will find the trays and an
island of gourmet goodies for making a gourmet salad. The
ingredients vary from day to day, so don't expect to find exactly what I
describe here on your visit. You might find oven roasted red pepper
halves, oven roasted garlic, marinated mushrooms, and other wonderful
salad fixings. You might find a pizza with unusual toppings and
Italian bread slices topped with chopped tomatoes and cheese.
In the center of the room you will find one of the best salad bars in
Rochester. What is available varies with the seasons. There
are nearly always two kinds of lettuce at the bar. Sometimes there a
field greens available. All of the usual better salad bar
ingredients are plentiful. What makes JJ & Henry's stand out is the
quality of the ingredients. Their cherry tomatoes are nearly always
ripe. Their sprouts are nearly always fresh looking and tasting.
Their mushrooms are still white when they are served. Their choice
of dressings is extensive and includes low fat and non-fat verities.
Salads are sold by the ounce. The cashier will weigh your salad at
the cash register.
Further into JJ & Henry's on the left is their hot food counter which
is better than most cafeterias. Still further into JJ & Henry's is
the hot and cold sandwich counters and the daily hot special counter.
JJ & Henry's cold sandwiches are good, but not delicatessen quality.
Their hot sandwiches such as hamburgers are also good, but not hamburger
joint quality. The daily special counter often has wonderfully
exotic dishes prepared to order. If you are facing the sandwich
counter, there is a soup counter behind you. To the right of the
sandwich counter is the drink counter with the usual serve your self
fountain drinks. Other drinks are available from the cooler directly
across the room.
To the right of the fountain drinks is another dessert counter.
They have, in the past, served a good frozen yogurt at this counter.
The cashiers are still further to the right.
Once you pay your bill you walk into the dining area. JJ &
Henry's dining area is divided into three areas. The first is the
mezzanine adjoining the glass atrium of the Bausch & Lomb building.
This is a spectacular setting where the sky and the park across the street
are seen through the glass. The second area is an outside patio
along the west side of the glass atrium. The third area is around
the mezzanine of the Bausch & Lomb lobby. Art works are often
displayed in a small gallery just off the mezzanine.
After lunch, walk downstairs to the glass atrium. There is a
section of the infamous Berlin Wall displayed along the wall.
My personal preference at JJ & Henry's is the salad bar. I like
the variety, quality and the price. I like inviting business guests
to JJ & Henry's because everyone can find something they will enjoy.
I enjoy the ambience of the glass atrium. I also believe I am
getting good value for my lunch money at JJ & Henry's.
