Filipino cuisine now in Gates; Scratch Bakeshop opens in NOTA

It's been a mystery to Merle Snow why there's no Filipino restaurant in the greater Rochester area.

She moved from the Philippines to Rochester 20 years ago and brought with her the cooking style and recipes from her homeland. That means adobo stewed meats with a vinegar base and pancit noodles stir-fried with vegetables.

Three years ago, she opened Lil-M Sari Sari Filipino grocery store at 785 Spencerport Road in Gates. People from around the region and as far as Buffalo would travel to pick up foods from the Philippines.

Now she has expanded her food emporium with Casa Merlita at 750 Elmgrove Road in Gates. The former cafe is now a Filipino restaurant and will serve meals family style along with lunch specials.

Filipino cuisine is the last frontier here in Rochester. Many may not be familiar with it. It uses different spices than Chinese or Indian food, Snow said.

Casa Merlita is the only Filipino restaurant in the Rochester region. There was another called Manilla Grill that opened and closed in Greece fairly quickly more than a dozen years ago.

Snow is optimistic as there are now more Filipinos in the area, and more people are interested in different ethnic flavors. She is offering $9.99 lunch specials and family meals for three to four people for $45. Snow will continue to serve the coffee drinks that were popular at the cafe.

Having traveled and lived around the country, we're fans of Filipino food. It is popular in southern California and we would often dine at Filipino restaurants there. In Hawaii — where my husband was stationed for a year — Filipino cuisine is so common that there were fast-casual eateries at the mall. Some of the foods such as menudo I'm not crazy about, but you can't go wrong with the pancit noodles.

New in Henrietta

The first Blaze Pizza is coming soon to Henrietta Plaza at 1100 Jefferson Road, the same plaza as At Home. It is known for its artisanal make-your-own pizza, similar to Pi Craft Pizza, which is just down the road at 100 Marketplace Drive in the same plaza as L.A. Fitness. Meanwhile Naantastic is set to open February with its Indian tacos in the Market Square Plaza near Pi Craft. Henrietta is the destination spot for fast-casual eateries of every imagination.

Skechers Outlet is coming to Jay Scutti Plaza at 100 Hylan Drive across from Marketplace Mall. Outlet stores and fast casual are fast and growing in retail.

New space for Scratch

Scratch Bakeshop is now open at its swanky new spot in the Factory Building in the Neighborhood of the Arts at 41 Russell St. It moved out of its smaller Park Avenue locale into a larger space near Stacy K Floral.

The bakery is known for its creative cakes and French macarons. It's a boutique bakery that specializes in customized and allergen-free creations.

Molly Hartley and Kate Cassels are the owners of Scratch Bakeshop. The pair formed their partnership in 2013 while working together at a local bakery. With experience in culinary and design fields, they create baked goods that are almost too pretty to eat.

Bargain of the week

Argyle sweaters are a staple in any wardrobe and they never go out of style. And now there's a steal of a deal on those preppy sweaters at Vittorio Menswear & Tuxedo, 1900 E. Ridge Road in Irondequoit.

Acrylic sweaters from i5 Apparel are now half off. They were originally $34.95 and are on clearance at $17.48. There are four colors available and sizes from S to 2X.

Vittorio is a locally owned menswear shop and this is a great way to support local while getting a bargain.

Mary Chao is the retail and real estate reporter for the Democrat and Chronicle. Email tips to mchao@Gannett.com.