I’ve said this plenty of times in the past: I consider myself a restaurant promoter. That takes a lot of pressure off, because when I go out to make a video at a restaurant, winery, or any food or drink establishment, I really just have to make one simple determination: Do I like the food? Does what I’m eating taste good?
Once that’s been determined, I can begin to think through more nuanced ideas: what’s in the food, and what should I be expecting? I’m already limiting myself by not being a food critic or reviewer, but I still want to speak properly and authoritatively about the food I’m eating. I don’t want to simply take a bite and say “wow,” like I so often do. As I get older and think more realistically about my role in the restaurant and food space here in New York, I find myself leaning toward talking about food with more nuance and detail.
I say all of that to say, when I know where I’m going and what I’ll be eating in advance, I spend some time looking into the space, the menu, and the food. If I’m doing things as best I can, I’m researching the culture, the flavors, and the spices. I’m getting myself trained up on what I’m going to eat and taste, so I can talk more authentically and authoritatively as I take a bite.
Then there are places I go into completely blind. I haven’t had time to research the restaurant. I saw them on Instagram one day and put them on my list, or someone recommended them to me. When I’m in the area, I stop in. I don’t spend a whole heck of a lot of time researching them before I show up. These trips can be more fun when I’m surprised by the food. I go in with one idea of what they’ll serve and hope to be pleasantly surprised by what I find.
That’s the case at Bully Hill Vineyards in Hammondsport, New York.
This is a winery in the Finger Lakes, and I made some wild assumptions without ever looking at their website, their menu, or their social media. If I had to guess, a Finger Lakes winery would serve some form of elevated finger foods: cheese plates, charcuterie boards, local breads, some salads and sandwiches. I’m not expecting a white tablecloth by any stretch of the imagination, but I am expecting something a little nicer than usual, especially when walking up to such an elaborate and beautiful property.
So you can imagine my surprise when the staff told me they’re actually known for their barbecue. That’s not something I expected to find. I was a little surprised again to see Korean items on the menu, like the Korean fried chicken sandwich and the kimchi. Then I found out the family has a connection to Korea: one of the family members is Korean.
I’m happy to say this was a pleasant surprise.
The Korean fried chicken sandwich was delicious. They use a pressure fryer, which turns out a far juicier, crunchier piece of chicken. The breading sticks perfectly, has a great crunch, and locks in all the juiciness of the chicken breast. The sauces were a wonderful accompaniment to the salty, crunchy chicken: a small amount of heat with a good amount of creaminess. The house-made pickles added a cool snap and the brightness of vinegar to each bite.
As a side, I went with the garlic Parmesan salt potatoes. As someone from Syracuse, New York, I’m thrilled when I find salt potatoes on a menu. Add Parmesan, garlic, and butter? Yeah, I’m happy.
Good wines, great views, and a property that sprawls out and makes you feel like you’re at a wine-based theme park, sort of. Maybe that’s a bad way of putting it, but you don’t see many wineries laid out with multiple buildings and plenty of things to do like you do at Bully Hill.
The visit was fun, delicious, and full of pleasant surprises.
📍8843 Greyton H. Taylor Mem. Dr.
Hammondsport, NY
