When you don't feel like dining in or waiting up to half an hour for delivery, carside-to-go service (sometimes called curbside pick-up, express pick-up, or myriad other names) lets you pick up your food without ever stepping foot out of your car. It's like the lazy man's to-go service. Plus, you rarely have to fight for rock star parking because carside service usually means reserved primo spots. The only downside is that this service is typically only offered at big chain restaurants, so what are you to do when you're feeling sluggish but craving local grub? Enter Park Point, the commercial/residential development near RIT, which now offers carside service for five of its locally owned restaurants.

"We had a lot of requests for this service," says Jill Kurtelawicz, marketing director for Park Point and Marketplace Mall (both Wilmorite properties). "Now our customers can save time by calling before they leave, get their order [brought] straight to their car, and go home. It gives them more time to spend with their families."

The five restaurants at Park Point now offering the service are Lovin' Cup, King David's, Wok With You, Paradiso Pizza, and even Abbott's Frozen Custard, so customers can not only grab dinner on the fly, but they can get dessert too. All of the restaurants are offering their full menus for carside-to-go service, and several signs adorn the parking lot clearly labeled "Carside to go parking only" in spots closest to each of the five restaurants. The only Park Point restaurant not currently offering the service is TC Riley's Irish Pub, which just changed ownership, but Kurtelawicz is confident that they will join the program soon.

Patrons are encouraged to call when they arrive for their order, as the restaurants have not yet installed cameras to watch for arrivals. Each of the restaurants is staffing an additional person during the service's more common hours to ensure that this addition will not slow down customers' dine-in experience. And, since tipping etiquette is often in question with pick up orders, tips are allowed but not required.

Park Point is located at 611 Park Point Drive in Henrietta, off of Jefferson Road. For more information, visit parkpointrit.com.

Sample NY Beer Festival

October may be the first completely summer-free month of the year, but it's also unofficially known as international beer month (Oktoberfest, anyone?). And what better way to kick off the month than with a two-day festival dedicated to appreciating the bubbly brew? The New York Wine and Culinary Center, located in Canandaigua, is holding its first-ever Sample NY Beer Festival Friday, October 2, and Saturday, October 3, in an effort to highlight craft beers from local breweries and brewpubs.

"As you see in grocery stores these days, there are more and more craft beers," says Ryan Baldick, event specialist at the Wine and Culinary Center. "The market for craft beers is just booming - even the big guys are now trying to make more craft-style beers, so we felt it should be featured because New York state has a great craft beer following, especially in Rochester where we have Tap and Mallet, The Old Toad, Beers of the World, and MacGregors."

On Friday night from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. the center will hold "NY on Tap," which will feature a wide variety of local craft beers (including brews from Rohrbach Brewing Company, Brewery Ommegang, and Lake Beverage Company), food prepared by the NYWCC's chef (expect a whole roasted pig in the mix), and the chance to vote for the "Taster's Choice Award" recipient for the brewery with the best-tasting brew. Each participant will also receive a commemorative tasting glass that can be used to attend Saturday's Beer Garden (noon-5 p.m.) for free. Saturday will also be filled with a variety of beer-themed classes, including a seasonal pairing class, a craft beer pairing class, and a classic sausage, cabbage, and beer pairing class.

"Everyone knows how well wine and food pairs," says Baldick, "But I am a firm believer that beer pairs just as well, if not better."

The New York Wine and Culinary Center is located at 800 South Main St in Canandaigua. Tickets to "NY on Tap" cost $45 per person or $75 per couple; class prices range from $20 to $65. Pre-registration is required for many of the festival's events, including Friday's "NY on Tap." You can register online at nywcc.com, or by calling the center at 394-7070.

Closings

Alexandria's Mediterranean Cuisine, located at 120 East Ave, has closed indefinitely. The East End staple was known for its delicious falafels, dolmades (grape leaves), and other Mediterranean cuisine. Attempts to reach the owner and landlord to determine a reason for closing were not returned.

Oasis Bistro, located at 687 Monroe Ave, is temporarily closed due to a fire that took place in the early evening of September 16. The Mediterranean restaurant was not open at the time, but employees were prepping food when a cooking fire spread into the ductwork and eventually to the ceiling; no one was injured. The owners have not yet set a date to re-open the restaurant for business.

Do you have a restaurant or food-related tip for our Chow Hound? Send it over to food@rochester-citynews.com.