Syracuse Homecoming — Beyond Campus

Recent Orange grads may recognize these places. But for those like photographer Ken Kane (Class of '75), we can only wish such haunts existed when we were going to school.

Armony Square, which isn't that far from campus, is Syracuse's version of Portland's Pearl District: a hopping entertainment district adjacent to the downtown business core. Though it was rather sedate when Ken visited during the day, he'd seen it at night during a trip in 2005. It's an alternative (albeit a more upscale one) to M Street.

Also like Portland, Syracuse is home to good beer and beer joints. The Blue Tusk in Armory Square (http://www.bluetusk.com/) can hold its own with the Rose City's best beer bars. It has over 50 beers on tap, including many Belgian beers and New York state microbrews.

Empire Brewing Company (http://www.empirebrew.com/) has a trendy, below street-level pub in Armory Square. It's back in business after being dark for a few years. A few blocks away, the Middle Ages Brewing Company (http://middleagesbrewing.com) is no frills: no brewpub, though it does have a small tasting room sporting three cats or, as one of the brewers likes to say, "mousers." It sells its beer to bars in the region and in bottles in supermarkets. Both breweries make several styles of beer with Middle Ages delving into some unusual types, including Scotch ale, barleywine, and Belgian and imperial styles.

Dinosaur BBQ (http://www.dinosaurbarbque.com/syrIndex.php) has acquired something of a cult status since it opened in 1988. It's park blues club, part southern eatery, part biker bar. Ken will vouch for the tastiness of their BBQ. It's definitely worth a trip when you're in Syracuse (or Rochester or Harlem, sites of their other two restaurants).

Lest you think Ken is a complete degenerate, he does some writing on beer subjects for GuestOnTap.com and the Portland Tribune. So think of this page as his post-graduate research!