There are a very few dining venues for which I am willing to travel. I'm not talking about dropping $500 at Morimoto in New York or the French Laundry in Yountville. That's the type of foodie tourism that is, frankly, a bit of a bridge too far. I'm sure these are brilliant dining experiences, but you, as the reader, can go to the Michelin Guidebook for that. I'm talking about places like Parker's Maple Barn in New Hampshire, Wagamama in Massachusetts (and various other locations worldwide), and (the topic of this burning missive) The Hole in the Wall Restaurant in Perry, NY. Luckily for us all, the Hole in the Wall is only an hour down the road and resides in a vibrant community that's worth the trip all on its own.

Named lovingly after its previous venue (a tiny and ultimately unsustainable space in downtown Perry), the Hole in the Wall is a top notch establishment all the way around. Since its early days in tiny digs, Hole in the Wall has grown-up and moved into a much more comfortable and contemporary space about a mile out of town, perched atop a hill overlooking Silver Lake. The dining room strikes that sought after and oh-so-rare balance between elegant and unimposing. If you dine in the bar/lounge area, you will be treated to some of the best views around.

The menu, by the way, masterfully walks the same fine line. Chef Travis Barlow understands good food. He understands how to elevate ingredients to the level of joyous experience. He does this in part by blending excellent technique with top quality, often locally sourced ingredients. This mastery is exemplified in their Annual Farmer's Market Food & Wine Pairing Dinner event, where Chef Barlow arranges a wine tasting selection from one of the many regional wineries and then crafts a menu that pairs each locally-sourced course with each of the selected wines. As if you needed another reason to visit, it's worth mentioning that the bar carries a rotating selection of beers seemingly curated with brilliant considered care like every other aspect of the restaurant. The management/ ownership of Hole in the Wall should be commended for embodying so many of, what I consider to be, the cornerstones of a great dining experience and doing so in a relaxed and inviting atmosphere.

I've been to Hole in the Wall a half dozen times and each time I've ordered something different and each time the food outshines the time before. Some of the highlights on the menu for me have been the "Traditional Sunday Dinner" chicken & biscuits ($12), which is the kind of dish that transports me right back to my rural upbringing. Their wood-fired pizzas ($10-$15) are perfect compliments to the beer menu as a shared appetizer. Then there's dessert... no matter what happens when I'm in the Perry/Silver Lake area, the one item on the agenda which is fixed and non-negotiable is that I will stop by Hole in the Wall for a Canned Brownie Sunday ($5). As I understand it, all the ingredients for their brownies are mixed and poured into a canning jar, then the can is sealed in the traditional method. The process of sealing the jar simultaneously cooks the brownie. The dish is served jar and all with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and hot chocolate sauce. I have an ongoing debate with some close friends about what we call "the perfect bite" phenomenon, which is when a dish is cooked, plated and presented in such a way that the diner can pass a fork through it at random and pull up a single mouthful of food with all the perfect balances of flavors, textures and colors that if you were given one bite to sum up the dish, that would be the one. Though this debate has been going on for more than a decade now, and we rarely agree, there is no objection to placing the Canned Brownie Sundae from Hole in the Wall on the undisputed perfect bite list.

Western New York is in the middle of one of the best summer seasons in recent memory. There is a thousand things happening every free minute from Memorial Day to Labor day and beyond. It's very easy to get swept up in the frenetic summer fun to-do list. All that being said, I really believe that anyone who reads this article owes it to themselves to block out a weekend afternoon, drive to Perry and enjoy a virtually perfect meal with a great beer & watch the sun set over Silver Lake. That's the kind of simple moment that we will all wish we had more of in our twilight years.

Name: Hole in the Wall Restaurant & Lounge

Address: 7056 Standpipe Road, Perry, NY 14530

Phone: 585.237.3003

Website: www.holeinthewallperry.com