City September 12, 2011 8:53 AM

Name this waterfront restaurant

Name this waterfront restaurant
Up until this point we've been waiting to hear what the new Naval and Servicemen's Park's restaurant will be called. When I spoke to proprietor Jason Davidson over the weekend, he felt that it would be a good idea to hold a naming contest similar to the one that was held for Clinton's Dish earlier this summer. Jason and his partner Mike Shatzel have been batting around a few ideas, but nothing has stuck so far. Seeing that they want to have the establishment open for part of the Sabres season, and work is nearly underway to build out the interior, the name needs to be finalized soon. 

Jason told me that he would provide the winner of the naming contest with a pair of tickets to a Sabres game on opening night (of the restaurant), along with a $100 bar tab... and naming rights of course. Keep in mind that he has been leaning towards going with something that would signal a sense of place - on track with themes such as nautical, transportation, Erie Canal, historic Buffalo, etc. Multiple entries are acceptable, and must be emailed to me. If two or more people come up with the winning name, the earliest email submission will be deemed the winner. If Jason and Mike don't like any of the suggestions, they may opt to go back to the drawing board. If there is a winner, the name will be announced a week from today. Let the name game begin...

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Collins' Cafe.

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Pass Bro

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Higgin's Hideaway

Brown's Bistro

Jordan's Joint

Exploding Rock Cafe

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Love "Exploding Rock Cafe"

replied to urbanesque
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Lunch Among the Ruins
(possible alternative: "The Ruins" for short)

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Queen City Bistro

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Esmonde's Eatery

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Tim Tielman's Tavern

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-McKinley's House of Lakefood
-Steelkilt's (The sailor from the shores of Lake Erie that is in Moby Dick. Hey why not? It worked for 'Starbuck's'. By the way, Herman Melville traveled the Erie Canal so how about...)
-Melville's Shack or Roost or Lookout or Restaurant etc.
-The Sturgeon House
-20 Minutes to Canada
-Nice Bass!
-The Great Cakes (make sure you serve great cakes)

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The Doggg Pound

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Bollards (what you tie large ships to)

Either of the following for the 5 Sullivan Brothers:
Sully's
Madison's
George's
Albert/Al's
Francis/Frank's
Joseph's/Joe's

The Wickedest Mile
The Hook's

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Harbor Canteen

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I like the canteen idea. How about The Mess Hall?

replied to Arch
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Clinton's Other Dish!

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One Sunset.

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Ha, I like Exploding Rock Cafe.... Hilarious.

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Bistro Bethlehem

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Will this be a 'Theme' restaurant or just another same ol' average restaurant? When will we ever see a cool 'THEME' restaurant open up in this city? One with entertaining servers, costumes, dancers, attractions all around, etc. Come on, this is going to be right inside the Naval Park Museum and it's already lacking in creativity as far ideas. Could be a cool navy theme restaurant, but of course it wont be. ;(

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I was going to make a sarcastic remark like: "When will we ever see a cool 'THEME' restaurant open up in this city?"-----> Why don't you do it.

But actually it could be a good idea. Flying Tigers has been gone for years and that was a pretty cool experience. If it's in the Naval Park Museum it should be something along military lines.

A WWII themed place would be cool. How about calling it Grable's.

replied to Lego1981
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Dunham's, after local Medal of Honor recipient Jason Dunham.

replied to LouisTully
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Derby (a walk up the hill from the Gray Cliff) has a place called, Scallywag's. Great food, themed to the nth degree, and a great atmosphere.

I've long thought it would be a good fit for Canal Side.

replied to LouisTully
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i was just about to say that...a nostalgic war era theme, much the way the flying tigers restaurant used to be...
seeing that world war ii battleships dominate the inner harbor, how about:
pacific fleet
uss waterfront

or a more generic theme name:
the nautical mile restaurant
the periscope grill

replied to Lego1981
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Could be simular to any Hard Rock Cafe, instead of music idems..MILITARY items and artifacts all around, room for live entertainment, servers in navy outfits....Great location full of possibilities, will it come true, or will it be the status quo with no originality?

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If done right, the actual Restaurant could be an 'Attraction' all on it's own...or just an eatery.

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Marina Grill

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How about not naming it some tacky Canal inspired name (best idea yet).

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What, like Flingers or something?

replied to BurchJP
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The Regal Beagle

replied to Buffalogni
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Sewer's Pub & Grub on the Hamburg Drain

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Good one!
However, if it shall be more fine dining than we could always use a more upscale name like Fecal Overlook or a parody like Pungent Sound.

replied to sbof
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CSO Cafe

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I thought the restaurant was to have a military theme...how about Torpedo 8? Harold J. Ellison was KIA during the Battle of Midway. Ellison was from Buffalo, NY and flew in the VT8 Squadron off the carrier Hornet (CV8). All members of VT8 except Ens. George Gay were KIA. There was also another member of VT8 from Lancaster NY, Robik also KIA while the remainder of VT8 was operating off Guadacalcanal in 1942.

Canal theme: The Groovy Mule

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the house of ill repute

the bordello bistro

cholera cafe

seriously, though, i like 'the mess hall.'

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The Hooks - afterall, that's where it's located

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I like the hooks a lot

replied to MRodgers
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the Cockeyed Clam

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That's what we call Roxy's.

replied to buffloonitick
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The Boar's Nest

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Lock 36 for classy, The Locks for causal.

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Red Tape Cafe?

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Waterline Grill and Tap

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Dante's Inferno Grill

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Aud/Acious

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Brown's "Mess" Hall

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Western Terminus Taproom and Grill

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Halfway Night
Liberty Hound
The Galley

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Halfway Night
The Liberty Hound
The Galley

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Buoys
Ahoy
Ripples
Lanac’s (canal backwards)

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Water Buffalo

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"The Wet Slip", in reference to the pre-1950s Commercial Slip.

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Is there a winner?

My choices that were emailed...

ANCHOR DOWN

CANALLERS or CANAWLERS (Cannalers were the people who were part of the Erie Canal, made their living from the canal, and more often than not lived on the canal.)

83 LOCKS (The original Erie Canal had 83 Locks)

LOW BRIDGE ! (This was a warning call indicating the approach of one of the many crossings along the canal. The bridges were promised by the state to farmers whose land was bisected by the canal, and built low in an effort to cut costs.
Many social climbing canallers gave themselves away by habitually ducking at the call, long after having left the canal.)

ROCK STREET (Canal Street was originally called Rock Street, Rock Street ran parallel to and just to the west of the famed Erie Canal at its western terminus in Buffalo).

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Yes im also curious if there was a winner? I also emailed my suggestions which are as follows:

The Gateway – Erie canal was known as the gateway to the West
Captains Gateway
Docks
(The) Queen’s Shipyard
The Olde Shipyard
Shipyard
Lighthouse Overlook
(The) Captains Quarters
Starboard
Portside
Canal’s Lifeboat
Harbors Lifeboat
Guardians

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Jason and Mike are still reviewing names... there were a ton of submissions. Should have something soon. Once their name choice is announced, they will run decision by the Naval Museum and The City and there will be a final confirmation. From what I understand, Jason and Mike's decision should be the winner. Stay tuned... there were hundreds of names submitted.

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