I'm excited to hear about another Puerto Rican restaurant in Buffalo! We regularly go to Niagara Cafe, have gone to Papi's a few times, and mourned the closing of El Sugarbowl... Can't wait to try the pernil at El Flamboyan.
Now if only Buffalo had a really awesome taqueria (a la the Mission District in San Francisco). Ava Cado's is okay, but once you've regularly noshed on a Gordo burrito, you're spoiled for life...
I am a regular at Joe's Service Station, across the street, and have been awaiting their opening. Now that they are open, and have been very favorably reviewed by Buffalo Rising, I was ready to go. I went Saturday evening, between 5 & 5:30pm. They were not open ! Very disappointing, and while I knew exactly where they are, there was no sign giving the name of the restaurant. Just the sign of the last establishment. I sincerely hope that they get organized, quickly, and make a real attempt at running a successful restaurant. I will go back in the next few days. I hope they are open !!!
Willie1-
I also, when driving by, noticed that the door was closed and the sandwich board announcing the name of the joint were nowhere to be seen on Saturday. This surprised me, perhaps there was a family emergency.
I do find it disheartening when a new restaurant does not open and maintain regular, consistent business habits. I regularly see it turn customers off and give restaurants a bad rap within weeks. I often discuss this with new owners, I can think of four restaurants that have made this mistake in the last year alone, all of which have had bad word of mouth passed on by many people that have not even eaten there. Let's hope this won't be an issue at El Flamboyan. It's so great to see a Puerto Rican restaurant open this side of Grant Street.
Today, around 1:oopm, while schmoozing with Mark @ Joe's Service Station, the real heart & soul of the Amherst & Elmwwod intersection, I thought the new restaurant looked open, well, then I went back for dinner, at 6:oopm, and guess what, they were closed ! I agree with Christa, it's a great thing for the area to have a new restaurant. I was a regular at the Wishbone on Niagara street, then with the unfortunate passing of the owner, George Melendez, and the take over by the Niagara Cafe owner, the place has slipped dramatically. Food is still good, but the place is too dirty to eat at. So, I was thrilled to see this new place open, and was really looking forward to being a regular ??? Let's hope they get their act together. This place can only benefit from the resurgence of and the new energy of Amherst Street. I hope they can contribute !!!
Willie1-
Not that every business owner cares to hear my opinion, but I think later this week I may stop by and very politely mention the comments that we've had thus far on the site. I would think that a new restaurant owner would want to know that people are trying to visit them and becoming discouraged by their inability to do so. I could be wrong, but it might be worth the shot to help keep this place in business. Though the number of comments here don't reflect it, I have had more people ask me about this restaurant in the last week than any other we've featured on the site in the last month. People are obviously interested.
Called them today, Mon Jul 16. Got the message that "that number has been temporarily disconnected."
Paul
From what I understand, the restaurant is open Monday thru Saturday from 11 - 6. I cannot be sure that they are sticking to those hours, as evidenced by the posts above, but those are their hours. I've stopped by twice to closed doors, but both times it was after 6. If I find out anything more, I'll give you all the heads up.
Christa
Christa -
I think its irresponsible of BR and YOU to post about a restaurant that obviously doesnt have its shit together. You get everyone excited about it and then the phone number is disconnected and the place is never open. Try doing some actual reporting like Courtney Bajdas, who researched who was actually running the restaurant before she posted about Lagniappes (which is wonderful). In a small town like Buffalo, people are what matters, not just "OMFG, a new restaurant, goodie goodie, lets all go".
Maybe you should focus your efforts on businesses and owners that have proven themselves. Or at least businesses that are open...
Now I'll wait for your retort, which I'm sure will come swifty and critically, since I have found that you MUST have the last word and cannot stand quietly by when someone else leaves a negative opinion about your article.
Auburn Ave-
I'm sorry that you feel that way. In regards to whether or not I will respond to your comment, well, I guess I'm damned if I do and damned if I don't.
We run a variety of articles in YUM! Many of them involve us sitting down with restaurant owners and chefs, discussing their menus, previous experience, local food trends and dreams for the future. Our articles have many formats- sometimes we share recipes, or tell you about a particular variety of cheese, jam or wine from a local market. Sometimes we visit with local manufacturers and sometimes we just say say "Hey, look what I found!". This happens to be one of those times. I did try, over half a dozen times, to reach the owner of this establishment for a more in depth conversation. For whatever reason, that didn't happen. Sometimes business owners don't want to talk to us, or don't have the time. Either way, it is not important, El Flamboyan is a new restaurant offering decent food, and I thought I would be remiss to not inform my food-loving readers about it.
"focus your efforts on businesses and owners that have proven themselves"? This is Buffalo Rising, AuburnAve- new businesses are an integral part of this website's reporting. Whether it succeeds or fails is not up to this forum. The important thing is that a constructive discourse has been opened about a new and POTENTIALLY successful business.
AuburnAve- As a regular reader of BRO, I was pleased to learn of this restaurant early on in its (as of yet undetermined) lifespan. Frankly, I'd rather be excited and then let down than not know about the place at all. I mean, I know Pano doesn't really need my patronage to make a go of his restaurant, but for a fledgling restaurant like this one, my business might really matter.
So despite the uncertainty regarding its hours, I'm still going to go to El Flamboyan. If it's not open, I'll probably head over to Buffalo Barbecue & Brew. Guess where I heard about THAT restaurant from? A BRO article written just a few months after the place opened. Kudos to the BRO YUM staff for alerting us to both new and well-established culinary adventures in Buffalo.
Ok - so maybe I was a bit harsh. I know Pano doesn't need support, but what about the scores of businesses that have been operating for some time and need a boost? I heard about BB&B and Laingnapps from BRO also.
Regardless, I apologize for being harsh and off the cusp.
I felt so guilty and had to see for myself if it was really closed. And as I type, I'm scarfing down pork and rice with beans, fried plantains and a pastelillo. Yes - they are open. And yes, they are awesome!!! Met the owners and even the little old grandma cooking in the back.
Octopus and liver are their specials today, if you like. The phone situation will be fixed soon, too.
Thanks for the update AuburnAve- now I really can't wait to try it! You raise a good point about also patronizing restaurants that need a boost. Maybe that means El Flamboyan for an early dinner tonight and then Main Menu for breakfast tomorrow?! All in the name of boosting Buffalo, of course... :)
We had dinner at El Flamboyan tonight. It was super tasty and we will definitely be repeat customers. Two points of interest: 1. You can order a lunch portion for dinner (which is quite generous and more than enough for dinner for me, though my husband ate all of his pollo guisao entree and part of my pernil!). 2. They have a take-out menu, a great option if you want to call ahead and pick up dinner to go after work. (And since the sign currently says that they close at 6pm-- though I suppose that is subject to change-- that might be a good option for some once the phone situation gets resolved.)
I just wanted to reiterate what the others were saying... I went there twice, too, and was SO excited to try their food. I was very disappointed by their hours.... not that their hours were posted anywhere. It was a little after 6 on a Friday when I went and I had read on BR that they serve dinner. They serve dinner until 6? That is a recipe for disaster in my opinion. Anyways, I think the other time I drove by was during the day and they were closed then as well. Too bad. I won't waste my time trying to eat there again. It was disappointing. They are probably helping the business at the Niagara Cafe out, though... because I was craving Puerto Rican food and drove over to Niagara Street to satisfy my craving. Mmmm.
This place is a good as out of business. On Sunday, after the Jazz at the Gallery, while I stopped at Joe's Service Station, across the street from this place, I saw six well dressed folks, stop and look into the window. They were ready to eat. Place not open, the place is never open. I live around the corner, and am watching. One day this week, they didn't open till 1:30pm. There is a grand opening sign, but no real sign with their name on it. There name is only displayed on a small sandwich sign, which is out, when they are open, which is rarely. A restaurant takes hard work to start, build, and maintain. Just because someon'e Grandmother taught them to make Spanish Rice, and how to roast pork, that doesn't mean they are cut out for the restaurant business. Christa, while it's not your job, would you please sit these folks down and show them these comments ! This website does very good if not great things for the city. If these folks would have read your review, and had stayed open, there would be a line out the door at meal time.
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