The Silverstein cousin duo at Lagniappes (pronounced: lān-yāps) has brought a new noshing concept to Buffalo-- upscale take away. At Lagniappes, guests will find delicious high-quality food served in take-out containers. Co-owner Chris Silverstein explains, “I want the food to look as good in the box as it does on the plate.” Everything is made “to go”, but folks are welcome to stay. And in a couple more weeks the high-end, environmentally friendly, microwave safe take-out containers should be in. Chris has worked in many fine dining Buffalo restaurants over the years but his dream was always to go to New Orleans and submerge himself in her rich cuisine. To make it happen he gave up his apartment and moved home for a year to save. He finally got to Louisiana, where he spent 5 wonderful and absurdly hot years training in The Big Easy.
Although this is Chris and Don’s first restaurant owning venture, you’ve tasted their food before. They worked at The Rendezvous and Ya-Ya Bayou Brewhouse. And most of the Creole/Cajun/New Orleans-style food you enjoy at various Buffalo restaurants can be credited to Chris who has trained many local chefs in New Orleans cuisine.
What exactly is New Orleans cuisine? It’s not strictly Creole or Cajun. It melds Spanish, French, Italian, Creole, Cajun, and African cuisines and techniques; which results in FUN! “New Orleans' food is so much fun,” Chris told me, “fresh ingredients, the textures, the colors- it is so much fun.”
On top of all that, it's delectable. My companion and I shared a few dishes. Naturally we started off with Chris’s award winning sausage and chicken gumbo (2002 Taste of Buffalo). Chock full of sausage, vegetables, and huge chunks of chicken it could be a meal in itself. As you would expect, it’s spicy. Those of you less inclined toward spicy heat would be better off ordering the traditional jambalaya, a tasty concoction of crawfish, andouille, chicken, vegetables and rice in a red Creole Cajun sauce.
And, if you’re like me and can’t stand any heat, you should order the creole meatloaf. It’s flavorful and moist and served with mashed bourbon sweet potatoes--and when I say bourbon, I mean bourbon! The musky flavor of the bourbon complements the meatloaf well.
The most popular menu item is by far the chicken and sausage gumbo, but my companion and I disagree. Our favorite was the superb crab cake. Loaded with crab and perfectly crispy it was served with a tasty Creole dipping sauce.
With late hours Lagniappes is the ideal stop on your way home after a fun night out, they're open until 2am Tuesday through Saturday. Also, keep an eye out for late-night delivery in the next couple weeks as well (until 1am). Only having been open for a month, check back with Lagniappes as they tweak the menu and expand their hours.
Lagniappes
244 Allen St, 14201
716. 883.3663, call for hours