I’m almost afraid to write this article. I'm afraid that people will find out how good the mac & cheese is at Colter Bay Grill and it will be sold out every day before I get there. Colter Bay was an unlikely stop for me on the lunch scene; I’d been there many times to watch a hockey game and drink some beer, but never to eat.
The menu is surprisingly extensive. Starters feature the usual choices: wings, quesadillas, potato skins, nachos. The salads are generous in portion. The sandwich selection offers fantastic flavor combinations as with the Yellowstone--sliced turkey breast, avocado, jack cheese, and tomato--served with dill spread or mayo. The woman next to me was eating the John Colter made of roast beef with green peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomato and provolone, all grilled together. My choice was the Thursday lunch special--a turkey Reuben. The turkey was thinly sliced breast topped with sauerkraut, Russian dressing and cheese, grilled on rye bread. It’s a fantastic sandwich. I have Thursdays marked on my calendar for this one. I asked them to throw together a salad on the side and was thoroughly impressed by the quality of the mixed greens.
Okay, back to the mac & cheese. It’s homemade. The rigatoni holds everything inside; stick your fork in it and the cheese just oozes out of both ends. It was a little pink, which would lead me to believe there’s some hot sauce or tomato paste in it, but not enough to distract from the flavor of the cheese. Crusty on top with little crunchy bits if you get an edge piece, it is mac & cheese heaven. It’s not a regular feature on the menu, so if it's your one desire, give a call before you go and find out if the chef is whipping some up for the day. On the other hand, just go and take your chances--you won’t be disappointed.
Colter Bay Grill
561 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, 14202
716.882.1330