Over this last week of 2010, we'll be running a series of posts recapping some of the most read Buffalo Rising stories of the year.   In another record year of traffic during which we've welcomed over 2.5M visits and served up more than 5.5M pageviews, a number of stories stood out among the rest.  
One of our 10 most popular stories was Lloyd.  Lloyd the Taco Truck.  Lloyd burst onto the scene with great fanfare in late July and hasn't

Snooty Fox Lounge is Buffalo's best-kept secret when it comes to Sicilian cuisine. Visit at 5pm any day of the week and I can guarantee you a sophisticated, jazzy, upscale experience complete with a professional upbeat staff. Set in one of Buffalo's beautiful, late 19th century brick buildings, Snooty Fox along with much of the updated wood craftsmanship (completed at the hands of owner Sal Buscaglia) is a story in itself.  

Sal is a hardworking, passionate man that truly appreciates the fact that his business has become one of the Queen City's premier hot spots. The place has it

If you're looking for a stocking stuffer or something to put in a gift basket for your favorite cook this year, Greek Goddess Salad Dressing will be something new and tasty to try.

Greek Goddess Dressing is a blend of olive oil, vinegar and spices that is 100% all natural. It can be used as a salad dressing, a dipping sauce for bread, or a marinade for meat, poultry and vegetables. It is a versatile ingredient that every cook should have in the kitchen. "It's one of those things I made from variations of different recipes and just kept in the pantry," said Evangeline Conley, creator

Has anyone tried a food delivery service in Buffalo? I am aware of Takeout Taxi Buffalo, a delivery service that works with a limited number of urban businesses (but its numbers are growing). We've seen bike delivery services take a stab at offering in-home customers the ability to eat from a plethora of non-delivery restaurants. Still, there are missing components such as extensive restaurant listings, and grocery and sundry delivery services. A BRO reader recently wondered when Buffalo was going to get a Peapod grocery delivery service. Good question.

When I first learned that there was another Greek restaurant coming to Elmwood Avenue I wondered how another could survive with all of the competition. It was just after Captain Jack's closed its doors that Vasilis Express charged onto the scene. I soon learned that the operation was being headed up by Vasilis Panagopoulos, the former owner of Plate-Oh's on Forest near Elmwood. After sitting down with Vasilis, I was happy to discover that the eatery was indeed offering up a formula that was not presently found in the neighborhood... even with Pano's being situated right across the street.

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By Cheryl Gorski:

Trina's Family Restaurant, located at 1373 Clinton Street (also known as 'Ghost Town'), is an excellent diner at which to eat on Saturday and Sunday mornings (see BRO article) - I'm sure you'll soon agree!  I stumbled upon this establishment while shopping at the farmer's market right next door a few weekends ago. When I strolled in, my first impression was 'Home Sweet Home'. At the same time, I couldn't help but wonder what compelled the owner to start this restaurant

There's nothing like a plug from MSNBC to boost your business's morale. Not that The Chocolate Bar owner William (Bill) Panzica needed the extra boost - you see, Chocolate Bar just may be the unsung hero when it comes to restaurants and bars on Chippewa. The nightlife strip, notorious for its late night escapades, is also home to a number of successful bars and restaurants, and from the sounds of it The Chocolate Bar is busy raising an entirely different bar. Take a look at the video (see below) produced by MSNBC and chances are that your view of The Chocolate Bar will be elevated - no matter what

If you've always wanted to make your own homemade bread, but haven't wanted to go through the tedious process of kneading bread dough, we have some good news for you.

Today, December 11, is the first of a series of biweekly Kneadless Effort bread baking classes offered at Artisan Kitchens and Baths.  The classes run from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and are led by instructor Lorna Lippes.

Lippes has been working with this no-knead method since reading about it in the New York Times in 2006 and has since taught it to countless numbers

While hopscotching among all the local markets last Saturday, we probably spent more of our time at the Broadway Market than anywhere else.  We couldn't have asked for a better start for the holiday shopping season, or for the holidays in general.  When Santa arrived by horse-drawn carriage and entered

If you had told me that I would be featuring a box of chocolates for BRO's holiday gift series, I wouldn't have believed you. It wasn't until I stopped into Chow Chocolat for a cup of coffee that I happened upon what could be the most eye-catching and mouthwatering box of chocolates anywhere. Not only is this assortment individually handpicked and compiled by the discerning client, it can be easily shipped to loved ones who are in need of 'chocolatey' goodness right away.

Did I mention that each one of these handmade chocolate and ganache morsels comes filled and mixed with all-natural

At this moment I'm sitting inside one of the quaintest Italian cafés. It's called Café Capitano and so far all I can tell you is that the coffee is really good, the service is on the ball, and the atmosphere is extremely comfortable. One look at the menu shows a variety of selections ranging from a chicken Caesar salad to the Super Assorted (salami, ham and cappicola, lettuce, tomato, and cheese). The waitress behind the counter has suggested that I try the stuffed hot peppers or the breaded chicken cutlet special. Last week I received the following email from a Buffalo Rising reader that sounded

Christmas has come early for Buffalo Rising readers.  Starting immediately, you can get $8 off any Buffalo Rising shirt in stock and any of the ridiculously awesome Buffalo Rising Hero Design Prints.  Just use sale code GIBLETS and our store will automatically take $8 off each sale item you purchase. Supplies are limited so act quickly.  
Remember, all of our shirts are printed on American Apparel and the Hero Design prints were

This year, economic pressures are causing consumerist encroachments on the holidays like never before.  It seems like every year, stores open earlier and earlier on "Black Friday" until this year when some stores will be opening for holiday sales on Thanksgiving evening.

Thankfully, Buffalo

I'm always on the hunt for new diners to try. In my travels around town, I have discovered some reliable standbys such as Amy's Place on Main Street, Nick's on Amherst Street and Riverview on Niagara. There's nothing better than waking up late on a Saturday morning, throwing on an old sweatshirt and heading out for coffee, a 2-2-2, and a big glass of OJ. Now there's another diner-style restaurant to add to the list of favorites. Trina's Family Restaurant is situated within eyesight (well, just about) of the Larkin District and the Central Terminal.

The first thing that we noticed upon

You're gonna' need a break from the abundance of the Thanksgiving bounties.  I know I am.  There comes a point when you're blood has turned to turkey gravy and cranberry sauce starts to trickle out your ears.  So, what is the antidote for Thanksgiving overkill?  Puerto Rican food, of course!  And let me tell you about a great little joint over on the West Side/Black Rock border - Experiencia Latina.
    
Now, until a few months ago I wasn't that familiar with Puerto Rican cuisine.  I was friendlier with its cousins - Cuban, Argentine and Mexican. 

By Nancy Cardillo:

Want to do some unique holiday shopping while helping out a worthwhile organization?  Looking for a creative gingerbread house to help decorate your house for the holidays?

Join us at Gilda's Club Western New York, 1140 Delaware Avenue (across from Canisius High School) on Saturday and Sunday, December 4 and 5 from 11am-6pm for our annual Gingerbread...Gifts...Glitz...at Gilda's Club event!

You can bid via silent auction on amazing gingerbread houses created by student, amateur and professional bakers.  Or you can purchase a smaller

Every so often I run across a business that opens in a commercial district that creates a perfect match between the concept and the neighborhood. Such is the case with the Lagniappes French Quarter Cafe expansion into its new home at 220 Allen Street (across from the Old Pink). I've been there twice since they reopened their doors, and I've got to hand it to owner Chris Silverstein for pulling off a fantastic conversion from old house to cozy hot spot filled with aromatic smells, soothing colors, and comfortable seating options, perfect for a ravenous family or a lone vegan.

Lagniappes

If all goes according to plan, Hertel Avenue will have a new little sandwich shop on its hands as soon as this morning. Proprietor Dave Howard's breakfast and lunch concept is to keep it simple by sticking to the basics - selling a number of wraps, soups and salads. At the same time, he has a couple of culinary surprises that he's planning on unleashing, such as the 'buckeye chicken wrap' (chicken fingers, onion rings, barbecue sauce and ranch dressing), and the 'Fish all the way' (fish fry, French fries, coleslaw, and tartar sauces). There are traditional healthy options as well.

By

Having a beer in the city of Buffalo just got even better, thanks to Patrick Barczys and his new website, TapTracker.net.
Earlier this year, Barczys, like many other Buffalo residents, was pondering where to go to have a drink with some friends. "I think Buffalonians appreciate good beer and want to know where to find their favorite brews," said Barczys. He then came up with the idea of TapTracker, a website where one can go to find out what beer is on tap at a given establishment. "The first version of TapTracker.net didn't take long to create, it featured only a spreadsheet," Barczys said. 

The city of Buffalo has a longstanding tradition of brewing craft beer.  Business partners Ethan Cox and David Foster hope to become a part of that tradition when they open their very own nanobrewery called Community Beer Works.

Cox, who is a teacher at D'Youville College, has been homebrewing since college and has always had an interest in doing "something beery."  After pondering several ideas, from pubs to breweries, he finally decided to take one of them and make it a reality.  He brought Foster, a close friend since fifth grade, on as his partner and together they