You still have a few days to enjoy Local Restaurant Week. If you haven't already taken advantage of the sweet special, then you have until Sunday to do so. For those of you who have already gone out to indulge in a discounted meal, may we ask what you thought of the experience. What restaurants have the best food during Local Restaurant Week, in your opinion? There are a lot of restaurants participating, from the dives to the pricier establishments (here's the

As if Gene McCarthy's neighborhood tavern could get any better, four new owners will be constructing a small brewery and beer garden on the backside of the historic tavern. Along with a revamped tavern menu (from zero to 60), the establishment will launch its first crafted beers in about six months. "We'll be brewing a hoppy West Coast-style IPA," co-owner David Bittner told me. "Along with a pale ale and a wheat beer. The brewery will be located on the shady side of the building, which is perfectly situated for production. The beer garden will be nice and sunny... a great spot for sampling our

Whether it's a mixed crowd or a mixed drink, MIXology hopes to attract those looking for a different nightlife scene - one that is totally relaxed, a bit eccentric, with yummy cocktails and fun music. Owner John McNeill, with the duly noted help of friend Barton Crowell, has dreamed up a groovy getaway that has got to be seen to be believed (see background). John is a professed lighting nut. While waiting for the liquor license (for six months), he spent his time tinkering around the place - hooking up vintage lava lamps,

Oh, how I love good Chinese food. I'll go just about anywhere for it  - passing by many a quick fix along the way. Unfortunately when it comes to solid home cooked Chinese food places, there are only a couple around, which means that I'm always interested when a new place restaurant up. Fortunately there is a fresh contender in town called Kung food, and believe me, the offerings are as good as the name. Not only is the food freshly prepared, the atmosphere is welcoming and the service is some of the best around. Maybe that's because the owners, the staff, friends and family are some of the

I know that it's last minute notice, but if you haven't solidified your plans for tomorrow morning's breakfast, then do consider heading over to Flapjacks for the Farm. Each year people come together to support the Growing Green Youth Farm - there is no better way to support an important organization than sitting down at a table and enjoying a quality breakfast. Not only are these some of the tastiest flapjacks around, you can eat as many as you want and they will keep cooking more.
Growing Green Youth Farm is just one of the Massachusetts Avenue Project's (MAP) crucial grassroots

Now that Nickel City Cheese and Mercantile has opened on Elmwood Avenue (see story), we can see how this new trend of specialty food purveyors is affecting the street. In an age when supermarkets are turning into mega-markets, it's almost unthinkable that the small specialized shops can stand a chance. Fortunately the opposite is true. Specialty stores selling cooking oils, spices... and now cheese are all the rage. One of the best benefits (for the Elmwood Village) that we are seeing with these recent successes

When a friend from Orchard Park mentioned to me that a nightclub was opening on Delaware Avenue near Babeville, I tried to picture where the location might be. After all, it's commonplace for bars and restaurants to open on streets like Delaware and Elmwood, but they usually open in clusters.  It was only when I first saw Sinful Nightclub, located on the first floor of a 6400 square foot building right around the corner from where I live, that I realized that Buffalo would soon be home to an industrial club unlike any other in the city. 
I contacted Tom

It's not often that you get to hit up an event that incorporates food served up on top of original art. As unique as Plates & Pasta is, the dynamic of mixing the two pleasures is done in an even more masterful way that gives you the ability to finish your meal while keeping your plate. I'm not talking about any ordinary plate... I'm talking about a plate that was designed by a local celebrity artist. After all, that's what this Buffalo Arts Studio (BAS) event is all about - supporting our artists so that they can continue to create works

By Jessica Edwards:
Eating out is usually an enjoyable experience. However, one of the biggest hindrances can be poor service. There is nothing worse than getting an anxious, stressed out, or worst of all... grumpy server. Moods are contagious (especially, bad moods), and can often have a ripple effect that ultimately defeats the aim of having a relaxing time. 
So, wouldn't it be great if there were options for "waiter's temperament" on the menu? You could have your choice from "wildly amusing" to just simply "efficient". As

Last week I walked into Five Points Bakery only to find that there was no room to sit down. I did manage to finally find a couple of seats (no table) in the corner, which worked out fine. As I waited for my guest to arrive I took in the surroundings, amazed by the number of people that were sitting and talking at the bakery/cafe. After a while I got up and walked over to the front counter. "What the heck is going here?" I asked owner Kevin Gardner. "It's the toast," he replied. "It's simple and it's good. Some people come in here

If you still think that Buffalo NY is nothing but wings (when it comes to food), then maybe you should listen to a Torontonian culinary convert who says that she always imagined the city as Skidsville, USA. After being wooed here by resident foodie Christa Seychew, Ivy Knight (Editor in Chief and Cofounder of Swallow Food) is convinced that this city is on the verge of culinary greatness. In her latest blog entry Ivy writes, "I've had fluke crudo, Tamworth

Now that The Statler is open we should start seeing a whole slew of events being held there. There is one event in particular that people should keep their eyes on, and that's the Taste of Culinary. Being held in the Golden Ballroom, the annual affair boasts some of Greater Buffalo's top culinary talents, including Chef James Roberts of the Park Country Club (winner in the Nickel City Chef competition) and Chef Steve Gedra from Bistro Europa (one of the most progressive restaurants in the city). All in all, there will be more than 35 restaurant chefs along with five local culinary schools

Lucy Ethiopian has opened on Amherst Street, giving Buffalo its first official Ethiopian Restaurant. I was bummed that I could not make it to the restaurant's opening night mainly because the advent marked a big occasion for many of us who have been anticipating landing such an unusual cuisine. All the same, I was finally able to stop in to place a to-go order and was happy when I was welcomed by friendly owners, a bright and cheery atmosphere, and more seating than I imagined. Owners Naima and Abba (photo - see

Lafayette Court at 465 Main Street is getting a new food tenant.  The Lunch Box, a café and catering company serving salads, sandwiches and wraps that will be open for breakfast and lunch, is opening its third city location on the ground floor of the office building that is owned by Ciminelli Real Estate Corporation. 

The company was founded in 2009 by Amy McCarthy, co-founder of Globe Market, in the Tri-Main Center at 2495 Main Street.  A kiosk location was later opened in the lobby of the Innovation Center on Ellicott

Buffalo's home cooks (especially those in the Sicilian community) will have a new favorite cookbook to add to their collection just in time for preparing their Saint Joseph's Day feast. Buffalo Heritage will be hosting a launch party on Tuesday, March 6 for the release of "The Saint Joseph's Day Table Cookbook" by Mary Ann Giordano, executive chef of Creekview Restaurant in Williamsville, and her father, Dr. Paul Giordano. 
"Saint Joseph's day is a favorite holiday of my family, not because we are devout Catholics as one might think, but rather because we are

Submission by Chris Taylor:
On Wednesday, March 7th, 2012, The Roaming Buffalo mobile food truck will kick off its first guest chef event.  This special event will be held in front of Sweet_ness 7 at 220 Grant St. for a dinner service from 5:00PM until 8:00PM.  Chef Kevin O'Connell Jr, owner of O'Connells American Bistro, will be serving up three tasty menu items for the truck.  Baja style mahogany mahi mahi fish tacos on fresh made tortillas (yes, I said homemade fresh tortillas), grilled homemade "bistro" sausage with hot peppers, grilled onions

There has been a buzz going around this past week that Buffalo is finally going to get an Ethiopian Restaurant. A sign had gone up in a window on Amherst Street announcing the news. That's when I started getting phone calls and emails asking if it was 'my guy' who had finally found a location. As much as I wanted it to be Wass (my guy), it was not, but nonetheless I was excited to learn that Buffalo would soon have Ethiopian food. 
After digging around, I learned that the operators of Lucy

Her career began at The Buffalo News in 1974. She "retired" in 2009 but it seems that retirement was figurative as she continued to write the restaurant reviews in addition to another weekly column. Now, after 38 years and hundreds of restaurant reviews, Okun has decided to "step down" according to a column by editor Margaret Sullivan. 
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Up until this point we've seen Buffalonians battle it out for the best pierogi, pies, chili, etc... Most of the culinary contests revolve around a particular seasonal event, and the upcoming kielbasa contest is no different. It's hard to imagine that Dyngus Day is fast approaching. It seems as if winter never even came this year, and suddenly spring events are upon us. On April 9, at the Adam Mickiewicz Library & Dramatic Circle (Mickey's) and Tornspace, a kielbasa contest will kick off at noon, and with it "Polonia at Buffalo's Most Authentic and Original Dyngus Day Celebration."

The country's largest two-day food festival got a nice mention in the New York Post as one of the eight food festivals to attend this year. Thanks to the growing diversity in cuisines and the addition of food trucks, the Taste of Buffalo is not only a giant draw for downtown, it's also a great way to show the world that Buffalo has a unique blend of locally owned restaurants. 
...and with the addition