The former Birchfield's has just undergone an extreme makeover and is now spotless and ready to do business under new ownership. Now called Coco's, the restaurant is out to make a name for itself as a burger and wing destination on Main Street. I don't think it's going to have a problem attracting customers, as  the place has been brought back to life and looks like a new restaurant. What's especially nice, is that upon entering the establishment, one would think that it has looked that way for 75 years - very impressive.

The interior has a working fireplace, and a smaller wall

Since I posted the very exciting news of a TEDx event in the works for Buffalo, I have received numerous emails and on-the-street responses from enthusiasts and naysayers. Granted some TEDx events are more successful than others--being granted the permission to host a TEDx event doesn't automatically ensure that the event will be profound or well-executed.

And in Buffalo--a city I love and would never consider leaving--it is doubtful that anyone could announce the erection of a lemonade stand without encountering some

Welcome to Guilty Pleasures, a new series which highlights a special, wonderfully handmade item prepared by a locally-owned city-based bakery. Items featured in this series will be singularly spectacular, well worth the effort of a special trip.

Baking seems to be nearly as hot as the Twilight series these days, with cake decorating at the helm. It's encouraging to see so many people--especially children--taking on the cupcake, the quick bread, the cookie. But there's an invisible line in the sand, and on one side are the toes of your typical homebaker, while on the other

By now most of us have heard that SeaBar is expanding its downtown location (see post). I was excited to hear the news, but until last night I had no idea what sort of look the restaurant was going for. Although the new addition is not yet open for business (it's close), I got a sneak and can only say, "Wow!" I have got to hand it to Mike Andrzejewski and his wife Sherri for pulling off an ultra-modern conversion of a space that is a lot bigger than I had anticipated. From the tinted film window

Others have reported on architect Karl Frizlen's bid to purchase the West Side's remarkable Horsefeathers building on Connecticut Street. His plan for a green restoration and conversion project would turn the top four floors of the space into large apartments with two and three bedrooms, while the basement and the first floor would function as a food market.

I have heard much hypothesizing both on the street and in publications about what this food market will look and smell like, and who it will cater to. As a co-founder of the

Nickel City Chef takes place in one of the city's best kept secrets--a fully restored turn-of-the-
century warehouse on Buffalo's West Side, the home of Artisan Kitchens & Baths.
Completely outfitted with two competition-worthy kitchens, this unique setting is the ideal
location for this exciting hyper-local cooking competition.

At each event, a Nickel City Chef and his or her challenger (each representing a locally-owned
independent business) must complete three dishes in under an hour with each

Last Friday, Newell and I sat with WBFO's Mark Scott for Buffalo Rising's weekly Round Table.  There was a lot to talk about Obama's upcoming visit and the Farmers Market opening. But, Brad Wales of UB's Small Built Works made the grade yet again with the recent addition of the handcrafted benches to 18th Street Community Park.
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So we hear President Obama is coming to town, and our first thought when we heard this was---where will he eat? Okay, so we're admittedly a little single-minded over here in the Dining section, but with so much good food to eat here in Buffalo, it's a thought that is weighing heavily on our minds.

Our predicament is: Do we take the President to sample some of Buffalo's quintessential blue collar cuisine with deep roots in our region's ethnic foodways, or do we want to show off our bright and sparkly fine dining establishments? Is it a question of proving that we cut the mustard when

I held this asparagus up to the sky in order to improve the background of my photo, but it was also a slightly triumphant moment. Not that I have any real right to feel a sense of triumph regarding asparagus grown not by me, but by friend and farmer Daniel Oles. But there is something innately celebratory about that first bunch of spring asparagus. This year it's coming in early, a good sign for our growing season if the frost stays away. For the last month I have gorged myself on /food/index.html

Situated a couple of blocks from Days Park and Allentown is Willie's Little Corner - an authentic Puerto Rican restaurant (with some everyday items thrown in) that has quickly become a favorite of the neighborhood. I've stopped in a couple of times now, and each time there are numerous people at the counter picking up their food or sitting at tables and enjoying it. Over the past few years there have been a couple of restaurant operators trying to make a go of it at the corner of Hudson and West, yet it was not until I tried Willie's that I felt any real measure of success.

What makes

Tom Kerr has been executive director of Broadway Market for approximately six months. After a recent interview with him, I came away thinking the market is in very good hands. He struck me as a pragmatic man who is driven by one main question: How do you get people into the market? Throughout the interview, Tom repeated variations of the question, such as: How do you deliver customers? How do you get people coming back? My impression is that he's a workhorse who is on the lookout for good ideas. He does not intend to micromanage vendors at the market. Rather,

I'm on a journey to find the best fried chicken in Buffalo. While I'm still making the rounds, I think Freddy J's BBQ on Massachusetts deserves its own mention. My friend Rasheeda and I stopped by for lunch the other day; the place is very small but it's perfect for Freddy's vision of a family restaurant.   

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I never know what's next with cake artist Zilly Rosen. For years she turned out some of our area's most inventive cakes from the tiny kitchen at Dolci bakery. When demand grew, there were signs that she would open her own shop with rumors of a cupcake bar. This magical bakery opened on Elmwood almost a year ago to great success, but during the time it took for her to secure her building and finalize her business plan, she became an overnight media sensation. Her all-cupcake homage to then presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, was all over the papers.

The corner of Hertel and Parker is soon to be home to a chocolate shop with a built in custom edge. After speaking with Ingeri Eaton, owner of Eaton Chocolate, it was clear that the fledgling enterprise was setting out to tantalize the tastebuds of 'sweet-tooths' from around the city. I was curious as to how Ingeri got her start in the world of chocolate creations, and like so many other industrious Buffalonians, it started off with a whole lot of passion and persistence. Unlike a lot of entrepreneurs, in order to get the business rolling, Ingeri will be keeping her factory job during the day while

I want to share the news about a quirky little restaurant on Elmwood that specializes in vegetarian fare. I say quirky because in order to get in, you must pass through a security system that resembles airport security. Empty your pockets, watch as the wand passes over your body, and enter in through the doors of Sue's NY Deli and The Juicery. As long as you're not packing, it's kind of an interesting start to enjoying one of the healthiest meals in the city. I first wrote about the opening of Sue's on Elmwood back in 2006, which is why I can't believe that I never revisited the eatery until yesterday.

Want to spice up your love life? Sick of the generic dinner and a movie outings? Why not try something new, like Date Night at Hand to Heart Yoga, Friday April 30th, where newer couples can get to know each other better and those who are in relationships can reconnect.

Erin Cook, owner of Hand to Heart Yoga, says the yoga she offers isn't the normal stretch class you've heard about in the past: it's much more. Since the opening of her studio in January, she has held monthly workshops combining yoga with other fun and exciting activities and ideas, such as Yoga, Chocolate & Wine

It's that time of year again. We know it's a difficult thing to do, to eat a lovely meal with friends, knowing that a good portion of the check will go to support AIDS research and support services.  But we ask that you find it within yourself to endure such a hardship tomorrow night as part of Dining Out for Life. 

In all seriousness, this national fundraiser has made great headway since it was first organized in 1991. Today it raises nearly $4 million dollars in a single evening, with over 3,5000 restaurants involved

This weekend's Nickel City Chef competition will feature Nickel City Chef Adam Goetz of Sample versus Challenging Chef Steven Gedra of Bistro Europa. Host Bert Gambini will be assisted by Chef JJ Richert of Torches, who is sitting in for NCC's co-host, Chef Mike Andrzejewski of SeaBar. Judges include comedienne Kristen Becker, Nelson Starr and Chef Brian Mietus of Bacchus. Chef Mietus earned the privilege of being a season two judge

Blue Monk is coming along (lead photo). A few months ago, BR reported that a new beer garden/gastropub eatery will take over the former Merlin's bar on Elmwood. These days it is showing signs of serious change to passers-by. New garage door-style windows have been installed, and we hear the interior renovations are moving right along as well. We are very excited for this new business, as Chef Dino DeBell is at the stove and, once the kinks

As we reported a week ago, Western New York is in the flush of ramp season. After the story published, I was impressed by the number of readers who emailed me to tell me that they had taken my advice and picked a bundle for themselves. 
One reader added a post script, "But now what do I do with them?"

So we called Chef Mark Camalleri of 31 Club (who you may recall from the feature story we wrote last year.) Chef told us that he had just added