Buffalo Rising: food: June 2010 Archives

food June 30, 2010 10:22 AM

Taste of Buffalo's Right Around the Corner

Buffalo Rising 23 1

Next weekend the streets of Downtown Buffalo will be filled with people, tents, trailers and the scent of good food as nearly 400,000 enjoy the flavor of our region at the annual Taste of Buffalo. It may surprise some of you to know that this homegrown event is now the largest two-day food festival in the country and many of those 400,000 visitors won't be from Erie County at all, but rather folks traveling from Ohio, Pennsylvania, Ontario and other parts of the country.

This year, over 50 restaurants will serve up various tasty tidbits to the crowd. A team of judges will award the restaurants with the best eats of the event, a list that occasionally puts a small restaurant no one has ever really heard of on the map. Remember a few years ago when a little East Side restaurant called Ms.

food June 29, 2010 8:25 AM

Midday Musts: The Hatch

Christa Glennie Seychew 7

It almost goes without saying that any meal at The Hatch is made all the more pleasant by taking a stroll around the Marina's gardens and gazing wistfully out over the water at the lighthouse. Or, if you head in the opposite direction, a brisk walk down to Emerald Beach and a climb up the observation

food June 27, 2010 10:33 AM

Famous Brewer & Shango a Perfect Pair

Buffalo Rising 7

By: Nicole Brown

What are two of the things Western New Yorkers love most? Beer and food! So, nothing could be better than a dinner that combined both. That's just what celebrated brewmaster Garrett Oliver and chef Jim Guarino of Shango Bistro and Wine Bar offered Tuesday at Shango.
Oliver's litany of successes, including coveted awards and national TV appearances, made the event the first of its kind in Buffalo. He is the author of "The Brewmaster's Table"; the brewmaster at New

food June 27, 2010 9:40 AM

Brunch Bunch: Betty's

Buffalo Rising 3

By: Natalie Grigg

So far, the summer in Buffalo has been questionable at best. Sometimes it's been warm, but we've had a few weekends where it has been outright cold and rainy, leaving the option for a patio brunch off the list. When it comes to brunch and cool weather, outdoor seating isn't the only thing that goes off my list. I don't want eat anything light and I want to be someplace that will pick my mood up by simply sitting there.

In my world, Betty's fits that bill exactly. With its warm and vibrant colors, it makes you feel just a little more at

food June 25, 2010 1:09 PM

Nickel City Chef XII: Last Call!

Buffalo Rising 0

This Sunday, Artisan Kitchens & Baths will host the final Nickel City Chef competition of the program's second season. The live battle will pit South Buffalo's spicy Nickel City Chef Krista Van Wagner of Curly's against the West Side's Chef Marco Sciortino, known for dishing up classic Italian-American fare on Niagara Street at Marco's and operating some pretty

food June 24, 2010 9:09 AM

Can You Can? Join Our Pickle Swap Party

Christa Glennie Seychew 5 1

The concept of homesteading has grown in popularity to near fever pitch in foodie hot spots such as San Fransisco and Brooklyn. Here in Buffalo, we're playing catch-up, but there's no shame in that. Being slightly behind the curve on food trends, like most inland U.S. cities, gives us the ability to study and research what others have done, glean from them what we can and craft our own variations.

A handful of years ago, people would have thought the idea of raising chickens in a Buffalo backyard absurd, or driving to a farm for more than an annual apple cider and doughnut run a waste

food June 23, 2010 1:16 PM

On Buffalo: Mary Luz Mejia, Canadian Food Writer

Christa Glennie Seychew 6

Last fall, I had the distinct pleasure of assisting the CVB in showing a well-respected Toronto-based food writer around town. I am often called upon by various organizations to show visitors our city's best (and best-loved) edibles, so I was happy to oblige. Little did I know that Mary Luz Mejia, the food writer, producer, and event hostess extraordinaire, would be such a delight. After a brief weekend filled with talk of all that Buffalo's food scene is, was and can be, I felt a bond with Mejia and

food June 23, 2010 8:31 AM

Fish Sauce: My Dark, Stinky Kitchen Secret

Buffalo Rising 5

By: Chef Scotty Harris

 Is permanent like the preordained bulk 
Of the First National Bank 
Like fish sauce, but agreeable.
-John Ashbery

Every cook worth their salt (pun intended) has at least one bottle or jar stashed in their kitchen that is reached for in the event of an emergency. It may be a whole ingredient. It may be a condiment, or even a spice or seasoning blend. When your sauce isn't making it or your stew isn't "stewish" enough, every cook will reach for that signature something and,

food June 22, 2010 8:01 AM

Grumpy's: A Good Place for a Bad Day

Buffalo Rising 10

By: Rachel Vella-Garrido

There's nothing like a visit to a sunshiny ice cream joint to liven a summer day. But Grumpy's Premium Ice Cream Stand and Charcoal Grill is more than just a place to get a cone. Located at 1900 Hertel Avenue, Grumpy's is staffed with the most chipper people. It's a new build (highlighted on BR last year in its construction phase) and has plenty of seating suited to accommodate family-sized parties or folks on a quick break from work. The patio features umbrella-shaded tables which

food June 22, 2010 1:01 AM

Make Time For Mezza

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Every time I mention to someone that a new restaurant has opened in the old Elmwood Soda Bar location they inevitably say something along the lines of, "That place is jinxed." My answer to the statement is always, "The place isn't jinxed - the problem is the past concepts have never hit the mark." It really is true. I can't remember ever immediately wanting to go back for a second meal after eating at any of the past restaurants that set up shop there. With Mezza it's different.

First of all, I think that Mezza is going to appeal to the people who liked Sahara Grill... or who wanted

food June 19, 2010 1:34 PM

Best Pie in Black Rock (Today, Anyway)

Christa Glennie Seychew 15

Even though the weather seemed a bit iffy, it was great to see a solid turn out early this morning for the 13th annual Rediscover Amherst Street Festival. For the third or fourth year in a row I was invited to judge the Best Pie in Black Rock contest, along with rock star-turned foodie, Nelson Starr and the uber-talented baker and owner of /food/2010/06/index.html

food June 16, 2010 4:01 PM

Guilty Pleasures: Banana Cream Pie

Christa Glennie Seychew 9

Last month's discussion of where President Obama should dine during his brief visit to Buffalo inspired a comment from a reader with the handle "boozehound". Our reader suggested that the banana cream pie at Mazurek's was noteworthy, and that I, myself (after complaining about Buffalo's "poor pie possibilities") should give it a try. So I did.

I'd stopped into Mazurek's before to pick up fresh donuts for a meeting and was pleased to find both old-fashioned charm and a large array of sweets. The couple responsible

food June 14, 2010 10:12 AM

Enter to Win Buffalo's Only Pie Contest

Christa Glennie Seychew 2 1

For the last few years I've had the distinct pleasure of being a judge at the annual pie contest that is held in conjunction with the Rediscover Amherst Street festival. The neighborhood has undergone so many changes since then, and the pies get better every year. This year I will be joined by fellow judges and pie aficionados, Nelson Starr of All-Access Pass, as well as neighborhood baker, Shandra Beutner of Carriage

food June 10, 2010 1:09 PM

Best Italian Bread in Buffalo?

Todd Schoepflin 27

When I grew up in Niagara Falls there were two places to get great Italian bread: Trusello's and DiCamillo's. DiCamillo's is still around (three stores in Niagara Falls, one in Lewiston, and one in Williamsville), but Trusello's closed shop in the 1990s. DiCamillo's consistently makes excellent products, and I still enjoy their bread, pizza, and doughnuts. But Trusello's, in my opinion, was the best of all time. It's hard to believe an amazing loaf of

food June 10, 2010 11:42 AM

Organic 3 Café

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Elmwoodites will soon rejoice in the opening of an organic cafe that up until this point was only found in Snyder. The Organic 3 Café is not only opening on Elmwood, it will be opening in a formerly obscure location that housed a number of hit or miss antique and nic nac shops. Restaurant owners, Gary and Kelly LaMartina (also owners of Everything Elmwood across the street), are going to turning this house into a mod eatery with a glass facade, front patio and rear courtyard. According to Gary, the entire structure will be redesigned allowing them to create

food June 8, 2010 10:44 AM

Interview: Visiting Author Michael Perry

Christa Glennie Seychew 3

Author Michael Perry (Population: 485; Trailer) will be in town on Saturday promoting his latest book, Coop: A Family, A Farm and the Pursuit of One Good Egg (HarperCollins). Perry, who supports his small, family farm with his work as a writer, shares the trials and tribulations of returning to the farmhouse and land of his youth, a disheveled, thirty-seven acre lot located in Wisconsin. Coop has garnered much praise, and we look forward to his appearance here at Talking Leaves

food June 7, 2010 7:13 AM

Bar Food: The Old Pink Serves Up Old Favorites

Buffalo Rising 17

By: Jeffrey Hartinger
Guest Editor: Vincent Sherry

In order to enjoy a prosperous social life in the City of Buffalo, you must come to terms with the fact that everything is not as it seems. The Old Pink, a dive bar nestled right in the heart of Allentown, has a delicious menu that includes one of the best steak sandwiches in the city. For those unaware of this great establishment, the type where the bartender also serves as cook and DJ, you will come to find

food June 6, 2010 7:27 AM

Brunch Bunch: Aroma on Bryant

Buffalo Rising 2

By: Natalie Grigg

This past weekend we decided to have brunch with some of our extended family members. It was Sunday, and with the sun shining and a cool breeze blowing, a patio was a must. Being a holiday weekend, we all were in for a lazy, relaxing morning. After much debate, Trattoria Aroma on Bryant Street was the final pick and one we are happy we made.

At Aroma, Sunday brunch starts at 11am, and though reservations are taken, they are not required. When we arrived, the waitress kindly arranged patio seating for us and directed us to the

food June 4, 2010 2:59 PM

A Sweet Sensation

queenseyes 2

Sometimes you feel like a nut. Sometimes you don't. Then there are the times that you feel like eating a custom, handcrafted piece of chocolate that is perfectly prepared to appeal to your signature palette. Those are the times that you're thankful to have a chocolatier like Ingeri Eaton, owner of Eaton CHOCOLATE, around. Upon visiting the new sweet shop, a bit earlier today, I happened upon a customer who had come in to taste test a custom order that he had placed days earlier. Ingeri was cutting into a piece of the concoction

food June 3, 2010 10:47 AM

D'Avolio

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It didn't take long to see another niche culinary shop spring up on Elmwood after the recent opening of Penzeys Spices. This time it's a business dedicated to olive oils and vinegars (and more). Hopefully, being ideally located in close proximity to The Lexington Co-op, these types of niche shops will benefit from shoppers looking to add a variety of hard to find flavorings to their cooking routines. As for prices, it all depends on the amount of product ordered and where it's coming from. I asked Christa Glennie Seychew to

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Brick Oven Bistro & Deli

food: June 2010 Archives