Buffalo Rising Online

Sep 19th 2007, 8:58am By Christa Glennie Seychew

South Buffalo often seems like a city unto itself. The Basilica, Tifft Nature Preserve, Botanical Gardens, and Olmsted's Cazenovia Park all serve as a means to pull us into the area a few times a year, but what else does South Buffalo have to offer those of us that are not part of its close-knit community? We've seen retail begin to take root here, but when it comes to food, pizza joints and taverns prevail.

There is at least one dining establishment in this neighborhood that has taken a more contemporary approach to food, and Caz Coffee Cafe is it. Upon first entering this little shop, you can see the owner's eye for detail in the decor. It is casual and comfortable, making use of handcrafted objects and re-purposed furnishings in a quaint and attractive manner, without that forsaken look that shabby couches and chairs often lend to coffee houses.

As a cafe, I assure you Caz succeeds. Their coffee beans are roasted in the Finger Lakes on Mondays and arrive at the cafe by Wednesday. A variety of coffee drinks, teas, smoothies, Italian sodas and steamers are available alongside an assortment of sweet treats and baked goods by Buffalo's own Perfectly Baked Breads.

Caz offers a menu that focuses on fresh homemade food. Breakfast, available before 11 AM, is a simple compilation of three items, all of which cost less than $4. If you're looking for something light they offer a toasted bagel with cream cheese or hummus. If you're a bit hungrier or have a penchant for something a little zesty, there is also the Caz Breakfast Sandwich of egg and swiss or pepper jack on a toasted bagel, or a wrap stuffed with scrambled eggs, salsa, tomatoes, green peppers and pepper jack cheese.

The rest of the menu, which includes appetizers, salads, sandwiches and wraps serves both the lunch and dinner crowd.

Appetizers consist of a hummus plate ($4.95), smoked cheese platter ($5.50) and a caprese ($5.50). Salads, a meal in themselves, include the Botanical Garden made of mixed greens, tomato, red onion and sprouts ($5.75), the McKinley Circle which takes advantage of that satisfying combination of fruit, cheese and nuts--seen here in the form of mixed greens, red onion, mandarin oranges, candied walnuts, and gorgonzola in a citrus vinaigrette--($6.25), and the South Park Grecian which combines greens, tomato, red onion, green peppers, kalamata olives and feta with a traditional Greek dressing ($6.25). Grilled chicken can be added to any salad for only $1.50.

The wraps run $6.25 and include a hummus wrap made of tomatoes, red onion, greens and Caz's homemade roasted red pepper hummus, which is thick and delicious with a just a little kick. There is also the Red Jacket wrap of smoked turkey, roasted reds, tomatoes, jalapeno cheese and greens and the Seneca Greek, which is filled with grilled chicken breast, greens, tomato, kalamata spread and feta.

The panini here are served on a garlic focaccia bread, which is excellent. It isn't too thick or thin and was crisp and flavorful without the glut of butter or cooking oil that most establishments use in an application of this type. I enjoyed the Caz Casino, a perfectly prepared warm sandwich of roast beef, fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato, augmented by a slightly spicy horseradish mayonnaise. There are three others as well: The Mercy Me!, a smoked turkey and sundried tomato pairing, the Olmsted Park, featuring grilled chicken, roasted reds, red onion and gorgonzola and The Abbott which is a take on the classic ham and swiss with the addition of green peppers, sprouts and sundried tomatoes. All of the panini are only $6.95 and come with a small green salad.

Homemade soup is offered October through April, which ups the ante in the lunch combo-- half of any panini with a cup of soup or a side salad for $5.25.

The service was very friendly, and as I was standing at the counter, I noticed that they use a brand of disposable coffee cups (ecotainer) that is biodegradable as well as being made of sustainable materials. I wondered what else they did here to that effect, certainly these coffee cups weren't cost effective, so there must be a commitment on the part of the owner to being environmentally friendly.

Chris Murowski manages Caz Coffee Cafe for his mother-in-law Debbie Clotfelter. He and I spent some time talking on the phone, and I was pleased to find out that a commitment to the environment and the neighborhood is an important aspect of the business. Not only do they use ecotainer's coffee cups, but they also recycle and compost, resulting in only one garbage can of waste a week. For a restaurant, that is downright phenomenal.

Additionally, Clotfelter holds a place on the Buffalo First board, which Murowski is currently sitting in for, as Clotfelter convalesces from a recent illness. Caz Cafe's commitment to Buffalo First (for more on Buffalo First, tune into YUM tomorrow) means that they use local purveyors like Pellicano's, and Willowbrook Farms for their products whenever possible and do everything with an eye toward building their community. “When I make purchases, my number one goal is to boost the local economy,” Clotfelter told me. “My second goal is to consider the environmental issues.”

"So, why South Buffalo?" I asked both Murowski. “Debbie really wanted to give the neighborhood something it didn't have, “ he explained. “Healthier food and a place that could act as an incubator for ideas and community growth.”

“They [South Buffalo] needed a venue for artists and musicians and local organizations, and we offer that,” Clotfelter told Buffalo rising. “We have PTO meetings here and all kinds of people come here to meet and talk about ideas.”

Caz Coffee Cafe also offers local artists and musicians an audience, the walls are decorated with paintings and the entertainment schedule is pretty full; Thursday is open mic night, every other Wednesday is Beatles Night and the weekends generally offer a band or two, but there's always room for more.

Caz Coffee Cafe is a great addition to South Buffalo, as it would be anywhere. Currently, another business owner is working on a plan to enhance Caz's little corner of the world; a lofted book store will be opening in the rear of the storefront, also taking over the second floor. “I think it's going to be a great addition to the cafe and to South Buffalo,” Clotfelter said. And I think she's right. Coffee shops are what brought Allentown back to life in the early 90s, and Spot on Delaware greatly contributed to the resurgence of Chippewa. I'd love to see more of these places like this and Madame Mocha's pop up in the corners of our city where the lease's aren't expensive and the neighbors are thirsty for a good cup of joe and a fresh sandwich.

Caz Coffee Cafe
688 Abbott Road, Buffalo, 14220
716.825.7806, call for hours