Buffalo Rising Online

A number of weeks ago I noticed that some construction was underway at a building located near the corner of Elmwood and Kenmore Avenues. The signs in the windows announced: Coming Soon and Amigo's.

As soon as I had the opportunity, I swung by to chat with the owner. Edwin Ortu, a Buffalo Fire Marshall with a passion for cooking and the restaurant business, has undertaken a major project with his new restaurant, scheduled to open in November or December.

The building, a former insurance office, has been stripped bare and is currently being outfitted with a new electrical system, plumbing, kitchen, office, bar and dining room. Ortu has done much of the work himself. Having purchased the building is a big step in and of itself, but Ortu's investment of his own sweat equity is even stronger proof of his love of the city and this area in particular, a neighborhood that he sees as being rife with potential. “This is a good area,” …