Those who regularly tune in to Buffalo Rising know that we’ve been eagerly awaiting the official unveiling of SeaBar’s newly expanded digs and menu. For years now, Chef Mike Andrzejewski has offered guests some of the freshest and most inventive sushi in our area – along with a handful of other dishes – from his small, sparsely decorated downtown location. Its parent, the suburban SeaBar, closed its doors a month or two ago in preparation for the expansion of the downtown location, which now includes a large lounge and bar area, as well as more than doubling the number of tables.
Guests now enter through the door at the front of the building where the hose offers them the opportunity to choose where they’d prefer to sit. Dining at the sushi bar attended by well-trained sushi chefs is still an option, and during this time of year, limited outdoor seating is available as well. My guest and I chose to pass through the well-appointed lounge area for a table with half of its seating supplied by a banquette on the longest wall of the building. Affixed with a dramatic but unobtrusive light fixture, this wall plays canvas to a color changing pattern augmented by mounted translucent panels. The effect is ethereal, and gives the expansive room- with very high ceilings, white walls and a fabulously mottled concrete floor – a sense of life and play without overwhelming the diner or leaving the diner with the sense that they are eating in large, vacuous warehouse.
Certainly Seabar’s new elbow room will translate to increased busines, but more than anything, it seems that Chef Andrzejewski is most excited about having a kitchen big enough to finally accommodate a stove. SeaBar, as a small, intimate sushi bar, made sense while Chef Andrzejewski had only limited mobility, it was a creative solution to the limitations imposed as he recovered fully from a terrible and debilitating motorcycle accident which cost him his leg a number of years ago. His decreased maneuverability never effected his ability to assemble marvelous fresh fish creations behind a small sushi bar–for he and Buffalo the original version of SeaBar was a perfect fit.
But it would be deceptive of me not to note that we were certainly sad to lose Chef’s prowess in the setting of a traditional kitchen after his accident, but we were also pleased to have not lost his talent entirely, and to instead reap the benefits of having his mind and hands at work behind the sushi bar, doing something he was very passionate about. But Chef is getting around better these days, and he and his better half, Sherri, have worked diligently to hone a well-trained staff at both locations, making this final transition to a single, large, full-tilt restaurant very well-planned.
Now that Chef has returned to the stove with the ability and desire to craft cuisine of his choosing, he has delivered a multi-cultural, no holds barred approach to his menu. It, as with any new restaurant, is a work in progress, but from what we sampled, I can’t imagine that many items will require tweaking. The result is a food lover’s dream, in my estimation, featuring all of the things that real gastronomes with a penchant for both the finer things in life and lowbrow, down and dirty street food can appreciate. My guest and I were unable to stick with traditional courses or make the difficult decisions between the menu’s many tempting offerings. This resulted in a dining experience akin to a wild roller coaster ride of shared plates, served in no particular order and with no particular rhythm–just the way we like it!
Sushi fans can rest assured that all of their favorites remain and that Chef’s commitment to sourcing the best seafood is unwavering. We sampled only a hint of the former SeaBar with the Chef’s Sashimi Tasting ($15), a very ample serving of well-matched fish and assorted accompaniments. The day’s tasting consisted of Spanish mackerel with a cilantro pesto and slivers of fresh radish, salmon with truffled mushrooms and mignonette, wild striped bass with chile basil foam, ahi tuna with saffron ailoi and chorizo and finally, hamachi with caramelized shallots and sherry vinegar. Each item was delicious, and the sampling itself a fun experience to share with someone else, where you get a peak inside of the chef’s preferences and can also exchange our own thoughts regarding his choices. I myself really enjoyed the mackerel and adored the striped bass, while my fellow diner appreciated the effect of the sherry vinegar on the hamachi.
Bourdain’s Last Meal ($16) was a must-have without a doubt – an appetizer rich and delicious enough to make two people very happy. The trio consisted of breaded, fried bone marrow, perfectly luscious and crisp pork belly with a musky and deep barbecue-style sauce, and slices of a Hudson valley foie gras tourchon served with sea salt and mustard. This heavenly assemblage, an ode to one of the country’s most notorious chefs, was luxurious and perfectly executed. The side of crispy, thin crostini was absolutely necessary, in fact, we could have used a few more in order to better pace our consumption of the dish. While we felt spoiled throughout the evening by the attention to detail demonstrated with every dish and the staff’s excellent service, this course was masterly in its preparation and extravagant in content, leaving one feeling both pleased and a a little sinful.
Knowing Chef’s passion for authentic Mexican food (and longing for a real Mexican restaurant in Buffalo, dear God) we gladly sampled the pork enchiladas ($9), also an appetizer that eats like a meal. Rich with pulled pork, plenty of cheese and a classic red chile sauce, the enchiladas were tasty and fulfilling.
We also selected to share the scallop entree ($25), which was comprised of a large portion of expertly seared scallops served with a ginger vegetable foam, perfect artichokes and two devilishly buttery and delicious mascarpone stuffed crepes. The emulsion and the artichokes do an excellent job of cutting through the richness of the succulent scallops, and while the crepes are equally intense, they add a depth to the dish that makes it a terribly satisfying entree with little need for an appetizer. Even, perhaps, nothing more than a good glass of white wine.
Two of our favorite dishes of the night were both a surprise. I never imagined that we would find the best, most exquisite example of Chicken and Waffles on the menu at a restaurant called SeaBar, but I am so glad we did. We had a half order ($8), and it was of good size. The savory, crisp and light waffles captured just enough of the thin and not-too-sweet maple butter. The perfect bite of this particular menu item is assembled by managing a piece of slightly soaked (yet still toothsome) waffle onto your fork along with a piece of tender boneless, crispy fried chicken thigh. Once in your mouth, the combination provides the ultimate umami experience. The slight bitterness and earthiness of the snap peas were a great and unexpected addition to the plate, and go a long way toward making you feel less shame for the remarkable deep fried, crispy, salty, sweet heaven that is this dish.
“Warm Oysters and Caviar” reads the menu. Sounded good, but my date wasn’t much of an oyster fan, and there were so many other enticing options on the menu that we almost passed this one by. American Sturgeon caviar tops delicate oysters warmed in a sauce of celery -infused creme fraiche and a hint of wine. Reclining on a bed of warm julienned cucumbers brings toothsomeness and a slightly grassy flavor to the exquisitely prepared oysters; the saltiness of the caviar keeps the offering from being overly lush. This dish is refined without a hint snobbery, and the delicate flavors of the sea imparted by both the oysters and caviar, are augmented and heightened by the additional ingredients; cream, wine and cucumber.
There are many other exciting menu options, a few include: Forty Hour Short Ribs with sweet soy onions, fries and chile paste ($24), Golden Tilefish with balsamic and bacon vidalias and tomato syrup ($19), Fish Tacos ($8.50), Crisp Pablano and Beef Roll with cream cheese, avocado and barbecue sauce ($11), and a handful of salads and soups, including a sashimi salad served over crispy noodles with a sesame soy dressing called Volcano Noodles ($12).
SeaBar will surely continue to thrill and cater to its everyday clientele just as well as it always has, in addition to growing in to something of a destination for super foodies and Chef Andrzejewski’s fans and peers. If anything, the new SeaBar is revolutionary. Its decor, “risky” downtown location and evolving, innovative menu engage, impress and embolden guests. Better yet, it does all of this with measurable flourish yet little ego, providing an exciting and refreshing experience for area food fanatics and critics alike.
SeaBar
475 Ellicott St
Buffalo NY, 14203
(716) 332-2928