If you told me that a Buffalo lawyer had a hankering for Cajun-Creole food and was going to open his own restaurant, I would have said that the guy was off his rocker. What does a Buffalo lawyer know about creole food? But it turns out that one particular lawyer by the name of Sam Davis actually does know what he’s talking about, because he’s got some tight-knit connections with Louisiana. How? That’s where his fiancé is from.
It was while visiting the southern state that Sam fell in love with the style of food. Until visiting, he had tried some OK dishes elsewhere, but never had he come across the real stuff. He was completely hooked on the Cajun seasonings, and soon realized that he needed to come up with a scheme to transport some of the dishes back to Buffalo. After discussing the possibilities with his fiancé (who was a darn good cook), the two hatched a plan to bring some of Sam’s favorite Cajun foods to his hometown, by opening their own restaurant.
“I’ve always been a foodie,” Sam told me. “I fell in love with the food and the culture in Louisiana. I wanted to bring the food to Buffalo. The food that we’re serving here is working man’s food at a low price point. It’s flavorful and delicious… it’s the type of food that people can really get into. I can tell that people are liking it by the number of repeat customers. That’s a good feeling, especially because we just opened.”
The Big Easy has opened up in the former Buffalo’s Steak & Sub location, which is kind of perfect seeing that the place was completely overhauled somewhat recently. The layout couldn’t have worked out any better for this new concept. Customers walk in, right up to the counter and place their orders. The meals come out quick and efficiently. Meals range from po’ boys to gumbo to a Bayou burger. The current menu is in ‘soft launch mode’ – more offerings will be added as the restaurant starts to hit its strides. Sides include smothered greens and Cajun dirty rice. There’s also a small kid’s menu.
I have a feeling that The Big Easy is going to make it big on Main Street. Already people are flocking to the restaurant to check out the various dishes. It’s something different that one might not expect to find in the neighborhood. The people behind the service counter are super friendly and welcoming – I stopped in to pick up a menu and asked a few questions about the offerings. This is the type of place that I feel will have a great run in Buffalo, due to the casual authentic menu, the friendly staff, and the high profile Main Street location.
The Big Easy | 1335 Main Street | Buffalo NY | 716-884-EASY | See Facebook for menu