There is a new restaurant that is the talk of the town. Over the weekend, people were abuzz about the opening of Mint Cocktails & Kitchen. One person told me that their empanadas were to die for – they were so good that he ordered them to-go, the day after initially dining there. Another person was raving about the blended mint mojitos. Seeing that everyone that I spoke to had something positive to say about Alison Clancy and Chris Mendez’s fresh take on mojito and empanada pairings, I had to go see it for myself.
First of all, what’s not to like about the gorgeous 100+ year old building that is a focal piece on the newly rejuvenated Niagara Street? The place is sensational, inside and out. I must say that they were smart about creating the entranceway on the Breckenridge side of the building, as it commands a better customer flow. It will also keep the front of the restaurant nice and temperature controlled in the wintertime.
Seeing that the weather was just about perfect outside, we chose to sit out on the patio, which was packed. By the time we left – Saturday around 4pm – there was not a seat available anywhere to be found (inside or outside). Apparently others had heard the growing buzz as well.
It’s great to see another beautiful patio option in Buffalo spring up. This patio in particular is very welcome, in that there are plenty of places to sit in the sun, or under the shade of a tree. There’s a great vantage point onto Niagara Street, where cyclists abound thanks to the freshly minted dedicated bike lanes. It was also interesting to see, firsthand, the posse of renegade Mad Max-style dirt bike and 4-wheelers that roared by as we were dining. Life in the city… it’s never dull.
Having heard such good things about the blended mint mojito, I figured that I would give it a whirl. I’m glad that I did. It was so bright and refreshing, perfectly blended, and just the right size. It took a while to get the drinks, but that was totally understandable seeing that they were crushed. That said, the staff was patient and professional. No one appeared flustered. Everyone was happy to be chilling at Mint.
As we sipped our cocktails, the chicken and beef empanadas arrived. So did the chipotle cheese fries. The early on reports on the empanadas were spot on. They were perfectly golden-crisped on the outside, while being moist on the inside. There was nothing oily or heavy about them, which can often times be the case. They were masterfully executed. And the chipotle cheese fries were equally dynamite. I was a big fan of the style of fries – not too thick and not too thin, once again perfectly fried and dressed. Yum – both were real winners that went nicely with the mojito. An added bonus was the encurtido (picked carrots, cauliflower, beets, jalapeño). I’m always a fan of pickled veggies, especially when there’s a nice mix of flavors and textures. Nothing soggy here.
Seeing that everything was going according to plan, I decided to try out one more cocktail – the Liquid Courage (espresso, vanilla, orange, rum). This drink is another one of the reasons that I can’t wait to go back to Mint, which I am very excited about in general. I don’t usually make a play for a mid-afternoon coffee cocktail, but I will make an exception for the Liquid Courage.
Mint has all of the ingredients for making a great restaurant and bar experience. There’s the exquisite building, the attentive staff, great food and drinks, an upbeat sophisticated atmosphere, and cohesive branding that is weaved throughout. The establishment is a wonderful addition to Niagara Street – a street that is finally coming into its own thanks to places like this.
Mint Cocktails & Kitchen | 1225 Niagara St, Buffalo, NY | (716) 306-2200 | Instagram | Facebook