The St. Martin’s Village Project will revive the site and several of the buildings of the German Catholic Orphanage at 564 Dodge Street on the city’s East Side, near the Kensington Expressway. The current plans for the 9-building complex have 4 of its current buildings, including the chapel, being restored. The other buildings will be demolished, and 3 new buildings will join the site for a 7 building complex that will house 60 units of affordable housing apartments. R & P Oak Hill Development of Hamburg will be involved from the construction side, with the design work performed by Silvestri…
Author: Michael Franco
Like many boomers, I‘ve begun to look back with some fondness on my youth. And, as far back as I can remember, food–and more specifically the smell or the aroma of food–is intrinsically attached to specific memories. If I close my eyes and think back I can remember the bouquet of my suburban elementary school’s “Multi-Purpose Room” (gymnasium, auditorium and cafeteria). It might be the gathering of students to witness the launch of a Mercury spaceship, probably with Scott Glenn or Gordon Cooper on their way to a trip of as many as a shocking 22 orbits around the Earth.…
The Steer Restaurant and Saloon has been a landmark on the face of Main Street in the University Heights District since 1969. Known for being Buffalo’s oldest steakhouse, The Steer has been owned by Erin and Tucker Curtin since 1993, and during that time they’ve made many changes and improvements to it. Since then, the Curtins have also opened two other restaurants; The Lake Effect Diner (also on Main Street), and Dug’s Dive (at the Small Slip Harbor). Renovating The Steer’s dining room was the first priority, and the addition of a fireplace imparts warmth and coziness to the space.…
Growing up on Buffalo’s West Side, I fondly remember the building at 1085 Niagara Street as the Italian restaurant, Darone’s Fargo Grill. Darone’s has always held a special place in my heart because it was one of the restaurants my parents and grandparents would take me and my brothers for a great family meal. In 1988, Marco Sciortino purchased the building from Andy and Joe Darone. Since then, Marco has been the owner and chef of Marco’s Restaurant, and has started his own tradition of serving fresh, high quality food in his friendly, neighborhood restaurant. Marco’s is the kind of…
This wonder of architectural expression was designed to work seamlessly with Buffalo’s surrounding Allentown neighborhood, including the elegant Butler Mansion directly across the street. The owner, Walgreens drugstores, pulled out all the stops spending twice what it was spending on its typical prototype stores at the time of its construction. Its design went through many reviews and revisions until everyone was satisfied that this prominent corner of Buffalo’s most historic neighborhood would receive the best building possible. THIS is the building they came up with. THIS is the best that was possible! THIS! At one time this corner was the…
A little while ago I posted a story about a local musician vying for the attention of Anthony Bourdain’s Travel Channel television series, “No Reservations”. For those of you who missed that story, here’s the link, but we can sum it up by saying that Buffalo, thanks to Mr. Starr’s fine work and the votes of many BR readers, came in among the top four finalists. Though Buffalo and Mr. Starr didn’t win the contest, producers of Mr. Bourdain’s program were pleased with all of the finalists and have promised to include them in some way in an upcoming program.…
Most of Buffalo’s fine dining restaurants change their menu two to four times a year in order to take advantage of the season’s best produce and to provide their clientele with weather-appropriate dishes. You may love a good braised short rib, but it may not be suited to an evening’s meal in the full heat of August. A wise chef moves forward with proteins, produce and preparations that reflect the season. The best way for a chef to do this is to purchase goods grown and raised by area farmers. But buying local isn’t as easy as it seems if…
That sentiment truly reflects the news of Choco-Logo’s upcoming event, “A Toast to Moms”. To celebrate Mother’s Day, on Saturday, May 10th, Choco-Logo will be offering a factory tour replete with a wine and chocolate tasting. If you’re at all familiar with their fantastic line of products, you know what a great time this is going to be! Anyone can come, though you have to be 21 to imbibe. Even better–it’s free! Tours are set for various times during the day (between 1 – 4 PM), so call and make your reservations today. While we’re talking about Choco-Logo, let me…
So many restaurants fall when it comes to the dessert menu. If they don’t have a qualified in-house pastry person, and have not wisely brokered a deal with a top-quality local bakery, the dessert menu can often be the low point of the meal, trumped only by the offering of thin, poor quality coffee. It seems to me that a large number of Buffalo restaurants have settled for offering dense, overly sweet, tasteless, mass-produced desserts. Certainly the shelf life of a fresh dessert is limited and restaurants have found that thawing out a piece of carrot cake or cheesecake manufactured…
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a “Kitchen Sink” story, but now is most certainly the time. The onset of spring in Buffalo always brings not only the green, green burst of new leaves to our many tree-lined streets, but also the arrival of a slew of new restaurants–or at least it seems that way. Over on the City Channel, queenseyes has told you of restaurants developing all over town, including Tabree (see here and here), chow chocolate (here and here) and The Wine Thief (here and here). Another restaurant still in the works is Club 31. Last week I…