despite four last-minute cancellations, we still had six attend yesterday evening's dinner at Daniel's in Hamburg. Daniel's is to Hamburg as San Marco is to Snyder - tops. in a simple yet elegant setting, it's fair to say the group enjoyed the food, chat and the raging thunderstorm.
our posse started with Daniel's escargot appetizer: snails in a garlic butter sauce wrapped in a pasta cocoon. let me tell you, if balsamic is my #1 lure, garlic is a close second. i've never had escargot before and was not disappointed with Daniel's delivery - very good. The group also sampled their standard baked goat cheese appetizer (great), and special appetizers: butternut squash ravioli (good) and seared sashimi tuna (good). i also had their mozzarella salad with crispy prosciutto (average as the prosciutto added nothing to the dish).
as far as the entrees, i debated between ordering their veal chop and their roasted lobster tails over angel hair pasta in a vanilla bean butter sauce deciding for the later (doesn't seem like a difficult choice with that description though). jeff harrington decided to order what i didn't and grumbled about it afterwards as the sliced lobster tails with the hint of vanilla in that sauce were awesome while the veal chop was average. other choices included their standard tenderloin of veal with lobster (great), their halibut filet with crab meat (very good) and their rack of lamb with sea scallops - the lamb was perfectly tender and the scallops were perfectly crusted (excellent).
the group ordered an assortment of desserts, including their white and dark chocolate mousse (good), their chocolate marquis over a pistachio anglaise (excellent) chocolate timbale (didn't try) and their mascarpone with strawberries (very good).
Daniels's is fine dining and except for the some of the smallish portions which you would expect at such an establishment, i have little complaint (although i should have ordered a side of potato pancakes) so Daniel's joins the ranks of the elite with an A.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Santisero's
seven (one new) sat down at Santasiero's in buffalo last night to enjoy standard italian fare. if you haven't eaten at this staple of the west side I can tell you that there's nothing fancy there - decor or food but the place is solid (the food at least).
the group started with garlic bread with cheese, most of which had to be packed up for home because of the ample entrée portions. as far as the entrees, I had my favorite dish there, the pasta fasoola served with a side of hot peppers (tasty and satisfying). other's had: peas and macaroni, lentils and macaroni, spaghetti parm, linguini with clams, ziti with pesto sauce and spaghetti with tomato sauce. I sampled only the lentil dish which was good and everyone else seemed to enjoy their respective dishes. two dishes that I would have liked to sample are their goulash and their eggplant parmigian but because I enjoy the pasta fasoola so much I wasn't adventurous enough to order either myself.
no one had dessert as there is no dessert.
Santasiero's is about eating italian food and little else. their menu is billboarded on the walls of the restaurant and the scenery is out of a bad Sopranos episode but you can't beat the bang for the buck there so it gets a solid B.
the group started with garlic bread with cheese, most of which had to be packed up for home because of the ample entrée portions. as far as the entrees, I had my favorite dish there, the pasta fasoola served with a side of hot peppers (tasty and satisfying). other's had: peas and macaroni, lentils and macaroni, spaghetti parm, linguini with clams, ziti with pesto sauce and spaghetti with tomato sauce. I sampled only the lentil dish which was good and everyone else seemed to enjoy their respective dishes. two dishes that I would have liked to sample are their goulash and their eggplant parmigian but because I enjoy the pasta fasoola so much I wasn't adventurous enough to order either myself.
no one had dessert as there is no dessert.
Santasiero's is about eating italian food and little else. their menu is billboarded on the walls of the restaurant and the scenery is out of a bad Sopranos episode but you can't beat the bang for the buck there so it gets a solid B.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
The Korea House
i had a feeling that we were going to have a small turnout when the person who recommended the Korea House dropped out. four (two new) of us decided to venture out and sample some of korea's best cuisine (or some loose interpretation thereof) at the ostensibly, aptly named Korea House. our group started with boiled pork dumplings (average at best) and their fried chicken appetizer which was very similar to general tso's chicken served in strips (a little over-cooked but if you like general tso's you'd enjoy).
for entrees we ordered their chicken teriyaki and pork fried rice as well as their combo barbeque - scallops, chicken, beef and pork (or something passed off as pork which spurred much discussion). no surprises with the pork fried rice - it was solid. the chicken teriyaki was simply grilled chicken served in a teriyaki "broth" that i would say was fair but somewhat bland. the highlight of the meal was the barbeque which was prepared by our server at the table (ala shogun without the presentation). we were given assorted accoutrements to eat with the meats such as seaweed, kim che (cabbage), bean sprouts, green peppers, noodles, something they told us was fish, bean paste (surprisingly good) and some other mixers which could be wrapped up in lettuce together with the meats. i cannot comment whether the meal was authentic korean or not but I can tell you that the good is that the group had an opportunity to sample eatables that i'm sure no one had tasted previously, the bad is that I doubt any of us would have chosen to eat those comestibles. we were left with questions such as 'what are we eating?' and 'did you hear about that chinese restaurant in Hamburg?'
no one had dessert - 'nuff said.
the group agreed that the meal was 'an experience,' its strength being the novelty, but as novelties are usually their own pleasure in and of themselves, we all agreed that the korea house was not a restaurant any of us would likely visit again. therefore, the korea house gets a C- supported by the fact that the 'experience' was at least pleasant.
for entrees we ordered their chicken teriyaki and pork fried rice as well as their combo barbeque - scallops, chicken, beef and pork (or something passed off as pork which spurred much discussion). no surprises with the pork fried rice - it was solid. the chicken teriyaki was simply grilled chicken served in a teriyaki "broth" that i would say was fair but somewhat bland. the highlight of the meal was the barbeque which was prepared by our server at the table (ala shogun without the presentation). we were given assorted accoutrements to eat with the meats such as seaweed, kim che (cabbage), bean sprouts, green peppers, noodles, something they told us was fish, bean paste (surprisingly good) and some other mixers which could be wrapped up in lettuce together with the meats. i cannot comment whether the meal was authentic korean or not but I can tell you that the good is that the group had an opportunity to sample eatables that i'm sure no one had tasted previously, the bad is that I doubt any of us would have chosen to eat those comestibles. we were left with questions such as 'what are we eating?' and 'did you hear about that chinese restaurant in Hamburg?'
no one had dessert - 'nuff said.
the group agreed that the meal was 'an experience,' its strength being the novelty, but as novelties are usually their own pleasure in and of themselves, we all agreed that the korea house was not a restaurant any of us would likely visit again. therefore, the korea house gets a C- supported by the fact that the 'experience' was at least pleasant.
Friday, February 5, 2010
The Left Bank
yesterday we had our largest turnout yet with thirteen!!! (one new) at one of my favorites (if not the #1): The Left Bank (photos to follow courtesy of Rachel Kranitz and the not ready for prime time photographers). to my surprise, the Left Bank has wednesday asian night serving specials with an asian influence.
we were seated at two round, seven-top tables which the group quickly turned into an impromptu large table. louder than any other restaurant we have been at, it was very difficult hearing others at the table and nearly impossible to hold a conversation with someone not seated within two chairs but that didn't appear to stop everyone from enjoying the evening.
the best part of the meal were the appetizers: we ordered two ahi tuna tar tar's ($14 bucks per and worth every cent - possibly my favorite dish): raw tuna pieces on top of sticky rice with a spicy, drizzle of hot aioli and a spattering of tobiko; stuffed peppers (DNC - did not consume), calamari (very good - see previous emails) and their asian, dumpling special (no balsamic but a sesame soy drizzle = excellence).
it's hard to recall all of the entrées I sampled as I think only four of us ordered the same meal so were working with 9 different dishes that I tried but I'll do my best. I ordered the seafood vermicelli in miso broth special - it was somewhat bland and I barely had five forkfuls with all the other dishes i tried. I'm not a big fan of tuna steaks but I actually enjoyed the one bite I had of their ahi tuna steak but I wouldn't say it was anything more than better than average. my favorite entrée was their Carrot Papardella which was tossed with lobster, shrimp and crabmeat and served in a brandy cream sauce but was in fact served with rice rather than pasta due to a gluten issue. fantastic. I also enjoyed their Penne all’Arrabbiatta which was served with somewhat overcooked angel hair pasta, their Cheese Tortellini served in a romano cream sauce, their panko breaded chicken cutlets topped with avocado and cucumber, and I believe their Pasta & Seafood dish which was linguini with seafood in a light garlic (?) broth. I also had a finely cooked penne dish in red sauce and what I can only describe as a type of lasagna served with in a tomato, spinach sauce. in all, the entrees were pretty good but not 'A number one' compared to some of the other places we have visited.
for dessert the group ordered a chocolate devil's food cake, a chocolate chip mouse torte and a lemon something or other that I didn't try. the devil's food cake was somewhat dry but chocolaty, the torte was very good (mmmm, chocolate mousse) and I can't tell you about the lemon thingy but I was told it was very good.
if The Left Bank was judged by the appetizers I would give it an A+ but the entrees were a bit below my high expectations and the desserts were ehhh, so I'm giving it a B+.
we were seated at two round, seven-top tables which the group quickly turned into an impromptu large table. louder than any other restaurant we have been at, it was very difficult hearing others at the table and nearly impossible to hold a conversation with someone not seated within two chairs but that didn't appear to stop everyone from enjoying the evening.
the best part of the meal were the appetizers: we ordered two ahi tuna tar tar's ($14 bucks per and worth every cent - possibly my favorite dish): raw tuna pieces on top of sticky rice with a spicy, drizzle of hot aioli and a spattering of tobiko; stuffed peppers (DNC - did not consume), calamari (very good - see previous emails) and their asian, dumpling special (no balsamic but a sesame soy drizzle = excellence).
it's hard to recall all of the entrées I sampled as I think only four of us ordered the same meal so were working with 9 different dishes that I tried but I'll do my best. I ordered the seafood vermicelli in miso broth special - it was somewhat bland and I barely had five forkfuls with all the other dishes i tried. I'm not a big fan of tuna steaks but I actually enjoyed the one bite I had of their ahi tuna steak but I wouldn't say it was anything more than better than average. my favorite entrée was their Carrot Papardella which was tossed with lobster, shrimp and crabmeat and served in a brandy cream sauce but was in fact served with rice rather than pasta due to a gluten issue. fantastic. I also enjoyed their Penne all’Arrabbiatta which was served with somewhat overcooked angel hair pasta, their Cheese Tortellini served in a romano cream sauce, their panko breaded chicken cutlets topped with avocado and cucumber, and I believe their Pasta & Seafood dish which was linguini with seafood in a light garlic (?) broth. I also had a finely cooked penne dish in red sauce and what I can only describe as a type of lasagna served with in a tomato, spinach sauce. in all, the entrees were pretty good but not 'A number one' compared to some of the other places we have visited.
for dessert the group ordered a chocolate devil's food cake, a chocolate chip mouse torte and a lemon something or other that I didn't try. the devil's food cake was somewhat dry but chocolaty, the torte was very good (mmmm, chocolate mousse) and I can't tell you about the lemon thingy but I was told it was very good.
if The Left Bank was judged by the appetizers I would give it an A+ but the entrees were a bit below my high expectations and the desserts were ehhh, so I'm giving it a B+.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
The 31 Club
yesterday evening we had eight (two new) come to dinner at the 31 club.
maybe I had a San Marco hangover but I wasn't entirely thrilled with the vittles although the mood was considerably lighter than the previous month from the get-go. the group started with baby artichokes hearts stuffed with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and some other fillings (maybe a lemon/parsley mix?) which were very good, their meatloaf foie gras with huckleberry sauce (really, really good if you can get past the foie gras part) and calamari. the calamari was good but like stuffed peppers or oysters you know what you're getting with them and rarely do you get something out of the familiar range (good or bad) and there was no exception here.
on to the entrées. a few things stood out on the menu that looked tasty but c'mon not even a hint of balsamic?!?! left with that fact, I teetered between their linguini with clam and lobster sauce and their tatliatelle bolognese, choosing the former as ms. georger opted for the bolognese. other choices were their eggplant lasagna, filet mignon and pork chop special. I suppose I should have read the specials better because I thought I was ordering the linguini with a white sauce when in fact it was a red sauce (does that make me sound snobby?). regardless, it was good. I enjoyed the bolognese a little more but didn't think it was as good as the one at Mulberry's. The filet was very good and had an exciting-sounding side: au gratin zucchini potatoes. it sounded better than it tasted but it was still good. I can't recall exactly how the pork chop was prepared - it seemed to me to have a type of creole/cajun flavor and was very good. apparently it's side of rice was excellent.
making up for San Marco, I hoarded a tiramisu which was very good.
again, any place would have a hard task following San Marco. regardless, I think B+ would be appropriate but I think The 31 Club is a step down from Mulberry's which I gave a B+ so I'm giving The 31 Club a B.
maybe I had a San Marco hangover but I wasn't entirely thrilled with the vittles although the mood was considerably lighter than the previous month from the get-go. the group started with baby artichokes hearts stuffed with parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, and some other fillings (maybe a lemon/parsley mix?) which were very good, their meatloaf foie gras with huckleberry sauce (really, really good if you can get past the foie gras part) and calamari. the calamari was good but like stuffed peppers or oysters you know what you're getting with them and rarely do you get something out of the familiar range (good or bad) and there was no exception here.
on to the entrées. a few things stood out on the menu that looked tasty but c'mon not even a hint of balsamic?!?! left with that fact, I teetered between their linguini with clam and lobster sauce and their tatliatelle bolognese, choosing the former as ms. georger opted for the bolognese. other choices were their eggplant lasagna, filet mignon and pork chop special. I suppose I should have read the specials better because I thought I was ordering the linguini with a white sauce when in fact it was a red sauce (does that make me sound snobby?). regardless, it was good. I enjoyed the bolognese a little more but didn't think it was as good as the one at Mulberry's. The filet was very good and had an exciting-sounding side: au gratin zucchini potatoes. it sounded better than it tasted but it was still good. I can't recall exactly how the pork chop was prepared - it seemed to me to have a type of creole/cajun flavor and was very good. apparently it's side of rice was excellent.
making up for San Marco, I hoarded a tiramisu which was very good.
again, any place would have a hard task following San Marco. regardless, I think B+ would be appropriate but I think The 31 Club is a step down from Mulberry's which I gave a B+ so I'm giving The 31 Club a B.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
San Marco
San Marco has no bar which may have contributed to a somewhat reserved conversation at the beginning of the night (especially compared to Mangia) but things loosened up quickly with conversations about the food, woodland animals and Tiger Woods. speaking of professional athletes, we were joined at an adjacent table by jochen hecht of the buffalo sabres and his german-model girlfriend. not sure what he ordered, but if you are what you eat, he must have had cream puffs. zing!
anyway, wow! the food was fantastic. almost every dish was passed around and I believe everyone sampled or had the opportunity to sample almost every different dish ordered. I started with the caprese, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives and mozzarella. it's a staple and I have no complaints except that I could have ordered the other appetizers which were absolutely terrific. dave ordered their penne all'arribiata as an appetizer. perfectly cooked penne in a spicy sausage red sauce which was absolutely delicious. another ordered their gnocchi del barone which was just incredible. are you guys getting the idea with these superlatives? both were so tasty I regretted not ordering them myself.
upon dave's suggestion, I ordered ratatori all'luchiana which they kindly prepared for me as it was not on the menu but apparently had been in the past. as with the gnocchi, the luchiana was very rich - ratatori pasta in a pink cream sauce with tender chicken and sun dried tomatoes. I'm running out of highly positive adjectives here but tremendous sums it up. I also really enjoyed their ravioli all'aragosta - lobster filled ravioli in a pink cream sauce. their sea bass didn't stand out but I don't prefer to order fish filets. their saltimbocca alla romana (veal scaloppini with prosciutto) was good.
if there is one knock on San Marco it would only be that I wasn't enamored by their desserts. if I'm having an italian dinner, I want tiramisu as my dessert and either a cannoli or cassata cake as an alternative (or homemade italian cookies). not wanting dessert is difficult to accomplish with the sweet tooth that I have but in fairness, it may have been because the filling richness of the entrees and appetizers.
I just can't say enough about the food at San Marco so I am giving it the highest grade of A+. I would strongly recommend San Marco if you are looking for a top notch italian meal in the area.
anyway, wow! the food was fantastic. almost every dish was passed around and I believe everyone sampled or had the opportunity to sample almost every different dish ordered. I started with the caprese, roasted red peppers, artichoke hearts, olives and mozzarella. it's a staple and I have no complaints except that I could have ordered the other appetizers which were absolutely terrific. dave ordered their penne all'arribiata as an appetizer. perfectly cooked penne in a spicy sausage red sauce which was absolutely delicious. another ordered their gnocchi del barone which was just incredible. are you guys getting the idea with these superlatives? both were so tasty I regretted not ordering them myself.
upon dave's suggestion, I ordered ratatori all'luchiana which they kindly prepared for me as it was not on the menu but apparently had been in the past. as with the gnocchi, the luchiana was very rich - ratatori pasta in a pink cream sauce with tender chicken and sun dried tomatoes. I'm running out of highly positive adjectives here but tremendous sums it up. I also really enjoyed their ravioli all'aragosta - lobster filled ravioli in a pink cream sauce. their sea bass didn't stand out but I don't prefer to order fish filets. their saltimbocca alla romana (veal scaloppini with prosciutto) was good.
if there is one knock on San Marco it would only be that I wasn't enamored by their desserts. if I'm having an italian dinner, I want tiramisu as my dessert and either a cannoli or cassata cake as an alternative (or homemade italian cookies). not wanting dessert is difficult to accomplish with the sweet tooth that I have but in fairness, it may have been because the filling richness of the entrees and appetizers.
I just can't say enough about the food at San Marco so I am giving it the highest grade of A+. I would strongly recommend San Marco if you are looking for a top notch italian meal in the area.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Mangia
for those unaware, 'mangia' means swedish massage parlor in Yiddish. kidding. just seeing if you're paying attention.
the first course of the night was hilarity (even for the waitress). dave sanchez took one for the team and joined us despite feeling a bit under the weather. however his illness quickly vanished at the dinner table as the conversation became unabashedly playful.
the table ordered stuffed peppers (better than average), their eggplant neapolitan (awesome - it had a balsamic glaze) and a cheese-stuffed cannelloni maybe? (good). no one seemed to be that interested in the eggplant or maybe I just hoarded it so no one else could get a bite of it but either way, if you like breaded eggplant and mozzarella that has certain type of glaze that I love - I would highly recommend it.
the smaller table allowed for a greater sampling of each other's plates. I ordered the veal francaise. I'm not a big veal guy and last night's entrée didn't do anything to make me one. breaded veal over fettuccini alfredo, that's it. I tried the veal saltimbocca which was better than my dish but still average. I also sampled the chicken florentine (mistakenly chicken as veal was ordered) which was only average at best. I had another pasta dish that I have little recollection about and finally come to their seafood and sea bass fra diavlo special. the fra diavlo was their best dish - although I thought sea bass seemed a bit odd for spicy marinara it worked well although I thought it could have been served with more sauce.
the table ended the night with their crème brule and tiramisu. both desserts were excellent but small portioned. the tiramisu was loaded with liquor which might explain why most of the table was hammered by the time we got to the bar or maybe it was the six (6) bottles of wine the table quaffed down. you heard me right, six. for five people (read two). and one guy was feeling ill.
for those who attended, please feel free to contribute your perspective on the blog: http://wnydining.blogspot.com/
i'm throwing out a B- for Mangia (maybe it should be lower except for the fact the Yankees are world champions and the absolute blast of an evening)
the first course of the night was hilarity (even for the waitress). dave sanchez took one for the team and joined us despite feeling a bit under the weather. however his illness quickly vanished at the dinner table as the conversation became unabashedly playful.
the table ordered stuffed peppers (better than average), their eggplant neapolitan (awesome - it had a balsamic glaze) and a cheese-stuffed cannelloni maybe? (good). no one seemed to be that interested in the eggplant or maybe I just hoarded it so no one else could get a bite of it but either way, if you like breaded eggplant and mozzarella that has certain type of glaze that I love - I would highly recommend it.
the smaller table allowed for a greater sampling of each other's plates. I ordered the veal francaise. I'm not a big veal guy and last night's entrée didn't do anything to make me one. breaded veal over fettuccini alfredo, that's it. I tried the veal saltimbocca which was better than my dish but still average. I also sampled the chicken florentine (mistakenly chicken as veal was ordered) which was only average at best. I had another pasta dish that I have little recollection about and finally come to their seafood and sea bass fra diavlo special. the fra diavlo was their best dish - although I thought sea bass seemed a bit odd for spicy marinara it worked well although I thought it could have been served with more sauce.
the table ended the night with their crème brule and tiramisu. both desserts were excellent but small portioned. the tiramisu was loaded with liquor which might explain why most of the table was hammered by the time we got to the bar or maybe it was the six (6) bottles of wine the table quaffed down. you heard me right, six. for five people (read two). and one guy was feeling ill.
for those who attended, please feel free to contribute your perspective on the blog: http://wnydining.blogspot.com/
i'm throwing out a B- for Mangia (maybe it should be lower except for the fact the Yankees are world champions and the absolute blast of an evening)
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Black & Blue
there was a big turnout as twelve (five rookies) came to dinner in Williamsville at Black & Blue last night. good friends, decent food and a Yankees victory = an awesome evening! in contrast to Tabree, B&B is large, open and modern. unfortunately, the dining area was loud and we were seated so it was impossible for one end of our table to interact with the other. despite this, i think everyone enjoyed the company of the group.
i started with two appetizers: oysters and their kobe meatballs. there's not much to say about oysters - you either like them or you don't and I happen to like them - with lemon, tobasco and cocktail sauce. the kobe meatballs reminded me of swedish meatballs as they had a type of stroganoff gravy covering them. I happen to enjoy swedish meetballs so they get the thumbs up. i also sampled some scallops with a balsamic drizzle (yum), pineapple and sausage (interesting) and some potatoes with balsamic drizzle (yum). I like balsamic so much I may start putting a drizzle on my cereal.
for the entrée I ordered the ny strip with only their rub for flavor. it was good but I can't say that it stood out in any way except that I ordered it medium (I'm usually a medium rare guy) and still found it to be rare. I had an orzo mac and cheese side which was good. I always find that I am compelled to order mac and cheese when I see it on a menu but am always disappointed with it (I guess I need it to be kraft out of the box).
I tried a bunch of different foods and can't recall anything extraodinatry although I did enjoy their filet with a red wine demi glaze. for those who attended, please feel free to contribute your perspective on the blog: http://wnydining.blogspot.com/
i'm throwing out a B+ for Black & Blue despite it being very "Williamsville-y".
i started with two appetizers: oysters and their kobe meatballs. there's not much to say about oysters - you either like them or you don't and I happen to like them - with lemon, tobasco and cocktail sauce. the kobe meatballs reminded me of swedish meatballs as they had a type of stroganoff gravy covering them. I happen to enjoy swedish meetballs so they get the thumbs up. i also sampled some scallops with a balsamic drizzle (yum), pineapple and sausage (interesting) and some potatoes with balsamic drizzle (yum). I like balsamic so much I may start putting a drizzle on my cereal.
for the entrée I ordered the ny strip with only their rub for flavor. it was good but I can't say that it stood out in any way except that I ordered it medium (I'm usually a medium rare guy) and still found it to be rare. I had an orzo mac and cheese side which was good. I always find that I am compelled to order mac and cheese when I see it on a menu but am always disappointed with it (I guess I need it to be kraft out of the box).
I tried a bunch of different foods and can't recall anything extraodinatry although I did enjoy their filet with a red wine demi glaze. for those who attended, please feel free to contribute your perspective on the blog: http://wnydining.blogspot.com/
i'm throwing out a B+ for Black & Blue despite it being very "Williamsville-y".
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Tabree
we had nine (six noobs) join for dinner on Elmwood in Buffalo at Tabree last night in a venue slightly smaller than Mattingly's walk-in bedroom closet. fortunately, we were comfortably seated on the patio in the back which was a bit larger.
i had a sampling of appetizers including: cod cakes over spinach (very good), seared scallops with a balsamic drizzle and crabmeat mousse (excellent) and some sort of wild mushroom pastry (very good).
i am not a choosy eater so usually if i find a side that strikes my fancy (balsamic is always a lure) i'll order the entrée whether it be beef, fish or fowl even though i prefer chicken. Tabree's menu is diverse and the dishes have eclectic sides which made it difficult for me to opt on an entrée. i ordered their filet mignon over maytag blue cheese, asparagus risotto topped with whole garlic cloves - it was the garlic cloves that caught my eye.
unfortunately, i probably spoiled the chef's intent by eating the 4-5 garlic cloves before even tasting the rest of the meal (they were delicious). the filet itself was good but the risotto was truly fantastic. also fantastic was their ravioli special. i had a taste of some halibut which was good as well.
the food itself was solid but it was somewhat difficult to hear the conversation on the far side of the table as the patio was packed. also, there were quite a few mosquitoes flitting about which was a minor annoyance. regardless, everyone seemed to enjoy the pleasant weather, the company and the food so i'm throwing out a B+ for Tabree and would recommend it for a try to anyone.
i had a sampling of appetizers including: cod cakes over spinach (very good), seared scallops with a balsamic drizzle and crabmeat mousse (excellent) and some sort of wild mushroom pastry (very good).
i am not a choosy eater so usually if i find a side that strikes my fancy (balsamic is always a lure) i'll order the entrée whether it be beef, fish or fowl even though i prefer chicken. Tabree's menu is diverse and the dishes have eclectic sides which made it difficult for me to opt on an entrée. i ordered their filet mignon over maytag blue cheese, asparagus risotto topped with whole garlic cloves - it was the garlic cloves that caught my eye.
unfortunately, i probably spoiled the chef's intent by eating the 4-5 garlic cloves before even tasting the rest of the meal (they were delicious). the filet itself was good but the risotto was truly fantastic. also fantastic was their ravioli special. i had a taste of some halibut which was good as well.
the food itself was solid but it was somewhat difficult to hear the conversation on the far side of the table as the patio was packed. also, there were quite a few mosquitoes flitting about which was a minor annoyance. regardless, everyone seemed to enjoy the pleasant weather, the company and the food so i'm throwing out a B+ for Tabree and would recommend it for a try to anyone.
carmelo's
hello all,
last night seven of us (three newbies) visited lewiston, ny and sampled the fare at Carmelo's. the gang started out with two of the appetizer specials - two meatballs and s swiss chard pancake. both were excellent.
no one ordered the same entrée and the dishes varied from pasta to seafood, chicken to beef. I ordered their bucatini all' amatriciana. this is the first dish that I tried that I enjoyed more than someone else's and it was fantastic - perfectly cooked bucatini in a spicy red sauce with salty ham (Guanciale) and red chiles. I also sampled their pappardelle with chopped veal which was also great (well cooked and tasty). I also had a taste of some white fish from one of their nightly specials but it didn't stand out like the pastas. I suppose everyone must have liked their meals as well since I didn't have a taste of any other dish.
based on what I did have, the thoroughly enjoyable conversations with friends, the pleasant surroundings and awesome drive down the escarpment (my favorite vista in western ny) I'm giving Carmelo's my highest grade yet.
last night seven of us (three newbies) visited lewiston, ny and sampled the fare at Carmelo's. the gang started out with two of the appetizer specials - two meatballs and s swiss chard pancake. both were excellent.
no one ordered the same entrée and the dishes varied from pasta to seafood, chicken to beef. I ordered their bucatini all' amatriciana. this is the first dish that I tried that I enjoyed more than someone else's and it was fantastic - perfectly cooked bucatini in a spicy red sauce with salty ham (Guanciale) and red chiles. I also sampled their pappardelle with chopped veal which was also great (well cooked and tasty). I also had a taste of some white fish from one of their nightly specials but it didn't stand out like the pastas. I suppose everyone must have liked their meals as well since I didn't have a taste of any other dish.
based on what I did have, the thoroughly enjoyable conversations with friends, the pleasant surroundings and awesome drive down the escarpment (my favorite vista in western ny) I'm giving Carmelo's my highest grade yet.
kuni's
greetings,
our group had the pleasure of eating at Kuni's this past wednesday. if you haven't heard of this western new york sushi staple you must not like japanese cuisine.
maybe it was just me, but the conversation seemed to take precedence over the food tasting (which may simply be explained by my love and familiarity with kuni's).
anyway, the group had a good time and thoroughly enjoyed both the food and company. i was not adventurous with my selections, choosing only the KFC (kuni's fried chicken) as a dish i have not tried previously. we started with one of my favorites, the wasabi shumai - pork dumplings wrapped in a wasabi wonton. excellent (except i only had one). i also ordered the hot, hot, hot fish salad. various pieces of seafood over shredded lettuce with a smattering of a hot chili sauce. very good. the KFC was good as well, breaded tender chicken nuggets served with soy sauce. i finished out the night with a lone eel and avocado roll. yum. the rest of the group was light on the appetizers as two ordered the rather filling sashimi combo.
looking back, i probably should have abandoned my kuni's staples and tried all new dishes. as far as i'm concerned, kuni's is the best sushi - rolls, pieces and miscellany in the area.
our group had the pleasure of eating at Kuni's this past wednesday. if you haven't heard of this western new york sushi staple you must not like japanese cuisine.
maybe it was just me, but the conversation seemed to take precedence over the food tasting (which may simply be explained by my love and familiarity with kuni's).
anyway, the group had a good time and thoroughly enjoyed both the food and company. i was not adventurous with my selections, choosing only the KFC (kuni's fried chicken) as a dish i have not tried previously. we started with one of my favorites, the wasabi shumai - pork dumplings wrapped in a wasabi wonton. excellent (except i only had one). i also ordered the hot, hot, hot fish salad. various pieces of seafood over shredded lettuce with a smattering of a hot chili sauce. very good. the KFC was good as well, breaded tender chicken nuggets served with soy sauce. i finished out the night with a lone eel and avocado roll. yum. the rest of the group was light on the appetizers as two ordered the rather filling sashimi combo.
looking back, i probably should have abandoned my kuni's staples and tried all new dishes. as far as i'm concerned, kuni's is the best sushi - rolls, pieces and miscellany in the area.
Route 5
summer must be around the corner because only four were free to dine out at Route 5 in Hamburg last night. fantastic view, a fantastic dessert, pedestrian food - the best part of the evening was the sun setting over lake erie and their bananas foster ice cream cake.
we started with their stuffed peppers and mozzarella salad. the peppers were alright and the mozzarella salad was interesting: sun-dried peppers wrapped in mozzarella cheese spirals with balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top served over greens - sounds much better than it tasted.
for entrees, we ordered the goat pizza: goat cheese, sun dried cherries drizzled with balsamic (the balsamic was the lure but it was only faintly present in taste), panko crusted chicken cutlets with roasted red pepper sauce (interesting but a little too bland), their trout entrée (probably the best dish we ordered but still average) and penne pasta in a balsamic cream sauce (again the balsamic but missing in the taste). overall, very average. except for the bananas foster ice cream cake - ice cream cake with bananas in it with a chocolate and caramel sauce. awesome.
we have a lot of restaurants to choose from but I am very interested in choosing ones that people have enjoyed and those that have not been tried but have been recommended so please make suggestions of restaurants to try.
we started with their stuffed peppers and mozzarella salad. the peppers were alright and the mozzarella salad was interesting: sun-dried peppers wrapped in mozzarella cheese spirals with balsamic vinaigrette drizzled on top served over greens - sounds much better than it tasted.
for entrees, we ordered the goat pizza: goat cheese, sun dried cherries drizzled with balsamic (the balsamic was the lure but it was only faintly present in taste), panko crusted chicken cutlets with roasted red pepper sauce (interesting but a little too bland), their trout entrée (probably the best dish we ordered but still average) and penne pasta in a balsamic cream sauce (again the balsamic but missing in the taste). overall, very average. except for the bananas foster ice cream cake - ice cream cake with bananas in it with a chocolate and caramel sauce. awesome.
we have a lot of restaurants to choose from but I am very interested in choosing ones that people have enjoyed and those that have not been tried but have been recommended so please make suggestions of restaurants to try.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Kennedy's Cove
I visited the Cove on both Wednesday and Thursday, having the blackened 8 oz. filet the first evening and the blackened 16 oz. strip steak the next. filet is not my first choice in steak cuts but it was truly fantastic which i cannot say was true for the strip. the filet was easily the best i've ever had - butter and blackened spice drenched tenderness that melted in my mouth.
each group enjoyed the Cove's fried olive with asiago cheese appetizer. very tasty. the wednesday night crew also enjoyed the clams casino which were also excellent.
each entree was served with salad or soup, a choice of potato (everyone ordered either the twice-baked or twice-baked sweet potato) and a slice of heavily buttered bread.
i was full by the time i got to my potato sides, but from what i was able to stuff into my belly, the regular and sweet twice-baked were pretty good. the sweet potato could have almost been mistaken for cake it was so sweet (which suits me fine).
i would strongly recommend everyone to go and try the filet and judge for yourself.
each group enjoyed the Cove's fried olive with asiago cheese appetizer. very tasty. the wednesday night crew also enjoyed the clams casino which were also excellent.
each entree was served with salad or soup, a choice of potato (everyone ordered either the twice-baked or twice-baked sweet potato) and a slice of heavily buttered bread.
i was full by the time i got to my potato sides, but from what i was able to stuff into my belly, the regular and sweet twice-baked were pretty good. the sweet potato could have almost been mistaken for cake it was so sweet (which suits me fine).
i would strongly recommend everyone to go and try the filet and judge for yourself.
Friday, March 6, 2009
Shango
the group had an opportunity to visit Shango last night. some of us enjoyed a few beverages from the bar before sitting down. note: they only serve beer and wine (and ryan's soda).
the restaurant crowd was loud which was bolstered by live music; a pianist who started his set with 'the girl from ipanema' (it got better from there though with some diversity: some jazz, some beatles and stones etc.)
the group started with sweet potato and parmesean fries - both were excellent. i also tried the goat cheese salad which was excellent as well.
i started with the gumbo which was awesome and ordered the creole meatloaf as my entree which i enjoyed but sdisappointed as i really liked the buttermilk fried chicken entree that i tasted - tender and well-spiced. i also sampled the ahi tuna (good), mac & cheese (good), penne (excellent) and i think the grouper (good).
i didn't hear any complaints except that the tuna steak should have been ordered rare.
all meals were reasonably priced.
i would definitely give Shango the thumbs up and would like to visit there again.
the restaurant crowd was loud which was bolstered by live music; a pianist who started his set with 'the girl from ipanema' (it got better from there though with some diversity: some jazz, some beatles and stones etc.)
the group started with sweet potato and parmesean fries - both were excellent. i also tried the goat cheese salad which was excellent as well.
i started with the gumbo which was awesome and ordered the creole meatloaf as my entree which i enjoyed but sdisappointed as i really liked the buttermilk fried chicken entree that i tasted - tender and well-spiced. i also sampled the ahi tuna (good), mac & cheese (good), penne (excellent) and i think the grouper (good).
i didn't hear any complaints except that the tuna steak should have been ordered rare.
all meals were reasonably priced.
i would definitely give Shango the thumbs up and would like to visit there again.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Curly's
i ordered the fish brettone, curly's fresh fish entree sauteed with mushrooms, capers and a white wine and butter sauce. it was very rich and, unfortunately, after having some of the ricotta or goat cheese-stuffed pablano hot pepper and the recommended black bean soup (both excellent) i was in no position to make much of a dent in my entree. but what i did have and what i shared was enjoyed by everyone. i also enjoyed a sample of the chicken ochee entree. i would recommend both.
curly's has a caribbean slant to it and considers itself to be fine dining which is supported by the the price of the meal.
i was not too fond of the dining room music (from the get-go which started with a jimmy buffett ditty) but the companionship and conversation minimized it.
i would definitely like to go back and try some of the other entrees.
curly's has a caribbean slant to it and considers itself to be fine dining which is supported by the the price of the meal.
i was not too fond of the dining room music (from the get-go which started with a jimmy buffett ditty) but the companionship and conversation minimized it.
i would definitely like to go back and try some of the other entrees.
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