Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: C

[–] Chef's

Key:

[—], , ,	Bill's rankings
[XXX]	recommendation from contributor whose initials are XXX
[a+]	on UB Amherst Campus (in the UB Commons)
[a]	near UB Amherst Campus (within 2 miles)
[m]	near UB Main St. Campus (within 2 miles)

(For more info on locations, see Geography)

All phone numbers are in area code 716, unless otherwise indicated.

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Cabana Sam's Sunset Bay Grill.
1028 S. Shore Dr. (at Sunset Bay), Irving.
934-9953.

[LMR, 5/09] says: "Was there for Mother's Day (5/09). They have decent bar food and some specials, with all-you-can-eat crab legs on Mondays and great drink specials all week long. The food is passable, not superb, but very decent; good wings, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. The service has always been slow; since we have a cottage there, we go often, and it's always been an issue. Not that they are not friendly; they all are, but they are just stretched too thin, I feel. Too many tables, not enough help, or they are gabbing in the kitchen and not paying attention; not sure what the deal is, but if you're not in a hurry, then you'll enjoy it. I would say it's reasonably priced for the amount of food you get; you don't go away hungry. All in all, for the atmosphere of being on the beach with loud music booming around you, it's a great spot on a warm summer day!!"

Cabaret.
490 Pearl St. (downtown), Buffalo.
842-4181.

[CFe, 1/07] says: "My girlfriend and I dined at Cabaret last night, and, because you are yet to feature a review here, I figured I'd offer some insight. The review is not as positive as others that I have read about the restaurant, but I figured I'd submit it anyway. We stopped in for a quick meal before the Sabres game, were seated promptly, and greeted by a very friendly waitress. She proficiently rattled off the list of specials, which was quite extensive and sounded delicious. After taking a glance at the menu—which was rather small but contained a decent variety of delicious sounding meals as well as lighter fare accented nicely by the specials—we decided to go simple due to the rushed nature of our visit. My girlfriend ordered a salad of mixed greens topped with salmon and a poppyseed dressing (the salad ended up being mostly iceberg, and she was not impressed). I ordered linguine with clam sauce, which was not the best I've had, but was passing. The atmosphere inside the restaurant was extremly loud, with no separation between bar and dining area. I was rather impressed with the bar; seems like a nice place downtown to grab a drink after a performance at Shea's, but some separation is needed from the dining area. Overall, I don't think Cabaret is any place I will be back to any time soon for dinner, but I do anticipate stopping in for a nightcap in the future!"

[] Caffe Espresso.
4401 Transit Rd. (near Main St., in the Clarence Mall, south of Eastern Hills Mall), Clarence.
626-CAFE (626-2233).

Italian; coffee and wine bar. Besides their regular menu of appetizers, soups, salads, and sandwiches, they also have a specials menu of various pastas. And desserts. Outdoor dining in good weather.

[SR, 10/08] says: "While visiting family and friends in Buffalo over the Columbus holiday weekend, I met a friend for dinner here on Saturday night. I wasn't terribly hungry, so I ordered a shrimp and mango salad. It arrived with Mandarin oranges instead of mango, which seemed a little strange, since the server never said anything about being out of mango and didn't say anything when she brought it, either. It was good, anyway. My friend had eggplant parmesan, of which I tried a couple bites. It was delicious."

[KKr, 10/07] said: "I just ate lunch at the Caffe Espresso with my sister. It was the second time I had been there, and we decided to go there because we enjoyed it the first time. We sat at a table in the back where you can see people preparing the food. I sat and watched our waitress prepare our food with her bare hands. She did not put any gloves on. She touched each part of my sister's salad in between waiting on tables, taking money from customers, and going in and out of the kitchen. There was a sink right next to the area, but she did not wash or even rinse her hands once. My sister told her that she could not eat it, because she saw her make it with no gloves on. She was obviously very upset, because she never came back to our table again. We flagged her down for the check and then waited 20 minutes for her to take our money. We finally had to leave and left enough money on the table for the bill but no tip. We will never go to this restaurant again, and we will be telling everyone about our experience. And I should also mention that the manager knew of the situation and never came to our table, either. Terrible!!!!"

On the other hand, [SMD, 1/04] said: "What a gem this place is, tucked away in a strip mall at the Main and Transit intersection. A friend and I enjoyed a very delicious lunch here recently. I opted for the chicken pesto pannini with a side salad. The paninni (an Italian grilled sandwich) was delicious, as was the salad with a terrific, house balsamic dressing. My dining companion had the roast beef paninni with a cup of the day's homemade vegetable rice soup. He reported that the vegetable rice soup was as delicious as it looked and was loaded with veggies and rice. We splurged on a dessert of filled-to-order canolli's, which were also excellent. This spot also has "dinner" selections on the menu and an extensive coffee menu. Our server was friendly and knowledgeable, and the restaurant was clean and nicely decorated. I can't wait to return, as this was one of the most pleasant dining experiences I have had in a long time."

Bill said:

[8/02] We had definitely planned to come back, and we did, for dinner. We began with 2 of the 3 special soups they had that evening; both [MER]'s French onion soup and my creamy porcini mushroom soup were wonderfully scrumptious. We shared the tasty bruschetta (though we had to ask for small plates to put the slices on), and we both had our own chicken pesto over mixed greens with a deliciously mustardy-tasting balsamic vinaigrette. For dessert, we shared a chocolate-strawberry tart that was light and flaky and had been staring longingly at us from the dessert display all through dinner. What a shame that the place was practically empty. The only downsides were that there were no pasta specials that evening, and the service was a bit on the slow side, but those are extremely minor "complaints".

[MER, 6/02] discovered this place for lunch, and loved it. We went there for dinner, and both loved it. I normally don't think that the decor or atmosphere of a restaurant is all that important (a restaurant-critic friend of mine once formulated a law that the quality of food was usually inversely proportional to the number of hanging plants). But this place is certainly an exception: It has one of the most distinctive decors I've seen, and it added greatly to the enjoyment of our meal. It was hot, so we opted for salads: bruschetta, caprese (tomato, mozzarella, and basil), and chicken pesto; and I also had the La Pizzetta sandwich: tomatoes, romano cheese, hot soprasata, marinated mushrooms, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella in a panini. For dessert (which we had to eat, since we were seated next to the display case, which kept tempting us all during the meal), we shared a wonderful strawberry cake. The only thing that slightly marred our enjoyment was somewhat slow service, but since we weren't in a hurry, and the atmosphere was much like sitting in an outdoor café somewhere in Europe, we didn't mind.

Café 59.
59 Allen St. (in Allentown, between Main St. & Delaware Ave.), Buffalo.
883-1880.

Internet café.

[AMSo, 9/07] says: "K. and I went to Café 59 last week before grocery shopping and, as usual, had a wonderful experience! We both ordered the roasted vegetable sandwich and also had sides of the tricolor pasta salad w/ olives. We also ordered two soy mochas and some of the apricot-walnut scones to take home. The scones are the only vegan baked good that Café 59 sells, but they are so yummy! I love how they marinate the roasted veggies. It's always such a hearty sandwich! Other great picks are the soups—the corn & curry is a favorite of mine, and, the 2nd last time we were there, I got this wonderful white bean soup with dill. It was so good, and we're going to attempt to replicate it tonite! They've also got some very good hummus, warm pockety pitas, and lots of salad options. Always a good choice."

[RTC, 1/06] says: "Wonderful coffee shop with great food. Every item on the menu is amazing to eat. In the winter, they have a great variety of exceptional soups to choose from. Prices are not bad at all, definitely better than other coffee shops. Atmosphere is very relaxed; they have Internet available for anyone who needs it. My favorite items are the eggplant sandwich, the corn and curry soup, and the bow-tie with broccoli salad."

[KC, 2/03] says: "Excellent creamy tomato soup with large chunks of tomato, onion, garlic, and basil (among other things)!!! My favorite lunchtime spot in the area."

[m] Calamita's Take Out Deli and Pizzeria.
3173 Main St., Buffalo.
836-5946.

Recommended by [LIN, 4/96].

Cambria's Restaurant.
6354 Transit Rd., Depew.
683-8843.

Takeout available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.

[MEL, 8/99] says (based on his visit to the Taste of Lancaster): "A soft, good, gooey eggplant parmesan. My tongue was smiling after I ate it."

[AK, 1/97] says: "I [used to] eat there once a month or so [about a year ago], and the food [was] always of good quality and inexpensive. Portions [were] generous."

[m] Cameo's.
482 Niagara Falls Blvd. (near Kenmore Ave.), Tonawanda.
832-2790.

Continental cuisine. Takeout available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.

[SSh, 11/06] says: "I have had many visits at Cameos, but they are now a thing of the past. I ate there on a Saturday evening in October, with a reservation for a party of 4. They were not at all busy, but we were not seated in the main room. The bread plates, which were on the table when we arrived, were greasy, and the silverware caked with food. We asked for clean, and got a few, but not as many as we sent back. We ordered wine, and got wine glasses with lipstick marks and had to send them back as well. We took what clean place settings we could find off other tables. The dishes were not removed from our table, so we piled them on an empty table, which was also never bussed. I wondered if the plate under my entree was washed! Throughout the meal, there was an intermittent slamming sound from someplace—the door closing? I did complain in writing to the management, who told me that the waitstaff was spoken to, and begging me to send my address and to return. I did send the address, and never heard back, and 6 weeks has passed. I will not return, and advise others to find someplace else to eat."

Cammarata's Restaurant.
6336 Robinson Rd., Lockport.
433-5353.

[WHN, 7/07] says: "We met some friends from Lockport at Cammarata's for dinner on Friday night. Based on their recommendation, my wife and I both had one of their Friday night specials, Italian broiled fish, which the server said was haddock topped with tomatoes and peppers. Actually, the fish was covered by a thick tomato sauce with a few chunks of canned tomato and one or two pieces of green pepper—the same sauce used on the accompanying side of spaghetti. The salads were OK, but nothing special. However, the New England clam chowder was very good. Far from the best Italian food we've eaten, but not the worst either."

Campieri's.
888 Main St. (in Allentown), Buffalo.
362-0161.

[AAB, 12/08] says: "A friend and I went to this restaurant after hearing many good things about it, both on the restaurant guide and in the press. It was a cold, quiet Friday, and the bar was empty. The bartender directed us to seat ourselves in the restaurant, which was also mostly empty, except for a couple of tables with four or so people. The decor is lovely; dark browns and exposed brick, with solid wooden tables and chairs. The atmosphere is comfortable and quiet. I was, however, a little put off by the discarded stove sitting to the side of the eating area. My dinner companion prefers a plain pizza for various reasons, and the menu outright insults his tastes. Under plain pizza, it says "For those with no imagination". We ordered the Garlic Lovers pizza, and I ordered a salad. We hung out and waited. I noticed that there was one waiter for the restaurant, and I also noticed that he was ignoring us. Completely. He'd taken an abnormally long time to get to us after we'd closed and put down our menus, but I hoped once he took our order that this would be fixed. It was not. I attempted to get his attention several times, but he was bustling back and forth from the kitchen to the other tables with an almost frantic gate, and never seemed to be doing much. We waited a half hour before flagging down the bartender, who was wandering through the dining room, to inquire about our food. She was at first a little snide, and then went back into the kitchen to ask. Eventually, she came back to say that they were a little short-staffed tonight, there was only one cook, and that our food would be out soon. She then got my salad for me (which was tasty, but overpriced). A new, large table behind us got their orders taken and served while we waited. After another 20 minutes, we were pondering simply leaving. It had been quietly snowing very steadily since we'd sat down, and the roads looked slick and uninviting. We inquired about our food, and were told it would be two more minutes. After eight, our pizza was finally delivered to us by a surly man from the back room, who snapped at us when we mentioned the lack of plates. My dinner companion had to fetch his own silverware from the sideboard where they were stored. The pizza was good, but not worth this hassle. Even as I found the pizza delicious, it had large, crunchy onions in the sauce, which were not advertised any place in the menu. My dinner companion cannot stand onions and would like to have known beforehand what the pizza would have in it. This is what a menu is for. Nothing was taken off our menu for our trouble, and no one apologized to us for anything. We left onto the now dangerously slick Main Street, and will not be back."

[RDM, 11/08] said: "Wow—excellent pizza in a comfy atmosphere. We enjoyed the Emperor pizza, which had mozzarella and ricotta cheese, capicolla, sautéed spinach, and banana peppers. It was amazing. Also, the eggplant fries as an appetizer are a must. They are huge, spicy, and crunchy!"

[JDH, 7/08] said: "I am giving Dan's restaurant 2 thumbs up or 5 stars. He has a wide variety of pizzas, white and red, and a number of appetizers. The beer selection is small but wonderful. Local varieties include Flying Bison Blackbird Stout, Southern Tier IPA. Also he has Labatt Blue Light, among others. There is also a wine selection. Service and decor is also great—casual environment."

Campobello's Cucina Italiana.
9334 Transit Rd. (at Casey, in Transit-Casey Plaza), E. Amherst.
636-8770.

[NH, 5/09] says: "Well, we went to Campobello's Cucina Italiana on Transit Road last night. Highly recommended by my daughter and the reviews in your report. What a zoo in there. Walking in the only door, we found ourselves at the take-out counter along with many other patrons. There was a sign: "Please Wait to Be Seated". Nobody was around to take names or let you know how long a wait it would be. The girl behind the take-out counter was very frazzled with the phone constantly ringing and running in the back to retrieve take-out orders. I finally went up to her and asked her if there was a hostess. She replied, ‘Oh yes, she should be out in a minute. It's very busy in there with two parties of ten.’ How that involves the hostess, I don't know. Just sounded like a stall to me. She finally asked how many were in our party and what the name was. She wrote this on a take-out order pad. All this time, the hall is filling up with patrons wanting to be seated. Ah-h-h, the hostess appears. She asks me how many in our party, after seating a large party of about 10. I tell her there's just two of us. She turns around and walks thru the door into the dining room letting it close behind her without a word. I'm thinking, should we follow her, is she checking on table availability? What's going on? Suddenly, I see her turn around looking for us so we both scooted thru the door. There were probably about 10 empty tables/booths. We ordered our food. Fettucine Rosé with a side of sausage, and spaghetti and meatballs. First, the salad showed up, which was a large, crisp, lettuce salad with cherry tomatoes, black olives, chickpeas, etc. Very good. Then came the entrées. Mine was swimming in way too much sauce, and, as usual, the pasta was boiled in ‘saltless’ water. What's up with that anyway? Everybody knows you should salt your pasta water. The sausages were a mushy mess and had no flavor whatsoever. My husband's spaghetti and meatballs were not much better. Spaghetti boiled in saltless water, and the meatballs were absolutely awful. They tasted like a big ball of wet cake. I don't think there was any meat in them at all. No spice, no flavor. The spaghetti also was swimming in a pool of water underneath. All in all, it was a very unfavorable experience, and we will never be back."

Bill said:

Good Italian cuisine. Informal. Huge portions. Good desserts. Inexpensive. They also do takeout and delivery, which [5/08] [MER], my son, and I take advantage of at least twice a week.

[7/04] I just had a scrumptious special here last night; they really should add it to their daily menu: chicken romana—a boneless breast of chicken grilled with herbs, served over pasta with tomatoes in a garlic and oil sauce with pine nuts.

[8/01] Another new addition to their specials menu (though it seems now to be available every day) is pasta Giovanni: pasta with lots of artichokes and lots of sun-dried tomatoes in a creamy pesto sauce (almost like an Alfredo sauce)—scrumptious! We also like their wings.

[7/01] Although we've had some bad experiences here with service, the food has always been good, and some recent menu additions have made it even more interesting: I am thinking in particular of their pasta giardino (pasta in garlic and oil, with veggies) and a recent special: gnocchi with artichokes in a tomato cream sauce.

[WHN, 10/05] said: "We tried to eat here, but after being seated by the hostess...we waited...and waited...and waited...nearly half an hour...for someone to acknowledge our presence, bring water, take a drink order, or something. Anything! It was mid-week, and there were only a few tables occupied, so they weren't at all busy. The only waitress walked by our booth several times, but ignored us. We left. No one noticed."

[DJZ, 10/03] said: "I recently visited Campobello's Cucina Italiana. The food was fantastic. Their baked haddock was out of this world. My wife enjoyed the chicken parmesan. She allowed me to taste it. As much as I loved my meal, I secretly wished I too had ordered the chicken parmesan. The staff was helpful and courteous. The portion sizes were very large. Neither I nor my wife were able to finish it. The prices were very reasonable. Campobello's was such a pleasant experience. I would highly recommend this restaurant. Five Stars!!!"

[GCR, 11/02] said: "What happened!!!!! I have been a long time patron. We do not live close, although just in Tonawanda; we only eat at Campobello's 3-4 times a year, but have been going there since they were around the corner at the end of the plaza. I dined there with another follower on October 30, 2002. Our hostess was very pleasant and made sure we were happy with our seating. The restaurant wasn't too busy, but the table next to us were having a conversation about the poor service. Our waiter was very pleasant also. He took our order: We decided on seafood bisque for my friend, and I ordered minestrone. We waited and waited. So did the table next to us. Finally, the waiter reported to us that there were no clean bowls. I thought he should have washed some, but, hey, maybe they are union. We finally got our soup; it was good. We ate it slowly, because we were given teaspoons; the soup spoons were dirty, too, we were told. I ordered an appetizer: artichokes. I got a good-sized portion of canned artichokes with Italian dressing on top. Oh well, wrong choice, I guess. I decided to eat them with my bread, just to make the best of it. The bread was stale, very stale. The waiter, when asked, told me it was the only bread in the house. Wrong choice again. I ordered brocciole. It was very good; it was served with ziti, pasta of my choice. My friend was eating very, very slowly. I asked her if she didn't like her dinner. She said she couldn't eat it by twirling it on her spoon because it was a teaspoon. Larger spoons must be dirty, too! After a few minutes, she said it didn't matter because the spaghetti was cut into small pieces. If this is to be what the restaurant has become, we won't dine there any longer. Quantity is not the question; we always look for quality. They should look for it, too, because it certainly was[n't] there that night."

[RM, 5/00] said: "Consistently good, basic Italian food at a moderate price. Ideal for take-out/delivery. Pizza is just fair. Service for sit down can be very slow."

[a+] Campus Café
520 Lee Entrance, Suite 305 (UB Commons), Amherst.
639-7821.

Breakfast, wraps, sandwiches, deli items, burritos, salads, panini, vegetarian dishes, fish fry. Catering.

[8/08] I [Bill] ate here for the first time; I had a chicken and spinach wrap, with tomato but I asked them to hold the cheese. It was hot and completely tasteless.

[a+] Campus Pizza.
UB Commons. They deliver.
639-0111.

El Canelo.
431 Dingens St. (north of the I-190, Ogden St. Exit 53), Cheektowaga.
897-1195.

[LCo, 6/08] says: "I tried the Vegetable Fajitas at El Canelo. It's a skillet of grilled peppers, onions, mushrooms, and tomatoes served with refried beans, Spanish rice, guacamole, sour cream, and tortillas on the side. The grilled vegetables didn't have much seasoning, but in the tortillas with everything else they were good. I ordered my fajitas with no sour cream and no cheese, and they had no problem with the change. The service was fast, and we had plenty of chips and salsa at our table. Luckily, it looks like they got their liquor license sometime in the past 4 years, so everyone can get their margaritas and Negra Modelos."

[ASh, 7/04] said: "Just wanted to say that El Canelo is by far an excellent and very authentic Mexican restaurant. I wish it was located closer to my home...but nonetheless I enjoy the food. The waiters/waitresses are courteous, the food is prepared quickly and accurately, and the hot sauce is fantastically hot!!!! If you crave Mexican...this is not a chain like the now defunct Chi-Chi's or the very commercial Don Pablo's....El Canelo is authentic in every way!"

[DaS, 3/04] said: "This is no chain joint; those are real Mexican cooks and waiters and Spanglish grammar in the menu. Lots of authentic Mexican dishes, including tamales, fajitas, crab quesadillas, and stuffed poblano peppers. They have steaks, seafood, vegetarian entrees, and a children's menu. My wife raved about her chicken and chorizo (Mexican sausage) fajitas. I had the "chile verde" beef tips in green sauce, also exquisite. The entrees came with hot flour tortillas, rice and beans, and guacamole salad. The homemade salsa and chips you get while waiting for your food are great. Most entrees are from $6 to $10. The lunch menu is cheaper. A drawback for some people, they don't have their liquor license yet, but the service was great, and the food was memorable. Yuppies and families with children seemed comfortable with the ambience, somewhere between Tijuana and a truck stop on Route 66. There were plenty of delicacies on the menu that we're eager to try next time, so we'll definitely be back. Adios Don Pablo!"

[KAP, 2/04] said: "Still no license to serve alcohol, decor not so pretty, but mighty fine alternative to what passes for Mex in these parts! Salsa with real cilantro (not like the Prego-style Gramma Mora's still uses). Prices great; food choices plentiful. 3 folks, 3 full dinners, plenty of sodas (including some Mex ones), and sopapilla's (OK, but they were not the puffy doughy concoctions I was hoping for)—all for under 40 bucks!"

[MBu, 12/03] said: "I have been enjoying this gem of a restaurant for a few weeks now.... "El Canello" is on the site of the old Nickel City Cafe at Exit 53 Dingens St. and is the first Mexican restaurant I've found locally that suggests real Mexican cafe food, that is, un-Americanized, tavern-style, very authentic. Shredded beef, catfish, unusual cheeses, real tortillas, tacky decor (I love it). They'll spice the food to your request, but don't challenge them on that. They have bottles of hot green sauces from the Yucatan that will kill you. I spent months in Mexico City on a too-low per diem budget, eating and enjoying street-corner food, and this brought it all back. I can't stay away. And it's pretty much at street-corner prices. We've never left hungry, and haven't spent more than $25 (!). Two negatives: beer license still pending (as of 12/16), and no mole sauce. Went there again last night. Filled with truckers off the Thruway, and one grammy-nominated musician (got his autograph, a whole 'nother story)."

Cannery and Carriages Dining Room.
48 John St. (in the Pillar and Post Inn), Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, CANADA.
905-468-2123; 1-888-669-5566.

[JCr, 1/06] says: "On 1/28, my fiancée and I stayed up in NOTL and dined at the Cannery and Carriages restaurant located at the Pillar and Post. As far as the restaurant itself goes, the atmosphere and ambience are very good, as well as the service. For our meal, she started with a simple greens salad with a sun-dried tomato vinaigrette, and I had a Caesar salad. Our salads were both very good; however, I was not big on the bacon bits that were in my salad. For our entrees, she had the pork medallions served with asparagus and chivie mashed potato. She said that this was good overall, but the pork could have been more tender and moist. I chose the 8oz. filet mignon, accompanied with green beans, mashed potato, and a five-onion ragout for the filet. The filet itself was one of the smaller 8oz. filets I have seen, looked about half the size of Fiamma Steak's filet. The filet did have a funny taste about it, though I couldn't tell if it was because of the five-onion ragout or because it was Canadian beef; if the taste was from the ragout, it surely didn't go well with the steak. We split the creme brulee dessert, which was very good, and also had a couple glasses of wine as well. Overall, it was a pleasant experience but certainly not worth the $145 Canadian after tax and tip, at least in comparison to a dinner for two you can have in Buffalo for the same amount of money."

Canyon Creek Chophouse.—WARNING: WEBSITE PLAYS LOUD MUSIC!
6380 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls, ON, CANADA.
905-354-0030.

[SAS, 4/07] says: "Hours: 11:30 A.M.—2:00 a.m., 7 days a week. My wife and I had a delicious meal here last Friday. We squeaked in without a reservation at 5 P.M., but it was very crowded by the time our salads arrived. Reservations are recommended. My Caesar salad was tasty, arriving with a few anchovies on top, as I had requested. My wife had a toasted goat-cheese appetizer, which I tasted and enjoyed much more than any warmed brie any day (but that's just me). My surf and turf (sirloin and 1/4 lb. of king crab legs) was cooked to perfection. My wife was very pleased with her salad with cooked salmon. Our bill came to CDN$100 with tip and tax. Our only complaint was with the music volume, which seemed to rise as the dinner progressed. Management addressed our concern, however, and "Old Blue Eyes" crooned at a normal level for the rest of the evening."

Captain's Cove.
829 Dick Rd. (between Genesee St. and George Urban Blvd.), Cheektowaga.
632-4810.

[WHN, 1/07] says: "If you like deep fried fish and seafood, this is the place to go. The Admiral's Platter ($20), with fried fish (perch, I think), fried scallops, fried shrimp, fried clam strips, and French fries, plus cole slaw, is way too much for two people, and will provide enough artery-clogging grease to last for months. The food is good as this sort of "cuisine" goes, but a little goes a long way. They also offer non-seafood items, such as steak and fried chicken, as well as additional seafood items like fried oysters, crab cakes, lobster, and crab legs. Eat in or take out."

Carbone's Pizza and Subs.
1113 Lovejoy (in the East Lovejoy area, near the Marine Midland Bank), Buffalo.
897-5098.
568 S. Park Ave., Buffalo.
855-1749.

Of the South Park location, [MEL, 1/99] says: "Thoroughly mediocre pizza, in that large gray zone between tasty and downright bad. But I had tacos here that were pretty good."

But of the Lovejoy location, [MEL, 8/98] says: "Ordinary, edible pizza. No worse than average, and would probably be considered good in some cities (though thankfully not in Buffalo)."

[m?] Caribbean Experience.
2897 Bailey Ave., Buffalo.
838-5131.

[MEL, 7/98] says: "I ate at their booth at the Friendship Festival, so this may be cheating. But this is a pretty good place. I had wonderfully tender jerk chicken (which was a bit milder than normal for a Jamaican restaurant—something I personally don't mind) and OK curried chicken (which was, however, infested with carrots, not something I enjoy)."

Carlos' Cantina.
204 St. Paul St., St. Catharine's, ON (CANADA).
1-905-687-4002.

[LT, 1/09] says: "I should have written this review months and months ago.... Over a year ago, my husband and I found this place online. We were looking for a new place to go, a reason to further explore near our new hometown of Buffalo. The exploration took us across the Peace Bridge. This restaurant is a reason to go to St. Catharine's. It's worth the drive to go for lunch, explore the city a little bit, work up an appetite, and go back for dinner. This is Mexican food at its best. A notch above the stereotype of a Mexican joint, to say the least. Satisfying, honest, homemade, high-quality fare. The menu itself is not a typical list of combinations of burritos, enchiladas, and tacos, but well-thought-out and -crafted meals. Not a huge menu, but more than enough to make the choice a tough one. Plenty of vegetarian options and rotation of specials not found on the menu. We have been there enough times to have tried about half the menu, and every time I try something else, it becomes my new favourite. Their vegetarian chili is sublime, full of veggies, beans, and extra-firm tofu. Spicy in that flavourful way, not just for the purpose of burning the roof of the mouth. The vegetarian burrito is, quite simply, a flour tortilla wrapped around some of this gorgeous veggie chili, baked with a little cheese on top. Heavenly! Last time we were there, my husband had a chicken mole enchilada special. He says the mole is the best he's ever had—dark and rich, not too spicy, and with just enough cocoa to tease the senses. We both had the soup of the day—a vegetarian jalapeno corn chowder. It was smooth and creamy, not too thick, with the unmistakable smells of cheese and peppers, yet just spicy enough to taste the jalapeno and have the sweet corn cool off your mouth at the same time. The trio of salsa served with their wonderfully crisp chips is a great combo—one hot and spicy, one mild but full of warm seasonings and a slightly sharp green. The chips themselves are not the oily type found elsewhere, but a very slightly salted, snappy chip that does not get in the way of anything you dip it in, yet tastes wonderful all on its own. We have never been greeted with anything but a smile, friendly chatter, and a warm welcome. Carlos himself, although always busy, seems to have time to chat for a minute or two, particularly if you are fawning over his establishment the way I do. I wish there was not a border between us and this lovely, homey place. We would be there so much more often."

Carmelo's Restaurant.
425 Center St., Lewiston.
754-2311.

[9/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[AFN] says:

[6/09] "My sister, our daughters, and I went to the Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens on Saturday, 6/13. Seven restaurants from Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Youngstown offered samples of their cuisine at the various houses on the tour. The food served by most of the participating restaurants was excellent, including mozzarella stuffed with prosciutto, asparagus, and tomato compote from Carmelo's. Overall, the tour was like a multi-course tasting menu experience. Excellent!"

[9/06] "On Saturday, 9/23, we went to a family dinner at Carmelo's Coat of Arms attended by 10 people. My nephew pre-ordered the dinner, which was served family style. A bottle of champagne was served to toast the anniversary celebrants. The appetizers included an antipasto, fried calamari with honey garlic mayonnaise, and caramelized onion pizza. This was followed by Caesar salad. The entrees were seafood marinara—scallops and shrimp over penne pasta—and chicken parmigiana. For dessert, Italian ice cream with a sweet balsamic vinegar topping. The dinner was good, but not as good as other meals we've had here, and awfully pricy—$600 for ten people, with tax and gratuity—compared to other meals we've had both at Carmelo's and elsewhere, especially since three people drank only water (granted, it was Pellegrino bottled water), and the rest had, at most, two glasses of wine or beer, besides the champagne toast."

[11/05] "First, in the interest of full disclosure: the owners are related to my niece through marriage. We have been here many times by ourselves, with my sister and brother-in-law, and, most recently, for a family dinner with 12 people. The food is consistently of excellent quality, and the service is very good, even for such a large group. To start, there is a complimentary appetizer of olives and celery in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with excellent Italian breads. This time, my husband and I had pepper-encrusted, soy glazed ahi tuna ($19), served with wasabi-flavored mashed potatoes, and pickled ginger and wasabi on the side. It is seared and served rare, but will be cooked more thoroughly on request, as I prefer. My sister and her husband both had their favorite, broiled haddock with andouille sausage coating ($16). Everyone in our group enjoyed their meals. There are many Italian dishes on the menu, including penne pasta in a flavorful creamy tomato/vodka sauce ($15), as well as a variety of red- and white-sauced pastas. The lamb chops and beef entrees we've tried in the past have also been excellent. All dinners include a choice of soup or one of four salads: Caesar, mixed greens, tomatoes and fresh mozzarella, or mixed greens with mandarin oranges and cashews—my personal favorite. There is a fairly extensive, reasonably priced wine list. The two rooms are fairly small, so reservations are essential on weekends and when there are events like the Lewiston Jazz Festival or art show, or if dining before an Artpark show. The main dining room is in the same room as the bar, so the side room is less noisy.

[WHN] said:

[5/09] "We went to Carmelo's for Mother's Day brunch with an extended family group of 16. Neither my wife nor I like buffets very much, so we were glad to find there was no buffet but, instead, a very interesting and varied brunch menu. Among the items featured were Italian lobster eggs benedict—a small lobster tail on top of poached eggs and crispy prosciutto over grilled bread, with a nage sauce, and fresh tarragon. Four people at our end of the table had them, and they were delicious. Among the other selections were omelette verde with smoked salmon, asparagus, peas, and goat cheese; frittata with peppers, sausage, tomatoes, and parmesan; blueberry pancakes with mascarpone; French toast with a rhubarb compote; and several other items that I can't recall. My brother-in-law and I also ordered a side dish of "truffle hash" to share with our wives, which turned out to be Italian sausage and potatoes sauteed in truffle oil. Everyone loved the food. My sister-in-law said it was better than Left Bank's brunch, which we haven't tried, so can't offer an opinion. It should be noted, though, that Carmelo's is not usually open for Sunday brunch, so you will need to wait for another special occasion—maybe Father's Day—and call first to be sure of their schedule."

[11/07] "On Saturday night, we returned to Carmelo's with my sister- and brother-in-law, and had another exceptionally good meal. The complimentary olive and celery salad in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, along with Italian breads, was excellent. To start, we shared an appetizer of mussels in white wine. Then, I had the Carmelo salad described above, while the others had the Tiki salad—greens with mandarin oranges, cashews, and bleu cheese with a honey-mustard vinaigrette. My wife and I, along with her sister, had the same main course we had had in August: the delicious filet mignon with blueberry-balsamic glaze, served over roasted red pepper polenta. My brother-in-law had shrimp and scallops marinara over penne pasta. For dessert, my wife and I shared a puff pastry with cookie-dough ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. My in-laws shared an order of gelato misto with three flavors of ice cream, and biscotti. All the food was delicious, and the service was excellent as well."

[9/07] "It's been about a year since we had a mediocre "family-style" dinner at Carmelo's, as reviewed by [AFN]. Until that meal, we had always had excellent food and service, so we made dinner reservations for Saturday, 8/11, prior to attending Aida at Artpark. A couple of months ago, there was a review of the restaurant in Artvoice that raved about the meal they had. We started with the same Carmelo Salad of mixed greens and yam sticks with maple-basil balsamic vinaigrette and Gorgonzola cheese that one of the Artvoice reviewers had had. It was delicious, with the sweetness of the maple offset by the tartness of the balsamic vinaigrette. The filet mignon with blueberry-balsamic glaze that Artvoice had raved about was on the nightly specials menu. It sounds a bit unusual, but we both ordered it. It was fantastic. I don't usually associate fruit sauces with beef dishes, but the combination of flavors was remarkable, and the beef was cooked to medium-rare perfection. For dessert, my wife had tiramisu, and I had puff pastry with cookie-dough ice cream, whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. It was a huge portion that would have been enough for two to share, but I dutifully finished it, not wanting to insult the chef by leaving any. Both desserts were excellent. Even though the restaurant was packed (it was the day of the Lewiston Art Festival as well as the show at Artpark), and people without reservations were being told there would be a 1-1/2-to-2 hour wait, they didn't try to rush us through our meal to make room for others. We had told them we were going to Artpark's 8 o'clock performance, and the service was perfectly paced accordingly, so that we were able to leave with just enough time to make the curtain call. I would rate Carmelo's very highly and would dine there whenever we have a reason to be in Lewiston. Too bad it's not closer to home."

[SMG, 3/04] said: "It's been a long time since I've been here, but the restaurant has been redecorated and the menu has been redone. Many more contemporary dishes have been added to complement the Italian fare. I had a very tasty apple-coconut-curry chicken dish, and the seafood and sausage risotto sounded very good. The wine list has been expanded (although still not very large). Overall, a good experience; one of the better restaurants in Lewiston, in my opinion. Reservations recommended on the weekends."

Carmine's.
4715 Transit Rd. (at Sheridan, near Eastern Hills Mall), Williamsville.
632-2318.

Italian. They also do takeout and lunch delivery. Takeout also available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.

[WHN, 2/09] says: "We ate at Carmine's for the first time Sunday night. We shared a Margarita pizza and Caesar salads. We didn't think the pizza was as good as Romeo and Juliet's. The crust wasn't as crispy, and the pizza itself wasn't what we expected. It was what Romeo & Juliet's and other restaurants call a white pizza: garlicky sauce, onion, mozzarella, basil, and sliced tomatoes, whereas Margherita pizzas have a tomato base, with mozzarella and basil. We should have read the menu more closely. However, the Caesar salads were delicious—far better than R & J's, which are made with assorted greens instead of romaine. Anchovies are extra."

[MM, 1/07] said: "I recently ate at a great place called Carmine's. I was very happy with our meal along with the bartender; great Cosmos! The bar area has very low lighting, great for a date. It was my second time there, and I loved it. I had the pasta Jacobbi with shrimp; so good. I found it through your website, so I thought I would just thank you for the recommendation. It was very easy to find. I was able to make my flight with no delay."

[JSG, 1/06] said: "I wanted to take a friend visiting from Boston out for a nice weeknight dinner, and was asked that it be in close proximity to UB North campus, where we would be meeting another dinner guest. Carmine's was delicious, and I'm very fussy about Italian, which I find to be hit or miss in Buffalo. Tasty vodka sauce, and a nice well-rounded menu. I enjoyed the create your own pasta entree option, and thought that the prices were really fair. I'd guess that this option would likely benefit families with picky eaters. I'd also recommend the spinach bread appetizer, which was excellent. Portions were huge; I had enough for dinner the next night! Try to avoid being seated near the bar, as that negatively impacted what was otherwise a nice ambience. Service was just OK; our waitress seemed a bit disinterested (that, or overly busy), but we were served promptly. Needless to say, I was pleased, and so was my out of town guest. I look forward to a return visit."

Bill said:

[12/04] Had an almond-crusted marlin steak with raspberry butter sauce—never ate marlin before: It's a bit like swordfish. If this preparation is typical of marlin, I'll order it again and again—this was delicious: tender, juicy, with wonderful overtones supplied by the almonds and the raspberry butter. And have I ever mentioned that their balsamic vinaigrette is among the best I've ever tasted?

[7/99] Had a sole stuffed with crab and lobster, in an asiago cream sauce, with pasta alio e oglio: heavenly!! And had a Caribbean swordfish, with a fruit chutney: good, but not heavenly.

[6/99] I had the salmon: not so good (a bit dry, with a "sauce" that consisted of a frozen lump of some butter-like substance on top of the fish).

[5/99] I had an amazing strawberry macademia halibut: halibut with a macademia-nut coating in a sweet strawberry sauce; it was like having dessert for the main course—out of this world! And the garlicky mixed-vegetable side dish I ordered complemented it wonderfully. But in

[12/98] I had a scallop bisque of perfect consistency, with tiny scallops, and a haddock that was lightly breaded in a red pepper sauce with squash and asparagus, nicely presented; the fish was light and moist.

[MER, 10/98] had an out-of-this-world chicken pesto over pasta; she and I firmly believe that this place never disappoints. (Well, almost never.)

[7/97] Had one of my most memorable meals: Neptune Bisque soup (a bit too thick for my tastes, but very tasty indeed) and fresh sea bass, charbroiled with an absolutely marvelous Italian salsa of plum tomatoes, red onion, and fresh basil, with a side of fusilli primavera. This was one of their daily specials, unfortunately not on the regular menu.

[4/97]: I had virtually the same meal as one I had had at Ciao (now closed), but far, far superior, and far far cheaper: wonderfully moist and well-prepared haddock with pasta in a butter and parsely sauce, great bruschetta with 2 different toppings.

[6/96] Varied and interesting menu (e.g., artichoke fritti, calamari fritti, tripe, etc.); slightly more varied than, say, Campobellos, but also a bit more expensive. They have a Thursday "fiesta" family-style special (in the "Chinese" mode: two from column A and one from column B), including a great antipasto bar. [MER] and I have been here numerous times; it's now our favorite Italian restaurant near us for informal meals. Their specials are always good.

[SMG, 6/96] said: "The brick-oven pizza was very good—an excellent crust. I had the pink vodka sauce, which was tasty, but the standard red sauce needed a bit of work. It tasted like sugary tomatoes. The pasta primavera was on the bland side, but the vegetables were cooked very well, not at all mushy."

[a] Carrabba's Italian Grill.
1645 Niagara Falls Blvd. (near Best Buy), Amherst.
833-5003 .

Part of the chain.

[GMK, 6/07] says: "I can't understand how this restaurant can survive in this area cluttered with good, cheap places to eat. The food is all "different", with signature flavors, etc., but fails to satisfy. They are child friendly, with pizza dough play dough (they'll bake it for you) and a full magazine for children to play with, and the Sangria is acceptable. The food is all, as [ARo] said, salty, buttery, and garlicy. Customer service is great—they have no problem changing menu items to leave out something or double something, and they are very friendly. However, I never eat there without feeling that I would have paid less for a better meal at Hutch's."

[ARo, 11/05] says: "We had gone to Carrabba's on the recommendations of the previous reviews as well as from the great things our friends told us about the restaurant. Since it was 6:00 on a Tuesday, we only waited 5 or 6 minutes for a table. Because it was our first time eating there, the waitress offered to give us a "tour" of the menu. After five minutes of watching the girl point out the most expensive dishes on the menu, as well as her explanation of her "favorites" (which seemingly happened to be the entire menu), we were ready to order. My wife had the Rigatoni Martino, which was rigatoni and chicken with sun dried tomatoes in a really good tomato cream sauce. Her dish was excellent. From the Specials menu, I ordered "Pasta Rambo", which was linguine with shrimp tossed in a lemon butter sauce with tomatoes, spinach, sautéed mushrooms and fresh basil. I also ordered the spicy sausage and lentil soup. My soup was very, very salty and not flavorful at all. Our waitress was apologetic and offered an alternative soup or a salad, which I declined. When I got my entree, it just wasn't what I expected. The shrimp were a nice size, and there was a generous amount of linguine and mushrooms, but I literally counted 15 small pieces of diced tomato, and there was so little spinach, I thought it was parsley. I didn't see or taste any fresh basil, so I would venture to say that they probably forgot to include it. The dish overall was very bland. About 7 minutes into our entrees, the manager (owner?) came over and asked why I didn't like the soup. I explained to him that the soup was salty and that my entree was bland, and he proceeded to question my description of the food, and openly wondered how a person could think one thing was bland and another salty. He also pointed out that he didn't know how the soup could have been salty because he tasted it earlier and it was "spot on". He also explained that it was a strongly flavored soup, and surmised that that was why I didn't like it. Being a very big fan of Indian food, I can say that that was hardly the reason. I'm sure his intentions were good, but he really came off as pompous. Our bill (without the soup!) was $40. This restaurant is basically an overpriced Olive Garden with a smaller selection and even less atmosphere. Carrabba's tries to be a "nice" place but is just too loud, and its menu is dominated by entrees that use a lot of garlic and butter to hide the lack of any other flavor. Needless to say, we will not be returning."

[AF, 5/05] says: "I recently ate at Carrabba's and loved it. The wait for a table is generally an hour to hour and a half on a Friday or Saturday night, but it's worth the wait. I had the chicken parmesian, and my husband had the lasagna. Both were excellent and reasonably priced for the quantity of food we got. Both meals came with bread and soup or salad. The chicken parmesian came with 2 large pieces of chicken and a side of spaghetti, fettucini alfredo, or vegetable. We were both extremely full from all the food. The lasagna was huge and very good too."

[REV, 5/05] says: "The best steak I've had thus far was surprisingly at Carrabba's in Amherst."

Casa Antica.
490 Center St., Lewiston.
754-2581.

[AFN] says:
[6/09] "My sister, our daughters, and I went to the Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens on Saturday, 6/13. Seven restaurants from Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Youngstown offered samples of their cuisine at the various houses on the tour. The food served by most of the participating restaurants was excellent, including Italian rice balls topped with cheese stuffed banana peppers from Casa Antica. Overall, the tour was like a multi-course tasting menu experience. Excellent!"

[7/06] "My sister and I had lunch (Thursday, 7/20/06) at Casa Antica, which opened in April, and is run by one of the former owners of Villa Fortunata, which had occupied the same building. It's one of my sister's favorite restaurants. She said they were very accommodating and would cook anything we wanted. We both ordered Zuppa di Pesce, which was on the menu, but apparently not prepared, because the waiter/chef/owner(?) said he could make it for us, but it would take a while. (We weren't in a hurry.) It was good, but not great, with lots of mussels, some clams, scallops, and shrimp, but the broth was not very flavorful."

[WHN, 3/07] says: "My sister- and brother-in-law invited us to Casa Antica to celebrate my wife's birthday. My wife [AFN] had been there for lunch last summer, but it was my first visit. We were both delighted by the excellence of the meal. Along with the bread course—good Italian bread, garlic rolls, and thick pizza with just a light tomato topping—we were served pesto, a spicy bean salad, and caponata. My brother-in-law ordered antipasto platters for our group, with baked clams, fried calamari strips, stuffed mushrooms, and fried mozzarella. There was a whole menu page of other antipasto choices, plus soups and salads, and a few evening appetizer specials from the verbal menu. We skipped the soup or salad course. (I had ordered a house salad, but cancelled it after seeing the size of the antipasto platters.) The primi (pasta) course also occupies an entire page of the menu, but all of us opted for veal. Veal Marsala and Veal Milanese for my sister- and brother-in-law, respectively. For my wife and I, evening specials from the verbal menu: Osso Bucco with risotto for her, and a rib Veal Chop with prosciutto, fontina cheese, and portobello mushrooms for me. The others' dinners were accompanied by asparagus and oven roasted potatoes, while mine was served on a bed of spinach, with oven roasted potatoes, plus a side order of rigatoni in a light tomato sauce. Although we didn't need them, we split some delicious chocolate Cannoli for dessert. The service was as excellent as the meal."

Casa-Di-Pizza.
477 Elmwood Ave. (just north of Allentown), Buffalo.
883-8200.

[WHN, 1/08] brings us 10 years up to date: "When I worked in the area a long time ago, I attended a number of farewell events for departing staff members here. Last night, Saturday, 1/26/08, a family group went here for a casual dinner. Of all the restaurants in downtown Buffalo, I'm not sure why this one was chosen, but I have to say that the antipasto and assorted pizzas (just cheese, cheese and pepperoni, and sausage and sweet green peppers) were very good, with just the right amount of sauce and a better crust than I remember from earlier visits."

[MEL, 3/98] says: "Second best in town. Usually, sweet and salty and greasy, and wonderful in every way. However, quality isn't quite as consistent as at the very best—once I went there and it was a little blander than usual."

Casa Nova.
3041 Military Rd., Niagara Falls, NY.
297-9544.

[AG, 3/05] says: "Italian-American favorites, including pizzas, pastas, chicken wings, and dinner entrees. In addition to the usual veal Parmesan, there's tripe and steaks. The small antipasto ($5.95) is a steal, with a little of a lot of good things: ham, salami, cappocollo, hard-boiled egg, marinated eggplant, excellent roasted red peppers, provolone, a couple of olives, and a cherry pepper stuffed with anchovies, all on a bed of lettuce, with a zesty dressing. A grilled lamb chop dinner featured three loin chops, cooked precisely. When we visited, the white pizza was overly salty and garlicky, and we like garlic."

La Cascata.
310 Fourth St. (in the Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel), Niagara Falls, NY.
299-1100.

Italian.

[3/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[CPu, 11/08] says: "We recently spent yet another fun-filled weekend at the Seneca Niagara Casino. While I was soaking in our Jacuzzi, my better half was in the poker room working hard to pay for our little extravaganza. Luckily, the cards were good, so we didn't have to go without dinner! :) Typically, we go to The Western Door but had forgotten to make reservations, and they were booked solid, so instead we went to La Cascata for the first time. We were a little worried, since we try not to stray from the Western Door, after previously trying Koi and hating it. Inside, the décor is very nice, typical of all the Casino restaurants. It did, however, seem a little bright, and they need to take the lights down a notch. Our waitress was friendly and very "old school". She even mock-scolded my date when he went to pour himself some more wine, and took the bottle out of his hands so she could do the pouring. (She mentioned she worked at John's Flaming Hearth for ~20 years.) I am a huge fan of dinner bread and was disappointed in La Cascata's offering. It was a little dry and very average. It didn't even come with any type of specialty butter or oil. It pales in comparison to the "breads and spreads" served at Western Door. It may be that they serve average bread because there is a "tasting trio" of bread with pesto, companata, and bruschetta sold as an appetizer. For appetizers, we ordered the crab-stuffed eggplant and a side of risotto. The eggplant was tasty, but the best part was that it came with house pesto (which I quickly used on my bread!). The risotto was good but standard and maybe a tad overkill on the butter and cheese. For our main course, I ordered the capellini with lobster and jumbo shrimp. It's sautéed in white wine and comes with a lemon sauce. It was out-of-this-world good. The lobster was sweet, and the shrimp large and fresh. My better half ordered a red snapper special with battered squash flowers and a squash-based sauce. (Each month, there is a new theme food that all the Casino restaurants use for their specials. This was squash month.) It was excellent. For dessert, we ordered the strawberry ravioli and the dessert stack. The ravioli are filled with rhubarb and sweet ricotta and covered in a strawberry sauce; very good. The stack is a layer of chocolate and a layer of peanut butter mascarpone separated with pine-nut cookies. This was to die for! The pine-nut cookies were amazing. We were pleasantly surprised with La Cascata and are very happy we now have two places to choose from when staying at the Casino."

La Castelana Pizzeria and Restaurant.
5176 Transit Rd., Depew.
681-1913.

[J&NS, 5/06] says: "Thanks to the latest critique [JSG, 3/06], we went back to this place and enjoyed a very good meal!!! We live around the corner from this Italian restaurant that is very underrated. The sauce is excellent. The eggplant is very good. You have two choices with the eggplant. With sausage (eggplant La Castellana) or meatless (eggplant Parmesan). On a busy Saturday night, we were served promptly and had drinks and bread in a very short tme. A decent-size salad came with our order and was tasty, to prep us for the main event. I don't think I'll get an argument with anyone that the main key to success for an Italian restaurant is its sauce. This restaurant has excellent sauce. The eggplant was very good. We followed it with a tiramisu that we split, to cap off a very excellent dinner. Total price for drinks, dinner, 1 dessert, and coffee, with no coupons, came to $48.00 including tip (16%). They are closed on Mondays. We've had their lasagna and spaghetti Parmesan in previous visits. Three stars!! Coming back!"

[JSG, 3/06] says: "Although I enjoy eating out at the Italian restaurants in this area, I have had a hard time finding one that measures up to what I'm used to, having grown up in heavily Italian Utica, NY. I have to say that this place has become my new favorite for Italian. The prices are incredibly low for such good food and large portions. I don't necessarily think a large portion makes an order great, if the food itself is just so-so. This place has excellent sauce and the best meatball I have ever had in a restaurant, ever. I've also enjoyed their chicken Parmesan, which is hand breaded, which sets it apart from others I have had. I enjoy their antipasto as well: nice fresh vegetables, no rusty lettuce, and they don't skip on the extras. The service was pleasant, and food and drinks came to us quickly. The atmosphere is family-oriented and fairly consistent with other restaurants in the area in that people are pleasant and not pretentious. A good bet for just about anyone."

[EC, 7/03] says: "I have driven by the place many times, and always wanted to try it. Judging by the lines that were (literally) out the door, I figured that the locals had to be on to something. At first, I was a bit put off that they did not accept credit cards (only cash & checks). The decor was interesting, an eclectic mix of old-country Italian art and knight-related items! The service was friendly, but nothing spectacular. The menu was good. While everything else was just OK, the food was very nice. I had simple spaghetti & meatballs, and it was delicious! The sauce was a little on the sweet side, but still good. The meatballs were baseball-sized, the best I've had in Buffalo. My wife had the eggplant parmagiana, with which she was very happy. One thing I didn't like was the drinks, however. We ordered soft drinks. They were served in 10- or 11-ounce plastic cups (at $1.25 a pop!), and even though there was ice in the cups, the drinks would not get cold! I think I'll have to contact the physics department about that. All in all, it was a good experience."

Cecilia's Ristorante.
716 Elmwood Ave. (near Ferry, between Allentown and Buff State), Buffalo.
883-8066.

Italian. Specializing in martinis.

[LMS, 10/08] says: "My family and I decided to stop at Cecilia's to take advantage of their patio brunch special. We have eaten here for dinner and have always had a pleasant meal (tip: stick to the regular menu) but have never tried their brunch. The hostess was quick to seat us and was very friendly and especially sweet to our young daughter and infant. Our waitress was equally fantastic—and she was quick! We were offered a complimentary drink to start our meal. I had a mimosa, which was freshly made and had perfectly chilled champagne. My husband had a bloody Mary served as he requested. The rest of the meal was wonderful as well. The brunch menu was varied, and all prices were very reasonable. My husband ordered crab cakes Benedict; I ordered an omelet with brie, caramelized onions, and wild mushrooms; and my daughter had a French toast with seasonal fruit compote on top. My dish was wonderful. The eggs were fluffy, the mushrooms were prepared with care to fully develop their flavor, and the brie was a wonderful addition. My husband loved his meal so much that he wasn't willing to share—a good sign! He only wished the crab cakes were slightly larger, but admitted for the price ($11) that he couldn't complain. My daughter's choice was also delicious. She particularly enjoyed the fruit topping. We decided to split a dessert, which was perhaps the star of the meal. An arborio rice pudding with a sweet peach compote and mascarpone whipped cream was served, within minutes of being ordered, in a large martini glass. The pudding was delicious—perfectly cooked rice seasoned to complement the compote (made with fresh peaches) and mascarpone cream. It was a very large portion and a steal for $5. We look foward to going back to try the other tempting items on their brunch menu!"

I was here with colleagues from the linguistics department [2/02]. My meal began with Italian wedding soup and was followed by salmon with fruit and chutney; others had soft-shell crab "critters", a 3-cheese risotto, chicken with penne, mashed potatoes with red pepper and artichoke hearts. My companions like their meals. I did, too, but I've had good or better, for less money, at Carmine's.

Century Grill.
320 Pearl St. (downtown), Buffalo.
853-6322.

[EN, 8/08] says: "Wonderful fish fry. Tasted fresh and crisp; fries were very good. Also had the chili, and it was excellent if you don't mind a little heat. My companion had the Caesar salad; was very fresh and a good size. Nice atmosphere, and now that no kids under 18 allowed, even more so. We both enjoyed our meals, and I will certainly be returning."

[JOK, 9/06] said: "I would never go back here again. The owner of the restaurant actually came to my table and had the audacity to tell me to "keep my kids at the table". My two nephews, ages 14 and 12, were only looking around the place for 15 seconds as encouraged by me. If the owner of this establishment does not want to attract people downtown to spend money and fill a half-empty restaurant in an already-depressed city, then perhaps she should find other employment. Actually, that will take care of itself, anyway."

[MDBr, 11/03] said: "I am in Buffalo on an extended offsite assignment and have practically lived at the Century Grill. I have eaten nearly everything on the menu and have to say that (1) their historic building is very cozy and wonderfully restored, (2) their menu is varied and fresh, (3) their prices are reasonable, and (4) their wings are better than the Anchor Bar. If you're looking for an elegant old bar that oozes with charm, you'll want to try the Century. I would give it 2 stars at least."

[JLW, 6/03] said: "I would like to tell you about a wonderful new restaurant in downtown Buffalo across the street from the Hyatt. My husband and I walked in there by chance and had a wonderful meal. We started with scallops in a spicy chili sauce and shrimp wrapped in prosciutto. I then had a grilled veal chop with mashed potatoes and grilled veggies. I swear the potatoes had melted brie on them. It was out of this world! My husband had a Delmonico with mashed potatoes and mixed veggies that he loved. My husband hates going into the city, but will make an exception for the Century Grill."

link:
Charlie the Butcher's Express.
links:
Ellicott Square Lobby (downtown), Buffalo. 855-8646.
Charlie the Butcher's Catering.
10 Broadway Mkt. (east side), Buffalo. 893-4920.
Charlie the Butcher in Wegman's.
601 Amherst St., Buffalo. 877-0500.
[a] Charlie the Butcher's Kitchen.
1065 Wehrle Dr. (at Cayuga, near the airport), Williamsville. 633-8330.

[4/07] Listed as one of Buffalo's "27 Best Restaurants" by Buffalo Spree magazine.

Description of the downtown Buffalo location:

Although I [Bill] haven't eaten here, I must say that the Ellicott Square ( link) building that Charlie the Butcher's Express is located in is worth a visit by itself; it was, when built, the largest office building in the world, and it is still magnificent.

Reviews of the Williamsville location:

[WHN, 6/09] says: "Returning home from the airport, my wife and I stopped for lunch at Charlie the Butcher's on Wehrle at Cayuga. The roast beef was tender and flavorful, but the kimmelweck rolls were softer than expected, had only one or two caraway seeds, and very little salt. The minimal salt was fine, since we usually scrape most of it off anyway."

[DwH, 3/08] said: "Went to the site out by the airport. Massive disappointment in my quest to find the best that Buffalo has to offer. No one else on line, yet we were completely ignored—purposely, as near as I could tellw—and even as Charlie himself stood behind the counter. After about five minutes standing there—even asked a question to get someone's attention—we just left. Apparently, he has more business than he needs. And the food that was being served didn't look all that swell."

Review of the Wegman's location:

[AFN] says:
[3/07] "A group of us returned to Charlie the Butcher's in the Wegmans on Amherst Street for lunch. This time, I asked the woman working the counter if the beef could be thinly sliced. She said it always was sliced very thinly. I told her about my previous experience. She said that should never have happened and apologized, although she was not there on my previous visit. This time, the thin-sliced beef on weck was tender and delicious. All is forgiven, although, if I ever encounter the first person again, I'll get Chinese."

[1/07] "A group of us went to Charlie the Butcher's in Wegman's for lunch before heading back to school for afternoon meetings. Apparently, a lot of others had the same idea, because the service was extremely slow, and the woman working behind the counter was obviously feeling harassed by complaints about the poor service. When my turn came, she threw a thick slice of beef on a roll and handed it to me. I asked for some au jus, and she said "Where do you want it?", to which I replied on the roll. She dumped a ladle of gravy on the sandwich, drowning everything. Between the thick, thick beef, which was very tough, and the gravy-laden, soggy roll, the sandwich was inedible. I've been to Charlie the Butcher's before, and the beef has always been thin sliced, tender, and delicious. I don't know if this location is staffed by Wegmans' or Charlie the Butcher's personnel, but whichever had better do more training."

Charlie's Diner.
510 Main St., E. Aurora.
655-0282.

[JJa, 11/08] says: "Some remodeling done since last entry. Still homey. Looks like they may be working on an elevator for the back entrance, which would help with the steep stairs, both front and back. But the food is worth the climb! Breakfast is available all the time, which makes life easier when you want a fish fry, but are taking a 9-year-old to dinner. She swears by the Chocolate Chip Pancakes! I prefer the tasty haddock, breaded, battered, or broiled. All the sides are homemade, including cole slaw, potato salad, and macaroni salad. Good coffee, beer, and wine available. Have never tried the homemade pies, but they look great in the display case. Friendly service, good prices."

[RDM, 7/06] said: "Charlie's Diner looks a bit strange, because it is set on the second story of a house on Main Street in East Aurora. Walking in, I really felt like I was going to eat in someone's living room. The diner couldn't feel homier. The food was excellent. My son enjoyed a hot dog and very crisp, tasty fries. My husband enjoyed his western omelet. I really enjoyed the Greek salad. The lettuce and tomatoes were fresh, and the char-broiled chicken was delicious. It was topped off with feta, side of pita, and an unusual but tasty Greek dressing. The dressing had a slight sweetness or other flavor I had never tasted before in a Greek vinaigrette. This restaurant is on the top of my list for diner fare."

[a] Cheeburger Cheeburger.
1593 Niagara Falls Blvd. (south of Ridge Lea Rd.), Amherst.
836-1002.

Part of the chain.

[LCo, 10/08] says: "On a recent visit to Cheeburger Cheeburger, I was happy to see that they have added a veggie burger to their menu. The chain's online menu has one, but the first time I ate at this location the grilled portabella was the only vegetarian burger option. I can't even remember the mix of toppings I had on this most recent visit, but I do remember that they forgot the tomato. The food tasted OK, but wasn't anything great."

[AAB, 8/08] said: "My husband and I went out to this restaurant as part of my never-ending quest to find a place that makes a great burger. While I won't say that Cheeburger Cheeburger ended my quest, I will say that we had a good time there. The two of us came late for lunch, and I in particular was harried and my brain was a little fried; thus, the hostess rattling off the eccentricities of the menu at breakneck speed did not help me. I figured it out eventually, and ordered. I loved the milkshake menu and ordered the peanut butter chocolate banana milkshake. My husband ordered a chocolate egg creme. I was disappointed to get my milkshake in the metal cup they used to make it in, while he got his egg creme in a lovely, diner-style glass. It was a delicious milkshake, though. We ordered the half onion ring, half French fry plate, and we both loved the onion rings so much that we resolved to only order those next time. They only allow you to order burgers from medium-well done, and so that was a mark against the burger. While it was not a bad burger, it was far from memorable. The relish I ordered on it was watery and tasteless. The Cheddar may as well have been American cheese. The bun was far too small for the burger itself, leading to me only eating part of it, as I had no wish to pick up the meat and other condiments with my fingers. I love the atmosphere. I love the campy, 50s, retro diner feel. I love the music, which made me want to get up and dance. I loved the furniture; I even loved the font on the menus. Our waitress was good, sociable without pulling up a chair herself, and our food was prompt and made to order. I would go back, but not if I wanted a fantastic burger experience."

[MEP, 1/08] said: "Here's my breakdown of this 60s-style hamburger place, which I visited a couple weeks ago (on 1/11/2008): Milkshakes—This was probably the best part of my night there! They have close to 100 different flavors to choose from, including amaretto, orange, and even melon(!). I opted for the peanut butter banana shake, and it was excellent—there were actual chunks of fresh banana in the drink. "Frings"—This is what they called their basket of fries/onion rings. Supposedly, they are fried in trans-fat-free peanut oil, which makes them a bit healthier. Both the fries and onion rings had a sort of distinctive taste due to the peanut oil, which wasn't altogether unpleasant, just sort of odd. Dipping the rings in their sauce (a horseradish-based concoction similar to Burger King's "zesty" sauce) made them taste quite good. Burger—I chose to get the 1/2-pound burger, not sure that I'd be able to finish their "Delirious" (a full pound of meat!). You can choose from around 20 different toppings, including the standards such as lettuce, tomato, and onion; but, if you are a little more daring (which unfortunately I'm not), you can try things such as mushrooms, horseradish, and even peanut butter on your burger. The actual taste was not bad; nothing too noteworthy. The one thing I seem to remember the most is that the buns were way too small for the slab of meat between them—which made for an interesting experience! The service—Very good. The waitress was cheerful and accomodating. Music—Annoyed the heck out of me. Purely 50s and 60s hit tunes, with occasional plugs for their products (gift cards, T-shirts, etc.) by some unknown male announcer. Overall, Cheeburger Cheeburger was nothing mindblowing, but a perfectly fine experience."

[ABi, 12/06] said: "I shouldn't have expected much from a restaurant named after a lame, three-decades-old, Saturday Night Live sketch, and Cheeburger Cheeburger (sic sic) turned out to be the Joe Piscopo of chains. They offer a pathetic stab at a diner atmosphere, but the life-size Elvis cutout at the entrance, neon lines around the walls and ceiling fans, and irritating 50s and 60s pop playing on the speaker system won't fool anyone; for the record, I'd prefer never to hear the Monotones' lone ridiculous hit for the rest of my life. As far as the food, they may want to rename the establishment after something they're better at preparing. My burger, while cooked, was back to room temperature by the time it was served to me, and its blandly unexceptional flavor didn't improve things. The one good thing is that they offer a laundry list of toppings, including the expected regulars along with more interesting options such as red peppers and chopped garlic, the latter of which I went for and was surprisingly tasty on ground beef; in fact, it was the tastiest part of dinner. It certainly wasn't the sides, which, annoyingly, had to be ordered separately. Unlike every restaurant in the history of the universe, Cheeburger squared's cheeseburgers don't come with a side item; I can accept that the Buffalo Chop House serves items à la carte, but not a faux greasy spoon. We ordered a combined basket of fries and onion rings, less than imaginatively called 'frings' on the menu, and neither half of the name was good. The rings were crispy but bland, but they were better than the bitter, overcooked, and excessively salted fries, an utter waste of hand cutting. I didn't order their largest burger, 20-ounces' worth, and was glad I chose not to: If one finishes it, the waitress screams for everyone to look, announces just how gluttonous the patron was, plops down a giant stuffed novelty burger on the table, and demands applause. Jeez, why not sing Happy Birthday, too, and really mortify them? It's not even that huge an accomplishment: A one-and-a-quarter-pounder may be substantial, but it's hardly a 72-ounce steak. While not exactly rude, both our unsmiling host and waitress weren't what I'd call courteous, although our disappearing server barely left enough of an impression to be called anything. One can get a better burger almost anywhere, and anyone looking for a fun retro environment for themselves or accompanying children would be infinitely better served by going to the Lake Effect. Disappointing disappointing."

[YYK, 9/06] said: "This Cheeburger Cheeburger location has been under construction for months, and it finally launched its grand opening on 9/11/06. The restaurant prides itself on being NFF (not fast food). The restaurant was about 30% occupied at around 5:20 P.M. on 9/11/06. Around 4-5 tables were occupied, of the 15 or so tables. We waited 5 minutes to get seated. While getting seated, the host turned back around to speak to the hostess, and left us standing in the middle of the restaurant among tables and diners for a minute. After that, it took 10 more minutes to get the menu, 10 more minutes before the server came back to take the order, 10 more minutes before water was served, and 5 more minutes for a chocolate mint milkshake and a chocolate egg cream to arrive. At 6 pm, we were still sitting around waiting for food (2 burgers and a half basket of onion rings and French fries!). At any given point in time (I kept checking), almost all the servers were milled around the kitchen area talking away. Our server apologized and told us that they were slow because they were "really busy". The chocolate mint shake was very good! The chocolate egg cream was sub par. It was just a lot of soda water with a very thin serving of chocolate syrup. It tasted like bad fountain water. All the food finally came at once. My medium burger was very overdone. I didn't order bacon, but bacon came anyway, and it was thickly cut, soggy, soft, and greasy. I ordered Ranch dressing, but none came. My date's medium patty melt was overdone, too, but tasted better than my burger. The saving grace were the onion rings: very thinly sliced and very crisp. The French fries were all right. Finally, the check came. After 5 minutes of waiting (since our server didn't come back for the check), we got up to go to the cashier station. That's where she intercepted us and said "Oh, I can take that for you." Then she stood over our shoulders as my date signed the receipt, probably to check her tip. Her service deserved no tip, which was what I was going to leave her, but my date was generous enough to leave her the customary 20% much to my dismay. The visit was extremely disappointing. A half order of onion rings and fries, called frings, a half order of chocolate mint shake, a chocolate egg cream, a 1/3 pound burger, and a patty melt came out to be around $29 after taxes and tip, and dinner, which was mostly waiting around, took 1 hour and 5 minutes. Sub par service, sub par food, above par prices."

The Cheesecake Factory.
Walden Galleria (next to Dick's Sporting Goods), Cheektowaga.
685-2600.

Part of the chain.

[BSt, 8/08] says: "While I have enjoyed several very lovely lunches and dinners at this restaurant, my recent visit (Saturday, 8/2) with my teenage daughter was a huge disappointment! We entered the restaurant shortly after 5 PM on a Saturday and were seated at a table in the bar area within 10 minutes. I ordered the Pear & Endive Weight Management Salad, something I have ordered and enjoyed many times before. As I have done every other time I have ordered this salad, my special request was that they substitute grilled or sauteed mushrooms for the chicken. The waitress kindly asked if I wanted shitake or other mushrooms, and I smiled and said, "Let the chef decide. Whatever they would like!" Our drinks were brought quickly, and our waitress was friendly and professional throughout the meal. But the salad? Eeew...brown lettuce. Crinkly, hard chunks of lettuce. The plate wasn't the least bit attractive when it arrived, and, as I ate, I picked out leaf after leaf, chunk after chunk, of lettuce that I would have discarded in the kitchen and never served to a guest. This salad, which usually comes out looking like a piece of artwork, looked like a mushy mess on the plate. My daughter's grilled chicken sandwich was fine, and our drinks were replenished quickly, so no arguments there. I thought about sending my meal back, but I could see that the restaurant was getting more and more crowded by the minute, and I just didn't want to cause a fuss. The crowning glory? They no longer serve the Carb Control Cheesecake! Phooey...this was one high-priced, lousy time. I hope it was just a fluke."

[JKl, 6/08] said: "I agree with the other reviewers to date: Too long of a wait, too pricy a menu, and highly overrated cheesecakes. We went to this location on a Saturday night at 11pm (yes, you read that right), and we waited 40 minutes for a table. We couldn't believe it! Once seated, the service was appalling. We didn't get out for an hour and a half, and we didn't order appetizers! When we needed refills, she was nowhere to be found, and we waited much too long for our meals to be delivered. Any time we needed something, we would look around and wait for her, and it would take at least 10 minutes each time before we saw her around in our area and had to flag her down. The menu is humongous—no wonder their standard response is "yes, it's good", because there's no possible way they could know details of everything on the menu. (And I also did not like that in this "upper scale" chain restaurant there were advertisements in the menu!) Their bathrooms were filthy—covered in water and toilet paper. I ordered the Ranch House burger, and, although it was "big" like so many people talk about, it was not seasoned very well, the bacon was non-existent, and the "steak" on top tasted simply like ground beef. It was smothered in cheese, so I couldn't even be sure that "steak" was on top of my sandwich. My guest ordered the Spicy Cashew Chicken and was extremely disappointed. There was very little chicken in his dish, and he counted 8 cashews in the entire plate. I tasted the sauce, and it tasted like any sauce you would buy in a bottle off the grocery-store shelf. Extremely disappointing. We loved the bread that was served before dinner, though—it was very tasty. As for the cheesecake—we ordered a piece of Cookie Dough Cheesecake to split. We could see the bakery area from our table—it was not busy at all. Yet we waited for 15 minutes for our dessert to arrive after it was ordered. This was completely unacceptable. I don't know what people love about this dessert—I thought the "cheese" taste was extremely bland and not worth the money we spent. All in all: a lot of hype and nothing to back it up."

[MPi, 6/08] said: "After receiving $50 in gift cards to this place from a well-intended relative, and following two failed attempts to get a table between 5:00 and 7:00 PM without waiting 2 hours on successive weekends, we finally were able to get seated on a Friday night at 9:00 PM (even so, with a 20-minute wait). As one who rarely eats at "upscale" chain restaurants, I was dubious to say the least. Well, my experience reinforced my intent to not eat at this type of place. Two entrees and two drinks consumed the entire $50 and then some. Cost is not the entire issue—I'd happily pay that much for a high quality meal in a locally owned restaurant. My "Wasabi Crusted Ahi Tuna" arrived big and rare (as ordered), but the wasabi "crust" was more like a soggy blanket of indeterminate content. Side veggies were good (above average even) but hardly made up for the entree that seemed to have come already prepared from a freezer case. My wife's "Crusted Chicken Romano" (encrusted food is a recurring theme) was OK, but greasy—certainly not worth the $$. Service was OK, but, again, it was after 9, and the place was winding down. Probably never again...."

[SR, 7/07] said: "While "home" in Buffalo for a visit, two friends and I went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. Two of us ordered one of the chicken lunch specials. It tasted good, but then my friend noticed that hers was raw inside. I looked more closely at mine and saw that it was also underdone, but not as much as hers. Pink chicken. Yuck! I lost my appetite. They didn't charge for her chicken, but I didn't say anything, and they didn't notice that I left most of it. Since she had not had anything to eat, she ordered a piece of cheesecake for dessert, and I had a bite or two. The cheesecake was good, but it was topped with artificial "whipped cream"."

[AmS, 3/07] said: "Too expensive for me. You pay for quantity, not quality, here. Waitress offered to box our leftovers and did not include even a quarter of the mountain of fries, only the remainder of the sandwiches. I called and complained, but the "manager" did not offer any compensation, only offered to reprimand the girl and demanded her name, which I wouldn't give. I find the self-proclaimed "lavish" decor tacky, meaningless, and themeless. Maybe the attempt to be "something for everyone" is their demise. Never tried their cheesecake. What's it going to take to have more restaurants offer healthy alternatives to French fries for sides (without charging you extra)?"

[HPK] said:

[3/07] [HPK] updates his review after reading [AmS]'s review above: "Based on reading [AmS]'s post, I too called the Manager and received a call back. She was completely non-responsive. Also did not offer anything for free, not that I was expecting it. She did not care or sympathize. She defended instead of listened."

[3/07] "Maybe I am the only person in the world who does not like this place. 1st, any place that wants me to wait 2 hours is nuts. 2nd, just like many of these chain restaurants, there are areas by the bar that are first come, first served. This makes life much easier. Somehow, for two people, we wound up spending over $100. This consisted of one appetizer, two main meals, and a couple of drinks each. I have learned that whenever there are no prices next to drinks, you'd better watch out! The appetizer is their version of a Buffalo wing and a Chinese dumpling, then deep fried. This was good. Too good. A heart attack on a plate. Plus, there was soooooo much food just in this, we were almost filled up at this point. We took most of it home. My wife ordered some pasta spicy thing with chicken and I had Chicken Marsala; neither had any taste. Very bland. Both should have very different tastes, and if it were not for the mushroom in mine, I might not have known. Again, it was a huge amount of food; we took home half of it. Also, no matter what you ask of the waitress, "Is this good?", etc., the answer is always, "Yes, very good"; I kept hearing this at every table. I guess it is a "fun" place. Lots of people. For the price, not my type of place, yet I like many other chain restaurants. Oh, and I cannot forget the cheesecakes. We ordered the signature cheesecake, which has sour cream on it. For me, that flavor combination just does not work. Plus the cheese part once again was very bland. I know that tens of thousands of people love this place. It just did not do it for me. Two more gripes. One: Even though this area we sat in was first come, first served, we must have been approached by 5 couples at different times asking us when we were going to leave so they can have the table. This started almost ten minutes into our meal. When the dessert came out, everyone started to wonder. There were even people overheard saying, "They're taking their time; we want the table", while looking at their watches; this is just rude. Two: There are ads in the menu for other stores both in and out of the mall. This is tacky! I do not want to see ads in a menu when I am eating!"

[–] Chef's Restaurant.—WARNING: WEBSITE PLAYS LOUD MUSIC!!
291 Seneca St. (at Chicago; downtown), Buffalo.
856-9187.

Italian.

[EBe, 6/09] says: "This can be taken as a review for either Chef's or Jacobi's Hamburg, perhaps as a follow up to my Feb 09 review of Jacobi's Hamburg or a new review of Chef's. Last night, my wife and I ate at Chef's. It was honestly among the better times that I've eaten there. I find their sauce to be, on a good day, OK; on a bad day, almost enough to make you want to leave. I don't understand what is so inconsistent about it. Last night, the sauce was good. The time before that, it was OK at best; the time before that, OK; the time before that, I couldn't eat it. It sometimes has the taste of either odd and incorrectly placed Italian cheese, or the meat from the meatballs imparts a strange flavor on the sauce, or it just does not balance right. I can't describe it. One time it was so bad, I didn't eat what I was served. Their service has always been good, the portions always good; the sauce has been bad to decent with no real consistency to it. So yesterday it was OK. I took home a considerable amount of leftovers. Now it's not that I purposefully return except for these vouchers they sell, which I end up buying every year; this year I ended up having to travel there twice. Today, as a result of this and the fact that I had cooked pasta sitting in the fridge at home (I eat a lot of pasta), I stopped at Jacobi's in Hamburg and picked up a quart of sauce, figuring between the leftovers and my leftover cooked pasta I'd have enough to feed me and my wife. The difference in the sauce was nonetheless astounding. Now I'm not out to pit either restaurant against each other, but the Jacobi's sauce was arguably better than the Chef's sauce: smoother and more consistent, tasting nearly the same as when I dined there the Friday before. It also tasted the same when I dined there possibly a month prior to that. I, as a patron of various Buffalo restaurants, appreciate a level of consistency in the offered product. With Marc Anthony's Diner having closed in Hamburg (which offered a very good marinara-style sauce that was nearly identical from one visit to the next, save for a few visits), there are fewer choice out here; certainly nothing, however, warrants a drive to Chef's, Jacobi's offering a better sauce that is more likely to be identical from one sampling to the next. Honestly, L'Isla D'Oro (or whatever the correct spelling is) offered a better product than what I've received at Chef's the last few times. A a regular pasta eater, I am compelled to seek out the best sauces locally. Chef's, to me, doesn't warrant the drive over what some of the Southtowns offer, except perhaps a different atmosphere."

[MEL, 2/98] said: "A significantly better [than the now-closed Katrina's], and cheaper, Italian place downtown. A Buffalo institution with consistently good food."

[Bill] said: A Buffalo tradition. I ate here once (probably around 1993), and hated the sauce.

[] Chester's Pub & Grill.
9416 Transit Rd. (north of Casey, in Amherst Place plaza), East Amherst.
636-4554.

Bill says:
[2/09] Came home from work on a Tuesday, not looking forward to leftovers. Had promised my 13-year-old son a Hagelburger on Sunday (but Chester's was closed, or not answering their phone), then again on Monday (but they're never open on Mondays), and he wasn't feeling well, so I offered to go get him a Hagelburger. MER asked for a grilled chicken sandwich. So I figured that I might as well get something more interesting than leftovers for me, too: Salsa Salmon ("salmon filet braised in Chester's salsa wine sauce with onions and peppers, served over seasoned rice" with cole slaw and a choice of side—I opted for steamed broccoli). The take-out person (turned out to be the bartender) was knowledgeable and friendly. The food was ready on time, and came nicely packaged; it was recommended that I have the butter for the French bread on the side, so that it wouldn't get all greasy. And the food was superb, heart-warming, and worth the trip (not far, though; we live around the corner). I am raising Chester's to 2 stars.

[9/08] Had their Cajun Shrimp recently. According to their menu: "Baby Shrimp sautéed with Onions & Peppers and simmered in a Mild Cajun Cream Sauce, served with sliced French Bread" and served over Cajun rice (though you can also have fettuccine). This is probably the tastiest thing I've eaten here; had leftovers for lunch the next day, and they were equally good.

[4/08] Back again with [MER] and our 12-year-old son for a Sunday-evening dinner. I had the Big Easy Combo—a sampler of 3 of their "soups" (more like stews): chicken and Andouille sausage gumbo, seafood Jambalaya, and red beans & rice, with a bag of oyster crackers on the side. When you order a bowl of any of these, you get slices of French bread, so I asked for some on the side (it was $1.50 extra); we got a small loaf, swimming in butter, which we could have done without. But the 3 dishes were terrific, and I even liked their spiciness, which I don't normally like. The beans & rice seemed to be the least spicy. [MER] had a chicken sandwich that she liked very much, and my son had a huge Chester Hagelburger (but without cheese)—"Smothered in Tangy BBQ Sauce and Sauteéed Onions all topped with melted Mild Cheddar Cheese and Crispy Bacon"—that he was quite happy with. We also ordered a "Rattlesnake" burger to go ("topped with Chester's Homemade Chili con Carne, melted Cheddar and Jack Cheeses, Brew City Battered Jalapeno Bottle Caps and our Roasted Red Pepper Remoulade. This burger's got BITE!!"—and indeed it did, according to those in my family who tried it, the bite being due primarily to those jalapeno peppers). The service was slow (only one waiter for a more-crowded-than-expected-on-a-Sunday night), but excellent.

[10/07] I returned a year after my first visit, with [MER], a friend from Indianapolis, and visitors from Los Angeles who came in late on a Sunday night; we were looking for a good, hopefully quick-service restaurant near where we live. I recommended Chester's, and we were all happy with the decision. I had the Fat Jack's Louisiana pasta: chicken-breast medallions and Andouille sausage with garlic, onion, peppers, mushrooms, and tomatoes in a mildly spicy, creamy, garlic sauce over fettucine, with parmesan cheese and about a half-dozen slices of soft French bread. It was tangy and scrumptious. The service was excellent; I'm glad we returned.

[10/06] I came here with a visiting speaker. The menu is quite large and varied, surely with something for everyone. I had the Seafood Jambalaya, a spicy combination of seafood, sausage, and rice, in a large soupbowl with about 7 or 8 slices of French bread circling the rim, served with a soup spoon. Delicious. I definitely want to return to try other items on the menu.

[ECB, 1/08] says: "An addict of Cajun and Creole cuisine, I was thrilled to discover Chester's in my neck of the woods. I have now been there a half dozen times, with friends and family, and it has always been a great experience. One of my friends, who used to live in Louisiana, now makes the trek from Wheatfield to sample their gumbo. The Bourbon Sampler with gumbo, red beans, and rice, and jambalaya, is a favorite. All three dishes are wonderful. I also like the blackened prime rib sandwich quite a bit. My only complaint was that the fried oysters and crawfish are too heavy on the breading, and the delicate flavor is lost."

[JDB, 11/07] says: "After spending some time doing the "well where do you want to go to dinner?" dance, my wife and I agreed to try somewhere new. We Googled, we read reviews, and Chester's seemed like a choice with potential, especially considering the good reviews it has received. As we approached the restaurant, we were concerned—one wall is dominated by an enormous, flat-screen TV. We'd been hoping for a quiet Sunday-evening dinner, not a raucous night out at a sports bar. As it turned out, that wasn't a concern—the volume was off, and nobody was paying much attention to the TV. I could, how ever, see that it might get pretty loud during a Bills or Sabres game. We were seated quickly; our waiter appeared after a couple of minutes and managed perfect timing throughout the evening. He came over to take our order just as we were setting our menus down; he cleared dishes soon enough after we were done that they weren't lingering on the table, but not so soon that we felt rushed. Service was excellent. S. and I ordered the blackened shrimp appetizer. It was good, not great—the blackening spices were very salty, and there wasn't much evidence of actual blackening—it was more like grilled shrimp tossed with some blackening spices. Still, pretty tasty. We each had a house salad; S. had the bleu cheese dressing; I had the house, which was an unusual sweet-tangy concoction—sort of a vinegary honey-mustard. Other than that, a good but unremarkable house salad—good crisp lettuce, cucumber, tomato, cheese, croutons, and a little bacon. For our main courses, S. had the grilled chicken (no rice, with broccoli and green beans); I had the blackened catfish. The catfish was much better than the shrimp; nicely blackened, with enough charring to give it some character. Again, the waiter gets points for asking, when S. ordered her chicken, if she'd like some Buffalo wing sauce with it. Though it was plain grilled chicken, the wing sauce was a nice way to kick it up. S. reported that the grilled chicken was cooked perfectly—moist and tender. The veggies served with the entrees were steamed and cooked well."

[NL, 10/07] says: "Excellent Cajun/Creole food. Crawfish étouffé is mind bending. I go there for lunch once a week. Not too much heat; everything cooked to order. Waitresses are very good. Prices are very reasonable!"

[HPK, 11/06] says: "All I have to say is, "Wow!" If you want real Cajun—go there."

[J&NS, 9/06] say: "After reading the reviews of Chester's, my wife and I went there early on a Saturday evening (9/23). I didn't tell her where we were going, as she likes to be surprised. I've done this before with great results. Tonight was not any different!!! We've never had crawfish before, so we had the crawfish appetizer (4.99) served with butter. We summoned one of the waitresses over to show us how to eat them. It was different, to say the least; tasty, but too much work to get a small piece of meat! LOL. We moved on to the soup, and they were excellent! We went with the previous review and both had the chicken and Andouille gumbo. My wife had the New Orleans chicken & rice and loved it. I went with the red beans and rice and practically licked the plate clean! Nice touch was the French bread that was placed all around the food on the plate. Our intentions were to have dessert but decided we will pace ourselves the next time we are there. (Very soon.) We had a coupon, which brought our bill total to $29, including 2 beers and a pop. My wife was looking forward to lunch the next day to finish off her leftovers. We're going back to try other things on the menu that really interested us: blackened Cajun prime rib, muffoletta sandwich, jambalaya, Big Easy Combo, and also find space for some desserts (fried ice cream sundae)!! Excellent food, prices, and service mean a 4 star!!"

[RDM, 9/06] says: "We tried Chester's for lunch recently, after sampling their crawfish at the Taste of Buffalo. It's a small pub and grill that features New Orleans cuisine. Everything tasted very authentic. I started with a crock of the seafood jambalaya, which was fresh and spicy. I also had the Cajun breaded oysters. These were large and fried just right, and were accompanied by a spicy roasted red pepper remoulade—delicious! My husband had a sampler platter that included the jambalaya, the chicken and andouille gumbo, and red beans and rice. My son had the fried crawfish tails with fries. We all enjoyed eating here and wished Chester's had a location closer to us! The menu is extensive, and I would love to go back to try their drunken bourbon wings, a po boy, or the crawfish etouffee."

[JSG, 12/05] says: "Went here for a casual Friday night dinner because we had an "enjoy the city" coupon for one free dinner. This place was excellent. Really diverse menu; I had a po-boy (a Cajun-style submarine) from their Cajun section, which was excellent. Those accompanying me had a chimichanga, which was excellent, and a burger, which was met with rave reviews. Appetizers were excellent as well. We really enjoyed the informal, family-friendly, neighborhood-bar feel. To top it off, the price was right (coupon or no coupon), and the service was good. This is a real hidden gem."

Chili's Grill and Bar.
4153 Transit Rd. (south of Main St.), Clarence. 634-0505.
3540 McKinley Pkwy., Buffalo; 822-5572.
[am] 1145 Niagara Falls Blvd. (near Sheridan Dr.), Amherst; 832-3730.

Takeout available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.
Part of the chain...

...but it's a good restaurant nonetheless, with a much more interesting menu than many other restaurants of its kind.

[JC, 1/08] says: "In January 2008, I dined, together with my wife and three daughters, at Chili's on Transit Rd. It was my first visit there, so I was a bit surprised that the items on the menu were mostly Southwestern, and many Tex-Mex staples like enchiladas were absent. The vegetarian menu was extremely limited: only an (awful-tasting and meat-smelling) veggie burger and a veggie fajita were available. Another slightly unpleasant touch: serving beer without a glass. I asked the waitress for a glass, but she forgot to bring one. (It seems common to Mexican restaurants in this area not to have mastered the notion of a beer glass.) The beef and chicken fajitas were nicely done, and the meat was quite flavorful. But the quesadillas were obviously microwaved, and not fully heated up at that. So, altogether, a somewhat disappointing dining experience."

[HPK, 3/07] says of the Transit Rd. location: "I have always liked Chili's. My wife and I go back awhile with it, almost 15 years when it was in Massachusetts. They keep the menu fresh with new ideas, and their fajitas are great, in a Tex-Mex sort of way. Good value as well. $40 for an app, two meals, and two drinks each. It is also kid friendly. There is a bar area, which is first come, first served. If a game is on, you will see it there. The whole place is a mixture of a singles bar to large families. Good food, good price."

Bill says:

[7/06] We eat here on a reasonably regular basis. Unfortunately, they don't have the catfish any more, but the food is still better than almost all the other chain restaurants that I've been to.

[9/01] [MER] and I have eaten here several times recently. We've had lettuce wraps (sort of a spring roll in lettuce), grilled shrimp Caesar, fajitas, Guiltless chicken platter, citrus fire chicken and shrimp, rice and beans, blackened catfish, chicken fajita salad, and they were all delicious. Desserts are impressive, too, especially the Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie and the Molten Chocolate Cake.

[ABi, 7/06] says of the Niagara Falls Blvd. location: "I think we ate at Chili's; there was crazy stuff on the walls, a suburban-style bar, and a menu with burgers, chicken sandwiches, and "Southwestern" appetizers, so that means it was either Chili's or one of another dozen or so Amherst-area chains. I would be certain had the food been memorable. We began with a large onion cut partway through into strips and deep-fried, an item they cutely call an Awesome Blossom. They have the same thing at the Outback Steakhouse, and, while I don't know whose came first, or, to put it another way, who ripped off whom, I do know Outback's is better. Chili's version is rough-looking and asymmetrical, with too much breading; it resembles an Outback onion that's been dropped a couple times. The petals are also difficult to pull apart, resulting in messy clumps of onion slices attached at one end, like a tiny, fried octopus. It was too salted and peppered, and the onion itself lacked sweetness. In retrospect, we should have just started with our entrees. We both went with the Build Your Own Big Mouth Burger promotion, which allows patrons to choose from around 30 topping options for one's hamburger sandwich, including cheeses, sauces, veggies, and the like. This was done, oddly, not by telling the server which fixings were desired but rather with a provided pencil and short form listing the various garnishes; you select what you'd like by blackening a circle next to any tasty-sounding accompaniment. This is fun, because you get to both pick exactly what you want and practice for the SATs. Unfortunately, this ordering option wasn't on the menu, and our waitress didn't tell us about it, meaning we had to ask her if it was available. Not being offered, it was curious, particularly considering it's a feature they clearly want to push: I've seen more commercials advising me to build my own Chili's burger than spots hosted by Tom Park urging me to take that short drive to Grand Island to buy a Chevrolet. Of course, this was the same server who handed us our plates instead of, say, setting them on the table, which is a step above being passed a takeaway bag through the McDonald's drive-thru window. We tipped accordingly. The good news is that Chili's is willing to cook their patties medium, which is somewhat nice for blood devotees who don't enjoy eating beef rendered into charcoal in the name of excessive safety. Fairly meaty and tender, the customized burgers loaded with absolutely everything that looked good on the ordering form were the dinner's sole redeeming feature; we weren't impressed by the bland and flavorless fries that came with our meals, the aforementioned appetizer and service, or the margaritas, the rims of whose glasses were adorned with, get this, rock sugar. The Mountain Dew flavor they only sell at Taco Bell is more authentically Mexican. While Chili's wasn't particularly outstanding, and while you could throw a dart at a map of Niagara Falls Boulevard and Maple Road and hit a restaurant that offers similar, largely better food and atmosphere, at least the cheeseburgers were decent. For the record, the medium burger with cheddar, tomatoes, diced onions, fried onion strips, bleu cheese dressing, and honey barbeque sauce is pretty good."

China Buffet.
77 Rossler St. (in Rossler Plaza, at Clinton, near the Buffalo/W. Seneca line), Cheektowaga.
821-5941.

[MEL, 7/98] says: "While looking for another restaurant that turned out to be closed, I discovered a nice alternative to fast food: China Buffet .... I wouldn't pretend that it is one of the best in the region, but it is the best of the Chinese buffets I have been to. The food is better than that of the other three or four Chinese buffets I have been to, and the selection is above average. You can actually get things there that aren't fried!"

China Express.
525 Main St. (downtown), Buffalo.
842-0909.

[MEL, 10/97] says: "The most noteworthy thing about this place is that it is open seven days a week till at least 9ish, unlike everything else in downtown Buffalo. So if you have no place to go (esp. on Sunday), go here. I haven't tried the buffet, but the lo mein is perfectly satisfactory. Definitely beats McDonald's (although I wouldn't describe it as exceptional in any way)." [MEL, 3/98] adds: "I just tried the buffet. It is not as good as the regular entrees; everything is fried and seems like it has been under a heat lamp for way too long (with the exception of the donuts, which are real good). One regular entree I do recommend is the moo shu chicken; although it does not have much meat, it is such an enormous serving that I ate it for dinner, breakfast, and lunch."

[] China King.
9648 Transit Rd. (in Tops Plaza, near N. French), East Amherst.
688-9868, 9838.

[9/04] At last! A Chinese "restaurant" to replace the sorely missed Rita's Crystal Palace in the East Amherst/Transit Rd. area! Unfortunately, I have to use scare quotes around "restaurant", because this place is primarily for takeout (which we've done twice so far. They do have about 6 tables for those who wish to order at the counter and eat on the spot. They have the typically huge Chinese takeout-style menu, with extra specials posted on the walls (along with free tea, at least for those who eat in). We've had their boiled dumplings, chicken fried rice, broccoli with garlic sauce, sauteed string beans, chicken lo mein, curry chicken with onions (wonderfully smooth, with tender, thin slices of chicken), kung po chicken (hot!), beef with snow peas, and General Tso's chicken. Everything was superb. The kitchen is wide open to view and spotlessly clean; it's great fun to watch them efficiently prepare the food to order. Waiting time for takeout, even with a large order or with multiple, simultaneous orders, is usually only about 10-15 minutes.

[a] China Max Wok.
681 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst.
883-8885.

[LCo, 1/08] says: "I read that China Max had vegetarian beef and chicken substitutes, so I thought I'd try it out. I opted for the vegetarian orange beef, since I regularly eat the same dish at Taste Good on Delaware Ave. China Max's version was nowhere as delicious as the culinary masterpiece you'll find at Taste Good. The texture of the vegetarian beef was good; it stayed soft and wasn't overly chewy. The sauce, though, was a little runny and simply not as flavorful as other orange sauces I've had. I also tried the Tofu and Black Mushroom dish, which is fried tofu with black mushrooms and green onions. The tofu was sufficiently crisp without being overly oily, and the mushrooms had a nice texture, but it wasn't outstanding. The price was also a bit high for the quality of food, and there was no size option on the vegetarian meals (other than making it a combo). Overall, I'd say there are tastier and less expensive vegetarian options in Buffalo than what you'll find at China Max."

China Panda.
4545 Transit Rd. (in Eastern Hills Mall), Clarence.
565-1803.

[JI, 1/07] says: "Just another mall-based Chinese restaurant with a what-you-see-is-what-you-get menu, except for one thing. Their kung pao chicken is very unique and very hot. It has big chunks of chicken and big chunks of onion and green pepper. I really love it. I found out that the people who run it are actually Indonesian, not Chinese, so the kung pao chicken must be their interpretation of the famous dish."

The Chocolate Bar.
114 Chippewa St. (downtown, in the Hampton Inn), Buffalo
332-0484.

Run by the folks who also run Butterwood Gourmet Desserts.

[MTe, 4/08] says: "I was very excited to go to the Chocolate Bar; everything sounded so yummy, and we purposely saved room after eating next door at Papaya. However, it was a disappointment. Four of us ordered coffee and 2 desserts to split. The coffee didn't arrive until we were practically done with the desserts—and was served not with cream but with Coffeemate! The desserts (slices of chocolate cake with raspberry mousse and a triple-chocolate-type cake) were garnished nicely but just Ok. I thought the cake was dry and no better than the nicer cakes at Wegman's. We saw a chocolate fondue go by, and that looked large and really good; I might return to try that, but overall I can't give the place a glowing recommendation."

[LFo, 5/07] says: "I've been to The Chocolate Bar two times this past month (5/07), and both times I've had an amazing experience. That's what it is when you go here—an experience. The first time I went, I had a crepe with Nutella and bananas. It was creamy, filling, and cooked to perfection. I highly recommend getting Nutella on it. They had other toppings as well. It was so delicious that I brought a friend there a few weeks later. To my surprise, they have a nice menu that includes sandwiches and panini. I ordered the Turkey Berry sandwich, which was on a toasted baguette with raspberry mayonnaise. Usually I don't order sandwiches at restaurants, because they are just OK, but this was delicious. The berry mayo was amazing. My friend ordered the Turkey Florentine, and she told me it was the best sandwich she ever had. Although we were full, we had to order dessert. I ordered a sugar crepe again with Nutella on it (minus the bananas). I love coming here. On the second floor, they have a flat-screen TV and huge booths for bigger parties. This is a place every Buffalonian should go to."

[CN, 9/06] says: "FOOD: 4/5; SERVICE: -5/5; ATMOSPHERE: 4/5. My wife, myself, and another couple went to Chocolate Bar a few Fridays ago, and, if it was typical of a standard Friday night @ 9pm, stay away...at least at that time. Things started out just great; we were told it would be a over a half-hour wait, and it was under 20 mins. So we got seated and looked at the menu, which is quite elaborate and seems to have something for everyone, a definite plus. I decided on a vanilla latte and creme brulee (a vanilla O.D.); my wife got a coffee w/ Baileys, and I don't remember what dessert; the other couple got a mocha, an extremely rich chocolate cake/brownie, and a piece of cheesecake, as well as a Long Island iced tea. The order went in, and we waited. Then we waited some more and then some more. Finally, the drinks came out one at a time (at least 3-5 minutes between each one)...except for the LI iced tea; we let the server know that it was missing, and she said she would check on it. Things wouldn't have been as bad if it wasn't for the fact that we had no silverware...we waited and we waited for someone to come around. Finally, my wife got up and found another server, who came over and brought us our utensils...still no LI iced tea. The desserts were great (more on that in a moment), but the quality of the food was offset by the fact that we had to wait so long that we were done sipping on our drinks before our desserts ever came. So what ever happened to that LI iced tea? After we were about 1/2 done with our desserts, we managed to snag the host and let him know that we were still missing the drink. He came back about 1-2 minutes later with a drink, puts it on the table, and walks away. So you would think this was great, and it would have been if...if it was an LI iced tea. Of course, in keeping with the rest of the evening, no one was around. By the time we got the host's attention...not the server, but the host...he told us they didn't have the mix for an LI iced tea...didn't have the mix...are you kidding me? First off, I was a server & bartender for several years, and that was one of the first drinks I learned how to make...without a mix. Second of all...if they didn't have the mix, which it appears the host knew, why wouldn't they have told us that instead of pawning it off on us as something that it wasn't? In the end, by the time the host (on his own) brought us back another attempt at an LI iced tea, we were done eating and drinking and ready for the bill. The desserts were very good (presentation, selection, and flavor), but, in my opinion, not at all worth the wait or the frustration. For the record, we weren't jerks about any of this; it appears that they were backed up, and the waitress did apologize for the delays, but overall the experience wasn't anything to write home about. Also, I'd like to say that the atmosphere and design is quite nice. I enjoyed looking at some of the pieces on the wall as well as the overall style of the place."

[BA, 8/06] says: "Visited The Chocolate Bar late (and I mean late) a few nights last week. Very nice construction, great bar and waterfall. Service very friendly. Now, the good stuff. Products are excellent. Treat for the eyes; even better on the tongue. Great place to go for after dinner. Key Lime Pie Martini was excellent; shooters in chocolate cups offered good combinations. Cake was excellent, especially their Belgian Chocolate Cake. Creme Brulee and Fruit Tart very good. Sensory overload a real possibility here, especially with the right company. Intimate space, as well. Haven't tried lunch, but looking forward to it."

Chon Buri's Spicy Thai.
208 Church St., St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
416-687-8424.
Spicy Thai II.
340 St. Paul St., St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada.
905-684-8424.

Given 3 (out of 4) stars (a long time ago, when there was no 3½-star rating) by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

Spicy Thai on Church is only open Wed-Sun from 5 p.m. Spicy Thai II is open for lunch and dinner.

[DN, 8/96] says that Spicy Thai on Church has "T-shirts printed up with that name and hung on a wall, resulting in the only eyesore in the decor which is otherwise very tasteful and understated. The food is just as good as I remember it from their former location in Welland. The Chicken Coconut soup is exquisite. Thai food in general is very delicately spiced (coconut milk and lemon grass are commonly used), and this restaurant knows how to combine their spices to bring out the best flavors in the food. Also try their Fried Banana Chips in Ice Cream." And, he adds [7/00], "my wife and I had our first dinner date at Chon Buri's ... and thanks to their food (!!), we've been happily married for almost four years now."

Chop Chop.
302 Main St. (downtown), Buffalo.
852-1018.

Eclectic cafeteria.

[5/08] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[LCo, 6/08] says: "I had the Miso Mushroom Noodle Bowl for a recent lunch at Chop-Chop. It was stir-fried mushrooms, tofu, onion, snow peas, and cilantro with a miso glaze. I opted for brown rice instead of noodles. Overall, the dish was tasty. I could taste the oil used in the stir-fry more than the miso flavor, and, as it sat, the cilantro really took over and flavored the entire dish. The cook forgot my order, so I got a complimentary chocolate chip cookie (supplied by Delish, Chop-Chop's sister company). My only real complaint about Chop-Chop is that it was really hot in the dining area, and it seemed like there was no air flow at all."

Chris' N.Y. Sandwich Co..
395 Delaware Ave. (between Tupper and Edward; across from the Buffalo Club, next to Trinity Church), Buffalo.
854-6642.

[6/03] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[SAS, 11/08] says: "Positive: A colleague and I had lunch there this week. He had the Grilled Portobello Mushroom sandwich, his usual. It was messy, he said, but very tasty. I had pastrami and Swiss cheese on rye. It was simply delicious, reminiscent of the now-extinct Wolf's Deli in NYC! I just wish they had a bowl of those half-sour dill pickles on the table! One caution: Several tasty substitutes for potato chips are offered for your sandwich, but there is an extra charge for them (which was not explained to me at the time; I thought that $2.25 for a little plastic cup of cheese tortellini salad was a bit much). Take-out is available, as well as delivery (for a modest charge)."

[Editor's note: I know that some readers disapprove of my occasional editorial comments, but I'd be surprised if Wolf's Deli, which I'm pretty sure kept kosher, would have served pastrami with cheese. And their half-sour pickles would have had garlic and vinegar, but probably not any dill. However, I miss such delicacies, too!]

[HPK, 6/05] said: "Boy was I in for a surprise. A friend of mine suggested we meet there for lunch. I was looking for your standard loaf of bread with processed cheese and something called meat inside of it. I was in for a huge surprise. The sandwiches were unbelievable, and, of all things, the salads were some of the best I ever had. I had a salad with fresh apples, walnuts, fruit; just great! Go here; eat here; it's cheap and great. Plus, there is some outside seating."

Cinco de Mayo Mexican Grill.
3870 Union Rd. (at George Urban Blvd., across from Tops), Cheektowaga. 651-0672.
4226 N. Buffalo St., Orchard Park. 667-3515.

Reviews of the Orchard Park location:
[CLH, 4/09] says: "Strongly negative. Really nothing good to say about the food or service. Food was at best average. The ‘authentic’ enchilada relleno tasted as if it had been frozen too long and was also not fully reheated. The carnitas came out about 10 minutes after the other 3 main dishes, was a small portion, and lacked the distinctive crispy outside of the best carnitas. Frijoles might well have been canned. Tortillas were OK, but given that you can buy good tortillas in the store these days, that's no great feat. The service was slow and actively surly, which was particularly disappointing since she seemed to be in charge of the front of the house. So as not to be wholly negative, this is a nice-looking space, and the ‘specials’ menu (although it didn't look like it changed very often, if at all) had some interesting-sounding seafood choices, but no one at our table went in that direction. Given that decent, authentic Mexican places continue to pop up in the area, it's hard to see why one would go here; I know we will not voluntarily return."

[RDM, 5/07] said: "Wow! Authentic Mexican food, great prices. I was blown away by the beauty of the exterior of the building as well as the clean, fresh, indoor decor. They actually have a children's playroom! My son loved it. His children's meal was a huge plate of fries, a quesadilla, and a taco for only $4.00. The salsa and chips were great. I could taste the cilantro. My shrimp tacos were great. The guacamole was fresh. My husband ordered the special—a lobster chimichanga. It was excellent; I wished I had ordered the same!"

Reviews of the original, Cheektowaga location:

[SG, 11/07] says: "My wife and I went here yesterday and had a "Black Friday" in the literal sense. We had a combination dinner (beef burrito, chicken enchilada, and 2 tacos) and the Chalupa Texana. Stale, undercooked items with no taste. Will definitely not go here ever again. Taco Bell is a better option close by this place if people really want to eat Mexican and do not want to try Salsarita's"

[LCo, 10/07] said: "I usually order the Vegetarian Fajita at Cinco De Mayo. It's a hot skillet stacked with grilled peppers, onions, tomatoes, and other marinated veggies, served with a plate of lettuce, rice, beans, guacamole, pico de gallo, sour cream, and three warm tortillas. This dish tastes great, and the build-your-own set up lets you customize how you fill your tortillas. Another one of my favorites is the El Vegi Burrito. For some reason, it's not listed on the printed menu, but most times I've been there it has been a special. It's a hearty burrito stuffed with rice, grilled marinated veggies, and beans, all covered in a special onion sauce then served with lettuce and tomato. The composition is similar to the Vegetarian Fajita, but all the work is done for you and it's covered in the sauce. Both of these dishes are large portions that are well worth the cost. The service is usually good but can be slow on busier nights. My food always comes fast, but the same attention might not be paid to refilling drinks or bringing the check. Also, I always order my dishes without sour cream or cheese, and the staff have never had a problem accommodating the change."

[LB, 12/06] said: "We usually eat at the Cheektowaga location (Union Road). Building, bathrooms, and tables are clean. Service is always great, very cordial and accurate. The waitstaff is not a mob of orney teenagers trying sell us crappy jug wine or appetizers or desserts or other things we did not ask for; instead, Cinco's staff actually know something about the food and have eaten it! The food is great—I love enchies, and Cinco's are delicious—good meat, not scraps. Their offerings remind me a lot of the dishes we enjoyed in Oklahoma, Arizona, and Mexico. If you want cheese-smothered Tex-Mex and 1/2 gallon sugary margaritas, go to Don Pablo's. I think Cinco's secret is getting out, because most evenings it's at least 80% full, now a [short] wait on Fri/Sat. And the price—can't beat it, except at Taco Hell, and that you will pay for later. At Cinco, my husband and I are full for between $16 and $20."

On the other hand, [CH, 9/06] said: "A friend and I ate at 5 de Mayo on Union the night prior to last. The food was plentiful, but bland. Talked to that friend the next morning, and we both were feeling queasy, and I felt that way the most of the next day. I like good Mexican, and get it when I travel trough the NE quarter of this country, but have yet to find it in WNY. They did not even offer hot salsa and just pointed to the processed hot sauce jars on the table. (You can tell an authentic Mexican restaurant when they offer either a brown or green hot salsa in addition to the conventional one that every Mexican restaurant offers.) I will never eat here again."

[TFR, 2/06] said: "My husband, who was never a big fan of Mexican food, took me to Cinco de Mayo as a gesture of kindness. He ended up loving it, so much so that the next night he dragged our friends there again! We both ordered jumbo margaritas—mine was frozen & strawberry, and his was on the rocks. They were both delicious, and, even with the spicy food, they were big enough that one was plenty. The chips and salsa were good, but nothing extraordinary. We ordered combination platters both nights. We had quesadillas, enchiladas, burritos, and tacos. The beef and the chicken are very moist. The sauce was mild and very flavorful. You can order a huge plate of Mexican rice for under $2.00. Beware of the hot sauce. I can take hot wing sauce, but this stuff made me feel like I was on fire. We ordered sopapillas and fried ice cream for dessert. The fried ice cream is served in a fried tortilla with lots of whipped cream and chocolate sauce, and it's only $3.25—we highly recommend it. The service was efficient and on top of things—our chips were filled without asking when the waiter noticed they were getting low—and respectful (they call you "Senorita" or "Caballero",) but not particularly friendly. It didn't matter, though—the margaritas, the dinners, and the desserts are incredible. Love this place!"

[HPK, 12/05] said: "What a surprise: good, real Mexican food in WNY, and yet it is hidden from the masses. I love Mexican food. All types, Tex-Mex, Mex Mex, everything and all. I guess this place has been around for a couple of years. A friend said, "You have to go." She was not kidding. I am really impressed and surprised. I will differ on some of the other reviews a little though. The chips—yuck. The salsa—yuck. Not my type. The food—wonderful, fresh and cheap. My only complaint would be that our waiter seemed bored. Too many plates sort of "thrown" on the table. But who cares. I mean it; the food was that good. As far as I feel, they could have thrown it all at me. I think I made my point—go."

[MRT, 1/05] said: "The Mexican restaurants in our city have become better and better in the 8 years in which we have been here. First Chi Chi's, then Don Pablo's, then El Canelo, and now, the very best, Cinco de Mayo Mexican Grill. All the seats are booths. When you first sit down, you are brought the best-tasting chips, as well as a carafe of the best-tasting salsa and two bowls. At your booth, you also have bottles of both red and green habanero peppers. I added a little habanero pepper sauce to my bowl of salsa, and it was incredible tasting to everyone. I ordered a steak fajita, with 3 extra flour tortillas. My husband and friend each ordered combination platters. Everything was great tasting. I was stuffed after 6 tortillas of beef fajitas. The men were still a little hungry and said they would order more next time. We all agree it is the best Mexican restaurant in town."

[ECB, 12/04] said: "Stumbled on this place the other day on our way to Buca di Beppo's and decided to stop in and give it a try. Don Pablo's had left us cold, and we were looking for a decent Mexican restaurant. Well, this is it. The food is excellent, service is fast (if a bit unfriendly), and the ingredients all taste fresh. The complimentary tortilla chips are very good and are presented with a carafe of fresh salsa and individual little bowls for each person at the table. The menu is chock full of options, from combos and samplers, to à la carte items. There are clear descriptions of all the types of items on the back, and the spice level is kept mild, with red and green habenero sauces provided to spice things up if you prefer them that way. The decor is appropriate without being gaudy, and the atmosphere is relaxed and pleasant. My wife and I have had excellent dining experiences both times we've been there."

[VRL, 11/04] said: "Yippee! The liquor license is in, and now the wonderful food can be accompanied by Dos Equis, etc. Thanks for doing a great job. You've made our move to Buffalo even better!"

[JG&LG] said:

[10/04]: "I have an update—the restaurant now has a full liquor license!"

[9/04] "We ate at Cinco de Mayo recently, and it was great!! We tried traditional Tex-Mex burritos, and they were excellent—nice spicing, interesting ingredients, and good service. There are some more authentic Mexican dishes that we will try next time. The decor is fine, though not fancy. The only thing missing is a liquor license (which is pending)—if anyone out there knows how to help someone in this process, help this restaurant—they deserve it! I encourage everyone to give this restaurant a try."

[AJB, 5/04] said: "This little Mexican restaurant is a gem. It's a casual, sit-down place with waiter service, and offers the freshest, most authentic Mexican food I've had yet. This blows away Gramma Mora's and even Don Pablo's. The guacamole is superb. It's obviously fresh and contains big chunks of avocado. The salsa is homemade, chunky, and a bit spicy. There are habanero sauces on every table, in case the heat isn't enough. The fajita burrito I had was huge. Topped with fresh pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream, it's overstuffed with fajita meat (chix or beef), and grilled onions and peppers. It is topped with a red sauce and queso fresco. It's absolutely excellent, and my mouth's watering just writing this. The enchiladas are also great—stuffed with flavorful chicken, and topped with sauce and cheese, with great Mexican rice on the side. They offer beer and wine. I urge everyone to make this place too crowded for its own good, so they have to expand or build another location."

Lisa & Bob's Città di Militello.
760 Wehrle Dr. (at Union, in Golds Gym Plaza), Cheektowaga.
632-0500.

Italian.

[JG&LG, 12/08] say: "Went to Bobby Militello's new restaurant on the recommendation of a friend who usually knows good food. Unfortunately, we cannot recommend it&$151; in fact, we would tell people to stay away. The menu is traditional Italian-American food, and the service is adequate, but nothing tasted good. The spaghetti and meatballs had lackluster meatballs and a tomato sauce that was so devoid of taste that it could have been water colored with red dye. The eggplant parmesan also was not good—the eggplant tasted like nothing, and it had the same no-taste red sauce as the spaghetti. Maybe the original chef already left or was having a bad day, but it just is not worth going to this restaurant now."

City Grill.
268 Main St. (at Swan St., downtown), Buffalo.
856-2651.

[HDe, 1/09] says: "I recently dined at City Grill prior to Christmas, and it was indeed opened under new management. I was very highly impressed by the fact that it was a weeknight and they were kind enough to put together a very nice "chef's tasting menu" for my friend and me. I'm fairly certain we were the only ones they did it for, and we were given a nice printed-out menu with the food items. The food was of very high quality. I was fortunate enough to meet the new owner, Chef Scott Rossi, formerly of the Roosevelt Hotel in NYC. We talked food and wine, and I was very impressed by his vision and where he wants to go with things. The wine list is being changed and perhaps paired down a bit to be more reachable for the everyday diner, without giving up quality. I had a nice Finger Lakes white, a Pinot Noir, and a Cab blend, all very reasonable and high quality. I was impressed by Chef Rossi and his desire to listen and implement my ideas or thoughts. Some of the items I had that night were a leg of lamb risotto, a great shrimp salad, and a jerk pork tenderloin with mango salsa. Chef Rossi made our desert himself, bananas Foster, which frankly was the best I ever had. If this is any indication of things to come, there is reason to be excited about City Grill and his other restaurant he's planning: 15 Mile in Tonawanda. I can't wait to see what influences he will bring to the restaurant, & I think City Grill will be a hidden gem downtown and will certainly get me down there to dine at his restaurant!"

Claudette's Catering.
2675 Niagara Falls Blvd. (near S. Ellicott Creek Rd.), Amherst.
691-3315.

[ASt, 12/03] says: "Used for our family graduation. Excellent food, wonderful set up, generous amounts of food, exceptional people to work with, and the price was very reasonable."

The Coffee Grind Co..
9392 Transit Rd. (north of Casey, in Transit-Casey Plaza—same plaza as Yings Wings Things and Molinaro's), E. Amherst.
689-7111.

[MJH, 8/00] says: "Great variety of fresh coffees, plus a bakery, from cookies to cakes. Try the lunch special; the soup and bagel is just great. The owners, Dylan and Stephanie, are always on site, so the service is fast."

Cold Stone Creamery.
2674 Delaware Ave. (just south of Kenmore Ave.), Buffalo. 332-3424.
8124 Transit Rd. (in Lowe's Plaza, near Maple Rd.), Williamsville. 213-2776.

Part of the chain/franchise. "Kosher certified", according to their website.

[WHN] says:

[3/09] "Cold Stone Creamery has reopened (at least the Transit Rd. at Maple Rd. location)."

[3/06] "In the dessert category, this is a national chain, new to the Buffalo area, with several other locations, including Delaware Ave. in Kenmore and Maple Road near the Boulevard Mall. Excellent ice cream and ice cream cakes in many flavors. The cakes are very expensive—$21.95 or $24.95, depending on the type of frosting, for a small one. Eat in or take-out."

[ABi, 3/06] says: "Cold Stone is ice cream as meal replacement. They give you a portion approximately the size of a sack of flour, packed with enough fillings and calories that you could certainly skip dinner in lieu of a giant cone from here. I'm guessing that's what dozens of other people had in mind during our first visit: We went late on a chilly night where the snow was flurrying, one where we were anticipating desolation, and instead found a line stretched to the door. This may have been in part due to Krispy-Kreme-esque novelty, but it also must have something to do with the blissful quality of their offerings. The tasty gimmick here is that they mix into your ice cream sundry treats such as candy pieces or mini brownie squares. You can choose your own combination of fillings or do as we did and go with company-created choices. Unfortunately, both our selections were burdened with gimmicky puns for names, which turned the ordering process into an embarrassment. My companion didn't want to say the mortifyingly-named "At the Cocoa Banana Cabana" out loud, and with good cause. Unsurprisingly, it contained both banana ice cream and actual banana chunks along with cake pieces, fudge, and whipped cream mixed right in. A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but the horridly unfunny appellation of this concoction definitely knocks it down a few pegs. As for my pick, Microsoft's spell check caught the second word of "Cookie Doughn't You Want Some" right away, and rightfully so; that said, I suppose the ridiculous title can only take a little bit away from the delicious blend of French vanilla ice cream, cookie dough, chocolate chips, fudge, and caramel. Our server mixed everything on the eponymous granite cold stone, stirring in sauces and solid ingredients with scoops, and undoubtedly building massive twitchy biceps during the process. She was pleasant and friendly, although she almost placed my choice in a bowl instead of the waffle cone I chose, not to mention that she forgot to put bananas in m'lady's Cocoa Banana Cabana, a seemingly obvious omission remedied after it was gently pointed out and one we can chalk up to an astoundingly busy, recently-opened store. We waited a decent while, but, once we got our choices, we were in Ice Cream Heaven. Mine was remarkably rich, interspersed with the velvety smooth fudge and caramel sauces and healthy-sized, perfectly buttery and sugary cookie-dough pieces. It came to around $12 for two mediums in waffle cones, but it was a high-quality, filling treat, not to mention that their "medium" is the size of a baby's head. By the way, they sing when you tip, so you have a reason not to."

Cole's.
1104 Elmwood Ave. (between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo.
886-1449.

[DaK, 6/07] says: "Some friends and I were looking for somewhere to dine on a Thursday night on Elmwood, somewhere casual but with an interesting menu. Cole's seemed to fit the bill. Amazingly enough, this was the first time any of us had dined here, and we were all impressed by the experience. We were seated just next to the outdoor dining inside the restaurant, which, considering the 85-degree day, actually helped to keep us from freezing inside (air conditioning was a bit high). The entrees ordered were all basic pub fare with a few twists. The Buffalo Sampler platter, small roast beef on weck and 5 chicken wings, was stated as good. Two people ordered tuna steaks in different forms, one a very nice salad with wonton and water chestnuts and the other a generous sandwich with French fries. The last dish was a steak sandwich, said to have been very moist and well seasoned. Overall, this is certainly not gourmet dining, but, for some great beer (excellent selection) and great simple food, it will certainly work!"

[EM, 3/06] says: "My husband and I recently ate lunch at Cole's Restaurant on Elmwood. I grew up and lived on Elmwood and had not eaten at Cole's in many years. We now live in Wyoming County and don't get back to the city too often. The food was still as great as I remember it. I highly recommend the pot roast sandwich. It was sooooo tender. It was good to be "home". The only downfall as always in that area was finding a spot to park."

[MEL, 9/98] says: "Won Buffalo Beat's `Best Casual Dining' award recently. I had a very good swordfish sandwich and some rather ordinary fries. Not exotic, but perfectly satisfactory."

[JCM, 5/95] says: "Good sandwiches and entrees; standard menu of mixed meat and fish dinners. Many different styles of sandwiches. Large dining room with booths for multiple people and a smaller intimate section for couples. Good bar, with lively bar-tenders, off of the main dining room. Prices are average for Buffalo. Informal."

Colter Bay Grill.
561-565 Delaware Ave. (Allentown), Buffalo.
882-1330.

[MEL, 5/99] says: "Bar/grill with perfectly ordinary food. It won't kill you to eat here, but K. Gallagher's a block away is better."

Comfort Zone Cafe.
1002 Elmwood Ave. (between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo.
881-1057.

[AMSo, 2/09] says: "This location of Comfort Zone features vegan baked goods! (They make conventional ones, as well.) We have stopped by on at least five occasions for some coffee and dessert and enjoyed a variety of sweets—pastry hearts, cupcakes, a wonderful raspberry cream cake, and cookies. Apparently they have vegan staff members who do the baking. We'll continue doing the eating!!"

Como Restaurant.
2220 Pine Ave., Niagara Falls, NY.
285-9341.

[WHN, 8/06] says: "The Como is a Niagara Falls institution that's been in business for nearly 80 years and is still owned by the same family. There are pictures in the hallway between the bar and the restaurant of celebrities, politicians, and other dignitaries who have dined there over the years. We have not been to the Como in a very long time, but attended my wife's class reunion there Saturday night, 8/5. We didn't know what to expect...thought it might be a buffet, which we both hate. Instead, it was a sit-down dinner, served family style, and a pleasant surprise that the event's organizers had included many of our old favorites from the regular Como menu. To start, there was an antipasto, with Italian cold cuts and cheeses, olives, stuffed and roasted peppers, lettuce and tomatoes. The homemade breads were fresh, warm, and very good—thick "pizza bread" topped with herbs, Italian bread, and crusty rolls. Next, came stuffed clams. Then a lettuce salad with a simple, but flavorful, oil and vinegar dressing. Then, the pasta course—rigatoni in a meaty tomato sauce. For the main course, there were three meats—beef brasciole, veal parmesan, and chicken parmesan. My wife and I both had the brasciole, which came in marinara sauce and was melt-in-your-mouth tender, and the veal, which was tender, delicious, and not smothered in too much sauce, the way veal parmesan often is. For dessert, spumoni ice cream, and, finally, coffee. The total cost of this meal was $30 per person, which included carafes of house red and white wine, which were replenished throughout the meal, and an open bar before and after dinner. The service was excellent, too, with little waiting time between courses. It's well worth the drive to Niagara Falls."

Copacabana Brazilian Steakhouse. —WARNING: WEBSITE MAKES LOUD NOISE!
6671 Fallsview Blvd., Niagara Falls, ON, CANADA.
1-905-354-8775.

[ECB, 9/08] says: "A wonderful Churrascaria-style steakhouse, which my friends and I visit as often as we can afford. My last visit with my brother on Labor Day weekend was not a disappointment. We avoided drinking much more than ice water, because the drinks are rather ridiculously priced. The meal price, however, covers all the roasted meat you can eat delivered to your table, unlimited trips to a well-stocked salad bar, which features salads, appetizers, hot entrees, and side dishes, and a plate of wonderful cornbread and fried plantains. During this last visit, we sampled parmesean encrusted pork loin, turkey wrapped in bacon, braised beef ribs, garlic-marinated steak, peppercorn steak, filet mignon wrapped in bacon, prime rib, top sirloin, chicken drumsticks, and slow-roasted leg of lamb. We also had their wonderful roasted pineapple, which is basted in sugar and cinnamon. On Friday and Saturday nights, they have Samba dancers and live music, but we missed it this last trip. This was also our first time on their spacious outdoor patio. Both our server and the gauchos offering the meats were attentive and friendly. Overall, worth the hefty bill."

Coyote Cafe.
36 Main St., Hamburg.
649-1837.

[RDM, 5/07] says: "The amount of refried beans on our plates was hysterical ;) I have to disagree with the above reviews. Bland salsa, bland food, and not authentic at all. Yes, the portions were big, but tasteless. My husband and I couldn't believe the piles of refried beans on our plates. Seems like our lunch specials came with the equivalent of three to four cans of refried beans each! Way too much. Also, you could tell they were straight out of the can."

[FC, 7/04] says: "Still our favorite in the area for Mexican/Tex-Mex. A wide variety of entrees from the standard fajitas, tacos, enchiladas, burritos, etc., plus other more creative dishes with chicken, pasta, etc. Very flavorful and spicy, yet one can still get the entire range of "heat"—mild to hot. Great service. Go early on the weekends—6 PM and later you can expect a wait of 45-60 minutes for a table."

[JJ, 6/04] says: "This my very favorite Mexican restaurant in the Buffalo area! Compared to Don Pablo's, Chi-Chi's, Garcia's (still around?) [Editor's note: Nope, and neither is Chi-Chi's], this is easily the best. The portions are large, and the prices are reasonable. I haven't been able to finish any of the double burrito or enchilada specials. The chorizo is very tasty, medium-spicy, in my opinion. My wife raved about the chile rellenjos (sp?). The restaurant is very kid-friendly, too. I have two children, 4 and 8, and they love the "make-your-own-taco" platter. They get enough ingredients to make two medium-sized hard- or soft-shell tacos. There are separate dining and bar areas, and a rear entrance and parking that makes it easy to access, rather than find a place to park right on Main St. Average to good service. 3/4 stars."

Cozumel Grill.
153 Elmwood (Allentown), Buffalo.
884-3866.

[AFN, 8/07] says: "A group of teachers went to lunch at Cozumel on Friday, 8/17. I had never been there before. We ordered in advance so that everything would be ready when we arrived, because we had limited time for our lunch break. Unfortunately, part of the group, including yours truly, was delayed by an extended seminar session. When we arrived, all the food was already on the outside patio table, uncovered, with flies swarming all over the food. Very unappetizing. Of course, it wasn't the restaurant's fault that we were late, but you would think common sense would have dictated at least covering the food of the late-comers until we arrived. Appetizers had been pre-ordered for the group, but they were all gone by the time we arrived. Those who were there on time to eat them said they were good. My chicken quesadilla was mediocre. Cozumel is definitely not my kind of place—more bar than restaurant."

[MER, 6/06] says that Cozumel has great outdoor dining in the summer; all that's missing is the sand. She had a grilled chicken with steamed broccoli and carrots, which was very tasty, and deep-fried ice cream with a corn-flakes-and-honey coating, which was also very good. And expensive.

[MEL, 10/99] says: "An interesting Mexican restaurant in Allentown. They have blue corn and red chips as well as the traditional kinds, and a delicious chunky salsa. I also had "pollo frito"—chicken with a spicy sauce. The sauce was OK, but the chicken itself was bland if not downright medicinal; evidently they expected the sauce to cover it up."

Crazy Jake's.
26 Webster St., N. Tonawanda.
693-9309.

[SAS, 11/08] says: "Positive, with minor exceptions. Three of us arrived around 8pm and were seated promptly. My wife ordered the Cuban sandwich with fries, which was very tasty and hearty. Half of it came home as lunch the next day. Our friend had the pulled-pork sandwich, but the BBQ sauce was a bit thick and overly sweet. Again, the sandwich was hearty, and half went home with her, too. I had the French onion soup and an entree special: lobster ravioli with shrimps in a pesto sauce. The soup was delicious, as was the entree. The sauce was very rich and was ladled on a bit heavier than I would have preferred, but I enjoyed it very much. The long wood bar runs the length of the place, and it was a bit too noisy for dinner conversation, more so after 9pm when the karaoke started, but we all agreed that we would return."

[MaSt, 9/08] said: "My husband and I went to Crazy Jake's for dinner on 9/20/08. The waiter told us about the night's specials, and we ordered the wine special, which was the same price as listed on the menu...which begs the question: What makes it a special? My husband ordered the Cuban sandwich, which came with fries for $8.95; we were charged $9.00. If an item is listed on the menu for a certain price, that's what the patron should be charged. It was the same with my entree. I ordered the beef brisket; it was inedible due to the fact that it was approximately 90 percent fat. The waiter offered to replace it with Chicken Michael, which cost $2.00 more. It was a chicken breast covered with a portobella mushroom cap, topped with melted mozzarella and sauteed spinach in a pool of red pepper puree with a balsamic vinegar drizzled over all. Not memorable. We had hoped that, at the very least, we would be offered a complimentary after-dinner drink or dessert. That didn't happen. We were presented a bill for the full amount. We will not be going back. We've had better dinners for much less, and the lack of any kind of apologetic attitude on the part of the owners has confirmed that our money would be better spent elsewhere in WNY."

[a] Creekview Restaurant.
5629 Main St., Williamsville.
632-9373.

[AFN, 1/09] says: " The poor quality of the fish I had for lunch at Family Tree today reminded me to submit a review for the Creekview, where my sister and I had lunch last Friday, 1/9/09. At the Creekview, we both had broiled haddock, which was delicious, and the accompanying French fries were crisp and tasty."

[GOw, 7/08] said: "It is extremely hard to believe that I had never eaten at the Creekview. We had originally left our home on a recent Sunday evening around 7, after haggling about the new color schemes for the dining room that we never eat in. We were on our way to Calvaneso's...wrong. They are closed on Sundays. [Editor's note: But [GOw] eventually ate there; click on the link above to read his review.] We were discussing where to dine as we drove down Transit...so many great places...Verbena, Black and Blue, Chester's, Grover's, Le Metro, Glen Park, when we both saw the Creekview and said let's eat there. It was now 7:30 PM, and the place was hopping. It was a beautiful evening. We figured we would be at the bar for a while, but were actually seated immediately. What a fun, rather loud and bustling joint. We were not able to get a seat with a view, but that was fine; the people watching opportunities were extraordinary. We really liked our server too; she was a pro. We realized quickly that there was a large table, probably 8 or 10 people, on the opposite end of where we were seated who were having a very good time. One man in particular, who looked as if he was in his late 50s, was particularly happy. His joviality was helped by what looked like a Manhattan, make that several Manhattans. He kept talking about Ann Margret for some unknown reason. I suppose if you were here for a discussion about serious matters, this was not the place to be. We found it funny, and in a strange way, added to our Creekview experience. I'm not sure the French-Canadian family seated next to us found him quite as funny. We looked over the menu and noted there was a nice range of choices. There is everything from a sandwich to fine dining. My wife opted for the broiled seafood platter, and I went with the Creekview steak sandwich. The shrimp, scallops, haddock, and clams were fine. My wife chose an extra portion of veggies rather than potato. All in all, nicely prepared. My steak sandwich was very good. I ordered it medium rare, and it was every bit that. Keep in mind that this wasn't some fried minute steak piled on a bun. This was a nice piece of steak. My only complaint is that they were a bit chintzy on the mushrooms and spinach. I would definitely eat here again. The total bill, which included a drink and tip, was about 50 bucks. This is my type of place, locally owned, well-prepared food, and very good service. When you have choices like this, why would you ever go to a chain restaurant?"

[JSG, 7/06] said: "My parents and I stopped here for dinner on a whim after a function that ran later than expected. It should be noted the service was excellent despite the late hour, which is unfortunately very rare. Our meals were very tasty; the grilled shrimp in my pasta dish with tomato broth and leeks were absolutely delicious, some of the most flavorful I've had outside of the Atlantic coast. I thought each dish was pleasantly unique without being too far in the left field. We all thought the ambiance was very pleasant; would be even better if the sun had been up and it had been warm enough to open the patio for the "creek view" (we visited in early May). Prices were consistent with other restaurants in Williamsville, and that area is a great place to take company, because Main Street is quite charming."

[MRT, 3/06] said: "My husband and I tried the Creekview restaurant located on Main and Mill, because of all the wonderful reviews we've heard and read. I am sorry to give the restaurant an unfavorable review. We both ordered from the specials menu. My husband order crab cakes, and I ordered a stuffed artichoke. My husband was very happy with his crab cakes. He especially enjoyed the sauce that accompanied the crab cakes. It was good tasting, and there was enough of it. I enjoyed my stuffed artichoke, but when I went to enjoy the artichoke heart, I found that the cooks had not trimmed the bottom of the artichoke, and I had to spit out parts of it. We each requested Caesar salads. My husband thought it was a perfectly dressed salad. I though the salad was too heavily dressed. We each ordered the filet of sole, which was breaded and fried. It is difficult to ruin filet of sole. You could hardly taste the sole. The greens that accompanied the sole were so bitter tasting, we couldn't eat them. Also on the plate was some corn in gelatin, which was inedible. We barely touched our main dishes, and told the waitress we had small appetites. At our house, we enjoyed homemade apple pie. After spending $104 at Creekview, we shall not return."

[KATS, 11/05] said: "Creekview is one of my favorite restaurants in the area. We make a trip out there from the city at least once a week, and I am never bored. The specials menu is always long and varied, and the soups are fabulous. The atmosphere doesn't seem particularly fancy, but the food is high-quality. It is one of the better suburban restaurants in our area. When the specials menu doesn't entice, the classic "Buffalo" style menu always has something good, from shrimp scampi to baked spaghetti parm to roasted chicken to the delicious chopped sirloin. The ribs are finger-lickin' good. Standard bar food is also on the menu, but this is one place where you need not be warned to stick to the "basics"."

[WHN, 10/05] said: "Six of us went here Saturday (10/1) for their annual Oktoberfest. The special menu offered Wiener Schnitzel ($18), a German sausage platter ($16), or sauerbraten ($18), with red cabbage, and a choice of potato pancakes, spaetzle, or German potato salad. Soup or salad is included with the meal. The same group had been here last year and enjoyed a decent meal. This year was another story. Three of us had Wiener Schnitzel, while the others had the sausage plate. When it arrived, all the food was lukewarm, at best, and the veal's breadcrumb coating was soggy, as though it had been precooked, then reheated in a microwave. Ulrich's Tavern downtown, where we've previously gone for German food, is much better. Next year, we'll go back there for our annual Oktoberfest outing."

[9/99] [MER] and I [Bill] ate here for the first and only time. The restaurant has a gorgeous view of Ellicott Creek with, as the owner told me in an email message, "a spectacular patio over looking the falls of Ellicott Creek"; from inside the restaurant, the view of the patio and the Main St. bridge makes downtown Williamsville look very European. The menu is wide-ranging (from wings and sandwiches, to pasta, seafood, steak, etc.), with numerous daily specials, conveniently printed on a card placed on the table. They also do catering and take-out. [MER] had maple-grilled pork chops, advertised as accompanied by homemade applesauce, though she didn't get any (and it was too crowded to bother asking). I had shrimp and crab ravioli in a tomato-basil sauce. Both dishes were delicious. My 3½-year-old son had chicken fingers and fries, which he said were very good. Our waitress was superb. But: The place was a madhouse, the atmosphere frenetic—waitresses running around, some cursing under their breath—and very noisy.

Curly's Bar and Grill.
647 Ridge Rd., Lackawanna.
824-9716.

Caribbean, Asian, and continental.

[2/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[TPr, 7/07] says: "My recent experiences at Curly's were nothing short of perfect. I could not imagine a more underrated restaurant in our area. I have been there twice in the past few months, and both visits were absolutely fantastic. Both visits were with business associates and both times were late in the evening (9-10 PM) on weekdays, when most restaurants are closing their kitchens or getting by with a skeleton crew. The bar was fantastic, and the wine and beer selection was great. As an appetizer, I have had their mussels and chicken wings, and have found both to be perfect. They have a daily pizza that is good as an appetizer, and has never been disappointing. They regularly have entrees that are beyond their "Caribbean theme". Most recently, I had their Cioppino—a seafood dish that included mussels, clams, shrimp, and an enormous piece of fish at the bottom in a tomato broth. It was absolutely perfect. The sides were served on a side plate and had some fresh sautéed vegetables and a homemade scalloped potato that was just perfect. Now, a lot of locals ignorant to the sprawl of fine cuisine may be hesitant to go places like Lackawanna or Lovejoy for anything but a fish fry, but let me assure you, our city's outer ring has some fantastic culinary gems hidden away."

[WHN] says:

[1/08] "We met two other couples at Curly's on Saturday night (1/20/08). Four of us arrived exactly on time for our reservation, but stood waiting in the bar area for 10 or so minutes waiting for the hostess. There was some confusion about where to seat us, although we could see that there was a round table for six set up in the dining area. To try to move things along, we asked about that one. The hostess replied that the round table was usually used for parties of eight, and they were fully booked, so we couldn't have it. So they converted a table for four to fit six by adding a chair at each end. Our other friends were 20 minutes late, but, when they arrived, no one had yet brought us menus, water, bread, or taken our drink order. After a few more minutes, the hostess brought menus. At that point, I asked if anyone was waiting on our table. She muttered something unintelligible, and a few minutes later our server arrived and explained that the restaurant had opened a new (third) dining room for the first time that night, and no one had been assigned to our table amidst the confusion. Anyway, the food was very good as usual. Each couple split an order of one of Curly's Caribbean specialties, conch fritters with remoulade sauce, black bean salsa, and pineapple salsa. Then two of us ordered their delicious black bean soup with onions and sour cream. My wife had a creamy tomato-artichoke soup, which she said was delicious. The others had house salads. (A choice of soup or salad is included with each entree.) For the main course, three of us had an evening special: NY strip steak topped with lump crab in Hollandaise sauce. It was a delicious combination. Another friend had steak au poivre. Three of the four steaks were perfect, but one friend said his was not bad, grisly. Two women had the fish of the day, sea bass—real sea bass, not Chilean sea bass. One ordered it as sea bass escovitche; the other had potato encrusted sea bass, another evening special. They said their meals were delicious, too. In the meantime, a party of six (not eight) had been seated at the round table next to us. With the two added chairs at the end of our table, which was clearly meant for a foursome, there was little room for the servers to pass through at either end, and one of the servers spilled a tray of drinks, dumping a glass of red wine down the back of one of the men seated at the round table. The hostess offered to clean it in the restaurant's washer and dryer, but he must have decided it would be inappropriate to take off his shirt in the restaurant while they were waiting for his shirt to be cleaned, so suffered through his meal with a wet shirt. We decided we were glad we didn't get the round table. Our Southtowns friends go to Curly's frequently and said that neither the owner nor the manager, who usually act as hostesses, were on hand that night, and figured at least one needed to be since they had just opened not only a third dining room, but a banquet room, where a private party was being staged. In the final analysis, very good food, but customer service needs improvement; but our server, Nell, did an excellent job once the hostess determined she would be responsible for our table."

[6/07] "We have been to Curly's a few times, but not in several years. One thing holding us back was that they didn't take reservations on weekends, so there was usually a long wait for a table, but that has now changed. On Saturday, we met some friends from the Southtowns for dinner, with a 7 P.M. reservation, and were promptly seated. On previous visits, I've had Caribbean-style snapper and escoviche, both of which were excellent. My wife remembers having a delicious Caribbean-style fish stew for one of her meals. Krista Van Wagner, the owner-hostess told us the evening specials, which included several appetizers and main courses. We started with an order of conch fritters with a spicy remoulade sauce, black beans, and fruit salsa. The conch fitters are always great at Curly's...better than some places I've had them in Key West and the Caribbean. Our friends had never had them before and also thought they were delicious. I had black bean soup to start, while the others had the soup of the day—shrimp bisque. Both were very good. (Soup or salad is included with each entree.) For the main course, we all had an evening special, strip steaks in a veal demi-glace, topped with gorgonzola, which Krista recommended over the evening seafood special, escolar. The steaks were perfectly cooked to rare and medium rare, as ordered. However, the service was not as good as the food. Our server arrived to take our drink order about 10 minutes after we were seated, and when asked what white wines they had by the glass, she said chardonnay, pinto grigio, and sauvignon blanc. When we asked what brands of chardonnay, she named one. The same for red wines with dinner...she said cabernet, pinot noir, and merlot, so we assumed they had one of each. Later, when the dessert menu was presented (which also lists wines by the glass), I saw that they had three or four brands of each varietal, which our waitress hadn't bothered to tell us. Also, she never returned to ask how everything was, or could she get us anything else, and had to be flagged down to reorder a glass of wine. And, after she brought the dessert menu, she never returned to ask if we wanted any. (We didn't.) Instead, she brought the bill. Throughout the evening, it was as if she wanted to be somewhere else—her mind certainly was elsewhere. She could best be described as surly and uncommunicative—180 degrees from the exceptional service we experienced last weekend at Peller in Niagara-on-the-Lake. To give due credit, the bus boys came to refill water glasses frequently, cleared plates, and brought coffee when we asked for it at the end of the meal, when our waitress had vanished. I would give the food two stars, but the service on this visit would get a strongly negative rating."

[ATo, 4/06] says: "Curly's was my first real experience eating Caribbean cuisine, other then tastes of the food at the Taste of Buffalo, and I have to say it was really good. The Jamaican jerk chicken was excellent, although I thought it would have more of a kick to it. The bread that they served with dinner was also outstanding; might have been fabulous if hot. Also, the conch fritters were very good as well. My boyfriend had high praises for the Jamaican escouitche fish. Although it was kind of high in price and a little out of my budget, at the moment, to eat there on a regular basis, for a special occasion I would definitely eat there again."

[TR, 5/05] says: "So far, Curly's is my favorite restaurant. I am not a meat(red) and potatoes person, and the limits of the cloned menus repel me."

[KSu, 10/03] says: "My very favorite restaurants are Gotham Bar and Grill in NYC, Boulevard in San Francisco, The Ivy in London, and the Hotel Park Kenmare restaurant in Kenmare, County Kerry, Ireland. Commander's Palace in New Orleans and Brennan's in Houston remain extraordinary experiences to me. However, when I'm home, I see nothing comparable to Curly's in Buffalo. While others try, and inconsistently hit the marvelous dish now and again, for sheer reliability, flavor, and professionalism, I don't understand why the place is so ignored by Buffalo foodies. Every meal, every choice on the menu, is served with great flavor and consistency, with an emphasis on consistency. Curly's is the most professionally run restaurant in Buffalo. They know what they are doing."

[MEL, 10/98] says: "Nice jerk chicken, though a bit blander than I expected. Good bread (though not piping hot). I wouldn't say, based on my first visit, that it's the best of the region's nice restaurants, but it is certainly above average, and I would certainly go again."

[DN, 6/94] says: "Their Jamaican Jerk Chicken is excellent. Also be sure to try their delicious Conch Fritters appetizers."

Currents.
100 Whitehaven Rd. (in the Holiday Inn Grand Island), Grand Island.
773-1111.

[WHN, 10/08] says: "We wanted to have lunch at some place on the water, and I thought of the Grand Island Holiday Inn. it has a great view of the Niagara River and the parks on the Tonawanda side. My wife had a flatbread white "pizza" with tomatoes, onions, garlic, and cheese, which she said was very good. I had a turkey club, which was also good, although the white toast it was served on was nothing more than Wonder Bread. The restaurant was uncrowded, and the service was very prompt."