Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: G

[—] Golden Duck

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.

---

Gabriel's Gate.
145 Allen St. (east of Elmwood Ave., in Allentown), Buffalo.
886-0602.

[JoG, 1/09] says: "I actually went there twice in a week (12/20/08 and 12/27/08) and sat at the same table and had the same server. I was with a party of six each time on Saturdays. I had chicken souvlaki the first time and the Reuben the second; both were very good except that the dressing for the salad was just plan Italian dressing, which I did not care for. Everyone else enjoyed their meals, from a steak sandwich to BLTs. All food was very good and good portion size. It would have been better if our meals didn't come on top of our appetizers, which took forever, as did both a greeting from our server and drinks. Oh: And this restaurant does a round-up charge at the end of your bill, and, if you take kids, there are no free refills on soda."

[DwH, 3/07] said: "Travelling to Buffalo almost weekly since February and wanted to pass along some impressions: Gabriel's Gate is a terrific neighborhood/Buffalo bar with the full cast of great and quirky characters and good barkeepers and wait staff. Good beers, great barfood—wings, Philly cheesesteak (almost but not quite), burger, etc."

[MEL, 6/99] says: "Mostly uninnovative bar food, but surprisingly well done. I liked my BBQ chicken sandwich much better than I expected to."

[RM, 7/95] says: "Nice, relaxing lunch. When the patio is open, that is also pleasant. Standard, fairly large, lunch and dinner menu."

[DM, 7/95] said that it "has some of the best wings in Buffalo."

I [Bill] have been here a few times; it's OK, but nothing special.

Gadawski's.
1445 E. Falls, Niagara Falls. 282-7246.

Closed on Saturdays?

[JRM, 9/08] says: "We were in the Falls shopping, and I thought we would try this place, since one reviewer said "it was the best restaurant they had ever been". I love Polish food, and my husband is crazy about Notre Dame. We went on a Friday evening at about 7:30 and did have to wait for about 10 minutes, for a table. It is a typical tavern/restaurant with a dining room in the rear. My husband did enjoy the ND memorabilia, and that was about it. The first problem was that the service was terrible. The waitress was slow and unfriendly. We waited about 30 minutes for our soup (which was good), and then our dinners came about 5 minutes later, before we could finish the soup. I had the Polish platter, which was terrible. The pierogis were greasy and bland, and I think were sauteed in oil instead of butter. The cabbage rolls were gross. The filling actually had a medicinal taste. (If in search of good Polish food, I would say go to Polish Villa in Cheektowaga instead.) My husband had the fish fry, which he said was "not bad, but small". It had bread-crumb coating instead of the more popular beer-batter. Overall, this place was very disappointing. I wish, instead, we would have gone to Como er Pete's Market House on Pine Ave."

[ALN, 10/06] said: "Gadawski's is one of the best restaurants that I've ever been to. I don't know if you know this but you can't even get into the place on a Friday night. The place is packed, because it is known for having the best Polish food and fish fries around. The pierogis are actually very very good as well as the rest of the food. The desserts are awesome, and you wouldn't believe how many people I hear asking for certain desserts for the next week. The place is definitely devoted to Notre Dame, but the Gadawskis also have a lot of pride in their business. People come from all over to see the owners, Eddy and Irene Gadawski, because of how welcome they make you feel when you are there. I highly suggest that you go back to Gadawski's since your review is from 1999. I don't think you were feeling well when you were there!" [Editor's note: I was never there; please re-read the initials on the review below.]

[MEL, 1/99] said: "A unique bar/grill, less because of its food than because it is a giant shrine to Notre Dame football, with what seems like hundreds of mementos. The food is ordinary, but there is a lot more variety than at most places of this type (which I liked). I had pierogis, which were not bad, though not among the best in the region: They had a nice soft texture, but were unusually bland, as if I had wandered in on Low Sodium Day. The desert (a chocolate pie of some sort) was worse, and I would definitely not recommend it."

La Galera.
6621 Niagara Falls Blvd., Niagara Falls, NY.
283-4274.

[MEP, 10/07] says: "My family and I have eaten here a few times now. Restaurant is sparsely-decorated and clean enough. Some of the waiters and waitresses have trouble understanding English, but are pretty friendly. The food is great and very reasonably priced—they even have flan (a huge serving of vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce in a cornflake shell) for $2.50 or something crazy like that! Also have a takeout service. Good choice if you need a quick, tasty meal and you're tight on cash."

[PC, 5/07] says: "This is a new Mexican restaurant located in Niagara Falls. It is a welcome change from the sea of Italian restaurants in the Falls. The menu consists of authentic Mexican food, and it is quite expansive. Previously, this building was home to a Japanese restaurant, and this is reflected in the decor. The staff is friendly and attentive. Compared to the other Mexican restaurants in WNY, the quality of ingredients and preparation of dishes can't be beat. Oh yeah, the prices are a bargain!"

[SAS, 5/07] says: "Very modest Mexican restaurant; fair quality, reasonable prices. Tortilla chips and salsa upon seating; chips are warm (+), salsa was runny (—). I was disappointed, as only beef tamales are offered. Wife's Pollo Loco was dry and not very flavorful. My El Sinaloense (chicken with chorizo and cheese) was much better. Good for a fast, inexpensive meal with modest expectations; beer and margaritas available!"

Gallery Grill.
175 Brompton Rd. (in Paddock Chevrolet Golf Dome), Tonawanda.
504-4745.

[LS, 1/08] says: "Color me happy—and surprised. Interesting food, great service, in this restaurant attached to the golf dome (visible from the 290). They serve Double Eagle Ale, recommended, and my companions loved the Cajun Pastalaya. Another had an appetizer of perogi with a perfectly light addition of onions and brown sugar. Note: my visit was in the late spring of 2007."

Gate House Grill.
8220 Main St., Clarence.
565-0338.

American.

[11/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[SAS, 10/08] says: "Positive, with exceptions: My wife and I tried their Oktoberfest offerings last night. We started with drinks and a clams-casino appetizer. My wife raved about the signature mango martini she selected, and the appetizer was very tasty, made with whole, not chopped, clams. She had the sausage platter with the butternut squash soup and German-style potato salad. I had the Wiener schnitzel with mashed potatoes and a salad. She reported that both sausages were delicious, but her bratwurst was cold throughout the center of it. The German potato salad was homemade and quite tasty. The squash soup was lightly sweet and very flavorful, though I thought it was a bit too thick. My Wiener schnitzel was crispy outside, tender inside, but I did not care for the lemon caper sauce teamed with it. A more traditional gravy would have been better. I was able to substitute mashed potatoes (or fries) for the German potato salad, and they were warm throughout and creamy. Their regular menu had many seafood, beef, and vegetarian selections, so we will be back to give them another try."

[a] Gervasio's.
408 Evans Rd. (Pierce Arrow Plaza), Williamsville.
633-5777.

Pizza.

[KCo, 5/04] says: "The menu is huge; the price is right. There's a lot of healthy salads, and sandwiches. It's our favorite spot."

Giacobbi's Pasta and Pizza.
4572 Clark St., Hamburg.
649-8882.

[JAu, 5/08] says: "The Park Avenue Grill is no more; long live the Park Avenue Grill. In fact, Giacobbi's is an improvement over the Park Avenue Grill. Located in the same space in Hamburg, Giaccobbi's still has some of the upscale specials that Park had, but its foundation is a family Italian restaurant with fresh ingredients and handmade attention to detail. Service is typically solid, and the place (on the three occasions we've been there) is not packed by any means. This translates to prompt service and a meal served at your desired pace. Pizza is carefully done, with fresh toppings. Chicken wings are large and well prepared as you wish. The regular menu is a very well-done Italian restaurant, but the specials make this place a draw. Specials like the BBQ ribs are surprisingly good, and clams that are allegedly shipped straight from New England are exceptional—to be clear, they are the best clams in the Southtowns. A pork tenderloin well seasoned with a reduction that really added to the entire meal is just one of our favorites. Liver and Onions, for our companions, were "the best [they've] had in years." No pretense; just really solid food."

Gianni Mazia's on Main.
10325 Main St., Clarence.
759-2803.

[6/09] Paul Cambria, restaurateur of Gianni Mazia's, replies to BMcWS: "Sorry you did not have the dining experience you desired however you are the only one who has not raved about the brick oven pizzas. As far as service I do not know when you were in but this is our third week and there was a learning curve for the new kitchen and service is where it should be now it takes time to get it right. Further you missed all the new offerings. Stuffed banana peppers, fresh cut fries, home made beans and greens, home made batter fish fry, the original ranch burger, wood fired spaghetti and wings, many things you over looked. try us again and I am sure you will be satisfied. We have had nothing but compliments about our food. I am sure you had a hitch now and then engraving a trophy give us another chance."

[BMcWS, 5/09] said: "This is a reincarnation of Mazia's Pizza. They've moved down the street into the former Teso's Pizza. They've totally redone the place—wood-burning oven, new wall treatments, interesting curved bar, etc. Unfortunately, there's not much new with the menu. The majority of the menu is the same old stuff—pizza, wings, pasta, etc., but pared down a bit from the previous behemoth menu they had. They have added a page of wood-fire pizzas. When we were there, we ordered one regular pizza (just cheese) and a wood-fire pizza—the Miami Beach, which had chicken, mozzarella, tomato, and broccoli. Our server told us the wood-fire pizza would take 20 minutes. Well, 45 minutes later, it finally arrived at our table, and I was pretty appalled by it. It seemed to me the pizza had been cooked in three parts. First, the crust must have gone into the oven. It was thin and nicely browned. No problem there. Then the cheese must have been melted, but quickly, since there was none of the nice, brown spots you normally get. Then it was clear that the chunks of chicken, pieces of tomato, and broccoli (which was almost exclusively stems) had obviously been put on at the very end. The tomato was still wet and had not cooked at all. The toppings had not even adhered to the cheese. It was mighty disappointing and pretty flavorless. The regular cheese pizza was fine—same as it always was. We'll continue to order regular takeout from Mazia's, since they are the closest pizzeria to our house, but we won't bother with the wood-fired pizza again. They really need to add some different things to menu—it doesn't feel like a restaurant menu. It still feels like a pizzeria menu. The only bright spot was that the waitress brought us an entire pitcher of water without us asking. We appreciated that."

[a] Gin Gin.
3381 Sheridan Dr. (near Sweet Home), Amherst.
836-2600/2614.

Chinese.

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

[HDe, 3/08] says: "I've been a fan of Gin Gin since they were over in the Hills Plaza. I'll start by saying the food is of very high quality, and I love the varied dishes and the fact they are maybe the only place serving Bubble tea. You also can't beat their reasonable prices. However, I admit I feel they have serious issues with how they do things, and service in general. Pretty much if you go there a few times as I have, you'll notice it's primarily one person who takes orders and seems "in charge". Yesterday, it must have taken me 15 minutes to place a take-out order over the phone. The first girl who answered didn't understand me. When I finally talked to the main lady, she took my order but still seemed to have some difficulty fully understanding me. If you do ask questions about an item, it takes them a bit to understand and try to answer. On one occasion, I went for dinner on a weekend. They did seem to have 2 young girls working, but they had trouble with the register, and service was horrible. I had to continue to get up and ask for something, containers or my bill. Also, when I did place my last take-out order, I was told "1/2 hour". I felt that was ridiculous for being 4:30 on a weekday. Chinese food is known for its quickness. I feel they need more staff; and I mean another cook; another counter person; and a waitress who knows what she's doing, knows the menu, and so forth. Right now, you grab a paper menu, order it, and hope it comes eventually. Again, I love the food and variety, but the service-related problems are bad. They also advertise "noodle bar", which I have never seen running. Sounds great; how do I try it?"

[ECB, 3/08] says: "On the advice of a local food blog, went here to try a specific dish—Spareribs with Wine Garlic on Rice. As I was told, the menu was extensive, with all of the usual items you find at Chinese restaurants as well as a huge collection of more traditional dishes, like several varieties of congee and dishes built around chicken feet, beef tendon, and pickled vegetables. I started with Hot and Sour Soup, which was sweeter than I am used to but still quite nice, especially given the weather. The main course, however, was everything it was cracked up to be. Sweet, garlicky, and succulent, though you have to gnaw the meat off the bones. My companion tried the Sweet and Sour Chicken and Beef with Broccoli, both of which were satisfactory."

Gino and Joe's Pizza.
Main Place Mall (downtown), Buffalo.
856-3107, 856-4340.

It is related to Joe's NY Style Pizzeria & Restaurant. For the lowdown on the various pizzerias with "Gino" and/or "Joe" in their name, see Sommer, Mark (2008), "A Smile with Every Slice", Buffalo News (1 November): D6,D7.

[JHo, 10/05] says: "This place has the best New-York-City-style pizza that I have been able to find in Buffalo! It might not be quite as good as the real deal, but it's the best I've found...and I've been searching very hard! The sauce has a good flavor, the crust is thin and crisp, and there is a good ratio of cheese:sauce:crust. Also, they have regular pepperoni—if you are not originally from Buffalo, you know what I mean. Buffalo pepperonis are small and thick, and they turn into little cups on the pizza when cooked; regular pepperoni is larger, flat, and thin. If you grew up loving thick-crust pizza, this is not the place for you. But, if you grew up on NY style, you will be happy to find this place! You can even order a "large pie" without them looking at you like you're crazy. I discovered it while working downtown this past summer. I'm a law student at UB, but, whenever I have a class downtown, I make it a point to stop in for a slice and a soda and to harass the owner to open another one in Williamsville or Amherst. The one downside is their location and hours. The Main Place Mall is weird and mostly empty and sort of a pain to get to if you're not going downtown for something else. The workers will, however, bring the pizza right to the outside door of the mall if you order something to go ahead of time so that you don't have to worry about parking. I think they are only open until about 6pm Mon-Sat, which is sort of weird, but I guess makes sense since that area of downtown is pretty dead once all the 9-5ers go home for the day. In any case, the food is great and I highly recommend it. The staff there is very friendly as well."

[MEL, 4/98] says: "Pizza, spaghetti, subs. Not the best, but a satisfactory meal."

Also see the comment by [JKl] at the end of her review of Gino's Pizza Place in Tonawanda, below.

Gino's New York Pizza.
Rainbow Mall, Niagara Falls.

The best pizzeria in Western New York! It really tastes like New York pizza!! (May or may not be connected to Gino's in Lockport Mall (see above).) For the lowdown on the various pizzerias with "Gino" and/or "Joe" in their name, see Sommer, Mark (2008), "A Smile with Every Slice", Buffalo News (1 November): D6,D7.

[MEL, 3/98] says: "Better than average, but not as good as the best pizza places in Buffalo (like, say, Just Pizza)."

[CC, 5/95] agrees: "... the pizza place in the Rainbow Mall, which I thank you for identifying in your restaurant guide!, makes me feel ... like I'm in NYC (culinarily) ... ;-)."

Gino's Pizza.
Lockport Mall (on Transit Rd.), Lockport. 438-0644.

May or may not be connected to Gino's in the Rainbow Mall, but read on... For the lowdown on the various pizzerias with "Gino" and/or "Joe" in their name, see Sommer, Mark (2008), "A Smile with Every Slice", Buffalo News (1 November): D6,D7.

[KZ, 4/99] says: "Gino's Pizza in the center of the Lockport Mall is the closest I've found to `NY Style Pizza'. It's pretty good too. Thin crispy crust and a sweeter sauce."

Gino's Pizza Place.—WARNING: WEBSITE HAS LOUD GREETING
351 Fries Rd., Tonawanda.
836-8020.

There are an awful lot of "Gino's" pizza parlors; I have no idea whether any of them are related. (But some of the "Joe's" are; see Gino and Joe's Pizza, above.) For the lowdown on the various pizzerias with "Gino" and/or "Joe" in their name, see Sommer, Mark (2008), "A Smile with Every Slice", Buffalo News (1 November): D6,D7.

[JKl, 1/08] says of this one: "By far, one of the most overrated pizza places in the Ken-Ton area. My mother suggested this place to my husband and me, and we try to sample pizza from every place we can in the local area. She works for the local school district and says that everyone raves about their pizza and that they often donate their pizza to events. So we ordered a large Cheese n Pepp for pickup. My husband came home with the pizza and put it on the table and said, "Did you get a medium?" I asked him why, and he told me that the box was so light and that the pizza was sliding around inside like it didn't fit the box. We opened the top and were shocked—it certainly was a small "large" pizza. It did look more medium-like! Besides the size, we were exceedingly disappointed. The sauce was way too thick, and there was too much on the pizza. Additionally, the cheese didn't come up to the edges of the crust, but instead ended about 2 inches away from the edges of the pizza, leaving us with an inch or so of sauce leading up to the crust. It was a thick pizza, but disappointing. I compared it to the quality of a Chuck-E-Cheese pizza, and my husband agreed! Don't believe the hype on this one. Looks like a lot of people have been swayed by Gino's generosity and not by the quality. Not to mention, this wasn't a cheap pizza—one of the more pricier options compared to other local pizza joints!"

I [Bill] usually don't editorialize, and I've never eaten at this Gino's, but I can't resist a comment. Pizza tastes are highly personal. I come from NYC, and have not really found any good pizza in WNY. However, I found [JKl]'s comparison to ChuckECheese interesting, because, although it's not great pizza, I really think it comes somewhat close to NYC pizza. So maybe Gino's isn't bad pizza on an objective scale, but only on a subjective one :-)

...to which [JKl] replies: "So you're from NYC. I have a friend from NYC and he swears by the pizza at Gino and Joe's Pizza in the Mainplace Mall. I've had it—it's delicious, but very different from the pizza we're used to here in Buffalo! :-) (and I personally think we have the best pizza around, thankyouverymuch!)."

[a] Glen Park Tavern.
5507 Main St., Williamsville. 626-9333.

[JSG, 9/06] says: "Three of us recently dined here on a Friday night. I had made reservations, and so we waited about 10 minutes for our table to be set up. An older gentlemen met us outside and walked us in, pulling chairs out for the two ladies accompanying me, a very nice touch that was well noted. We all ordered standard pub fare. The food was good, my open faced Reuben was very large, and the corned beef had a taste and texture like that I grew up with in my very Irish family. One friend's salad looked excellent, and the French onion soup was also complimented. Glen Park is by no means quiet but rather a great spot to relax with a cocktail and have a good sandwich after a busy week. I look forward to a return trip."

[KATS, 5/06] says: "We recently popped into Glen Park Tavern for a quick, late-night dinner. My turkey burger was delicious, juicy and nicely spiced. It was served with a roasted red pepper and asiago cheese melted on top. A nice change from the usual BBQ sauce (which I hate) or mayo (which is delicious but evil). The fries were a little "wet"—overgreased, but that was quickly covered up with a dousing of malt vinegar. My companion had the steak sandwich, which he enjoyed. The bar atmosphere is nice, and we'll be back for some eats and drinks another night."

[GS, 1/04] says: "Three Stars! Last night was the third time I've dined there, and the food was delicious, hot, and plentiful. Nice tavern atmosphere and very good selection of wines and premium beer/ale on tap. Would highly reccommend this establishment."

[5/00] [MER] and I visited here with my father and son. My lobster bisque was deliciously smooth, slightly spicy, and chock full of small pieces of lobster. The salads had no iceberg lettuce, which is a plus in my view, and I chose a pine-nut vinaigrette, which was quite good. My father and I both had a grilled mahi mahi with mango salsa; both of our dishes were cold and had to be sent back to be reheated. It was good, but nothing to rave about; there wasn't enough of the salsa, either. It was accompanied by baby carrots and a tasty rice pilaf. [MER] had steak with roasted peppers in a hunter sauce; her observation was that this is not the place to order steak and that the hunter sauce was nothing special. My son ordered chicken fingers, which the waitress (a very good waitress) brought for him right away. But he didn't care for his tiramisu for dessert (although [MER] liked it :-); my father and I had a caramel apple pie, which was good, but nothing special. Both [MER] and my father reported that the coffee was excellent. One complaint: The table was too small for 4 people, and the ceramic plates slipped around on the glass-topped tables when you tried to cut your food with a knife. Our meal (for 4 people, with 2 glasses of wine) came to slightly over $100. All in all, although nothing was especially bad, I see no reason to return.

[MEL, 8/99] says, after visiting the Taste of Williamsville: "A very interesting and unusual "toasted" (i.e., deep fried) ravioli (a dish normally found only in St. Louis); cheese filled and very spicy (unlike the St. Louis variety, which tends to be meat-filled and blander)."

Globe Market.
762 Elmwood Ave. (next to Wilson Farms, between Auburn Ave. and Cleveland Ave., in the neighborhood between Allentown and Buff State), Buffalo; 886-5242.
Also at:
298 Main St. (their website says "near Court St.", but it's actually a few blocks away from Court. It's near Subway on Main St., across from the Ellicott Square Building. There is also an entrance from Cathedral Park, near to St. Paul's Cathedral.), Buffalo.

Reviews below are for the original location on Elmwood, unless otherwise specified:

[LCo, 5/07] says: "I recently visited the downtown location of Globe Market for lunch. I ordered the hummus wrap, which appears on the menu as "grilled marinated tofu, julienne vegetables, sprouts, tomatoes, red onion, and mesclun greens", and you can choose between garlic and roasted red pepper hummus. The wrap was wheat, and the julienne vegetables included carrots, cucumbers, and possibly some red peppers; it was served with a handful of tortilla chips and a dill pickle spear. The vegetables tasted fresh, but the earthy tang of the sprouts overwhelmed the other flavors, including the hummus and tofu. This wrap might appear on the menu more accurately as a vegetable wrap that is "julienne carrots, sprouts, tomatoes, red onion, greens, a thin layer of hummus, and a small bit of tofu". I am always happy to see vegetarian options on a menu, but I was disappointed by the overall taste of this option. The service was fast, and because I was eating there after 1:00 P.M., I had no trouble finding a place to sit."

[LS, 8/06] updates us on the new, downtown location: "The soups are wonderful. My favorite meal is the hummus wrap, with a choice of red pepper or garlic hummus, marinated tofu (who knew I'd be crazy about this stuff?), greens, vegetables. I love the red pepper hummus version. I can vouch for the Caprese sandwich (get a half with a side of soup—creamy tomato basil is a dream) and the spinach salad. Baby spinach, candied walnuts. A hit. This place is quite busy during weekday lunch time, but I usually go after 1:30 and have no problem getting a table. They also do a brisk takeout, and the service is always friendly and fantastic."

[MRT] says:

[7/06] "I wish to add a superlative review to the Globe Market. Pretty much every week, I enjoy lunch at the Globe Market. Their cooking is as good as my own home cooking. I usually order one bowl of soup and ask for brown bread with my soup, instead of white bread. They always offer three to four different soups, and one soup is always vegetarian. I have a sweet tooth, and yesterday (7/30/06) for dessert enjoyed a delicious soft ginger cookie for 50 cents. My husband tells me I can always bring him to the Globe Market for dinner. If we lived in the city, I would rarely cook dinner at home. I would buy take-away from the Globe."

[2/04] "Globe Market is a specialty food shop with both eat-in and take-out meals, soup, sandwiches, artisan cheeses, house-made breads, and a retail section for gift baskets and speciality items from all over. For lunch Sunday, I had a bowl of tomato basil soup that was so delicious, I wiped up any remaining soup with the marvelous bread that accompanied it. Their roasted-vegetable sandwich was the best I've ever had. On their counter, they had two tasting-baskets. One held small pieces of foccacia, the other small pieces of a sour-cream coffee cake. Everything was amazingly delicious. Their soups and sandwiches are even better than those at our favorite local SoupHerb Gourmet in Williamsville."

[KATS, 5/06] says: "They are opening a second location in the former Dagwood's location in the Cathedral building. Finally, a fresh and healthy lunch option for us downtown workers!"

[MAS, 3/04] says: "Have you been to the Globe Market Cafe? There is nothing like it in the Buffalo area that I know of. It is the best place I have found in a long time. And if you go once, you will keep coming back and think you are in San Francisco or New York. Globe features soups, sandwiches, salads, main dishes, and desserts for consumption on premises or for taking home. You can get dinner on your way home, or you can have lunch from all the selections available. Select soup and a sandwich from the menu board, or make changes if you'd rather something a bit different. Or select something from the take-out case (like a chicken pot pie, or a vegetable lasagna, or a salad, or any number of a variety of items, all looking very appealing to the eye, as new foods are being introduced constantly. The soups are the best soups I have had. Everything is freshly made on premises. You can see the staff preparing food in the kitchen, and everything I have had there is wonderful. The pulled-pork sandwich is my personal favorite. Actually, I have lots of favorites: sandwiches include a muffaletta, a caprese with fresh mozzarella; usually there are at least eight types, and at least three soups on any given day. Breads and rolls and desserts are also made on premises. I had a sour-cream coffee cake that was so good I could have made a meal out of it. The vegetarian white chili was delicious. Globe also has a beautiful artisan cheese case featuring unusual cheeses. There is an area in the market of specialty retail foods as well as a refrigerated case of spreads and beverages. The place is welcoming and warm and friendly. Try it once, and, if you are like me, you will be a regular."

[—] Golden Duck.
1840 Maple Rd. (at Ayer Rd., in Maple-Ayer Plaza), Williamsville.
639-8888.

Given 4½ (out of 5) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[ECB, 2/08] says: "I have been unimpressed the last few times I have ordered food from here. Last night was a good case in point. The Hot and Sour Soup was all right, but a little too thickened. The Egg Roll and Spring Roll were satisfactory, but the entrees were lackluster. I got the Double Delight Shrimp, which came with Shrimp and Scallions and Black Pepper Shrimp. Both had flavorless sauces, and the former dish was just a few shrimp in a pint of limp, cooked scallions. My wife's Chicken with Mixed Vegetables was similarly bland. We will just have to suffer without good Chinese until Chang's is rebuilt."

[C&DW, 8/07] say: "This restaurant serves some of the most consistently good Chinese food in the area. We appreciate the Dim Sum and Mongolian barbeques offered on the weekends. The staff is very good at accommodating special requests such as extra ginger, extra spicy, and so on. Having several choices of greens is delightful. Chris will not serve a greens choice unless it is fresh. We have had several celebratory dinners there over the years. Our most recent visit was 8-29-07, and everyone left delighted with their choices (Singapore noodles, Kung Pao Chicken (extra spicy, and the peanuts were not overcooked), General Tsao's Chicken (extra spicy), and Scallion Pancake). The wait staff sometimes has difficulty with English but is always helpful."

[RM] says:

[5/00] "Recently has become my favorite Chinese restaurant around town. Chang's Garden does a better white sauce and slightly better pu-pu platter, but I enjoy the duck special and most of the traditional items at Golden Duck."

[4/96] "New Chinese restaurant in the E. Amherst area. While I didn't think there was room for yet another Chinese restaurant, I hope this one is able to stick around. The menu is quite different from many of the generic Chinese restaurants around. The food is quite tasty and well prepared. I have been there 3 times and have had a wide variety of dishes. All very good—especially the Moo Shu dishes. I had the Peking Duck special the other day, and it was really excellent. It is a complete dinner, carved in front of you, followed by Moo Shu duck and then soup. Check it out. A real treat."

[MER, 4/96] and I thought that while it was a reasonably good restaurant, the service was quite poor (and I disagree with [RM] (see above) about the distinctiveness of the menu). [At the time I first wrote this, I had no reason not to continue to prefer the now-late, lamented, Rita's Crystal Palace.]

Golden Lotus.
6380 Fallsview Blvd. (in the Galleria of Niagara Fallsview Casino), Niagara Falls, ON, CANADA.
1-888-325-5788.

Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[a] Golden Parachute.
5735 Main St. (downtown Williamsville, between S. Ellicott and Garrison [Evans]), Williamsville.
632-1666.

[AB, 2/06] says: "My first encounter with the Golden Parachute was through a spa day at Capello's Salon and Day Spa—this is where Capello's orders its lunches from. I was impressed by my lunch, so I went by this restaurant last week for lunch. It's a great little place—tiny and quaint on the inside. The menu is really great, and reminded me a bit of the SoupHerb Gourmet—lots of fresh salads, gourmet sandwiches, and soups, with a lot of healthy selections. I had the spinach salad, which is great and comes with raisins, sunflower seeds, egg, bacon, and delicious homemade dressing. Bread is also provided. My friend had a veggie sandwich on havarti, and what I tasted was fantastic. The prices are very reasonable, and they have a coupon in the Entertainment book. The only downside to this place is that it's only open from Monday to Friday, 9AM-3PM, and not on the weekends, but it looks like they do a robust take-out and catering business. The staff is very friendly and will honor any special request you have. I will definitely go again whenever I can!"

Gramma Mora's.
1465 Hertel Ave., Buffalo.
837-6703.

Takeout available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.

A reincarnation of the old restaurant of the same name (and allegedly the same ownership) formerly on Niagara St., which burned down. But, rising Phoenix-like a few blocks away, there's a new version, of which people say:

[HAL, 9/08] says: "My partner and I tried Gramma Mora's the other night, and I wish I had checked your guide first. It was absolutely awful! I ordered the seafood burrito. This was the first time in my life that I had to send something back. The seafood was imitation, the sauce thick, gross, and seemed like it had come out of a can. The burrito was the consistency of a soggy mess. The waitress was hardly sympathetic. She wouldn't take it off the bill entirely, so I ordered tacos, which turned out to be quite bland but edible. They were not as pricy as the imitation crab burrito, yet I was still charged the $13. I should have asked to talk to a manager, but I thought letting people know about this fake Mexican "restaurant" would be the better way to go. Please save yourself from this place. I wish someone had warned me. I cannot believe it is in business. Absolutely awful!!!"

[MD2, 6/08] said: "I ate there this weekend. The Atmosphere: Server was very nice, but the restaurant looked a bit dirty. There were several clean booths; however, they sat us at a booth that had a torn seat fixed with duct tape. The first two high chairs they brought out for my child were broken (one had a broken leg; the other had a broken restraining clip). The Food: The chips came, and they tasted a bit stale. The salsa was smoky and flavorful but not chunky enough. For Dinner: I ordered the two-burrito dinner: one pork, one chicken. There was a bit too much green chili sauce for my taste; however, the chicken was very good. The pork, on the other hand, was very fatty, and I had to pull several pieces out of my mouth because I could not chew it. My wife ordered the seafood burrito, which was $12.95 and was supposed to have crab meat (so it said on the menu). She got it, and it had imitation crab meat, which is disgusting cooked, and false advertising. The bill came to over $33 for two (we brought food for my child). This was way too high for the food we got. We would not eat there again."

[JGr, 7/07] said: "My boyfriend and I went here on 7/13/07. The service was excellent—we were seated promptly and treated well. Unfortunately, the food didn't live up to the great service. The salsa was pureed to the point of spaghetti sauce (I like a few chunks in my salsa!) and had little flavor or heat. Although the chips appeared homemade, they were somewhat stale. For entrees, I ordered a chicken enchilada with red chile sauce and a chorizo soft taco, and my boyfriend ordered the steak fajitas. The enchilada was average tasting—a little bland, so I requested hot sauce. I can't be sure, but I think the sauce they brought was Frank's (good for wings, not for enchiladas!). The "chorizo" taco actually came with ground beef instead, which was also bland. My boyfriend's fajitas were slightly better: The steak was lean and tender, albeit not seasoned at all. For dessert, I ordered the toasted coconut flan; they were out, so I took the regular flan instead. It was awful—it tasted like it had been sitting in their fridge for days, and came swimming in water rather than caramel sauce. With the addition of three beers (one domestic, two imported), the bill came to $38, which I suppose was reasonable. Although the meal wasn't terrible, I won't be returning—there are plenty of cheaper, tastier, and more authentic Mexican restaurants in Buffalo."

[KMS, 4/02] said: "My wife and I eat here often, approximately once a month. We really enjoy the authentic Mexican food. The prices and portions are reasonable. Overall the food is very good. The margaritas are above average. The service needs much improvement. I personally do not bounce around the menu. I typically order the flautas or the soft tacos, and sometimes the quesadillas, all of which I find are above average in quantity and quality. The chips are excellent. The salsa is average. The refried beans are very good and well above average. The Mexican rice is nothing special. I personally do not order anything with chorizo (Mex. sausage). So it usually pares my selections a bit. My wife has been working her way through the menu since they opened. She loves most Mexican dishes, so she is easier to please than I. I can't recall anything she has really disliked. On more than one occasion, we've waited excessively for our food. When it does arrive, it's clear that one of the dishes was sitting under the heat lamp for a period of time. We don't make a habit of complaining when we go out to eat. I've spoken up about the wait only once. My wife and I have both worked in restaurants and understand what it is like. So my tip usually will reflect the service instead of reminding them of something they already know. The atmosphere is good. It is also a children-friendly place. Good kids' cups and crayons are available. Overall I would give this at least one star. If service ever improves, it is a guaranteed two-star restaurant."

[MEL, 11/99] said: "A lot of people swear by this recently reopened Mexican restaurant, perhaps because there are so few non-chain Mexican places in Greater Buffalo. But I was not impressed. The salsa was not awful but not the best, though I couldn't place exactly what I didn't like about it. The main courses were mediocre: A seafood enchilida was barely edible, and a sausage taco tasted more like mystery meat than like spicy sausage."

Grand Buffet.
730 Alberta Dr. (behind Boulevard Mall, facing Wegmans), Amherst.
831-1727.

[EMW, 1/07] says: "Review: Very Positive. We tried the Grand Buffet for a recent Sunday lunch on the advice of the previous positive review. Please note that the $7.99 lunch price is only valid during the week and that on Saturday and Sunday you will pay $12.99 for the buffet (not including drinks). However, the food selection is phenomenal. There are many different appetizers, main selections, freshly made sushi, made-to-order Mongolian BBQ, salad, and dessert selections. I sampled the wonton soup, which serves the broth and dumplings separately so you can add as much of each that you want. The soup had an excellent taste, not too salty, and the dumplings were incredible. They also had pan-fried dumplings that were very tasty. The egg rolls and spring rolls are clearly homemade and lack that "thick outside, undefineable inside" that you will often see in many restaurants. The fried rice was actually fried and not just seasoned and colored with soy sauce! The weekend buffet has a large selection of freshly made sushi (and not just your standard California roll—we even had Rainbow Roll!), large crab legs, peel-and-eat shrimp, and various other steak and seafood dishes. Everything tastes freshly made and not greasy. This is by far my new favorite Asian buffet!"

[ABi, 11/06] says: "Before, the only option for ethnic food at the mall was the place that forced inch-sized bourbon chicken sample squares attached to toothpicks upon food-court passersby. Thankfully, that situation has been remedied, at least at the Boulevard Mall, with the opening of the Grand Buffet. It's of the Chinese variety, and is without argument the best we've found in the area. The Grand offers ample deliciousness, featuring all the regulars, like their delicate take on teriyaki chicken and just-fiery-enough General Tso's; in addition to being well-flavored, all the chicken is crisp, almost as texturally good as if it were served as an entree in a sit-down Chinese eatery. As far as exotic chicken dishes, they offer different takes such as one flavored with coconut, for which my girlfriend, a professed opponent of the tropical delight, has developed a fondness. When a restaurant can make you crave something you maintain you dislike, they're doing a great job. Alongside, they offer rarer pearls such as Mongolian beef. I don't know what the Mongolians do to their meat to make it so boldly flavorful while maintaining almost steaklike suppleness, and I may have to befriend a Mongolian just to learn. I've liked everything I tried, and, at seven bucks, lunch is a bargain; here, one can get full on delicious offerings along with a soft drink and buffet-level tip all for a Hamilton. We haven't yet tried dinner, which, at $12.99, is proportionately more expensive, but I'm willing to assume they provide one's money's worth. Lunch will be tough to top, what with the extensive quality of the entrees in addition to their made-to-order stir-fry and sushi bars, neither of which I have sampled. But the availability of each is merely a bonus for those who consider themselves fans, and even without a particular affinity for lightly fried or raw dishes, I'm going back to the Grand Buffet soon and often."

Granny's Family Restaurant.
276 Oliver St., North Tonawanda.
692-0165.

Greek.

[MCl, 9/06] says: "Just ate here the other night for the first time. Granny's Family Restaurant provides a very friendly and comfortable atmosphere, offering a delicious array of Greek, Mediteranean, and American cuisine. The former head chef and co-owner of Cobti's Restaurant (formely located on the corner of Eggert and Baily) is now based in North Tonawanda, where he continues to prepare the same mouth-watering dishes people loved so much at Cobti's! The delicious Labni, Humus, Baba Ghanouj, Souvlakis, native and specialty desserts are always fresh and popping with flavour. I highly suggest everyone go and check out Granny's and share the experience!!"

[a] Grapevine.
2545 Niagara Falls Blvd. (at S. Ellicott Creek Rd.), Amherst. 691-7799.

Eclectic mix of Italian, seafood, continental. Decor is unique, with fantastic fish tanks with fantastic fish. They have an interesting "combination platter" option, in which you can combine 2 different entrees for $9.95. (Also see Pane's.)

[MZ, 2/08] says: "Been going here for decades, and ran into cousins that I introduced to the place (a decade earlier) the last time I went there (12/22/07). The ubiquitous fish tanks make it a great family place; if you have a problem with children or noise, go early or late and enjoy the same wonderful food, at all times at half of the price point of white tablecloth restaurants, which this is not. Another bonus is that it is not only a frequent diner place (curry up a bunch of meals and get one free), it is also a Free Birthday place. Given the exceptional, non-chain food (see liver and onions; chicken piccata; amazing dill rolls) menu, I'm pretty surprised that I don't see more reviews. It's pretty much three star at half price that I've reviewed. Parking limited due to popularity. By the way, if you get a free birthday meal, be sure to give them a forty-percent tip (twenty being de rigueur)."

Grasso's Pizza.
5202 Transit Rd., Depew. 685-2800.

[HK, 7/03] says: "I just read the review about Grasso's Pizza in Depew and had to send in my review. I have ordered from Grasso's many times and have found that their menu of pizzas is quite unique. They deserve more credit! Please, please, please go back and try the following menu items to see if you agree. The Chicken Ranch pizza: garlic butter crust, ranch dressing, marinated chicken breast, roasted red peppers, a blend of cheeses and crumbled bacon. VERY VERY TASTY! The BBQ wings: very saucy and big! Love them! The Buffalo Chicken finger pizza: odd taste but very good."

[MEL, 8/99] says (after visiting the Taste of Lancaster): "Another nondescript pizza place. The sort of pizza whose flavor you can't remember an hour after you ate there."

[a] Great Northern Pizza Kitchen.
5759 Main St. (at Garrison Rd.), Williamsville.
565-2378.

Part of the Rochester chain. Huge menu: 6 meat pizzas, 14 chicken pizzas, 13 veggie pizzas, 4 pasta pizzas, 4 specialty pizzas, create your own pizza from 67 toppings, soups, wings, cookies, sandwiches, salads.

[WHN, 5/08] says: "Not bad, but the pizza crust has a strange taste, like cinnamon."

[9/04] It's overwhelming. Too overwhelming: [MER] and I were rather disappointed at our first and only visit. First, there were too many choices. Second, you have to order each kind of item at a separate location. Third, the printed menu doesn't quite match the available items: For instance, I asked for a "petite garden salad" and was told that I could have a "garden" salad or a "petite" salad, but not both. I pointed to the "petite garden salad" item on the menu, the counter-person grumbled, and took my order. You're allowed to have up to 4 toppings on your salad; when I listed the 4 I wanted, I was told that first I had to choose a salad dressing and then I could choose my toppings! So I asked for "orange Dijon vinaigrette". "You want honey Dijon?", she asked. No—orange Dijon. "There's no such thing." Yes, there is: Here it is on the menu. Someone yelled from the kitchen, "We don't have that any more." "Where do I order the pizzas?", I inquired. "The next counter". OK—over to the next counter: I'd like a "mountain high pepperoni, medium, please". "Sorry—you order full pizzas at that counter over there; here's where you order slices only." Well, I finally figured out how and where to order and pay, and was given one of those light-up signal devices to take back to my table; it would light up when our order was ready. We waited. And waited. Finally, a server came over with half of our order (the salads and 2 slices of pizza), explaining that our device was broken. The salads were fine: romaine lettuce with the toppings we had asked for, and dressing on the side. Trying to eat them with the plastic cutlery was a bit on the tough side. The slices of pizza: a "Mediterranean" (Greek salad) pizza and a "fresh mozzarella" (tomato sauce, sliced tomatoes, sliced mozzarella, basil leaves) were both cold and tasteless. The Mediterranean actually was impossible to eat without a knife and fork, since there was no sauce of any kind to "glue" the ingredients onto the bread. And cutting these cold pizzas on paper plates with plastic knives is not easy. Finally, my son's mountain high pepperoni arrived; by now, we were expecting disaster, but I must admit that it was hot and quite tasty. But hardly worth the effort.

Great Wall Chinese Restaurant.
914-916 Elmwood Ave. (between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo.
882-4520/5681.

[LCo, 7/07] says: "The only dish I have ever eaten at Great Wall is the Bean Curd in Garlic Sauce, and it is by far the best deep-fried bean curd I've had in the area. Don't be fooled by the "hot and spicy" notation on the menu; this is more of a sweet sauce with only slight heat from the garlic. The bean curd itself is crispy on the outside and chewy and moist on the inside. My only criticism is that sometimes I will get small chunks of bean curd that are over-fried mixed with larger pieces that almost aren't fried enough, so there is some inconsistency within the dish. The service is always fast for pick-up (less than 15 minutes) and the portions are big enough for at least two meals."

Grover's Bar & Grill.
9160 Transit Rd. (near Casey), East Amherst.
636-1803.

WARNING: Occasionally closes for vacation, so call before going there!

[10/08] [MER], a friend visiting from Indiana, and I ate here for the first time (because Chester's up the road was closed (on a Monday night!)). It was good, but I hesitate to recommend such a heart-unhealthy place :-) [MER] and our friend had cheesburgers: huge, huge burgers, maybe 5 inches in diameter! They were pronounced delicious. I'm not a red-meat fan, so I opted for a grilled chicken over salad with Italian dressing. I was expecting the worst, but was pleasantly surprised: a big bowl, with mixed greens and excellent chicken, accompanied by Newman's Own dressing. As [GOw], below, discovered, but we had forgotten, they don't accept credit cards, only cash and personal checks (with ID). And it is, indeed, loud.

[GOw, 3/08] says: "What a great place. The wait is long, and there is really no place to sit or barely stand while waiting; the bar stools are usually fully occupied, but it is well worth it. We have been here probably 6 times in the last 12 months and have never had anything close to a bad meal. The burgers are magnificent. Not only big as a planet, but delicious. The service is fast and efficient. What could be better than a draft and a burger? This is a place that we bring out-of-town guests to. Forget impressing them with Salvatore's; this is Buffalo at its best. Our last visit was in February, and we were seated within 15 minutes on a Saturday around 5 p.m. We had a table for 4 and squeezed in 5. My wife and I split a bacon bleu burger and a basket of onion rings. The burger is about 7 bucks, and the rings are around 3 bucks. Two of the kids split a cheddar burger and some fries. Child number 3 thinks Grover's has the best wings in Buffalo. We normally order a double so that everyone can have one. They are very good wings. A good size and crispy. Everything arrived fast, hot, and delicious. We have not ventured away from the burgers and wings; why should we? However, they do have the requisite Friday fish fry and some chicken and steak sandwiches. There are a couple of things to be aware of:

1. No credit/debit card. We found this out the hard way, and they let us pay with a check our first time there.
2. It is not a place for a first date or if you are trying to be romantic. It's loud and bustling with activity.
3. Loooong waits at certain times. Head straight to the chalkboard and get your name on it.
4. Kids may become restless and annoying with the wait, and there is no place for them to go. Sometimes I can, too.
5. Most tables are for 2/4. There are only a few that will seat larger parties.

Definitely a 3-star experience each time we have been there."

[DwH, 2/07] says: "Travelling to Buffalo almost weekly since February and wanted to pass along some impressions: Grover's is nice enough, but the burger does not live up to the hype. Bun was a bit stale, meat was OK...friendly, wonderful service, however. See the Sterling Place Tavern for the real burger deal."

[AJB, 11/03] says: "Best hamburgers on the planet. Period. You get a really delicious, Frisbee-sized piece of meat on a Kaiser roll. Long waits on most nights."