Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: O

[— a] Olive Garden

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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[am] O Restaurant and Lounge.
Northtown Plaza (on Sheridan Dr., between Payless and Dunn Tire), Amherst.
332-4656.

Takeout available from Takeout Taxi, 631-2222.

Japanese "fusion" (e.g., they also have steak with fries on the menu). I ate here [3/04] with a colleague and a visiting speaker who wanted to eat "someplace special". This hit the mark! On the table to nibble on while waiting were cold salted soy beans. I began with a "grilled" salad: large leaves of romaine(?) lettuce with roasted red peppers, crispy fried onions, etc., all warmed slightly, with a delicious—and also warmed—vinaigrette; I was amazed that warmed greens could still be crispy, but they were. For the main course, I had a citrus-steamed sea bass: light, flaky, and with just a touch of citrus flavor imparted by the slices of citrus fruits that were steamed with the bass. The visitor had a small stuffed quail (you could also have had a large order) that was "really good, quite impressive". For dessert, I had a green-tea crème brulée, the visitor had a chocolate torte, and my colleague had the "best fried ice cream" he "has had in ages". The service was excellent: water glasses constantly refilled, fresh silverware with each course, and swift and immediate assistance when the waiter accidentally spilled my colleague's dinner (a bowl of broth with noodles and seafood) into mine :-) Ate here again [2/05] with another visiting speaker and had an equally good meal: This time, I began with the soup of the day: curried egg-drop soup with beef—nicely spicy. For the main course, I had salmon served over three large shrimp-and-potato ravioli; the salmon was OK, but the ravioli were exquisite. For dessert, current-creamcheese-filled fried wonton, with a chocolate caramel topping: distinctly different and tasty. As of [3/07], I have increased O's rank to 3 stars, after a memorable meal with a visiting speaker. It began with a spicy lamb stew with parsnips and scallion sour cream; this was essentially a lamb-based hot-and-sour soup that was one of the best such soups I've ever had. For the main course, I decided to experiment with something from that evening's specials menu that I had never eaten: pan-seared skate wing on the bone, with slices of tomato and cucumber, arugula couscous, and topped with a pineapple buerre blanc. The buerre blanc gave it a rich, creamy flavor, and there were also two strands of some kind of red, spicy, tomato-based sauce. I had no idea what to expect when I took the first bite, but it was one of the most delicious things I have ever had: soft as butter and very tasty. I would have had some dessert—all the items on the dessert menu sounded delicious—but I was full. The visitor had a whole tilapia on a bed of hard noodles; he also liked his meal. One thing I must say: The presentations were works of art: Mine came on a flat, square plate, with the various items (skate, couscous, cucumbers, tomatoes, sauces) artuflly arranged. The tilapia looked like a sculpture of a fish swimming in a sea of noodles. The service was excellent, too. O has become a worthy successor to Tsunami.

[RG, 4/03] says: "3.5-4 stars. I recently moved here from Chicago and have found your list an invaluable resource. I thought I would add a review for O and for Kuni's. I am a big sushi fan and have been somewhat dissappointed here in Buffalo until I went to O. I went to the old place for my first sushi adventure in Buffalo. I ordered à la carte as was my practice in Chicago. Though it never hurts to check out the sashimi combos, I usually avoid the sushi combos, because they often contain significant amounts of veggies and/or cooked fish and fake crab. You can get that at Weggies or Topsys. Well, the à la carte sushi here was good but tended to have too much rice and too little fish. The bill was more than Kuni's sashimi, and the sushi nothing to get all that excited about. At this point, I had decided that Kuni's was the only option, especially since I noted that Osaka was shuttered up, though I was aware that they had another location. One day I was going to go to Kuni's, and they had a power outage, and so I reluctantly proceeded to the new O. The decor is stunning and reminded me of some of the yuppified restaurants in Chicago. This time I opted for the sashimi combo dinner ($25). It came with miso soup, which was very good and loaded with tofu and seaweed, unlike most places, where it is mostly broth. I sat at the sushi bar and was suprised when the chef stuck a dish in front me and said "Try this". I am not sure what it was, but it was outstanding. The sashimi combo was simply outstanding. I ussually never get full of raw fish, but I was after devouring this plate. Again, you get 3 slices of tuna, yellow tail, fresh salmon, tai (whitefish?), and, to my surprise, miragai (giant clam)—one of my favs. This was accompanied by various other seafood, including a cooked shrimp, orange clam, smoked baby octopus, with a touch of fried noodles, and a few other things. It was a delight. Most places give you shredded daikon with sashimi, but O puts a ton of thin-sliced cucumbers as the foundation. I like daikon, but the cucumber gave a nice change and goes well with the fish, though I dunk the cucumber in my soy sauce/wasabi mix. To top it off, the chef remembered me after my first visit. I was in Kuni's four times at the sushi bar and am not sure that Kuni knew who I was. In fairness, Kuni's gets much [more] traffic than O, but I suspcet that will change, as O is world-class."

[HPK, 8/03] says: "A great Japanese fusion restaurant—I have been there many times. 'Fusion' is the key word. You will not see Beef Teriyaki on their menu. You will see Whole Red Snapper and other Japanese-themed dinners. Best Sushi in town." More recently, [HPK, 7/07] says: "I still eat here as much as I can, and still the best sushi in town: fresh with flavor. They also just opened up a raw bar."

[LC, 11/05] says: "After a week of Thanksgiving dishes in infinite variations, and wanting to begin the new workweek with some feeling that I wasn't one of the balloons gone astray from Macy's parade, my friend recommended "O": Asian-fusion with panache, she reported. So show me. Ah, "O". Sleek in decor, prompt in service, and imaginative in presentation, "O" hits three stars on steroids—and not just for the area, I mean for NYC, Chicago, San Francisco, London, etc. Too many times in so-called "Asian-fusion" restaurants, the offerings sound more delightful than the sensory experience delivered. Not "O". Its menu was alluring; the selections of citrus steamed sole, soft crab rolls, grilled prawns, and the ravioli were smashing, and all offered mild suprises in flavor and spice. The service was excellent, and the apple pie à la mode was enough for two. Even the green tea was better than anything I've had before. Top off the meal with a good movie, and you've an evening to remember."

[JBi, 12/05] says: "Asian confusion. After the unfortunate closing of Kuni's, my husband and I decided to give O one more try (we had tried the sushi once before and found the rolls to be somewhat lacking). We decided to skip all the fancy entrees and stick to the small dishes and sushi. We started with the wakame salad. It was a giant pile of one type of seaweed—too much for even a manatee to consume. The dressing was tasty, and the cucumbers we found at the bottom of the pile were pleasant, but it was just lacking variety. On top of the that, the Niçoise olives were completely out of place and totally disconcerting. Next, they served us shrimp tempura and wasabi shumai. The shrimp were fine in their own right, but the dipping sauce was suprisingly bland and made the entire dish a complete waste of time. The wasabi shumai were horrid: a mushy, flavorless glob of pork. The accompanying dipping sauce screamed of balsamic vinegar. On to the sushi. Despite the fact that the eel and avocado roll was very tasty, the rest of the sushi had ridiculous amounts of "rice fingers" accompanying the fish. We should have ordered sashimi. Our last comment is about the wasabi tobiko—my husband orders this at every sushi joint—he loves it. At O, he could barely swallow it—way too intense; I thought he was going to spit it out into his napkin. Out of 5 stars... OK, but not recommended, and definitely not at their prices."

[WHN, 1/06] says: "My son took us to "O" for my birthday. It was the first time there for my wife and me. The sashimi and sushi "crunch roll" appetizers were nicely presented, fresh and delicious, but the sauteed calamari was excessively salty and had little flavor, other than the salt. However, the spicy miso butterfish over risotto was excellent. I can't wait to have it again. My son said his sushi entree was as good as or better than Taki in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Great service and a nice atmosphere, too. Definitely deserves 2 or 3 stars."

[JFe, 4/06] says: "I recently tried sushi for the first time at O Restaurant and Lounge. I told the waiter of my inexperience regarding Japanese cuisine, and he was more than accommodating. He started me with a bowl of miso soup, and it was very nicely spiced and was filled with tofu chunks and plenty of seaweed. I then moved on to the shrimp tempura appetizer that was very lightly battered and crispy; it didn't last long on my plate. At the suggestion of the waiter, I tried the "crunch" maki roll, which was very tasty, and I also tried the nigiri-hamachi (yellowtail) and salmon asashimi, which were very fresh tasting. The scoop of green tea ice cream topped the meal off nicely. As I am a novice with regards to Japanese cuisine, I don't have much of a frame of reference, but the friendly, patient, and helpful service I received is worth a very positive review, and I plan to return again and again."

[MC, 4/06] says: "I recently had the opportunity to dine at the Japanese fusion restaurant O in Amherst. I have never had sushi, sake, or tempura, or any Japanese dish prior to my visit here, so I was unsure of what to expect. I heard a lot of great reviews and was excited to dig in. The decor of the restaurant was really nice. It was bright and clean, sort of a refreshing feeling when you walked in. I loved all the exotic flower arrangements. I was unsure of what to sample, but my server was very helpful and explained some of the dishes to me. I first started with the miso soup, which was very light, so it didn't fill you up too much; I then tried the vegetable tempura, which was delicious—it melted in my mouth. Feeling stuffed from the tempura, I opted not to get an entree, to just sample a few sushi pieces instead. I tried the magura (tuna) and the hamachi (yellowtail). I liked the magura, and the hamachi was OK. The only reason I cannot rave about the sushi is that it was my first time eating it, and I think, like many other foods, it is an acquired taste, but I definitely wouldn't hesitate to try it again. I can say that my guest who accompanied me absolutely loved the pork Porterhouse steak and apple jam with mashed potatoes. I would definitely give O 2-3 stars. My first time there I was very impressed with the service and presentation of the meal. I would like to go again."

[DiB, 4/06] says: "This is a wonderful place to dine: It has great food and an extremely comfortable and contemporary atmosphere. The waiter served us endame (soybeans) covered with salt and pepper, the perfect appetizer and free, I might add! For dinner, I enjoyed an eel and avocado roll, which was served to me warm and juicy with just the right amount of sweetness. I loved the grilled taste to it. I also had the rainbow roll, which was filled with crabstick, cucumber, and had the avocado outside of the rice. They served this roll with salmon, tuna, and whitefish, topping two pieces of the rolls each. I was the first one at the table finished with my meal; it was amazing. I have had sushi at other restaurants like Kuni's, and O has much more flavor and larger servings. The rolls are much bigger, for a similar price. After my two rolls, I had the green-tea ice cream, which was very fragrant and creamy and not so sweet like regular ice cream. The only thing that I didn't like about this restaurant was the paper covering on our tables; it made a nice restaurant not so classy. Overall, I would give this restaurant three stars, because the food was excellent, despite the paper on the tables!"

[JD, 4/06] says: "O Restaurant and Lounge has a nice, comfortable atmosphere and good food. Available for you on your table are salted soy beans as you wait for your meal. For my first authentic Japanese food experience, I was pleased. I am not a big fan of sushi, but their sushi rolls are satisfying. For my entree, I had the whole stripped bass, which was delicious. The fish was seasoned very well, tender, light, and flaky. The bass was fried and backed with ginger, sugar, orange slices, and diced tomatoes. The dish was beautifully decorated with fried noodles to give character, and it's a whole fish (with the head and bones). If you are a fish lover, I recommend this dish. The prices are a little on the expensive side, but is good for the money. If I were to rate this resturant, I would give 3 out of 4 stars."

[JFa, 4/06] says: "I went to O Restaurant and Lounge for the first time last week (4/12) and was pleasantly delighted. My two friends and I were full of "Oh"s and "Ah"s when first walking into O's indigo oasis. Having never eaten Japanese before, I wasn't sure what to expect from the food but was eager to find out. We were brought a bowl of salty Japanese beans as a sort of appetizer, which were quite good. For my entree, I opted for the Philadelphia specialty maki roll. This presentation of smoked salmon, cream cheese, and avocado rolled in niri and sushi rice was superb. (The chopsticks were fun too!) I was surprised at how filling just the six pieces were and left feeling very satisfied. I was also pleased with the service at O. My water glass was never empty long, and our waiter was both friendly and helpful in describing the various menu items. Overall, I was very pleased with my Japanese cuisine experience at O. The great sushi and delicious cosmos will keep me coming back!"

[RDK, 11/06] says: "If you're looking for good sushi to eat, do visit O's Restaurant and Lounge. They know what they're doing, and their food tastes great."

[SAS, 3/07] says: "Positive; my wife and I ate there again last Friday night. The edamame starter (free) was tasty, though I prefer them served warm. The Vegetable Tempura was very tasty (unlike prior visits)—not greasy at all, and a nice medley of lightly battered mushrooms, broccoli, and zucchini. We focused on a robust sushi platter, including two daily special rolls, a rainbow roll, yellowtail, sweet shrimp, and baby octopus. All were great (though the baby octopus is an acquired taste...that I have not yet acquired). We washed it down with saki, of course. The house warm saki was too harsh for my tastes, but the cold sake with the gold flakes in it was very smooth and slightly sweet. (A jazz band was playing in the lounge as we left, but most people were watching the Sabres game on the flat-screen TV.) All in all, a wonderful evening."

[CLe, 6/07] says: "Negative: I have been to O many times and have had great food, and on a few occasions I have been disappointed not only by the food, but even more because expectations based on past experiences were definitely not met. Our last visit, a few nights ago, we ordered the calamari (which I have had before and loved), and it was overly salty and drenched in oil. Usually, it is very light and faintly flavored. The rolls were very tasty (we got the Gotta Get It and two other eel rolls), but the presentation was embarrasing. They were falling apart, and pieces were falling off the top. They were small and misshaped. While the ultimate goals of sushi are taste and to feed your hunger, presentation is part of the total package with sushi, too; the mark of a good sushi chef is presentation. Sometimes the presentation is spot on, and sometimes not at O. And the rolls are never the same size or shape—meaning I have ordered the same roll over and over, and it's never even close to what it looked like before or after, etc. I have come to O and been pleased, and have come to O and been disappointed—and it's hit or miss. Makes me think someone isn't pulling his or her weight behind the sushi bar—and that stinks for the chefs who have made the experience delicious. I need a reliable sushi place—when I am in the mood for sushi, I want it to smell good, look good, taste good—and I don't want to have to piece my own roll together!"

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

Oban Inn.
160 Front St., Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada. 905-468-2165, 1-866-359-6226.

See Restaurant Tony de Luca.

[m] O'Connell's American Bistro (formerly, O'Connell's Hourglass).—WARNING: WEBSITE HAS LOUD MUSIC!
981 Kenmore Ave. (near Colvin Ave.), Kenmore.
877-8788.

[KT, 7/06] says: "We went to O'Connell's Hourglass for the first time this past weekend. Having eaten at many of the nicer restaurants in the area, we were eager to try O'Connell's. The restaurant is beautiful inside, and was fairly full when we arrived for a 7 P.M. reservation. We tried the 6 course tasting—a recent addition to the summer menu. While we probably would not order this again—or, if we did, we would request more vegetarian items to break up 2 courses each of seafood and meat—it allowed us to try several new things. All of the courses were well-presented and for the most part were delicious. We started with a cold watermelon soup with fresh mint. Although this was more of a juice than a soup, it was very refreshing and a nice way to start a summer dinner. Note that all diners began that evening with watermelon soup, not just diners who ordered the tasting menu. Our first formal course included a grilled sea scallop topped with foie gras and a small lobster tail in a sweet butter sauce. The seafood was fantastic, but we didn't care for the sweet sauce on the lobster—which seemed better suited to a dessert. Second course was soft shell crab on a bed of microgreens and a piece of grilled pork belly. This latter item seemed oddly out of place, and both of us found it hard to eat something called pork belly. We each tried a bite and found the meat much too fatty and tough for our taste. Third course was classic buffalo mozzarella tomato salad with basil. The salad was excellent. The fourth course was a lambchop in mint sauce paired with venison tenderloin topped with a huckleberry chutney. Both were perfectly cooked and tender. The fifth course was strip steak and garlic mashed, but we were too full at this point to eat more than a bite. The dessert course was tart tatin with homemade icecream—good but ordinary. We only had a couple of quibbles. First, we'd recommend including coffee with dessert. If someone is willing to spend $65 on the tasting menu plus a bottle of wine, throw in the $2.50 coffee. Second, the chef came into the dining room about 9 P.M. when there were only a couple of tables still seated at the restaurant. He seemed most interested in chatting up the owners of the building that now houses Prime 490, who were seated at the bar, than asking other diners whether they enjoyed his food. We would have loved for him to stop by our table! We also noted that this restaurant seems to be popular with the 50+ crowd, similar to Rue Franklin."

[WHN, 11/06] says: "My wife, I, and another couple dined at O'Connell's Hourglass last night, Saturday 11/4, our first visit. The restaurant is fairly small, but the tables are widely spaced, so you aren't forced to hear the conversations at nearby tables, and the waitstaff has plenty of room to work. After a look at the wine list, we ordered a bottle of William Hill Chardonnay, priced at $40, about 3 times retail. Our server brought fresh Italian bread and pesto, followed by a complimentary appetizer of basil and tomato ravioli, which was absolutely delicious. To start, I had an excellent lobster bisque ($10). Everyone else had Caesar salads ($7), which O'Connell's calls Romaine with white anchovies, croutons, etc. (Neither of our wives likes anchovies, so they asked that they be excluded from their salads.) They were said to be very good. For our main course, my wife and I both had veal tenderloin with gnocchi in a chanterelle sauce ($38). It was exceptional—cooked medium rare as requested, tender, and the sauce was superb. Another item on the menu was beef tenderloin in a cognac cream sauce. Our friend asked how much the steaks weighed. The waitress said they were about 8 ounces. He and his wife both ordered the beef tenderloin steaks ($32), which looked like they were closer to a full pound than a half pound. The menu description didn't do them justice either—they were topped with crispy fried onions, and accompanied by a generous portion of asparagus and a small portion of smashed potatoes. With the main course, we had a bottle of Simi Reserve Cabernet, priced at $75, about 25% over the retail price of $60. We skipped dessert, but the verbal menu sounded very good. Our friend said he would rate the meal, service, etc., at 9 or 9.5 on a 10-point scale. I would definitely give it 3-stars on the Rapaport scale. My wife and I plan to return soon for the delicious-looking beef tenderloins (unless we decide we can't forgo the wonderful veal)." [WHN, 3/07] updates us as follows: "Our foursome returned to O'Connell's Hourglass on Saturday, 3/24. My wife and I dine with the other couple every two or three months, and we alternate picking a restaurant. I picked O'Connell's, which our friends said they were very happy to hear, because they liked it so much the first time, last fall. Our return visit was as enjoyable as our last. Upon arrival, we were greeted by the co-owner, Channel 2's Kevin O'Connell, who showed us to our table and chatted amicably for a few minutes. While we looked over the menu, we ordered a bottle of 2004 Newton Napa Valley Chardonnay. Bruschetta was served with a tomato and basil spread. My wife and both friends ordered Caesar salads, while I had French onion soup, for the first time in years. The salad eaters seemed to think the salads were lacking in flavor for some reason, while my French onion soup was delicious. For the main course, everyone except me ordered tournedos with an herb cream sauce, topped with crispy fried shallots and accompanied by smashed potatoes and asparagus. I ordered filet mignon. This was also accompanied by smashed potatoes and asparagus, but with no sauce, which was disappointing. (I'm sure if I had asked for a sauce, one would have been made available.) All the beef was cooked perfectly to medium rare, as ordered. With our dinners, we had a bottle of 2002 Beaulieu Vineyard Dulcet, a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which our waiter, Steve, recommended. It was excellent. We skipped dessert, all made in-house, we were told. As we prepared to leave, Kevin O (Senior) came to our table to ask if we enjoyed the meal, which we had, very much. He stayed at our table for several minutes answering questions about the weather, his television career in LA and Buffalo, and the restaurant's upcoming wine dinners and special events. It was a very good meal made more enjoyable by the interchange with one of the owners." However, [WHN, 8/07] notes: "There was an article in today's (8/5/07) Buffalo News "First Sunday" magazine about Buffalo-area restaurants offering fixed-price menus. It stated that O'Connell's Hourglass served a fixed-price menu Tuesday through Saturday. Prior to our most recent visit, when making the reservation, I specifically asked if the fixed price menu was available on Saturday nights, and was told that it was. However, when we got there, there was no fixed-price offering. I asked the server about it and was told that it could be requested in advance and "might" be available on weekends "if they weren't too busy". The food was very good, but, to set the record straight, the fixed-price menu may or may not be available, even if you ask in advance." And now for the big news: [WHN, 9/07] reports: "The former O'Connell's Hourglass closed for remodeling for about two weeks, then reopened with their new name and decor on Friday, 9/14, under the same chef/owner. Since we liked the previous incarnation, we and our friends wanted to try the new one (9/22/07). After we were seated and ordered some wine, we were each served a chive biscuit, which was very tasty, but when we had finished our one biscuit, the plates were cleared, and no more were offered. Strange! To start, both wives ordered Bibb lettuce salads, our friend ordered a Caesar salad, and I ordered escargots bourguignons. Both wives said their lettuce was gritty and told our server (who happened to be Mrs. Kevin O'Connell, Jr.). She said the lettuce had been thoroughly washed, but brought new ones, which were also gritty. She said the two salads would be deducted from our bill. The Caesar was said to be fine. My escargot was not what I expected. I was looking forward to escargot in traditional "snail butter" with lots of garlic, but their interpretation was decidedly short on garlic and was pretty tasteless; disappointing. My wife's duck breast with "orange glaze" was good, but could have used some sauce, such as à l'orange. It was accompanied by "potato gateaux" (potato pancake) and a couple asparagus spears. Our friends' filets were described as "average". There was not much seasoning, although they were topped with a little Bearnaise sauce. They had to add salt to bring out the flavor of the beef. They described the filets as not as good as those they have had at the former O'Connell's Hourglass. Also, the golf-ball-size scoop of potatoes accompanying their meals was cold. The steaks were also accompanied by two asparagus spears. My steak-frites with Dijon butter was quite good and cooked medium rare as ordered, but I couldn't detect any truffle flavor in the "truffle fries". I would say, based on the other opinions, that my main course was the best of the four. We skipped dessert, but ordered coffee. We weren't asked whether we wanted regular or decaf, and the coffee arrived before we could specify. Finally, the two salads were not deducted from the bill, until we reminded our server that she had said they would be. The new O'Connell's is now open for lunch weekdays and offers a two- or three-course fixed-price lunch for $12 or $15. For dinner, the menu says there are also five-, seven-, and ten-course tasting menus, priced at $50, $70, and $100, respectively, but there is no mention of what it entails. Wine pairings with the multi-course dinners are available for an "additional (unspecified) charge". The "entire table must participate", and our friends didn't want to, so we didn't ask for details. Based on this meal and service, I would probably give O'Connell's American Bistro no stars, instead of the 3 stars I had suggested previously."

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

Oh Bento.
UB Commons (520 Lee Entrance), UB North Campus, Amherst.
1-917-403-7756.

Japanese.

One of 2 new restaurants at the Commons (the other is Bollywood Bistro) with a great view of Lake LaSalle. I've been here twice [4/08], but I need to preface this by saying that I'm not a great fan of Japanese cuisine. The first meal I had here was a chicken and rice dish that was very good. I don't know what it was called, because the handwritten menu on the wall is very confusing. The second meal was chicken udon; this consisted of dark-meat chicken with long, thick noodles in an overpoweringly spicy broth, which I will definitely not have again. Nonetheless, this is a welcome addition to the restaurants on campus.

Old North State Café.
11846 Main St. (Rte. 39), Perrysburg.
532-2195.

American.

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

Old Orchard Inn.
2095 Blakly Rd., E. Aurora. 652-4664.

[DRJa, 12/95] says that it is one of his favorite restaurants, "excellent but can be expensive".

Old Prune Restaurant
151 Albert Street, Stratford, Ontario, Canada. 519-271-5052.

[GDT, 8/96] says: "Sooner or later you're going to visit the theatre festival town of Stratford, about 135 miles from Buffalo, and when you get there be assured you will find more than a play awaiting you. A visit to the Old Prune will satisfy your desire for a great meal as Shakespeare will for a great play. Situated in the village, the Prune has been run by partners Eleanor Kane and Marion Isherwood since 1977; the chef is Bryan Steele. Steele has trained in Germany and Italy and is a principal instructor in the Stratford Chef's School. The kitchen staff numbers six. The ambiance is warm and cozy; it's impossible not to think of yourself as a guest in the home of a great cook. The food is very sophisticated. Beggars' purse with lobster and Sevruga caviar, duck confit with polenta, and quinoa risotto are not exactly mom's home cooking. On a recent week in Stratford we managed three meals at the Prune (two dinners and a lunch) and came away each time staggered by the care and ingenuity of the dishes. As an appetizer try the warm goat's cheese and potato terrine with local greens. The cheese is wrapped in a poached potato sauteed in butter, chilled and weighted to form a terrine, sliced and pan fried quickly at a high heat to get a crunchy crust and a smooth, rich interior. The cheese is a local product, made on a farm about 10 km from the town. Likewise the greens are grown close by, insuring that they are fresh as can be. There are over twenty different greens in the mix and the basil flavored oil used to dress the salad is a Tuscan olive oil. The grilled sea bass is a great main course. The bass itself is moist and fresh, never having been frozen. It is grilled so that the top is flaky but the fish never dries out. Served on a bed of wilted greens that partially cook in the juices of the bass right on your plate. Clafoutis is the signature dessert. This is not the typical rendition as Steele dips into his German training to use quark cheese as the base. The berries are filled with flavor and the baking gives the custard a crust that is perfection. There is always a selection from the appetizer and entree lists for the vegetarian. All the bread is home-made; the sourdough bread is particularly wonderful. The wine list is reasonably good, with selections from California, France and (of course) Ontario. The Prune is open during the festival season (mid-May to mid-October). Dinner, from 5:30 P.M., is served Tuesday through Sunday. If you are making an 8 P.M. play plan to arrive by 6 P.M.; if you are free for the evening go at 8 P.M. Lunch is served from 11:30AM to 1:30 P.M., Wednesday through Sunday. Reservations are strongly advised for dinner."

Old Red Mill Inn.
8326 Main St., Clarence. 633-7878.

[JM, 9/99] says: "My wife and I usually dine at the Old Red Mill in Clarence. Love those sticky buns!"

[ETB, 12/00] says: "The last time my husband and I ate dinner at the Old Red Mill, we were completely appalled. It took forever to even place an order, and the waitress was really surly. I ordered a pasta entree, which, when it was -finally- delivered, was covered in chicken. I can't eat chicken, told the waitress this, and she still tried to convince me to eat it. When it showed up the second time, it was covered in shrimp, really overcooked shrimp, which I also had no interest in eating. My husband's order was also incorrect, with the wrong side orders and an undercooked steak, but he ended up eating what he could, because we were not interested in spending another half hour or so waiting for the food. The check also took forever to arrive, and they didn't offer a discount or even an apology for the mess they made of the dinner. And this is just a list of the worst parts of the dinner; there was actually more, but it would take too long to describe. All of our previous dinning experiences there had been pleasent, but this complete change in atmosphere and attitude has put us off and we have no intention of eating there again."

[JSG, 4/06] says: "My family was visiting from out of town, and I thought I'd take them here for a nice dinner before they headed out of town. The restaurant was not particularly busy, although I suspect there may have been a party in another room because of the number of cars in the dining room and the slow service. Although the service was lackluster in that it was slow, the food was delicious. Each dish ordered was pleasant from an exotic jerk chicken dish to my traditional roasted turkey dinner. Desserts were excellent, and drinks were replenished frequently. We spent two hours here, but service was only slow in the very beginning. I found prices to be very fair. We were informed that the menu is changing to include more casual dining options (i.e., sandwiches), I think to attract more weeknight diners. They'll have to speed things up to make it work, but the quality of the food was good. We also received a 30%-off coupon for our next visit (always a plus!)."

[WHN, 8/07] says: "We went for dinner at the Old Red Mill with another couple. Two of us ordered an evening special that was called breast of duck with greens, or something similar. It turned out to be a salad. Lots of greens and very little duck. They should have called it a duck salad; then we would not have ordered it. It was listed as an entree and priced as such. Moreover, since we had ordered salads to start, the waitress should have told us the duck dish was also a salad and, therefore, redundant. I have to admit that what there was of the duck was good; there just wasn't enough. Our wives had the Saturday night prime rib special, which they enjoyed. To top off the evening, one of us had the "Entertainment Book" discount card, while the other had a different coupon. The waitress said we could only use one of them. We asked to see the manager, who was also the hostess. She told us the same thing and pointed out the fine print, stating that the coupon "cannot be combined with other offers". All things considered, a bad experience."

[J&NS, 4/08] say: "It was a Tuesday nite, a slow night in terms of restaurant business. So you would think that, when you go out to a place that is 3/4 deserted, service would be prompt. Not at this place. The Old Red Mill has been mentioned before and still does have a problem with slow service. We went for dinner at the Old Red Mill with my in-laws. All four of us ordered an evening special that was filet mignon wrapped in bacon (6oz). We ordered drinks, and that was at 6 pm. The waitress delivered the drinks and then we sat there until 6:40. No bread, no appetizers, or anything. Finally, about that time, they delivered the Seafood Bisque to my wife and me. The focaccio bread was split between my in-laws. A basket of mini-rolls and sticky buns was also brought in. I also had ordered a Caesar salad as a side of our meal. That was good, as well. When the main entree came, that was another 30 minutes. The French fries were cold; the side orders of mushrooms were cold as well. Outside of the meat, the other items on our plates were cold. We didn't think that such a slow nite in business would result in such slow service. We go out to restaurants on the off nite to benefit from a lack of crowds and prompt service and attention. As previous reviews have mentioned, the food was good and would've been better if they were properly brought out. The service and timing ranks down there with the service from Shanghai Red's. This place used to be one that I would make a stop all the time. But lately, the attention isn't there. We won't be going back."

Old Winery.
2228 Niagara Stone Rd., Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, CANADA.
905-468-8900.

Run by Tony DeLuca, who also runs the Restaurant Tony de Luca.

[6/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

The Olde Angel Inn.
224 Regent St., Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, CANADA.
1-905-468-3411.

[WHN, 12/05] says: "This is what a pub should be; a fun place for a casual meal, with a menu that includes English and Irish pub fare: steak and kidney pie, bangers and mash, fish and chips, shepherd's pie, etc., as well as Canadian/American standards like Reubens, hamburgers, chicken fingers, and so forth. I was disappointed to find that they didn't have my long-time favorite—steak and oyster pie—but have replaced it with a steak and onion pie, which was good, but I really liked the steak and oysters version. My wife had a chicken pot pie, which she enjoyed, too. The inn has a wide variety of imported—mostly English and Irish—and Canadian beers and ales, including several made for Angel Inn by a local brewery. There's a very large selection of Niagara Region wines, too, many by the glass. The same menu is available for lunch and dinner (most priced at C$9.95 or slightly higher), plus a more extensive and more expensive dinner menu (from C$15.95-C$24.95). It's a nice place to warm up on a cold Fall/Winter day. And it's an actual inn as well, with rooms that are said to be haunted. We have not stayed here, so can't vouch for the ghost's presence."

The Olde English Parlour Dining Room.
101 Wellington St., Stratford, ON, CANADA.
519-271-2772 or 1-877-728-4036.

[WHN, 5/06] says: "On our trip to Stratford, we had lunch in the dining room of The Olde English Parlour Inn, where we stayed the night in a very nice room. The Inn dates from 1871 and has recently been restored by its current owners. Although we only had sandwiches, they were very good. The dinner menu sounded interesting and varied, with entrees that included Indian curried chicken, filet of beef in a spicy Thai sauce, General Tsao's chicken with Asian noodles, as well as more conventional foods like steak and fries, pork tenderloin, vegetarian linguine, and pub-type meals like fish and chips, steak and kidney pie, and shepherd's pie. We enjoyed a good English breakfast the next morning as well."

Olde Fort Inn.
110 Main St., Youngstown. 745-7141.
Near Old Fort Niagara, about 15 minutes from Artpark.

[PS, 11/99] says: "Excellent, very cozy, Old English feel; the fireplace is wonderful in the winter! The food ... of very high quality. My favorite, the New Orleans style pork tenderloin, never ceases to impress. I'm not a fan of the medallion, so, to get a large portion of pork tenderloin left intact is a winner with me. It is very spicy, and the bourbon demiglace is very flavorful, a perfect compliment; and the service tops it off."

Given 3 (out of 4) stars (a long time ago, when there was no 3.5-star rating) by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

The Olde School Restaurant, Piano Bar and Cigar Lounge.
687 Powerline Rd. (at Paris Rd. W.), Brantford, ON, Canada.
519-753-3131 or 1-888-448-3131.

[PBa, 1/06] says: "I went there celebrating my birthday with my girlfriend back in May '01 and was totally impressed. Just when I thought they couldn't outdo the last visit, so they did, as we took some friends to celebrate my girlfriend's birthday (Dec '05). First of all, the setting of an old schoolhouse from the early part of the 1900s, located in the rural area between Brantford and Paris, Ontario. The decor is exquisite, including a large picture of the Queen's table as she ate there a few years back, then the service I must say starts and ends on a very impressive scale. When the bottle of wine came, the server does everything by the book with regards to fine wine etiquette. You never feel rushed, however; as you sip on your wine and enjoy a little friendly conversation, the server brings your salads. My Caesar was probably one of the best I have ever had, not at all too much garlic, and not too rich. Of course, the main course is to die for, as I was presented with four sizeable portions of venison in a port wine sauce. My girlfriend ordered the swordfish, which looked like it could have been very tasty, and, according to her fine tastes, it was. Our guests enjoyed a more conservative fare of what looked to be an excellent cut of beef. Following our main course, our server brought a birthday treat of a house classic, Chocolate Mousse Mouse. It's a fine dessert made to look like a mouse, including little ears and a curly tail, not to mention the sparkler to celebrate the occasion. I mustn't forget to mention my Baked Alaska....delicious. As we finished our coffee, I asked about seating at the piano bar, and before I could say "Bob's your uncle", we were heading to four empty seats at the piano bar, escorted by our server, who, by the way, continued to look after us at the bar until we had to end our evening. At the bar, we were entertained by a fine pianist/singer/song writer by the name of John Moorhouse, who has been the centre of attention at the bar for many many years. This was just the topper one needs to bring a highly enjoyable evening to a close. The Olde School Restaurant is class from every angle and deserves nothing less than a five-star rating. Expect to pay a bit more; $250.00 CDN for an entire evening for four of us is not outrageous, although a little pricy. The right occasion, the right time, and it will add up to an evening you won't soon forget."

On the other hand, [WF, 3/06] had an unfortunate, non-food-related experience here: "On Sunday, February 19th, 2006, I took my wife and another couple for brunch. The staff and brunch were absolutely wonderful, and we had a great time. However, when we went in, we checked our coats, etc., at their check-in counter. Upon leaving, we took our coats, but the attendent did not give us my wife's expensive mink hat that she had purchased and brought all the way from Russia. We did not notice until we arrived home later that day that she did not have it. The next day, I called the owner/manager of the facility to ask if they could keep it until we were able to return to pick it up....and was told they did not have it. We then went to the restaurant to look for ourselves and were told by the manager/owner that it was not there. I stated that I felt that, when they accepted it at their check-in counter, they took over responsibility for it. He, however, stated bluntly they do not have any responsibility for this loss and that in 24 years they have never lost anything. However, when looking through the "lost and found", he discovered an imitation fur hat (different design and not real fur) and offered it to us. This action made me realize that this is most likely what took place after or before we left—they simply offered the wrong hat to the wrong person and they, recognizing that our hat was worth considerably more than the other one, agreed to take the wrong one. The owner/manager was not even nice enough to offer any compensation for their lack of credibility in this matter, and did not even so much as offer an "I am sorry". Although I really like their facility and food, it will not be my intention to return to this restaurant. I find it amazing that they operate a coat/hat check and do not accept any responsibility for losing or simply handing out the wrong items."

[a] [—] Olive Garden.—WARNING: WEBSITE IS SLOW TO LOAD AND ACCOMPANIED BY LOUD MUSIC!
3951 Maple Rd. (next to Scotch and Sirloin, near Bailey), Amherst. 837-5211.
Also: 2011 Walden Ave. (near Walden Galleria Mall), Cheektowaga. 683-4670.
Also: 3701 McKinley Parkway, Blasdell. 821-5951.

Part of the chain.

[BJ, 6/94] says: "A moderately good, but not so nearby, Italian restaurant. The (vegetarian) waitress who served us mentioned that the tomato sauce used in most of their entrees contains beef fat."

[WHN, 10/06] says: "Part of a chain, with other area locations near the Galleria and McKinley Malls. Below average Italian food at average prices. Their TV commercials make it look and sound better than it is. This restaurant epitomizes why we don't normally go to chain restaurants: mediocre food in a "plastic" environment. There are many better, locally-owned Italian restaurants."

[ABi, 1/07] says of the Maple Rd. location: "It's not great, and whether it rises to the level of good is debatable, so I'll say Olive Garden is somewhere between middling and decent. To start, they make a big deal out of letting one have all the breadsticks, soup, and salad one desires, and the reason they're free is that they're not very good. The breadsticks are excessively chewy and utterly lacking in flavor; they were like eating cotton. I'd be happy to have my breadstick allotment limited, in exchange for toasted ones flavored with a little garlic or basil or anything. The liquid dish was billed as "Zuppa Toscana"; for those of you who don't know, Toscana is a type of soup that's a watery broth dotted with miniscule particles of sausage and teeny potato flecks accompanied by parsley—raw, unpleasantly leafy whole cavolo greens with a bigger surface area than the spoon (one would think an Italian restaurant, even a phony one, would know what a mezzaluna is, have access to one, and put it to use). I didn't know what Toscana was myself until I tried it. The taste I had of my girlfriend's admittely large salad was unexceptional and too vinegary, which goes back to that age-old quality/quantity debate; if nothing else, Olive Garden offers exceptional quantity. Unfortunately, the unlimited portion policy is only offered for starters and not for the undersized entrees. Both the lady and I tried flightless fowl dishes, one billed as Chicken Roma and the other as Asiago Chicken. There wasn't much difference between them, because they both featured two chicken breasts sandwiching a slightly sloppy melted cheese blend. The protein was good, if rather meager portionwise, because it featured the fresh, grainy taste one hopes to get from chicken. On the other side, the noodles accompanying the Roma were overdone and too slurpy, and the Asiago's side of potatoes were excessively scorched to the point of being bone dry. While not horrible, there are better places at or near malls to eat than Olive Garden, and I'm baffled that some people lose their minds over dining here. If nothing else, I don't want to end up like the idiots in their commercials, whose inability to select from what they find to be endlessly delicious-sounding entrees is only superseded by their ability to laugh at each other's astoundingly lame jokes and observations. If you really took your Italian uncle here, like my all-time favorite commercial of the horrid bunch suggested, you'd awaken rolled up in a rug in a Hackensack garbage dump."

[EPF, 1/08] says: "I took my granddaughter and the family to the Olive Garden at 3951 Maple Road in Amherst, December 30th, in the early evening. We've been there before. We had a very competent server, but we had a very poor experience with a couple of the dishes. I would think that an Italian-themed restaurant would know how to prepare and serve pasta with Alfredo sauce. Not true, here. Might as well have been furniture glue. Had a combination dish with chicken and lasagna, as well as pasta. They need to learn how to make lasagna, and not serve chicken—it was some kind of patty—cooked to perfection and then some more. I don't know why I didn't complain at the time, but it was a birthday dinner, and I'm a typical "don't make a scene" type. But I think I'll avoid this one. Too bad, because the last time we were here the food was rather good. P.S.: I think I'll go back to checking your site before I go to Buffalo-area restaurants again." [Thanks!—Bill]

Oliver's.
2095 Delaware Ave. (north of Delaware Park), Buffalo. 877-9662.

Elegant, expensive, continental cuisine, currently with an Asian touch. This was always one of my favorite restaurants, but I had not been here in a long time till [5/02]. It was as good as ever, if not better. [MER]'s and my meal began with a complimentary appetizer of smoked duck on crisp wonton with Asian slaw; deliciously tantalizing. We also shared Oliver's famous spinach loaf, which is offered as an alternative to rolls for an extra charge. For the real appetizer, [MER] had the "tomato tower": a high-rise version of a mozzarella/tomato/basil salad, with a fried green tomato! I had an asparagus spring roll: 4 crisp rolls stuffed with crunchy asparagus, on a bed of spring-roll stuffing ingredients. For our main courses, I had a merlot fish with pomegranate beurre blanc and wonderfully tasty orange lentils, tomato, spinach, and artichokes. [MER] had a strip steak with a gruyere twice-baked potato, a leek and oyster mushroom ragout, and merlot butter. Both were wonderful meals. For dessert, I had a berry popover with ice cream, and [MER] had a cherry baba au rhum.

[CB, 5/03] says: "Ate there just recently (4/2003). Food was just O.K. Have eaten here before many times but had not been in in a long time. Definitely not as good as it used to be. Over-rated now. Atmosphere great, service was great, price—pricy, over-priced if you will, and the only thing I really liked was my mashed potatoes with roasted corn over the top. That was delicious. My steak was O.K. My husband had a seafood entree that was very small in portion, and he wound up still hungry and ate the rest of my entire meal. I was very disappointed—not the Oliver's that I remember."

On the other hand, [JCr, 10/05] says: "This past weekend, my partner and I had the pleasure of dining at Oliver's again, since our last visit a few years back. As usual, I found my dining experience there to be quite exquisite all around. My partner started out with their Mixed Greens salad, which had a peach basil vinaigrette, I had to try this interesting dressing and found it very refreshing. I had a Baby Caesar salad, which was quite good as well. For our entrees, she had the Asian Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, which was accompanied by fried rice and bok choy; I sampled this as well, and everything had a great taste. The only qualm I may have had was the tenderness of the tenderloin; I'm no pro, but my pork tenderloin usually comes out a bit more moist and tender. Regardless, it was a very good entree. For myself, I went with the Grilled Hawaiian Butterfish; this was accompanied with jasmine rice and a spicy miso vinaigrette. I enjoyed this entree very well; however, if I had to choose, I would prefer the Hawaiian Butterfish entree I had at Tsunami. Overall, after a good bottle of vino, 2 great entrees, some creme brulee and 2 Stingers (not both for me, of course) for dessert, it was exactly what one would come to expect from a visit to Oliver's."

[RTP, 7/07] ranks it "****" (but neglected to tell me what his maximum number of stars was :-)

[3/05] Given 4 (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

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

Olympia Family Restaurant.
3312 Niagara Falls Blvd., N. Tonawanda.
694-6969.

[JJBy, 3/07] recommends it for breakfast, and says: "Ate there when we were in town a couple of weeks ago. It's very Greek and pretty good."

On the Twenty.
See Inn on the Twenty.

One-Eyed Jacks Smokehouse Grill.
5983 S. Transit Rd. (Rte. 78 at Robinson Rd., just north of Dysinger), Lockport, NY.
438-5414.

[AG, 9/02] says: "The best pulled pork in Western New York. Decent, moist brisket. The sides are unremarkable, but who goes to a barbecue place for the potato salad? Entirely reasonable prices ($6 or so for lunch)."

[PDe, 3/05] says: "Really, really good barbecue. They're one of the few authentic smokehouse BBQ places in WNY. The pulled pork is great, and the beef brisket is even better, very tender and smoky. They make their own sauce, served on the side, in regular and hot. They have specials such as smoked chicken, or turkey legs, or fish. You can stop by and pick up a package of pork and a bottle of sauce from the cooler for quick take-out (they also do regular take-out). Most of the sides are nothing special, but the barbecue beans are worthwhile—they have bits of smoky meat in them. They just started doing smoked chicken wings. Haven't tried them yet, but they sound good."

Orazio's Italian Restaurant.
9415 Main St., Clarence.
759-8888.

The chef moved here from his former restaurant on Hertel Ave., now renamed La Riviera Ristorante. Following are the reviews of the older Orazio's when it was on Hertel:

[JCM, 8/96] says: "Very good Italian cuisine at average prices. Recommend the artichoke appetizer."

[SJ, 12/97] says: "Short blurb doesn't do it justice (excellent for lunch also!); poor parking, but that is what you get in the city!" [Actually, I (Bill) don't quite understand this remark, since Oliver's has always had valet parking!]

[MEL, 9/98] says: "Bread was hot and wonderful; entree (flounder with stuffed crabmeat) was OK; potatoes were a little undercooked, though."

[ASo, 6/04] says: "Awful. Everything was great except for the entree. Had Pasta con Vodka and flounder with stuffed crab meat. The pasta is supposed to have won the New York sauce award, but it has no taste whatsoever other than cheese. Whatever taste the sauce is supposed to have has been overwhelmed by cheese taste. The flounder is all right, but don't expect crab meat; it's stuffed with normal stuffing with a hint of crab meat. Will never go again; never had such worst pasta before."

[LM, 8/05] says: "Close it down! Terrible, terrible. Salad: old and very ordinary; pasta sauce: so sweet, covering up something—(maybe from a can). Seafood scallops also not fresh at all, and cooked and served in its own broth—gross."

[a] Original Pancake House.
[a] 5479 Main St., Williamsville. 634-5515.
[a] 2075 Niagara Falls Blvd., Amherst. 691-8219.
3019 Union Rd., Orchard Park. 674-3344.

Part of the franchise. For those old-timers who still remember La Crèpe or Le Piano à Crèpes, yes, there still is a restaurant in the area that serves crèpes! If the following list sounds good, try this place; it is good: kijafa cherry crèpes, crèpes suzette, mandarin orange crèpes, peach crèpes, mushroom crèpes, beef stroganoff crèpes, chicken crèpes, seafood crèpes; also: apple pancake, German pancake. Huge portions. Also serves standard coffee-shop fare. Extremely crowded on weekends, especially Sunday brunch-time, but fast service once you get in. They do not have any smoking section!

[IP, 1/96] says: "It is the best place for breakfast ever!! What you should order when there are the apple pancakes (delicious) and the Dutch Baby (which is also delicious)."

[CD, 6/96] says: "For breakfast, we went to the Original Pancake House in Williamsville. The portions were large and caloric. But, because they do use real butter—the sensory experience was `oral-gasmic'."

[MEL, 9/98] says: "Had baked pancake, which was interesting but not to my taste—it was very eggy, and I am used to pancakes that are sweeter and less eggy (but maybe their "regular" pancakes fill that bill). But I would certainly be willing to try it again; the fruit seemed fresh, always a good sign."

[ECS, 11/01] says: "This restaurant is a must for anyone wanting a memorable breakfast dining experience. Almost everything bespeaks attention to detail, from the quality of the tableware to the ingredients of the food offerings, although the latter were so rich as to give one pause. Even the long line awaiting seating was managed well. The single exception was that five of our party of eight were served their breakfast after a fairly long wait and were subjected to a further ten minute wait until the breakfast for the last three materialized and then only after intervention with the maitre d'. My apple pancake—the house specialty—was spectacular in presentation, and the taste was delicious, even making allowances for the "egginess" spoken of by a previous reviewer. My grandson enjoyed his chocolate-chip pancakes, and the potato pancakes seemed authentic, although thinner than my wife's recipe. This restaurant's breakfast is hardly recommended as a daily habit, but for special occasions should not be missed."

[UL, 12/04] says: "I went for supper on a Wednesday night, and it was quiet. The atmosphere is somewhat old fashioned; it reminded me of family restaurants when I was a kid in the late 70s and early 80s. Coffee served in a coffee cup with saucer, not a mug, and water came in smallish glasses, not the oversized plastic monstrosities usually seen today. Servers were dressed in neat uniforms—not a single logo to be seen. My hot chocolate came with real mini-marshmallows, and the "Dutch Baby" pancake came with instructions—mix the butter, powdered sugar, and lemon juice first, to make a glaze; and then top with the fresh strawberries and strawberry syrup. The result was both rich (the pancake was eggy and not too sweet) and refreshing, with the fresh fruit. Service was prompt (given the wait for the pancake to bake) and attentive, quite nice for a woman dining alone."

[RRo, 1/05] says: "This has been one of my all-time favorite restaurants to take friends, family, and guests to. The food preparation is consistent, the fruit fresh, menu diverse, and the "specialty pancakes" mouth-watering—and where else can you get kosher salami as a side order? I'm surprised no one has mentioned the orange juice—always fresh-squeezed on premises and delicious. The negatives: If you love home-fries, steer clear of these ones. Oh, and don't linger too long after you're done eating if the owner is around—he's got a reputation for abruptly asking patrons to leave if they're just "hanging out" after their meal. Overall an excellent pick!"

[HDe, 3/05] says: "I was just at the Original Pancake House [on] Saturday. I was disappointed. My wife had pancakes which she said were no better than anyone else's. I ordered the mushroom omelet. It was overpriced, and nothing that out of the ordinary. It was too big and covered in a thick sherry mushroom sauce, way too much for breakfast. I received a side of potato pancakes that were thin, flimsy, and lacking substance and flavor. You want a potato pancake, go to Ulrich's Tavern. To me for breakfast I'd take a place like Panos any day."

[JJBy, 1/07] recommends their breakfasts, saying: "Two years ago, I had the best pancakes ever at the one on Niagara Falls Boulevard."

[BMcWS, 4/08] says: "We've been enjoying this restaurant for many years, and, if you've ever attempted to get a table on a Sunday morning, you'll see how popular it is. There is also a location on Niagara Falls Blvd., but we like the ambience at the Main St. location much better. The menu is extensive. They have every kind of pancake, egg, crepe, waffle, or other breakfast food you can imagine. Our most recent visit was on a Saturday night. Let me tell you, this is the time to go! There were only 3 other occupied tables in the place, and the service was excellent and the food hot. We all had hot chocolate (one free refill included). This is good and rich—not watery. My husband and I each ordered the Dutch Baby. This is one of the specialties of the house (along with the apple pancake, which I also highly recommend). The Dutch Baby is a big, puffy, round, baked pancake. It takes about 20 min to cook, so plan to wait a bit. It is served with butter, lemon juice, powdered sugar, strawberries, and strawberry syrup, which your server will prepare for you. The result is a moist pancake (almost with the texture of Yorkshire pudding) with a sweet and slightly tangy sauce on it. You cannot beat this, and you simply must try it. The outside of the pancake is crunchy and brown. It is a plate of heaven. It is too much for one person to eat, so splitting one is a good idea, especially if you order some sides. We each ordered bacon, and both our orders of bacon were cooked precisely to our very picky specifications. Nice thick bacon arrives hot. Wonderful. The kids had pancakes—buttermilk and chocolate chip. One had sausage patties, and the other had links. All of it was delicious. The portion sizes are huge here. The maple syrup is real (not fake Aunt Jemima stuff). I highly recommend this restaurant for breakfast, brunch, or breakfast for dinner. Weekend mornings are very, very crowded, and the service does reflect that, but, if you go at off-peak times, you will have excellent service and a more relaxing experience. If they could just get some normal-size (not pee-wee) water glasses."

Original Soup Man.
5225 Sheridan Dr. (in Georgetown Plaza, corner of Evans Rd. and Sheridan Dr.), Williamsville.
204-5881.

Part of the chain.

[WHN, 1/07] says: "The real "Soup Nazi", characterized on the Seinfeld television show, is franchising his restaurants. The soups—we had Chicken Vegetable and Butternut Squash—were good, but not worth standing in line for hours, as in the TV show. With a bowl of soup (priced from $6.95 up), you get a piece of pre-packaged French bread, a piece of chocolate, and your choice of an apple, orange, or banana. For $3 more, you can add a half sandwich and soft drink. Unlike the television character, the staff is helpful, polite, and friendly."

[MRT, 5/07] says: "My husband and I tried the Original Soup Man soon after the place opened. The soup is just OK, and the soup costs more than it is worth. Drive to the next mall just east of Georgetown Plaza. There you will find Williamsville Place Plaza and SoupHerb Gourmet in the far right corner. SoupHerb Gourmet offers superb soups, salads, bread, and desserts for less money than the Soup Nazi. SoupHerb Gourmet is one of our favorite restaurants."

[MZ, 3/08] says: "Bad man, worse food: oily dishwater served up with discrimination, deserving of his imminent bankruptcy."

Otto's Restaurant.
3972 Union Rd., Cheektowaga. 632-2035.

[TFR, 2/06] says: "Otto's Restaurant is a local gem. I recommend this place to anyone who travels to Buffalo from out of town. The menu features Italian specialities, alongside traditional American fare. The Sicilian style pizza is possibly the thickest, most delicious pizza in the Buffalo area. The fish fry is crispy and very tasty. Their subs are great, their appetizers are great, their chicken fingers are great. In years of going to this restaurant, I have never tried anything that was even mediocre—every meal has always exceeded my expectations. Portion sizes are very large. Even better than the food, though, are the prices. The food is priced very reasonably, and the bar menu prices are hard to beat. A pitcher of beer is around $5 or $6. The service is usually very efficient and friendly, though we've had to wait a while for the food sometimes. It's always been worth the wait, though! My family and I believe that Otto's perfectly represents traditional Buffalo, NY, food. When we go out of town, we crave the style of food that Otto's serves, and we always stop on the way home from the airport!"

[AMS, 5/07] says: "Something told me to actually read my checking account statement this time. I was overcharged by Otto's on 4/13 by only a few bucks. The significance of this lies not in that few dollars, but in the snowball effect it would have had lest I overlooked it. I spoke to a "manager" on Sunday, leaving all transaction numbers and figures with her. She told me to call back and ask for the restaurant owner in 3 days if I hadn't heard from him, because only he can issue the credits. I called back after 6 days, and by the 7th day got to talk to Joe. He said that the 6th day was the first time he had heard about the overcharge. So I had to explain everything all over again, and he said "For 4 dollars, I'm not going to look up the transaction." He left the money in an envelope at the bar for me. He was unapologetic and cranky. Warning: Check your credit card statements after charging anything at Otto's."

[NH, 5/07] says: "We had our third annual bowling banquet at Otto's. I had the bill figured out before we went, because I have to make sure I have enough money to pay the bill. When I received the bill, it was $50 more than I had planned on. After figuring it out again, I realized they couldn't figure 8.75% tax. That total was incorrect. Then the gratuity was based on the total after tax, which I find intolerable also. After giving the bill back to the bartender (who was exceptionally rude), she took it downstairs and brought it back up again with yet another incorrect total. I then decided it was time to go downstairs to talk to someone myself, since I couldn't take the "looks" that I was getting from the bartender. After standing downstairs for a while, someone came out of the back room with the bill figured exactly to the total that I had. Now imagine that! If I hadn't bothered to bring my own figures with me, they would have received $50 more than we owed. They also served our dinner an hour earlier than we had confirmed and didn't serve the dessert that we ordered. No apologies were made for any of these errors. I think this will be the last banquet we will have there."

Outback Steakhouse.
[a] 1551 Niagara Falls Blvd. (north of Maple, at Romney Rd.), Amherst. 833-6067.
3670 McKinley Pkwy. (across from McKinley Mall), Blasdell. 823-2020.

Part of the chain.

[MER] and I ate at the Amherst location [9/07] with our 11-year-old son. I never eat steak out (it's bad for my cholesterol, and I make a better steak at home :-), so even at a steak-place like this I look for other items. I chose their fresh fish special: grilled snapper with steamed vegetables. The snapper was plain but good, and came with a tasty dipping sauce; the veggies were surprisingly tasty. My son had the baby back ribs with "Aussie chips" (flavored fries) and cinnamon apples; he liked the ribs, seemed neutral about the fries, and I ate, but did not like, the apples. [MER] had a "chicken griller" with grilled pineapple, whole-grain wild rice, and grilled veggies, which she liked. For a chain, it's not bad.

[ABi, 2/06] says of the Amherst location: "Outback Steakhouse is what Australia would look like if every vertical surface on the country/continent was covered by either a kangaroo photograph, painting of the eponymous outback, or Foster's advert. Still, it's fun there, in a goofy, Disneyesque manner, as long as you're willing to play along with the contrivance. Also, the servers are friendly and attentive without reaching TGI Friday's waiter-levels of obscene enthusiasm. Most importantly, they have the best food of the Niagara-Falls-Boulevard-vicinity chains. Everyone who's ever eaten at an Outback in the history of the universe has started, or at least should have started, with the most famous of all themed restaurant items, the Bloomin' Onion. It's an onion the size of a softball, sliced into strips so it resembles a flower, hence the "bloomin'" part, then deep-fried, resulting in breaded, crispy, greasy deliciousness. Imagine onion rings turned up to 11. Served with a tangy, horseradish-based sauce, it's a food item so calorie-intensive that you feel shame as soon as you're done eating, and it's so worth it. The steaks are great, especially for a chain: They're juicy and flavorful, and they know that "rare" means a wonderfully charred exterior balanced with a soft, gloriously crimson center. I got fries as a side my last visit, skin-on and the right balance between crispy and mushy; I usually go for the salt-encrusted baked potato, loaded with its natural allies of cheese, chives, and bacon pieces. You're not losing weight the particular day you dine here, so you may as well. Both dinner buddies got prime rib, one regular and the other "Outback" style, which is heavily seasoned and seared. Each agreed the entree was delicious, with the tender creaminess one hopes to find in a rib roast. My mother adds that they have a good wine list, particularly for this sort of place, although I can't speak for that due to my ignorance, seeing as my expertise is largely limited to plonk from a box or paper-bag-encased bottle. The Outback is an indulgent place: There's the requisite onion appetizer; leafy, crunchy salads laden with milky-rich dressing; giant slab of beef; cheese-saturated starch side; soft, honey-sweet pumpernickel bread with whipped butter; continuously refilled soft drink; and maybe a rich cheesecake slice after. So go and have fun. Every so often, you should skip lunch, head to a place like the Outback, and enjoy yourself sans guilt. I'm supposed to close with something like "go there and have a "g'day, mate," or a phrase referencing a "barbie," but I refuse."

[PT, 7/07] says of the Amherst location: "A friend recommended Outback, saying their steaks were better than Ruth's Chris, an upscale national chain with no presence in WNY—the closest one is in Mississauga. The steaks were delicious and cooked perfectly to the doneness requested, but not quite as good as we remember Ruth's Chris's, which uses prime beef, as opposed to Outback's choice grade. The atmosphere is also much different than Ruth's Chris—louder, more casual, and, of course, it has the Australian theme. Also, they don't take reservations, but you can call ahead to be put on their waiting list. On the other hand, Outback's prices are about 50% less per entree, and they include two side dishes, whereas everything is à la carte at Ruth's Chris. For the money, we would say Outback is worth a visit, but recommend calling ahead to try to avoid a long wait."

[BL, 3/08] says of the Blasdell location: "Good menu and interestingly prepared food with good-tasting items. A tad expensive for a budget family or couple night out. High-priced items within a chain atmosphere."