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

See Restaurant Tony de Luca.

O'Brien's Pub & Steakhouse.
8557 N. Main St., Eden.
992-4300.

[DBr, 9/08] says: "I was recently invited to a birthday dinner at O'Brien's Pub in Eden. I've visited O'Brien's quite often over the past two years and had just been there for wings two nights prior. I decided to check this site to see what had been written about O'Brien's. I was surprised not to see any reviews. Of course, I had to write. As often as I go to this place, I haven't been disappointed. The menu has changed a bit since it opened, but the quality of the food hasn't changed. It's always been much better than average. Some dishes have been outstanding. I'll try to give a brief rundown of some of my favorite menu items: Potato Leek Soup—just like home, perfectly seasoned and creamy. Buffalo Wings—a difficult to accomplish blend of lightly crisp outside while plump and juicy inside, good sized and not greasy! Pittsburg Steak Salad—nice mix of greens, filling and quite tasty; it hit the spot nicely. Reuben Sandwich—difficult to mess this one up, but O'Brien's Reuben wasn't overly greasy; not a small sandwich, but size may be an issue for those with heartier appetites. Shepherd's Pie—My companions loved it; perfectly crusted, large, filling portions. Alfredo—the real deal here! Obviously made with cream, butter, eggs, and quality cheese. Some other places add white sauce to keep their Alfredo sauce from separating; not here! O'Brien's also offers various beef cuts. I had recently bemoaned the lack of "good steaks" in the Southtowns. I was pleasantly surprised when I ordered O'Brien's sirloin. Meaty flavor, cooked to perfection, and juicy. My companion agreed; the quality was excellent! When consistantly good service, affordable prices, in combination with great food, is too often hard to find, I've been happy to find it in Eden. Additionally, O'Brien's often has live entertainment."

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

[4/09] Raised to 4 (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

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

[EAK, 11/09] reports that they have a special of $45 per person for a 5-course tasting.

[WHN] said:

[10/09] "I tried to make a reservation at O'Connell's for last weekend, during ‘Local Restaurant Week’. I was told they were fully booked but that they were extending the special $20.09 tasting menu another week, so I made a reservation for Friday night, 10/2. Our last visit two years ago was a less-than-stellar experience, but the review below [JCr, 3/09] of their spring ‘Local Restaurant Week’ convinced us to try it again. We're very glad we did. They were offering not one, but two, 5-course tasting menus for $20.09. The French menu started with white truffle bisque, followed by a small lobster tail with a roasted tomato sauce, then a lamb chop with baby spinach, filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, over creamed potatoes, and finally a choice of chocolate volcano cake or vanilla bean creme brule. The Italian menu started with a scallop topped by crispy artichokes, followed by seared tuna with succotash, then braised rabbit over parmesan polenta, a braised Osso Bucco-style pork hock, and the same dessert choices. We chose the chocolate cake, accompanied by a small scoop of caramel ice cream, whipped cream, and a fresh strawberry, with a chocolate coulis. Both the French and Italian meals were extraordinary at any price, but an unbelievable value for $20.09. Wines matched to accompany each course were available for an additional $20.09. My wife compared the meal favorably to tasting menus we've had at Mirbeau Inn's Savor restaurant in Skaneateles. The only minor complaint, which we also overheard at the adjacent table, was that there could have been more rabbit in that dish. WGRZ's Kevin O'Connell, co-owner and father of the chef, came around to the tables to ask how everything was and chat briefly. According to their website, a 5-course menu is now available nightly for $45, in addition to the a la carte menu. We won't wait another two years to return. Definitely worthy of the 4 stars Janice Okun gave O'Connell's in the spring."

[9/07] "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."

[8/07] "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."

[3/07] "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."

[11/06] "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)."

[RJe, 7/09] said: "Let me start off with saying I have truly enjoyed your site, and it has been very helpful to me. [Thanks for the kind words!] I do not reside full time in the Buffalo area; I am currently living in Metro Philadelphia, via Manhattan, although I conduct business on a monthly basis in the Buffalo area. I have never written a review to your site, but based on my last three visits to Buffalo, I feel like this review needs to be written. My first visit to O'Connell's was in the beginning of June; this was not my choice, but the choice of my partner who lives in Buffalo. Apparently they had just received 4 stars in the local newspaper, and this rating was of interest to me because 4 stars are not handed out very often in Philadelphia and New York. My partner explained to me that very few establishments in Buffalo have 4 stars, but the rating system here is a little different than The New York Times. Upon entering O'Connell's, I was very pleased with the small, very well appointed, dining area and beautiful bar area. We had a drink and waited for our table, which was to be in the ‘Chef's Room’, a smallish dining area off the bar area. The drinks served by a very nice gentleman, I believe his name was Tom, were very nice and prepared as instucted: a very dirty martini and a muddled old fashioned; the others in our party had wine by the glass, which I later noticed was a very well put together list. The menu at this establishment is split between a ‘Chef's Tasting’ and what is called a ‘Salon’ menu: basically à la carte selections. I was very surprised to see such a complex tasting menu in Buffalo. One of our guests had been here before and explained to me that the chef, son of the owner, had worked in some pretty upscale restaurants in and out of Buffalo. It certainly shows; our entire table selected the evening's tasting. Our amuse bouche was a spectacular ‘Lobster Broth’; this was quite possibly the best version of lobster bisque I have ever had: creamy and rich, yet light to the taste, served in a very nice demi tasse cup for just enough to tempt your taste buds. I then indulged with a foie gras course that would stand up against any foie gras in the ‘Big City’; the larger than average piece was seared perfectly and served atop blueberry ‘French Toast’—fantastic. I then had a bacon-wrapped, veal sweetbread over house-made butternut squash ravioli; again I had to remember that I was in a Buffalo restaurant, because at this point I thought I was at a four star restaurant in Manhattan. The ravioli was cooked perfectly, the sweetbreads crispy, yet smooth—another winner. The seafood course was a ‘Mac N Cheese’; well, this was not Kraft!! Mascarpone-enriched orzo pasta with whole lobster claws, and then topped with a butter-poached lobster tail; mac ’n’ cheese will never be the same for me. I closed with a rack of lamb cooked to a perfect medium: deep pink and juicy, over a fantasic heirloom apple and cilantro salad. This was a dining experience that I would not soon forget, and, to top it off, Chef O'Connell came to the table and introduced himself and made sure that our meals were satisfactory; that is something that you would not get at a restaurant of this quality in a larger city. He was very charming and indulged us by sitting and chatting about his restaurant and his life as a chef. As I stated, after my last three visits to Buffalo, I needed to write this review; the other two visits were also to O'Connell's, and each time Chef O'Connell wowed me by both his food and his passion for what he does. The staff at this restaurant have obviously been trained by a professional and deserve every bit of the four stars they were awarded. I would actually go as far as to say that this restaurant, in Philadelphia or New York City, would challenge to be 4 but most certainly would be a 3-star establishment. I am going to be back in town at the end of the month and most certainly will be returning to O'Connell's."

[DP, 5/09] said: "My husband and I dined at O'Connell's in April 2009. We selected this restaurant based on the review in the Buffalo News. Having received high marks from Ms. Okun (4 stars), we began our evening with high hopes. Unfortunately, we were repeatedly disappointed. O'Connell's is located in the former Hourglass. The outside seems to have been left untouched, including the sad, overgrown flower beds circling the building. Superficially, the interior has been improved. A closer look, however, reveals broken ceiling tiles with paper and/or napkins stuffed into the holes, mix-matched salt and pepper shakers, and a small, outdated women's room. (The entry door for the women's room is actually a half-door, width-wise, which is very off-putting considering I am seven-months pregnant.) The tables were adorned with silk flowers, which I found to be a questionable choice for a higher-end dining establishment, especially in the spring. We had a reservation and were seated immediately. If only the service for the remainder of the evening could have been so prompt. O'Connell's offers a nightly, 6-course, tasting menu. This is a labor-intensive proposition for the waitstaff (or should I say the single waiter). The wait between courses was often long and unacknowledged. The waiter often forgot which course I was on and had to ask repeatedly what I had last eaten. My poor husband, who ordered off the salon menu, had to wait through five of my six courses before he received his main meal. This process was not explained when I ordered from the tasting menu and he did not. The food ranged from poor to mediocre. The only pleasant surprise of the evening was my husband's medium-rare rib steak. It was huge, well-cooked, and arrived perched on a huge mound of bacon-studded mashed potatoes. I was, however, disappointed by every course of the tasting menu. Everything else was under-seasoned. It was as if the kitchen was unfamiliar with spices or even basic salt and pepper. The amuse bouche, which should be a single-bite hors d'oeuvre, consisted of a small bowl of 5–6 small clams. The clams were served in a chunky tomato sauce. I was somewhat put off by the presentation but was even more put off by the grit in the clams. The pesto accompanying the buffalo mozzarella salad tasted of nothing, nor, surprisingly, did the balsamic reduction. The skate wing, which was new to me, was tender and interesting, but again the accompanying sauce was bland and left me wishing for something, anything, to excite my palate (my arm was beginning to tire from having to generously salt each course). The escargots were tasty, but there were no toast points or crusty bread provided to soak up the garlic butter left in the dish's craters. (My husband had long finished the bread from the bread basket as he waited for his meal.) Both the skate and my main dish (two well-cooked, although under-seasoned lamb chops) were served with a single stalk of unseasoned broccoli rabe. It was really quite a pathetic sight to see this poor, over-boiled piece of broccoli rabe strewn across the plate. All in all, I would not recommend O'Connell's to anyone. While the prices are more than fair, the food simply isn't worth the money."

Kevin O'Connell, Jr., replied to DP's review: "Though we have not met, I am a big fan of your site. The last review of our establishment is a little unsettling to me. We have since cleaned up the outside flower beds, and the ceiling is being replaced. As for ladies' room, I find it a little strange that they are reviewing our facilities, which I might add are immaculately clean and well kept, not mentioned in the review, nor should it be. I am certainly sorry that this woman did not enjoy her meal, but to criticize based on the fact that her husband had to wait for his dinner seems to be strange, as she ordered a ‘tasting menu’, which I believe did not need an explanation, and her husband ordered an à la carte item. Obviously, six courses for one customer and 1 course for another is awkward. I just thought I would mention this, not for any other reason than to at least explain my position on the non-food items. If this lady did not enjoy her meal, I certainly would have liked to know about it that evening so I could have made a trip to her table to rectify the situation. This is not a message discounting this woman's meal; if she thought it was not worth the price and did not enjoy her meal, I would have certainly comped her dinner without question. I am not the type of chef that thinks that everyone is going to love what I do; some may not, and that is evident with this past review. Thank you for having this site; it is a great avenue to get feedback from your customers. You may certainly print this; I just wanted to state my position on this review. I am certainly not against people who write non-glowing reviews, because, as I said before, sometimes they may not have the experience they wanted. I just would like to hear about those experiences the night it happened, so I can remedy the situation; unfortunately, when I hear about them in this manner, it is hard for me to make a remedy, as I don't know the person and have no way of contacting them. Thank you for giving me the chance to respond."

[JCr, 3/09] said: "This evening, my wife and I went to O'Connell's for dinner. This is restaurant week, and their feature menu was a 6-course, chef's tasting menu. This is one of the few restaurants that really took this ‘restaurant week’ promotion to heart and really had an offering that displayed what their restaurant had to offer, what their chef had to offer, and what they are really all about. Most of the 130+ restaurants offered basic steak/salmon/pasta entrees as their restaurant week special, more of an obligatory, uninspired offering than a well-thought presentation. Our 6-course, tasting menu consisted of a Fire Roasted Asparagus Soup; Petite Caesar Salad; Surf & Turf, which consisted of 2 butter-poached shrimp and a crispy pork belly; a fresh Pappardelle pasta with braised rabbit/mustard greens/mushrooms; and a Braised Short Rib with root vegetables and polenta. This was followed by a Chocolate Truffle with berries and whipped cream. This was overall a great meal and a great dining experience as well. The Crispy Berkshire Pork Belly was by far the highpoint of the meal; although it required a tad more salt, it was amazing. After this evening's meal, I really wish all my dining experiences could be multi-course tasting flights, as opposed to the ‘starter, entree, dessert’-type meals; plus, considering all this was $20.09 per person, it was unreal."

[KT, 7/06] said: "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."

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.

Ohlson's Bakery Cafe.
8500 Sheridan Dr. (at the corner of Harris Hill), Clarence.
626-7783.

[AFN, 9/09] says: "Both my friend and I had heard wonderful things about Ohlson's, so we tried it for lunch today. They offer a soup and half-sandwich luncheon special, which we both chose. There were four soups to choose from. I had creamy corn, chicken, and vegetable chowder, with jalapenos that added some heat. My friend had chicken and dumpling soup. Both were delicious on this cool, windy, fall day. There are many sandwiches to choose from. I had a half Reuben, and my friend had a half roasted turkey sandwich. As you would expect, since they're a bakery as well as a restaurant, the breads were fresh from the oven, and the sandwiches were very tasty. I told my husband that we'll have to go there sometime. The baked goods all look delicious, too. I brought some sticky pecan buns home for breakfast."

Old Man River.
375 Niagara St., Tonawanda.
693-5558.

[PT, 8/08] says: "Owned by the same people as Mississippi Mudd's, a block away. In addition to hot dogs, hamburgers, sausage, and the usual accompaniments, they also have a "Seafood Shack" that sells chowder, clams, shrimp, etc. (We have not tried their seafood.) It's good basic "comfort food" in a no-frills environment, with a nice view of Niawanda Park and the Niagara River from the tables in front."

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

[KaB, 10/09] says: "We were out leaf peeping last Sunday and stopped by the Old Orchard for an early dinner. The Old Orchard has a country charm, which adds to the experience. The rooms were nicely decorated with a small amount of Halloween/Fall decorations in the dining rooms. We were greeted and seated promptly without having reservations. Entrees came with soup or salad, and we both chose French Onion Soup. It was small but perfectly proportioned in terms of soup, bread, and cheese. My husband had the macadamia-crusted sea bass, and I had the Caribbean spiced pork tenderloin. Both were delicious. The side dishes were actually the surprising part. They serve them family style. My husband doesn't usually stray far from the meat and potatoes, so it shocked me that he loved the beets as well as the butternut squash. It was also served with the most creamy and well-seasoned mashed potatoes. The servers were very attentive and able to answer questions about the menu. Overall, the entire experience was delightful, and we will return again soon."

[FS, 3/09] said: "We had dinner last night at the Old Orchard Inn. Our group of four were seated promptly upon our arrival at a cozy table by a window in the bar room. Our waitress was very personable and attentive. I had Jambalaya. It was a large portion. The shrimp was cooked properly, and the dish had a nice, spicy kick to it. Perfect for a cold, wet evening. It was served with rice pilaf. I had a choice of soup or salad, and I went with the Navy bean soup, which I liked. My wife had the macadamia-crusted sea bass drizzled with a berry glaze: a large piece of fish. She enjoyed it, but didn't care for the glaze. She started with a salad that she enjoyed. We got au gratin potatoes and a medley of vegetables served family style. The place was closed for renovations in January, but it appeared the same (maybe some decorating updates). Our waitress said they did a lot of work in the kitchen. We all enjoyed ourselves. They don't have an extensive menu, but the food seems to be well prepared. As an aside, I think the men's room is smaller than the lav in an airplane."

[KMe, 10/08] said: "I just checked your listing and realized that the last review was done in 1995. Since this is one of my favorite restaurants, I thought it should be updated. We went there for dinner on Saturday night. I called to make reservations at 3pm on Saturday, and my only choice was 8pm, so I took it. We arrived at 7:30 hoping to get seated early—no chance, so we had a seat at the bar. We found out that there was a wedding reception in the upstairs banquet room and a large birthday celebration in the main dining room. Earlier that day, there was a wedding reception and a shower! They are definitely busy. I ordered a glass of Copolla Merlot, and my date ordered a Canadian beer—t otal cost was $13! We were seated promptly at 8pm and immediately greeted by our server, Michael. He did not go over the specials, but they were printed on a little card at the table. We both ordered entrees that came with soup or salad. The salad was a nice size, very crisp lettuce and minimal veggies. My date had the soup of the day: bacon, lettuce, and tomato. It was a chunky tomato base with bacon, shredded lettuce on top, and topped with sour cream—it was very, very good. I got the Manicotti Giuseppi (Roseland's recipe of manicotti and a meatball)—there were 3 large manicotti crepes stuffed with wonderful ricotta blend, lots of mozzarella on top, with homemade sauce and meatballs—it was wonderful! My date got the strip steak with the dry rub, and it was delicious. It was expensive at $29 (plus $3 extra for the rub), but there was enough for another meal. The Old Orchard always brings out some special sides for you to enjoy during your dinner. On Saturday, we got a vegetable medley and a very delicious, creamy, sweet-pea risotto. These are served family style, and we took the leftovers home with us. I love the ambiance of the restaurant—it has a homey feel with the dark wood and the country setting. It is a little pricy, but a nice restaurant to go to if you want to enjoy the scenery while you eat."

[DRJa, 12/95] said that it was 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.

For years, this restaurant has called itself the "Old Red Mill Inn", but [JKl, 8/09] pointed out to me that their website as well as their listing at Restaurant.com call it simply "Red Mill Inn". I note, however, that their own website has a photo of the outside of the restaurant with "OLD RED MILL INN" in big neon letters :-)

[JKl,9/08] says: "So...I can't give a completely well-rounded review, because I didn't eat there, but I did have some sharp observations that I think the public should be aware of. The ladies of my family went to the Old Red Mill on a Saturday afternoon in August, because we were scoping out locations to hold a bridal shower. Now, let me state that I am very into "quirky" places with themes and such, to reel in a potential customer. The Old Red Mill is old...and "mill-y", yes. But it's also something else...I would expect this place to seem like you're dining in an "old red mill" without all the unpleasant extras you would expect in a real mill that wasn't serving dinner. We walked into the side door and stood near the hostess stand and immediately were overwhelmed with the smell of old urine. Think: the strange "cat lady" next door who hasn't had her carpets cleaned in a while. It was truly overpowering. We went on a tour of the restaurant and were just overcome with the feeling that it was much more "mill" and a lot less "restaurant". They could certainly create the feel of being a vintage location without having really old, worn, and stained/dirty rugs. The entire place smelled like a musty basement, something that I truly would not be able to bear while also eating in such an environment. The train car was cute, but everything seemed somewhat dirty, and that scent lingered everywhere. Like I said, I'm all for eating in an atmosphere that recalls the "good old times", but I would think that, being a restaurant, you would want to keep a handle on the "old" aspect by getting new carpets, doing some mold remediation, giving the whole restaurant a thorough wipe down, and making it a clean, appealing, good-smelling, sanitary atmosphere to go along with the "old mill" quirk as well. If you want "old school sentimentality", go to Asa Ransom House instead. As much as I didn't like my experience there (see my other review), in terms of atmosphere, Asa Ransom House has the period-correct dining environment with the sanitary conditions diners prefer."

[NH, 6/08] said: "We decided to use one of our Entertainment Book coupons for the Old Red Mill Sunday brunch. The coupon states, "Good for one champagne Sunday brunch when one of equal or greater value is purchased". Because the coupon was worth $7.00, we figured the brunch wouldn't be too much more than that. Wrong. The brunch, though very tasty and full of choices, was $19.95 per person. I find that to be extraordinarily expensive—especially given the musty odor inside this restaurant. I couldn't believe how much it smelled like the inside of a very, very old log cabin. Not very appetizing to say the least. The service left a lot to be desired, also. There were only about 6 tables occupied, yet it still took our server (one of many) forever to clear our plates and bring our bill at the end of the meal. If anyone is interested in the remaining coupons in our book, just let me know. We will not be returning."

[J&NS, 4/08] said: "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."

[WHN, 8/07] said: "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."

[JSG, 4/06] said: "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!)."

[ETB, 12/00] said: "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."

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

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. (near Old Fort Niagara, about 15 minutes from Artpark), Youngstown.
745-7141.

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

[AFN, 6/09] says: "My sister, our daughters, and I went to the Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens on Saturday, 6/13. Seven restaurants from Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Youngstown offered samples of their cuisine at the various houses on the tour. The only dish I really disliked, as did my daughter, was so-called lobster and crab cakes from The Bistro at the Old Fort Inn, which tasted like they were made with surimi instead of real crab meat."

[PS, 11/99] said: "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."

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.

[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."

As for the food, [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."

[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.

[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]

[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."

[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."

[DN, 8/96] says of the Maple Rd. location: "A nice place to go for lunch, which is reasonably priced and also contains a lot of variety. I like their Lasagna Classico."

[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."

[RM, 5/94] says: "The food has been mediocre at best each of the times I have been."

Olive's.
215 W. Lake Rd. (Rt. 394) (in the Chautauqua Suites Meeting & Expo Center hotel), Mayville.
753-2331.

Italian.

[PT, 10/18] says: "My husband and I had lunch at Olive's on Saturday 10/4. The menu, for lunch at least, is mostly pizzas and panini sandwiches. I would describe the food as mediocre."

Oliver's. —WARNING: WEBSITE PLAYS LOUD MUSIC!
2095 Delaware Ave. (north of Delaware Park), Buffalo. 877-9662.

Elegant, expensive, continental cuisine, currently with an Asian touch.

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

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

[PT, 11/09] says: "Saturday night [11/21/09], we went to Oliver's to celebrate our anniversary. Although it's been around forever, it was our first time there. To start, we shared an order of clams casino, which were delicious, and an order of their spinach bread, which was wonderful. Then my husband had a Caesar salad, while I had a mixed green salad with a firm goat cheese. I have only had soft goat cheeses before, but this one was excellent; I wish I had gotten the name. For main courses, we both had halibut topped with king crab, accompanied by corn and asparagus, with a lemon-tarragon sauce. For dessert, we shared creme brulee. It was an excellent meal, with service to match. Valet parking, too. Expensive, but worth it for a special occasion. 3-stars out of 3."

[AMB, 4/09] said: "We had a wonderful meal at Oliver's this week (an anniversary dinner). We eat out quite a bit, at many different kinds of restaurants, and this was the most special meal we've had since a visit to Rue Franklin a few years ago. The bar area had a private party going on, but it was nice and quiet in the side room, and the service was excellent. There is a complementary "amuse bouche"—that night was a small tomato stuffed with goat cheese and pesto (delicious)—and a bread basket full of different, delicious breads (even if you don't order their special spinach bread, which we did not). For appetizers, I had a veal-leek spring roll served with some woodsy mushrooms and greens (and a nice tangy sauce); my husband got escargot served in a crisp cylinder of pasta (impressive looking)—he enjoyed this (I thought mine was more delicious). For entrees, I had the lamb chops from the menu—very, very good (and more than I could eat; I brought some home); my husband had a fish special (Ono), which was excellent (a nice-tasting fish; we hadn't had this before). For dessert, we shared a trio of creme brulees (not so adventurous, but still very good). There is an extensive wine list to choose from. This was not an inexpensive evening out, but it was worth it—certainly somewhere to choose for a special dinner."

Bill said:

[5/08] Attended a Bat Mitzvah dinner catered by Oliver's at Shea's. Astounding! The hors d'oeuvres (served in the lobby) included oysters, clams, huge shrimp, and sushi (all with various sauces), and chicken-and-salsa quesadillas, beef with a mustard sauce on toast, feta and veggie pizzas. The main course was a delicious herb-sauced chicken with mashed potatoes and string beans. A dessert table had everything imaginable and more. I don't know if Oliver's was also responsible for the Wizard of Oz stage set (the dinner was on stage), but, if so, more kudos for a job well done!

[5/02] This was always one of my favorite restaurants, but I had not been here in a long time. 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.

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

[JCr, 10/05] said: "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."

[CB, 5/03] said: "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."

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."

Olympic Restaurant.
4611 Genesee St. (across from Buffalo Niagara International Airport), Cheektowaga.
839-4022, 2978.

Greek.

[6/08] I [Bill] had eaten lunch here a few years ago with some colleagues and enjoyed it, so when [MER] and I had to run an errand near the airport, I suggested this place for a quick dinner. A big mistake. In their favor, they have a large menu of standard Greek and American items, and this Tuesday night they had a number of Jack Daniels specials. But we opted for more usual fare: avgolemeno soup, an open chicken souvlaki for [MER], and a "Mt. Olympus" chicken souvlaki pizza (feta, mozzarella, onions, green peppers, sauce, and chicken souvlaki). We waited and waited and waited for our avgolemeno. It was a chilly night, and hot soup would have been warming and satisfying. We watched other customers get their nice, hot soups. We waited some more. About a half-hour later, our souvlaki and pizza arrived. We asked about our soup. Without a word of apology or an inquiry into whether we still wanted it (we didn't), our waitress looked at us as if we had just asked for a brand new item, turned on her heel, and got us two lukewarm cups of the worst avgolemeno we've ever had: It was nothing more than cream of chicken soup with a very mild lemon flavor. [MER]'s souvlaki was OK but nothing out of the ordinary. My pizza was good. But we won't be back: The food's not worth it, and the service was terrible. I certainly wouldn't go here for a quick meal if you have to catch a flight.

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.

[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."

[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)."

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

[GOw, 6/09] says: "It can only mean one thing when I go out to eat at a nice place without a coupon: Someone else is treating! Yes, I, along with the family, was treated in honor of Father's Day to dinner by my mother-in-law. Having grown up in Clarence, it is a mystery why we have never dined at Orazio's before. Actually, I did eat there many times as a child in the '60s when it was known as the Turkey Roost. This building has housed a variety of restaurants over the years. I think Orazio's has gotten it right. We called for 5:30 reservations on Saturday night. Good thing we ate early, as the place really filled up shortly after we arrived. We ordered wine and enjoyed the crispy, home-baked bread: wonderful bread. We ordered. We mostly ordered typical Italian dishes. Everything was very good. Salads were good. The kids said the Ranch dressing was the best they have had. Mom was full after the bread and salad, and took home most of her fettucine Alfredo, but not before I speared a forkful. Wow, this was good. A stick of butter at least. She will be eating this for a while. Jan had the eggplant parm; again, excellent. I had a special with shrimp and scallops over spinach risotto. Very good, but I hankered for the red sauce. Good thing the kids on either side of me had chicken parm and ravioli. I helped myself to the slightly sweet sauce by dunking my bread on their plates. Prices are average, portion sizes are large, and service is good. Jan and I will try this place some night without the kids and maybe be a bit more adventurous on what we order—or maybe not."

[BK, 6/09] said: "This past weekend, I had the pleasure of dining at Orazio's Italian Restaurant in Clarence. I was originally reluctant to try the restaurant, given the lackluster reviews it has received on your site; however, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised by the entire dining experience. Our party of five arrived at the restaurant shortly before our 7:45 reservation, and we were promptly greeted by the hostess, seated, and provided with menus. The restaurant offers traditional, moderately priced ($12.00–$25.00 entrees) Italian cuisine, and all of the breads, pastas, and desserts are prepared in house daily. They also have a fairly extensive wine list and a diverse assortment of specialty drinks and martinis; most of the wines are offered by the glass, while some of the more expensive champagne and sparkling wines (e.g., Dom Perignon, White Star) are only offered by the bottle. Some of our party started off with a drink, but we all decided to forego appetizers in favor of dessert. For my entrée, I opted for the chicken parmesan. When dining at a new Italian restaurant, I always order this dish to gauge its quality against other restaurants with similar offerings. The dish was served with homemade linguini and accompanied by a fresh salad and homemade bread. The chicken parmesan was exactly how it should be, both tender and flavorful; I'd certainly rank it among the top five I've had in the Western New York region. The bread was soft, slightly sweet-flavored, and also quite enjoyable. In contrast, the salad was fairly run-of-the-mill and forgettable. The remaining members of the party enjoyed their meals as well, three of which also ordered the chicken parmesan. The lone ‘chicken parm’ dissenter opted for (and thoroughly enjoyed) the pasta con vodka, which was touted as having won the ‘New York State Award’ for best dish. For dessert, I ordered the ‘award winning’ peanut-butter pie, which was one of the best I've ever had. It was dense and rich, with a perfectly balanced peanut-butter flavor. Two of my dinner companions shared the tiramisu, which they both savored. Although the restaurant was at capacity upon arrival, there were only two other occupied tables when we departed at 10:00. In the end, I was pleased with the service, selection, and food quality at Orazio's. I will undoubtedly return in the near future."

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

[LM, 8/05] said: "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."

[ASo, 6/04] said: "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."

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

[SJ, 12/97] said: "Short blurb doesn't do it justice (excellent for lunch also!); poor parking, but that is what you get in the city!"

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

Orchid Asian Bistro.
2756 Elmwood Ave., Kenmore.
877-8880.

Japanese/Thai cuisine.

[DaB, 1/10] says: "The former location of Plate-Oh on Elmwood (in the same plaza as Ling Ling and the Hoowa Asian Supermarket) has now welcomed a brand new, far-eastern delight. Orchid Asian Bistro is one of those places that is small and easy to miss from the outside, yet very welcoming and attractive within. Dining with a party of three, I arrived in late evening and was immediately impressed by the simple yet soothing atmosphere, from the dim lighting to the spacious arrangement of tables and colorful sushi counter when you first enter. They really did a wonderful job fixing up the place, and it is a cozy, intimate atmosphere. We were immediately greeted with a genuine smile, and brought to our table where our water glasses were quickly filled and our beverage orders quickly taken. A plus is that they serve fountain sodas here, as opposed to the many Asian restaurants in this area that serve their drinks from a can or bottle. On to the food. Here you will find a complete array of à la carte sushi items, available from their expert chef. These include more common types (e.g., tuna, salmon, red snapper) to the more exotic varieties (sea urchin, flying fish roe, salmon caviar, eel). Being someone who follows the Kosher guidelines, I started with two orders of tuna shashimi (four pieces total). They were cool, tender, and simply perfect, served with generous sides of wasabi and pickled ginger, as well as some shredded carrots and cabbage. Each table includes a small pot of soy sauce, which can be added to your liking. My dining companions loved their fresh vegetable rolls with asparagus, avocado, and cucumber, as well as their garden salads with Japanese dressing. After we began with our hot miso soups, loaded with plenty of crisp seaweed, soft tofu, and scallion, we were all pleasantly surprised when one of our smiling servers brought us a generous serving of crazy rolls, on the house. He was interested to see how we would like them, and our reaction was definitely a positive one. These rolls were stuffed with smoked salmon, some type of roe, spicy sauce, scallions, and Japanese mayonnaise, surrounded by nori (dried seaweed) and a crispy tempura coating. They disappeared quickly, and we were sure to thank the staff for the thoughtful surprise. For my main course, I had ordered the red snapper fillet, and was very impressed by the artistic presentation and large portion of the food on my plate. A large, crispy fillet, cooked just until tender and flaky, which almost seemed to float atop a shallow pool of mild, yet exciting, Thai-style chili sauce, mixed with diced bell peppers, onions, and green chili slices. The spread also included more of the shredded carrot and cabbage (wonderful mixed with the sauce), as well as some tasty mixed greens. Entrees come with your choice of white or brown rice, and we all got a little bit of each. My dining companions raved about their chicken teriyaki, pointing out how lean and well cooked it was, also highly recommending the vegetarian pad Thai, which is a dish I have always enjoyed. The compliments just kept coming. I am usually a full vegetarian, but sometimes decide to settle for some wild-caught fish, and this was definitely one of those nights. Not to say that there isn't a wide variety of wonderful options, from sushi to stir-fries, for those who do not eat animal products of any kind. The restaurant was immaculate, and the service was courteous. Our food arrived quickly, yet we were encouraged to mingle for some time, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying each other's company. I was too full for desert, but one of my companions desired the tempura ice cream, which reminded me of the fried ice cream that used to be served at Chi Chi's (enjoyed the 90s flashback!), only this arrived at the table engulfed in flames. It was entertaining to watch it slowly cool down, and seemed to be enjoyed by all those who sampled it. This desert is available in chocolate, vanilla, and green-tea flavors. The total for the bill, between the four of us, which included drinks, soup, salad, sushi, main course, rice, desert, and tax, came to about $60 even. The restaurant has only recently opened, and I was encouraged to ‘tell friends’, which I only do if I am very impressed, which I certainly am. Give this place a try."

[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.

Reviews of the Niagara Falls Blvd. location:

[SGB, 7/09] says: "Review: positive. OPCH appeared to be family-friendly place. Considering how busy it was, they didn't take much time to bring our order. We ordered pecan pancakes and Spanish omelette. Both portions were huge; we couldn't finish. We also ordered a pitcher of freshly squeezed OJ. Before ordering, I thought it was bit pricy, but, after drinking the first sip, I realized it's worth the price. Amazing place with lot of veggie options."

[NMJ, 6/09] said: "The Original Pancake House is a family favorite. Because it's a 60-second drive from home, it's convenient and always a treat! We don't even bother with the menus! We know exactly what we want and how we want it: Four ‘2x4’s': Two eggs scrambled with American cheese and four buttermilk pancakes served with whipped butter. The juices are ridiculously priced, and the small is the size of a shot glass. We typically order two large waters, and the kids get a lemonade. The prices have gone up over the years; quality hasn't gone down. The side orders are also expensive and can add up. The service is fast and friendly; however, during the busier times (weekend mornings), we tend to steer clear. The syrup is always served warm and has a unique taste, definitely not Log Cabin, Aunt Jemima, or other store-bought types. There is a coupon (buy one, get one free) in the Entertainment Book; however, cannot be used at the Amherst location, only Main Street after 4 p.m. Our bill is around $32 (without tip), and we leave completely full."

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

Reviews of the original, Main St./Williamsville location:

[WCH, 6/09] says: "My wife and I went to the Original Pancake House this morning. We had one lousy experience with their branch on Niagara Falls Blvd. (the food was not cooked well), but we wanted to give it a try at this one on Main Street, Williamsville. We were very wrong. It was an even bigger mistake. On our way in, we were 2nd in line for a seat. Then we saw a very strange thing—two young people left 2 dollars on the table without even touching their silverware, and walked away. I thought maybe they were in a hurry of something. Later, we were seated and our orders taken. We kept on waiting for another 20 minutes. No food, no refill of our drinks, and the waitresses never showed up to explain why. While we were waiting, I noticed something. The African American couple sitting near us was the only other table that was not served with food. All the white people, even the ones that came later than us, even those who sat down 10 minutes after we did, got food. Not only did they get food, but they were constantly visited by their waitresses for drink refills and whatnot. Only two tables of ‘colored’ people were ignored. We were very upset and decided to leave. We could not find our waitress. We could not find anyone at the front counter. It rained very hard outside, and we were kind of hungry, but we left anyway. This restaurant is the worst I have ever been to. I do not suggest they are racists, but I think they did a very poor job taking care of all the customers. I will let all my friends know that it has such poor service and lousy attitude. I will never go there again. Food Details: The food might look good, but from our last experiences, food tends to be overcooked. It also smelled that way today. Anyway, today we did not have a chance to taste any food—but what difference did it really make? My opinion is, if you are lucky to be Caucasian, go ahead. If you are ‘colored’, don't try."

[WHN, 6/09] said: "I had breakfast with some business associates at the Main Street location. I haven't been there in a long time and haven't had pancakes for an even longer time. The buttermilk pancakes I had were delicious, and my colleagues' breakfasts of blueberry pancakes and fried eggs were also said to be very good. One of my associates has celiac disease (allergy to wheat and other foods with gluten). They always readily accommodate his special requirements. One negative: The men's room had water (or worse) all over the floor."

[AFN, 4/09] said: "My sister and I went to the ‘original’ Original Pancake House on Main St. for a late breakfast. I haven't been there in a very long time, but remember it as being very good. I had a combination that included scrambled eggs, Canadian bacon, and three pancakes. It was way too much food for me, so my sister, who only ordered two fried eggs, had some of the Canadian bacon and pancakes. The food was delicious and the service prompt, despite being very busy."

[BMcWS, 4/08] said: "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."

[HDe, 3/05] said: "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."

[RRo, 1/05] said: "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!"

[UL, 12/04] said: "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."

[ECS, 11/01] said: "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."

[MEL, 9/98] said: "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."

[CD, 6/96] said: "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'."

[IP, 1/96] said: "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)."

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

Part of the chain.

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

[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."

[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."

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

[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."

[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."

[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!"

[RFS, 1/97] says: "Very good Italian food. I think they got many of their dishes and recipes from La Bella. Reasonable, but not noteworthy, lunch specials. Very good pizza."

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.

[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."

[9/07] [MER] and I [Bill] ate at the Amherst location 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.

[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."

[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."