Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: S

17 Noir
Sahara Grill
Saigon Café
Sake Café
Sakura
[m] Salvo
Sample
Santasiero's Restaurant
[am] Santora's Phase II
Sara's Deli
Saville's Farm Market
Sawyer Creek Hotel
Say Cheese! Pizza Co.
Scharf's Schiller Park
Schimschack's
Schunk's West Hill Grill
Schwabl's
[a] Scotch 'n Sirloin
[a] Sea Bar
[a] Sean Patrick's
Seneca Niagara Casino
Seoul Garden
Shadow Lounge
Shadow Martini Bar & Restaurant
Shamus
Shanghai Red's
Shango
The Shores
Signature Cafe
The Silo
[m] Sinatra's Trilogy
Smokey Bones
Snooty Fox Lounge
[a] Solé
Somali Star
[a] Sorrentino's
Spices
Spicy Thai (in Tonawanda)
Spot Coffee
Star of India
Starbucks
Steel Drums
Steelhead Irish Pub
Sterling Place Tavern
Stillwater
Stone Road Grille
[a] Sun Garden
Super Buffet
Suzanne's
Suzy-Q's Bar-B-Que Shack
Suzz Cafe
Swannie House
[a] Swiss Chalet
Swiston's Beef & Keg
[am] Szechuan House

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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17 Noir.
6380 Fallsview Blvd. (in the Galleria of Niagara Fallsview Casino), Niagara Falls, ON, CANADA.
905-374-6928; 1888-FALLSVUE [1-888-325-5788]

Canadian; also has sushi and noodle bars.

[BL, 2/06] says: "A very good evening the other night at 17 Noir. This is the signature restaurant at the Fallsview Casino Resort. It's fine dining amidst roulette table imagery—the red stairs were fun and the seating intimate. Probably a good view from this escarpment location during warmer months. We would suggest a jazz soundtrack or piano if possible for background music. Attentive service (Ann was her name, friendly and knowledgeable). Our choices for appetizers were the strozzapretti pasta with braised rabbit, chestnuts, and pecorino romano and foie gras "en Torchon" with quince chutney, and pumpkin spice bread. Both recommended, we traded back and forth with joy. Have wine with those—sommelier was quiet, efficient, and made excellent suggestions. Main entrees: We went the more traditional chops route—provimi veal chop and NY strip with Chardonnay (Deveans?—wonderful bouquet!) and a Merlot. Steaks are grilled nearby in an open circular area; fresh herbs are on display at the counter surrounding the chefs. Fun to see. Ended with Cognac Courvoiser and a sorbet dish with fresh fruit—many other good choices, but we are partial to sorbets. Delicious. Food loyal to Canadian sources...foie gras from Quebec, sorbets made locally by an Italian shop. Great dining, and fun to see this casino and the surrounds. The menu can be downloaded from the website."

[8/04] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

Sahara Grill.
976 Elmwood Ave. (at Bidwell, between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo.
885-0200.

[CW, 10/05] says: "This new Middle Eastern place on Elmwood at Bidwell has some of the tastiest, smokiest baba ganoosh in town. Grape leaves, falafel, and salads are also well done. Dinners can be served in the restaurant, or be taken out. The take-out window features a smoothie bar with delicious fresh fruit drinks."

[BNR, 11/05] says: "My vegetarian partner and I went for a late (2pm-ish) lunch one day. The selection was good—we found more than enough to eat with hummus, tabouleh, falafel balls, and other assorted delicacies. The smoothie machine that they tout and are so proud of was broken, so we settled for pop. The service was s-l-o-w—as if they were surprised there were actual customers in there on a weekday at that time of the day. The falafel balls were sort of dry and served coldish—definitely nothing to write home about. The hummus was good and definitely homemade, but on the bland side. The other salads and appetizers were quite good. Dessert offered us many different types of baklava, and unfortunately the one we chose was dry and crumbly. I'll revisit that next time we go. I tend to think they are just going through a bit of "new restaurant growing pains," but will come out on top. Get coupons from their website. 2 1/2 provisional stars from me."

[LS, 3/06] says: "I made reservations recently for a large group, and this restaurant accommodated us well and treated us with great service. I did not enjoy my falafel appetizer (ordered as a meal)—it was overly dry and flavorless, and it didn't come with the accompaniments described in the menu. I didn't finish it—a rarity for me. I will give this large and colorful place another try, though, as there are several vegetarian menu options that looked good."

After being closed for a while, Sahara has reopened, and [LC, 1/08] says: "Sahara Grill is back. It seems like the biggest changes are a new paint job and a trimmed-down menu. In its prior incarnation, I used to get frustrated with the menu because several things I wanted to try were repeatedly not available. Luckily all of those things are gone now, so I'll get the same two dishes I have always gotten but I won't be bogged down by pressure to try anything new. On a recent visit, I had the Khabz Thawa, a fried flatbread, served with hummous. Sahara Grill has the smoothest hummous I have ever come across, and the bread is the perfect accompaniment. We were also served homemade pitas with our meal, which was a nice touch. For an entrée, I had the Vegetarian Hummous with Ghallaba, "zesty" flavor, with Lentil Soup and rice. Everything tasted great, and Sahara Grill will once again be one of my favorite dinner spots."

[am] [] Saigon Bangkok.
512 Niagara Falls Blvd. (south of Sheridan Dr.), Tonawanda.
837-2115.

Thai and Vietnamese.

I ate here [4/08] with a visiting speaker, my first visit in 10 years, and I'm now willing to award it a star. I opted for the Vietnamese side of the menu, beginning with a very nice summer roll consisting of shredded lettuce, basil, rice noodles, cucumber, shrimp, and chicken in steamed rice paper, with an overly spicy (to my sensitive taste buds) hoisin sauce (fortunately served on the side). For the main course, I chose the non-spicy Bong Cai: chicken with broccoli, onion, baby corn, and carrots stir-fried in a brown sauce that was scrumptious; the veggies and chicken actually seemed to be more steamed than stir-fried, and were tasty and crispy. My companions all enjoyed their meals, too. This is clearly a popular venue for UB faculty: nearly every table was occupied by one!

[SMD, 5/03] says: "My dining companion (who was new to Vietnamese/Thai cuisine) and I had a lovely meal at Saigon Bangkok. We were greeted by a friendly hostess, who seated us and promptly took our drink order. The tables are nicely set with cloth napkins and tablecloths (remember those?!), and soft music was playing. For appetizers, we tried the chicken satay and summer roll. The chicken satay was grilled to perfection and served with a finger-lickin' peanut-garlic sauce; my companion was very impressed. We also tried the summer roll, a combination of shrimp, chicken, and veggies, all steamed in a rice-paper wrapper; it came with a ginger-garlic sauce for dipping. The summer roll tasted like a wrapped-up fresh salad, really refreshing and crisp. Two thumbs up for both appetizers. For our entrees, we tried the chicken panang and the national dish of Thailand, pad Thai. Both were beautifully presented and tasted as good as they looked. The service was really outstanding. Our water glasses were never empty, and we were greeted and served with a smile. So much nicer than the "Can I get you guys anything?" line that I'm hearing more and more frequently. I'd be glad to return to Saigon Bangkok anytime and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for something a little different yet very delicious. I highly recommend it."

[HPK, 8/03] says: "Best Thai soup in town! Great service and food; a definite must for anyone who likes Thai food."

On the other hand, [JB, 4/04] says: "I heard a lot of positive things about this restaurant, but when I ate here with my wife last week for the first time, we really had an unpleasant experience. I found a lipstick mark on my glass the first time the server brought the glass to the table, and the water is somewhat greasy/oily. It's just so disgusting we never ordered a single glass of water again that night. We settled with Coke instead. We ordered two desserts at the end of our meal and found the cream caramel chocolate sliced in two already. Bad service? I think so. And what's the deal with that lipstick mark, anyway? Unwashed/uncleaned glass? I'd never come back to this restaurant."

But, more recently, [LG&ST, 1/05] say: "I've tried several Thai resturants in the Amherst area, and Saigon Bangkok is the best I've found for freshness and taste and presentation. Very fresh ingredients cooked just right (not a musty bean sprout in the bunch, and, if you've had musty ones, you know what I mean). The lunch menu has just the right size portions, and the egg rolls are crisp and come with a ginger dipping sauce that's yummy. My favorite is the pad thai. I could eat it every day. What a lovely combination of noodles, chicken, egg, sprouts and a peanut sauce that is not heavy or overpowering. Haven't tried the extensive tea menu but will soon. I give this two forks up!"

[UL, 7/05] says: "When my brother and sister-in-law flew in from Denver last week, I immediately turned to Bill's guide to find a vegetarian-friendly restaurant. Saigon Bangkok was just what we wanted. The food was fresh and delicious, with an impressive mix of vegetables in the Spicy Rainbow (it included fresh asparagus, among many others, and was not overwhelmed by celery and carrots, like so many Asian restaurant vegetable dishes). The food was a tasty level of spiciness, without hot chilis overwhelming the seasoning blends. Water glasses were kept full, and the water is flavored with fresh lime slices (perhaps what gave the "oily" effect JB noticed?) This was just what we wanted! A definite thumbs up rating."

[ABi, 3/06] says: "The commies would claim it should be named Ho Chi Minh City Bangkok, but that is irrelevant. More germane is the fact this restaurant serves decent Southeast Asian fare. The food itself is the focus, as it's a fairly blah space excepting a few lit candles and the requisite statue of an Eastern deity sitting Indian-style perched at the entrance. We had an extended period to enjoy the sterile surroundings, as it took a fantastically long time for our waitress to mosey over and take our orders. It wasn't as if we were there at crunchtime, as our reservations were for 5:30 on a weeknight, but the inordinate delay did give us a chance to memorize the menu, drink water, and admire the authentic, elegant paper placemats. After dinner arrived, the waitress pulled that inattentive move where she held up each entrée and let us figure out who it belonged to. Thankfully, the food quality compensated for the glacial pace of its arrival. I chose the Xao Xa Ot from the Vietnamese portion of the menu, and it was as tasty as it was unpronounceable. I got it with beef, which was served in strips along with onion hearts and red and green pepper squares in spicy brown sauce; Asian cuisine is one where you can identify a condiment by color and instantly know how it tastes. The beef and vegetables were both tender in their own unique ways, while the latter still had a crunchy bite to them. At the same time, the sauce was moderately fiery, just pungent enough without being overwhelming. The other members of my party reported their dinners were of good quality in a manner representative of said region's cuisine. They could easily cut down on the wait time, but Saigon Bangkok provided exotic Eastern dishes that were at least better than most chopstick takeaways."

[KW, 4/06] says: "Saigon Bangkok is a small and intimate Thai & Vietnamese restaurant. When you first walk into the restaurant, you're greeted with Asian artifacts and an unusual smell coming from the kitchen. I went with a friend on a Saturday evening, and it was packed with people. I had the Tom Yum Goong soup as an appetizer; it was prepared with shrimp and mushrooms in hot & sour broth. It was really tasty; it reminded me of a better version of hot & sour soup. Tom Yum Goong soup cost $2.95. Pad Thai was my main dish; it was prepared with stir-fried noodles with shrimp, chicken, egg, peanuts, bean sprouts, scallions, and Thai seasoning. Pad Thai cost $7.95. I thought the dish tasted unusual, just like the smell of the restaurant. I think this type of dish requires an acquired taste. I thought the dish consisted of too many unusual ingredients combined together. Overall, my dining experience was pleasant, although I wouldn't suggest it to anyone unless they enjoy this type of cuisine."

[TT, 7/07] says: "I took my co-worker from NYC to Saigon Bangkok when they were in Buffalo, since they wanted to try something different. My companions rated Saigon Bangkok as one of the best Thai food they ever had. Even in NYC, they would be hard-pressed to find a place that has great food that is reasonably priced. I tried the Vietnamese pancake, which was stuffed with pork and shrimp. It was very crispy on the outside and served with light garlic sauce, which was nice. My co-worker tried the cube steak and Dancing Seafood, which was very tasty. The seafood dish was on the spicy side, so please be warned if you can't handle spices; this dish is probably not for you. The food was amazing, and the service was great. Every bite we took was an explosion of taste with spices like lemon grass and basil. You can tell when you are in a great place when you go on a Wednesday night and the whole restaurant is full of customers. Apparently, I am not the only one to think that Saigon Bangkok is a hidden gem in Western New York."

[MZ, 2/08] says: "Day or night, east, west, or midwest, this is among the top three SE Asian restaurants that I have visited. I remember going with friends to a Thai/Vietnamese restaurant in Chicago after just having dined here in Bflo—in Chgo, less good, at least three times the price, equals.... Especially when you don't want to cook in the heat of the summer, this food is stunningly refreshing and delicately-enough flavored to appeal even to people who say "I don't like such-and-such food". My culinarily-unadventurous, very old mother loves this place, too. I always order her the pad thai (which comes with not only chicken but also a number of extra large-sized, freshly sauteed shrimp), a plate generous enough for two; and the delicious chicken or beef satay with astounding peanut sauce, or both or all. The summer rolls are exceptionally delicate and refreshing, also; and the soups are impressive, spanning a range of flavors from delicate, tiny wonton to lip-plumping hot and sour. Lunch here is an interesting experience, since you can watch the staff meticulously prep the greens for the rest of the day. (I like that: truth in advertising, etc.) Also, you will note a preponderance of Vietnam-war era guys at this time; no accident, I would guess; not to mention the same portions at less than half the price. Decor is refreshingly Zen, clean, and, yes, a tablecloth destination (polyester; so, unassuming). Nicer? They remember you. I go in, when I visit Bflo, maybe twice a year, and they know where we want to sit. (Mom is hard of hearing. LOL: Maybe that's why they remember us!) Also, they have a live coral fish tank, which is a pretty wonderful piece of pleasure. Limited bar is available, if you so desire. I just wish they'd named the place in the western poetics, Bangkok Saigon. But, then...they aren't Western are they?"

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

Saigon Café.
1098 Elmwood Ave. (between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo.
883-1252.

Vietnamese-Thai. Same owners as Papaya and Tsunami.

[MRT, 10/04] says: "Saigon Cafe is a small restaurant on Elmwood. There are only 12 tables in the entire restaurant. There are fresh flowers on each table. My husband and I each began with fresh vegetable rolls with a peanut hoisin sauce. They came accompanied with noodles and carrots. They were very delicious, and I ate all the noodles and carrots with the delicious sauce. While they have a good wine list, my husband ordered a beer, and I a pot of ginger tea. There is a sheet of specials besides their regular menu. We each ordered from the specials. My husband order grilled chicken with curried peanut sauce. I ordered grilled tuna with lemon grass, coconut milk, and vegetables. I ordered my entree with a 7/10 hotness, because I wanted to enjoy the taste of the dish. My husband commented that I ordered the better tasting of the two specials. I know I greatly enjoyed the tuna and the sauce. For dessert, I enjoyed a classic creme caramel. I will most happily return to Saigon Cafe. You do not need reservations on a Saturday night, it is not very expensive (my entree was $14, my husband's cost $9), the food is delicious, and the service very attentive by all."

[JFi, 4/06] says: "Saigon Cafe is a wonderful, quaint restaurant that has an enjoyable atmosphere. I started my dining experience there with some grilled pork rolls and some fried rice. For my dinner entree, I had the chicken with curried peanut sauce. For dessert, I had some of the fried bananas, which were wonderful. I enjoyed the meal because it was something different and out of the ordinary, in which I would not normally try. The service was very attentive, and they make sure that you are taken care of. The dinner was inexpensive. I would give this restaurant four stars and recommend it to anyone looking for something different."

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

Sake Cafe.
8222 Transit Rd. (north of Maple, in East View (Lowe's) Plaza), Williamsville.
689-2888; 1-866-722-7740.

Japanese. I had dinner here [3/08] with a visiting speaker and 5 other faculty colleagues. Excellent service. I had the shumai (4 Hong Kong-style steamed shrimp dumplings) as an appetizer; they were excellent, though the sauce was a bit on the spicy side. For my main course, I ordered the Malaysian yellow curry clay-pot with chicken (it also comes with tofu or shrimp), described on the menu as having "mild spiciness". This was served in a nicely decorated bowl: chunks of chicken and veggies in a very spicy sauce (if that's "mild", remind me never to try "medium" here!) with a bowl of rice on the side. It also came with a bowl of miso soup that was served before my shumai. The soup was OK, but a bit on the smoky-tasting side. To our pleasant surprise, the server offered to give us separate checks. I'm sure we'll be back, but if I had to compare this to other Asian fusion restaurants, I'd have to say that O Restaurant is still my favorite in the Amherst area.

[DaK, 11/07] says: "While driving through the Lowe's Plaza on Maple and Transit a few weeks ago, noticed a small sushi restaurant starting to take shape; last night drove by again and noticed the Grand Opening sign—decided to try it out. Upon first entering, you notice a small bar with a few stools and a flat-screen TV; modern funky light fixtures add a nice touch. Overall decor was pleasant, with nice booths or seating at the sushi bar if you wish. My husband and I started with edamame, as we always do, but this time it came to the table hot—not warm, but hot—not what I was expecting, but we really enjoyed it. Next, he had a green salad with some interesting ginger wasabi dressing, and I had a Japanese vegetarian soup—both average, nothing spectacular. The real treat came with the sushi—the large plate came to the table, and we were both afraid to eat such a beautiful work of art. Sushi is truly an art form, and in Buffalo the presentation just doesn't seem to be as appreciated as in other cities, but this was the exception. We enjoyed the Lady in Red (specialty roll with a soy wrapper), spicy crab roll, an asparagus roll, and a shitaki mushroom roll with a sweet sauce. All was wonderful—never had a mushroom roll around here, but it was quite good and more flavorful then I would've thought. Great new spot that others should try—very friendly employees, too."

[MRT, 11/07] says: "Sake Café is an excellent new restaurant on the right hand side of East View Plaza. It is a savvy pick for diners who love Japanese food and for those who rarely eat it. The new restaurant showcases sushi and exquisite American-Japanese cuisine. We visited Sunday, November 11, 2007, when the restaurant had only been open a few days. They will soon have their liquor license. American-Japanese here includes a host of appealing dishes beyond the expected teriyaki-tempura brigade. An appetizer of sliced rare tuna with an herb and pepper crust presented alongside a salad of sprightly mixed greens is a prime example. The spare decor is decidedly Japanese. They have charming wooden booths, and the food presentations are beautiful. I began with a delicious Japanese garden salad, and continued with Thai Basil Fried Rice. My husband began with Shrimp Tempura with a lovely coating, and the most delicious dipping sauce. He and our friend each ordered a piece of tuna sushi. Speaking of sushi, the restaurant soars with impeccably fresh fish. My husband also ordered Malaysian Chicken Satay. My husband's main dish was New York Strip Steak Teriyaki. Our friend ordered a piece of tuna temaki. The biggest break with tradition comes with des[s]ert. The dish called rice cake ice cream is a Japanese cousin to tartufo. In this version, disks of ice cream are robed in a smooth, creamy, flavored rice coating. Our friend ordered the vanilla, and we each ordered the coffee flavored. We shall certainly return."

[ABa, 12/07] says: "Let me start out by saying that I love sushi. So when I heard that there was a new Japanese restaurant, I quickly grabbed my girlfriend and took her out for a nice meal. We started our meal off with the crispy calamari. The calamari was a little too breaded and deep fried for me. I felt that it covered up a lot of the taste. It wasn't bad though, and my girlfriend liked it. We then ordered five rolls: a tiger roll, crunchy spicy yellowtail, shrimp tempura, sweet potato tempura, and tuna. They were all great. There were ample amounts of fish in all of the rolls. The tiger roll was a little too busy for me, but the presentation was beautiful. I look forward to returning to Sake Café to try out some of the food from their kitchen!"

[ECB, 2/08] says: "Took my wife here for her birthday, and the experience blew away our expectations. We started with the Peking Duck appetizer, which came as two huge rolls cut in half, with onions and an asparagus stalk, served with a dollop of duck sauce and a drizzle of hoisin on the plate. The duck was superb, and the vegetables and sauce complimentary. She got Miso Soup with her meal, which she said was the best she ever had, and I got the wonderfully spicy Tom Yum Soup, brimming with fresh seafood. For entrees, I had the Shrimp Pad Thai, and she tried the Kamikaze Sushi Platter, which came in a large wooden boat with a small plastic cube that emitted shifting colors. My dish was superb, and hers was transcendental. I have never particularly liked sushi, but the fresh fish served here won me over. It is a whole other league from what we've tried elsewhere. We finished off the meal by sharing a Tempure Banana and a glass of plum wine. A fantastic meal and a relaxed atmosphere. We shall be returning."

[12/07] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

Sakura.
3719 Union Rd., Cheektowaga.
683-7310.

[CA, 4/06] says: "Drove by the "grand opening sign" last week and, being a sushi fan, decided to try it out. Presentation was fantastic, and the taste and quality matched. We only tried a few specialty rolls and sashimi. The rolls were some of the best we've ever had—and I am comparing not only to local favorite Kuni's but also to the originality of local O, as well as Toronto's highly rated Blowfish and Philadelphia's Morimoto's—yes, the one owned by Iron Chef Morimoto. The tightness of the rolls at Sakura was of marked distinction. The chef obviously knows how to pair flavors and have them work off each other—as with the Sakura roll. And the sashimi was fresh and sliced to perfection. The salmon wasn't the best we've had, but still very, very good. The red snapper, octopus, scallops, and eel were of top quality and extremely tasty. The décor is simple, yet elegant, and the menu is very traditional. Sakura doesn't have a liquor license until the last week of April 2006, but you won't need anything to wash this cuisine down. You're missing out if you don't try Sakura—I'd go so far as to say, it's probably the best sushi you'll find in Buffalo, roll-wise, and the sashimi/sushi was great as well. Pricing is reasonable, and service was phenomenal."

[RDK, 11/06] says: "Quite possibly the worst Japanese restaurant I have ever gone to. I get the feeling that the first reviewer is affiliated with the store in some way. A while back, I gave a negative review to Fuji Grill, but if you compare the two, Fuji Grill beats Sakura by far. When I first arrived at the restaurant, the hostess greeted me, and I took a seat at the counter. I was wondering if the chefs knew Japanese, so I asked if they are Japanese. They said "yes". So I spoke a little Japanese to them to see if I can order in Japanese (I'm Japanese). They lied to me and told me they can't speak it. Well, I thought "whatever", but it certainly did not give me a good first impression with them. I then ordered their lunch menu "Sushi Box", which came with 4 nigiri, 1 roll of California roll, some tempura, some cooked egg, and something else on the side. I also ordered shrimp shumai. Everything was prepared really fast and came to my table within 5 minutes. But before that, I remember hearing about 4 microwave rings in the kitchen. So I was actually scared of how much of my food was cooked in the microwave. What do you know? My tempura wasn't even fried in the oil! It seemed like they bought some pre-made tempura and warmed them up in the microwave. It was barely warm and very soggy. Tempura is supposed to be crispy and hot. Fuji Grill at least makes their food from scratch and fries their tempura. The shumai tasted OK, but I ordered it as an appetizer, and I at least expected them to bring me another small plate to put soy sauce in, but all I got was 1 soy sauce plate in the beginning. I ended up dipping shumai in it, and then ate sushi with it with all the oil floating on the soy sauce afterwards. The sushi was at most "OK"; their fish tasted all dry, but the good thing was it didn't have a bad smell. I was very angry after I ate the meal, but I decided not to blurt it out. Instead, I wrote it down on the back of the receipt that I was very unsatisfied and that they need to study more about Japanese food because they obviously know very little about it. I definitely will not come back again. If you're looking for good sushi to eat, do visit O Restaurant and Lounge. They know what they're doing, and their food tastes great. I haven't tried Kuni's To Go yet, but will very soon and write a review on it as well, but I have a good feeling about that place. Don't go to Sakura."

On the other hand, [ARo, 12/06] says: "My wife and I eat at Sakura at least once a week. We often order a few pieces of nigiri, a couple basic rolls like tuna or salmon, and one or two "special rolls". The fish has been consistently fresh and delicious. We've tried just about all of the special rolls, but actually feel guilty about eating them because they are so artfully prepared. The restaurant itself is impeccably clean, and the waitresses are always very helpful and friendly as well. We have yet to try to speak Japanese to the sushi chefs, but we also don't think it's a prerequisite for making great sushi. Sakura should definitely be on any sushi lover's list of places to try."

[TD, 2/07] says: "I dined at Sakura restaurant last night despite the negative review it received. I must say it was the best sushi experience I have ever had, and I am a frequent diner at Sushi Train, in Toronto; Taki, in Canada; and the many glorious restaurants here in Buffalo. For starters, my guest and I had the miso soup, which was excellent, and the edamame, which was noticeably better than at other restaurants. We ordered the Shrimp Tempura Special roll, Special Spicy Crunch Roll, two nigiri pieces of eel, and a Spicy Tuna Roll. The wait for our food was longer than it should have been, due to a large take-out order coming in and a large party dining in the restaurant placing their order simultaneously. To compensate and thank us for our patience, the owner, who was speaking fluent Japanese to his co-chef as well as to the waitresses, offered us a complimentarly Wakame (seaweed) salad, which was delicious. Then he came out with a "Flaming Tuna" appetizer. Hands down the best sushi dish I have ever eaten. Served in a creme brulee-type dish, it consisted of spicy tuna, cream cheese, and tobiko. The top was treated with a torch to give it a nice crispy finish, and the dish was set atop another shallow dish, which was then filled with vodka and lit on fire so that the dish was warm and bubbly while being devoured. The owner then offered us another special roll, on him. We entrusted the decision to him offering only that we like spice. He brought out the spiciest roll both my guest and I have ever eaten. It was amazing. The rest of our food was terrific as well. I cannot wait to go back. I did pay attention to all the negative comments left and did notice the repeated "ding" the other reviewer thought was coming from the microwave. It was from the service bell used by the Japanese-speaking chefs to attract the attention of the Japanese-speaking waitresses. The decor of the restaurant was impeccably clean, simple, understated, and delightful."

Salvatore's Italian Gardens.
6461 Transit Rd. (not far from airport), Depew.
683-7990.

Italian. Known primarily for its amazingly gaudy decor. The decor is indeed gaudy, though some of it (especially the Christmas decorations) are not bad—a bit like being inside a New York City department store window.

After a few OK-to-mediocre meals here in the 1990s, we returned to the restaurant in [5/00] and had a fantastic meal! The meal began with a delicious bruschetta, soaked in a tasty olive oil/tomato/garlic concoction. This was followed by a complementary "salad" of olives and some other unidentifiable pickled items in a tomato sauce; one taste, and we passed on the rest, but it was a nice touch. That, plus the lack of bread, were the only real downsides to the meal. There was a good mixed sald with tomato vinaigrette. I had a seafood bisque with large chunks of shrimp and scallops; a bit on the thick side (which is not to my liking), but the flavor was wonderful. [MER]'s mozzarella and tomato with a bleu cheese/purple onion/minced carrot dressing was also wonderful (at least, [MER] thought so; I hate bleu cheese). For the main course, I had whitefish stuffed with crab, and [MER] had steak à la Russell (as in Russell Salvatore), both of which were superb. For dessert, nice (though ordinary) strawberry shortcake. The service was among the best I've seen in Buffalo: equal to that in the finest NYC restaurants. I should add that our meal was quite inexpensive, since it was part of a package deal with the affiliated (and quite impressive) Garden Place Hotel (though we were entitled to order anything from the menu at a slightly extra cost).

[MER] and I took out-of-town visitors here [9/04]. They wanted to be impressed, and we had some business matters to discuss. Salvatore's fit the bill perfectly: It's certainly impressive, it's large enough that we had the privacy we needed, and the food was really excellent. I had a tender and juicy swordfish in tomato sauce, with shrimp, baby corn, baby carrots, and garlic mashed potatoes. Salvatore's continues to be an excellent restaurant, and its exhuberant decor adds to the fun. I have raised its rating to 3 stars. [MER] and I returned exactly one year later [9/05] with those same visitors to celebrate the successful business matter. Once again, a superb meal! I had one of the daily specials: a pecan-crusted sea bass with baby corn and asparagus, in a raspberry butter sauce, served over basil fried rice—a wonderful mixture of sweet and savory. One of the visitors had a Porterhouse steak, which he described as excellent, and [MER] had an outstanding chicken marsala. We shared desserts, which the waiter kindly split into portions for us; I had a very good apple pie with ice cream. The service was among the best I've had anywhere.

On the other hand, [KATS, 11/05] says: "I had been to Salvatore's on numerous occasions for banquets and weddings, and the food was always better than expected for those types of events. So I was curious to see what a normal restaurant meal there would be like, and I had an opportunity last night at a birthday party for a family member. First of all, everyone could not make it at the exact reservation time, but we thought that 12 of the 15 people could sit at the table and order drinks and appetizers. No such luck. They made us sit in the lobby and wait for the last 3 to arrive. Then we had to wait another 30 minutes for them to show us to our table—which had been empty since the moment we walked into the restaurant. I hate restaurants that will not seat you at your table and make you "wait at the bar". Left Bank does this as well, and, while I normally have no issue having a drink and waiting for a table to get ready, I will not do this when my table is empty and I want to sit. It's simply rude. Enough of the bad hostessing problem and on to the food problem. What can I say? This is the worst meal I have ever had in a supposedly upscale restaurant. For $32, I expect real mashed potatoes, not potatoes from a box. My husband's shrimp? They had been frozen and reheated. The texture was disgusting. I asked the waiter how they cook a "rare" steak (having just had a pan-seared steak that was even too rare for me). After assuring me that the meat was cooked "extremely rare and bloody", I decided to go for a medium rare sliced filet with wild mushrooms and sautéed cipollini onions. My meat? Well done. Not a bit of pink on it. The vegetables? Sat in the warming tray too long and were overcooked and soggy. The Caesar salad? Dressing from a bottle. No anchovies, even though they were requested. I am so happy that I was not paying for this meal. I cannot believe how incredibly disgusting the food was. I have nothing positive to say except that the little bit of bananas Foster ice cream cake that I had was excellent. Even the 6-year-old's ravioli was some type of frozen and reheated monstrosity. I would have sent my food back had we not been with a large party. I was disgusted. For that type of money, and for being a "special occasion" restaurant, they are ripping people off. Box potatoes; need I say more? I will never go back there again. Next time, I'm picking the restaurant. Café Gar Angelo on Hertel is superior."

[CP, 12/05] says: "I completely agree with [KATS]'s review. This has to be the most overrated restaurant in Buffalo. If you're an out of town guest or tourist, please don't be fooled into thinking this is a true representation of Buffalo's finest. It doesn't even come close!!! What it is is over-the-top gaudy decor with mediocre overpriced food. I've given this place plenty of chances (not by choice) and was disappointed every time. Don't waste your money! I give it a negative [—] review."

[JAu, 12/05] says: "There are few more extraordinary things than Christmas at Salvatore's. The over-the-top deocrations are incredible, and there is so much kitsch that it's cool. Maybe my memories of the place are improved by the atmosphere of holiday cheer, but I always had the impression that the service here was top notch. Either my memories were incorrect, or this place has taken a turn for the worse. The service was rude, the meal was mediocre. Much like other reviewers here, I noted the fake potatoes on contact. I left angry that I spent my time there and that my host spent his money. It was just one of those dining experiences that make you want to grind your teeth. If you are looking for Buffalo's finest dining experience, it's not here, and it has not been for some time. Keep looking."

[WHN, 1/06] says: "We went here with another couple on Saturday night after the holidays. We had a 7 PM reservation, but our table wasn't ready, so we ordered a bottle of white wine at the bar. After finishing the wine an hour later, our table still wasn't ready, so we walked around to look at the garish displays. When we returned, we had to wait still longer. After about two hours, we were finally seated. After another 15 minutes, our waitress finally showed up to take a drink order. We didn't want any drinks at that point, but she said she would be right back to take our dinner order. When she returned 15 minutes later, we ordered our dinners and a bottle of red wine to go with them. The quality of the food—we all had salads and steaks—was fine (or maybe we were just starving at that point) when it was finally served around 10 PM. In due course, the waitress brought our check, along with a $50 gift certificate. We thought that the gift certificate must have been compensation for the ridiculously long wait and slow service. When she came to take our payment, we asked if we could use the gift certificate that night, or if it was for future use, and she said we could use it immediately. We paid and started to leave, but as we walked through the bar area on the way out, the waitress chased after us and shouted something like: "Wait! That wasn't your gift certificate. It belonged to another table", and acted as if we were thieves trying to leave without paying, instead of quietly saying that she had made a mistake by putting the gift certificate in with our bill. Obviously, it was embarrassing. We paid the $50 and left. None of us will ever darken Salvatore's door again."

[CEP, 1/07] says: "My significant other and I were celebrating our one-year anniversary and were looking for a nice restaurant to do so. We chose Salvatore's, despite reading mixed reviews, figuring that it would be a WNY "experience". The Christmas decorations were still up in the halls and lobbies, which were beatiful to look at during our short wait (we made reservations, because it was New Years Day). Upon being seated, it was nice to realize that the extravagent decorations did not overtake the dining area, which was spacious. The service was excellent. I had the Salmon Wellington, which had a very nice cream sauce, but in favor of pacing myself, I did not eat most of the pastery. My boyfriend ordered the Surf 'n' Turf, which he could not rave about enough. All in all, the most detracting feature of the restaurant was the range in diners' attire. During our dinner, the formally dressed family next to us was replaced by a passle of children in sports jerseys and baseball caps. I would dine here again, but it wouldn't be my first choice for a night out."

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

[m] Salvo Pizza.
3268 Main St., Buffalo.
836-6214.

[MEL, 3/99] says: "A particularly bad example of "New York style" pizza, which here means an enormous slice with almost no cheese or sauce—and what there was of either had no identifiable taste. At least it didn't taste really bad."

Sample.
242 Allen St. (Allentown), Buffalo.
883-1675.

[SAS, 4/07] says: "Positive. Sample seems like a cross between tapas and a night-long cocktail party. Diners select from an array of morsels (one or two bites each) listed on their regular menu and a nightly specials list. My wife and I started with a raspberry bilini and their "Unbloody Mary", a house specialty made, I can only guess, with yellow tomatoes. It tasted like its bloody cousin, but much lighter in color and texture. Our opening course was a cheese tray (with three fromage samples and homemade crackers) for $10. We then ordered 6-7 "samples" each, priced from about $2.50-$5 each. The focus, of course, is on quality and blends of flavor, not quantity. I particularly liked the "club" sandwich with lobster and pancetta, as well as the lobster ravioli special. The micro beef on weck was very tasty, leaving me wanting more. My wife loved the grilled cheese and tomato soup, a tall shot glass of roasted tomato soup (as advertised) with a matching toy size sandwich of melted goodness. Not much in the way of salad or vegetables on the menu. Dessert was a sample of three creme brulees and a sample of three pastries. Both were very good, but the creme brulees seemed pricy at $6. We enjoyed, and were quite satisfied by, our tasty meals, but we did suggest that they create a package deal with a salad and a customer's selection of samples, say 4 or 6 of them, for a fixed price. We all need our leafy greens!"

[ELC, 6/07] says: "A very interesting concept—I ate here in 7/07 and found the food to be quite delicious. The Key Lime Pie in particular was fantastic! It's a little pricy—the cheese board appetizer was good, but not worth $10 in my opinion. They do have a "cocktail party" package, but it should be available without a beverage (it comes with champagne—not good for those who like mixed drinks, wine, or N/A beverages with their dinner), and possibly with salad or something substantial. The food is wonderful and incredibly creative, but don't come here hungry b/c each "bite" will cost you big $$$!"

[MPM, 11/07] says: "I had heard some chatter about this restaurant, and my wife and I paid it a visit on 11/9. The waitress was fabulous and suggested a Chef's Flight, which was a sampling of everything on their menu staged in 6 courses of 3 items per course. Very creative spin on some favorites like beef on weck, tater tot, pumpkin soup, etc. Very creative matchings and great plate presentation. The Chef's Flight was 6 courses, which was $41, to split with my wife, and we had a bottle of wine. Very reasonable. I am a large man, and I did not walk away hungry. It was a real delightful culinary adventure, not just going out for dinner. I would recommend it to anyone and plan to introduce the experience to as many people that will listen to me."

[DJL, 1/08] says: "1/19. Terrific. Four of us at 5:30. Beautiful space, nicely appointed lavatories. Brandon our server was very attentive, and the food was a wonderful taste adventure. I am the picky eater of the bunch. The Chef's Flight was our choice. Each of us. Well, the portions were perfect, and the diversity of flavors and textures were great. We were full (that big breath) by the end of four. But we sucked it up and powered on. We did it and were happy with how we managed to do it. Great desserts. Next time, we'll choose separate entrees, but we got to Sample all and I liked 95%. The Mediterranean was not my fav. Oh well. One negative was the coffee. French Press Yay! The flavor of the coffee was disappointing, and it wasn't hot. The tea Janet had was also not hot. We'll be back for certain. We are attempting to follow your list after our Shea's performances and eat our way through it."

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

[m] San Marco Ristorante.
2082 Kensington Ave. (near Harlem), Amherst.
839-5876.

Northern Italian.

Clearly one of the best restaurants in the area; very expensive. I was there [6/99] with [MER], my father, and my son: My father and I started off with a wonderfully tasty risotto with white truffles and porcini and portobello mushrooms, [MER] had a buffalo-milk mozzarella with tomato salad, and we shared a bruschetta—all excellent. For our main course, [MER] had a delicious quail over the same risotto we had had as an appetizer, I had a sea bass in a lemon-caper sauce, and my father had salmon; we all agreed that our meals were excellent (even I, who normally doesn't like sea bass, but the owner recommended it since the chef was no longer making the sole I had originally ordered, on the grounds that it had spoiled). For our 3-year old son, we ordered a plain grilled chicken (not on the menu), which they happily prepared and served with our appetizers. Our desserts were a chocolate cake for our son (which we all shared), a raspberry trifle, and a chocolate-walnut pie, again all superb. The service was excellent. Ate here most recently [10/03]: Began with an absolutely exquisite buffalo mozzarella salad with roasted red peppers and artichokes instead of the usual tomatoes (which, they said, were out of season); the mozzarella was soft, almost custard-like. For my main course, I had one of the evening's specials: sea bass in a pesto sauce; it was tasty, but the skin seemed a bit on the crisp (dare I say burned?) side. Dessert was an excellent apple tart with ice cream. As always, the service was impeccable.

[PJE, 5/94] says: "Very good (better than Just Pasta now, I think)."

[BJ, 6/94] says: "I greatly enjoyed the pasta and salad. Not much for vegetarians here, but whatever they had was very good."

[PJE, 5/95] says: "Very good, though I've eaten their menu, I think."

[ALS, 8/96] says: "Excellent environment in their new location and wonderful northern Italian cuisine."

[GDT, 8/96] says: "By a wide margin, the best Italian restaurant in Western New York. The Grimaldis (Nancy is the chief of the kitchen, Frank is the master of the floor) put together a delightful combination of well-prepared food, delicious wines, and warm surroundings that sum to a wonderful dining experience. The emphasis is on northern Italian cooking, principally Tuscan but with a generous Venetian influence as well. Particularly well-prepared game courses, such as the ever-present grilled quail and the more seasonal wild boar, rabbit, and red tipped venison, are the pride of the place. Vegetarians (my wife is one) find a half dozen pastas, soups, risottos (on occasion), and polentas to choose from. Appetizers include the quail (rated by my French friends as better than their French brethren); the mixed antipasto, which includes a very good prosciutto from Parma; and freshly roasted red peppers with fresh bocconcini. Soups include pasta e fagioli, which can be ordered spicy or mild. Many of the pastas are freshly made locally, including the gnocchi, which are as light as air. Linda, the pasta cook, is particularly adept as pulling the pasta from the water within seconds of perfection. This restaurant cooks all its pasta on order, as opposed to the usual practice in other `Italian' restaurants of pre-cooking the pasta and re-heating it at meal time. Among the favorite main courses here is the salmon finished with a light lemon sauce; others choose the gamberi, the large shrimp finished on the grill and served in a shallot sauce that is flambeed in cognac. The kitchen is open to suggestion on side dishes and saucing. The wine list recently admitted a few well-chosen California vintages to complement the great Italian choices, including seven Brunellos, six Chiantis, and a number of Barolos, Barberas, and Pinot Grigios. Service is efficient and friendly without being smarmy. While a good Brunello di Montalcino Talenti can easily boost the cost of a meal past the century mark for two, it is still possible to eat modestly in cost, yet feel immodestly well fed and wined. Are there any negatives? Sure. Desserts, with the notable exception of Nancy's tiramisu, are not made on site. San Marco is open Tuesday through Sunday nights from about 5PM. There is absolutely no smoking."

[PW, 5/98] says: "This is the second-best restaurant in Buffalo (to Warren's). Fantastic and unusual food."

[RSK, 5/98] says: "I'm not claiming to be an expert, but this is a great restaurant by any standard."

[ALS, 6/98] said: "An excellent Northern Italian restaurant"

[AK, 6/99] says: "The other night, my wife and I had a fabulous dinner at San Marco's on Kensington. We called at roughly 7:00 P.M. on Tuesday night and were told that there would be no problem seating us. We were seated promptly and were two of about eight people there. LisaBeth ordered a fresh buffalo mozzarella and red pepper appetizer, while I had an exquisite truffle risotto. I had a very nice Cabernet (I don't recall the vinyard) with the meal. For an entree, I had an excellent spinach ravioli with a sun-dried tomato sauce. LisaBeth had a wild mushroom pasta (it was a pasta I was unfamiliar with—a thin, somewhat wide noodle). I had a magnificent cappuccino, and we shared a double-chocolate (mousse and dark chocolate) cake. The whole meal was slightly over $60 and was truly incredible. Everything was done to perfection. The service was warm and friendly without being intrusive; the waiter and host were both very helpful and knowledgeable. I have not had a better Italian meal in Buffalo. The food has dramatically improved from when I was last at San Marco (when it was in Kenmore)—and it was incredible then."

[RM, 5/00] says: "The best northern Italian restaurant in town. The place to take a visitor to impress them with quality food. Listen to Frank's advice and go with the specials. Truly excellent food. Desserts are good, but not the strength of the restaurant."

[JCr, 1/06] says: "This past weekend, I enjoyed a nice meal at San Marco Ristorante. This was my first dining experience there, and I would say that it was a positive one. I went with a party of 7, and I must say the service was good for the most part. We did wait a while between our first and second courses, and, when the second course did come out, they brought them out individually, and it seemed to be almost 10 minutes between the first entree and the last being served. For our first course, ravioli with lobster, mixed greens salad, and a thin-sliced, cured meat (can't recall what exactly it was) served on a bed of arugula and drizzled with olive oil and balsamic. All of these starters were reported to be very good. For our entrees, most of us ordered off the specials. My fiancee and her mother ordered the sea bass with a pesto sauce, which was said to be tasty but like [Bill's] review was reported to be a bit "crisp". A few other guests ordered the veal special, which I am not sure how it was prepared, but was quite good. My future brother-in-law ordered the wild boar, and I ordered the venison on special; both were cooked with olive oil and balsamic and finished in a type of red-wine reduction with juniper berries. Both of these dishes were very tasty and very tender. A variety of different desserts were had, and all were supposedly very good. All in all, it was a nice dining experience,but there are many restaurants that I prefer that I would return to before this one, and many more that I haven't tried yet that I would visit before a return trip. 8 out of 10."

[BL, 8/06] says: "A fine meal for us at an outstanding area restaurant. This was our first time at San Marco's, and we were not too familiar with Northern Italian cuisine. But not a problem. Quality in all areas from ambiance (in our case, we wanted a warm, romantic setting and got it) to service to excellent food and creative menus. We will go back again and try several other items on the menu. Very, very good. But more important, and not trying to sound silly about this, the main ingredient that you feel at San Marco's is an atmosphere of love. There are many repeat patrons who obviously have a warm relationship with the owners, and you see this as they enter and greet each other and are seated. It stepped up a notch our entire dining experience. Very happy, very loving, and then couple that with great food and surroundings—what more could you want? A confident and competent dining establishment. ($103 before tax and tip for shared appetizer, salad, and soup, separate entrees, two glasses of wine each and desserts.)"

[WHN, 10/06] says: "Having gotten through 9 days of partial (emergency generator) power, as a result of the "October surprise" storm, I called San Marco on Friday, 10/20, and found that they had just reopened and had a table for two available the next night, albeit either earlier or later than we would have preferred. We opted for earlier—6 p.m. Saturday afternoon, our utility power was restored, so we had reason to celebrate that night. Driving down a darkened Kensington from Main, the street lights, traffic signals, King and I, and other businesses and homes were still dark, without power. We thought San Marco might have lost power again, but the block from San Marco to Harlem was normally lighted. After a glass of Pinot Grigio, my wife and I both had an evening special, an exceptionally tasty shrimp and lobster risotto to start, followed by Caesar salads. For the main course, my wife had a variation of Veal Marsala made with black truffle oil, while I had Vitello Nonna—veal escalopes and eggplant with a creamy, tomato-flavored sauce. Both were tender and delicious. San Marco had not gotten their wine delivery, and were out of the wine that I ordered, but the owner, Frank, recommended an Amarone Valpolicella that was excellent. For dessert, my wife had a chocolate cake, and I had a fresh pear tart, which were both very good. I would rate San Marco as one of my top five favorite Buffalo-area restaurants, along with Rue Franklin, Hutch's, Tempo and Left Bank." And a year and a half later, [WHN, 2/08] now says: "After a hiatus of about a year and a half, my wife and I dined at San Marco on Thursday night. For appetizers, we both had an evening special of house-made lobster ravioli, topped with a creamy tomato sauce with baby shrimp. Exquisite. For the main course, my wife had the restaurant's version of veal Marsala, made with black truffle oil and topped by porcini mushrooms. I had one of the daily specials—fresh rainbow trout with a lemon butter and caper sauce. Both dinners were accompanied by winter vegetables and roasted potatoes. Both were delicious! For dessert, my wife had a chocolate "dome cake" filled with cappuccino cream. I had a caramel pear tart with vanilla ice cream. The desserts were excellent as well. San Marco remains one of the best restaurants in the area, in my opinion." And continuing, [WHN, 4/08] says: "My wife and I dined at San Marco with another couple on Saturday night, 4/6/08. To start, my wife had lobster ravioli, which she said had a different, and less tasty, sauce than the last time she ordered it a couple months ago, and was also overly salty. I ordered another evening special, cheese-filled tortellini in a cream sauce with mushrooms. It was quite good, but also overly salty for my taste. Our friend and his wife had Caesar salad and the tortellini appetizer, respectively. For main courses, my wife had her San Marco favorite, veal Marsala (which they call something else). I had Sardinian wild boar in a Barolo wine sauce with pink peppercorns, a house specialty. I had it the first time we dined at San Marco years ago, but haven't had it since. It was excellent. My friend had whole rainbow trout, and his wife had filet in a Cognac-pepper-cream sauce. They both said their meals were delicious. The service was less than we've come to expect from San Marco: The meal, which consisted of two courses plus coffee, took nearly three hours. Nevertheless, it's still one of my favorite restaurants." [WHN, 4/08] just can't stay away!: "We returned to San Marco on Friday night, 4/25, for dinner with our son and visiting daughter. Three of us started our meals with one of their often-featured specials, lobster ravioli, with a tomato cream sauce and baby shrimp. The ravioli was perfect this time—not as salty as the last time my wife had it. My son had pasta fagioli—bean and pasta soup—which he pronounced as very good. For the main course, my daughter and I had one of the frequently featured nightly specials—whole fresh rainbow trout with a lemon butter, pink peppercorn, and caper sauce. I've had it before (although I don't recall the pink peppercorns from the last time), and it was, again, delicious. My wife had Chilean sea bass, also finished with a white wine, lemon butter, and caper sauce. Our son had grilled venison, something you don't find very often on restaurant menus in Buffalo—in a Barolo wine sauce. All were accompanied by roasted potatoes and vegetables, and all were excellent. 3 stars."

[4/06] Given 4 (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

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

Santasiero's Restaurant.
1329 Niagara St. (West Side), Buffalo.
886-9197.

[MD, 4/98] says: "Another fine Italian restaurant....Talk about vintage West Side buildings, I felt like I was in Sicily! Just take a look at the ceiling in the front room."

[MEL, 6/99] says: "Good, nutritious fast food in a quaintly blue-collar setting. Just go to this little bar/restaurant on an industrial street, ask for a plate of spaghetti, and for $3.75 you have a good, filling meal in about 3 minutes (and the bread comes about 2 minutes before that!)."

And more recently, [LS, 5/07] says: "Santasiero's was a favorite place to eat dinner when I grew up and lived in Buffalo, and remains a favorite when I got back to visit. The food has been consistently great throughout the decades. Santasiero's has a charming menu posted on the paneled wall in the back room of the tavern. The food is incredible for such a cheap price. The sauce is excellent. Their pasta fasoul (spelling?) is just about the best in the entire country. Santasiero's is a precious gem for people coming back to their hometown. Its warm, casual, down-to-earth atmosphere, large portions, and great food all make for a comforting, homey experience."

[JCr, 1/08] says: "Can you really beat this place as far as price goes? My parents took my brother and me to this place every Sunday for dinner during the summers on our way back from Bay Beach, and I am quite fond of this place. I have not dined here in many many years, but I still occasionally order take-out from here, and it is always fantastic and quite affordable. My mother still makes the best red sauce, but Santasiero's is a close second; however, their meatballs are second to none. I really love this place and hope it sticks around for many, many more years to come."

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

[am] Santora's Phase II.
1402 Flint Rd. (across from Marriott and Red Roof, in Triad Apartment Bldg.), Amherst.
688-3081.

Delivers subs, pizzas, wings.

[GF, 12/05] says: "Ordered wings and pizza from here for a large group: two large pizzas and two 50-wing buckets. I had ordered from here before, and it was OK. This time, terrible! The cheese barely covered the pizza, and there was minimal pepperoni. The flavor of the wings was all right, but nothing worth writing home about. To make it worse, there were obvious little tufts or whatnot (where the feathers had been plucked) in the skin. Gross! I know they started that way, but no one wants to see that before you bite into it."

Sara's Deli.
Suite 122, 55 Cross Point Pkwy., Getzville.
636-7272.

[CCo, 8/07] says: "This place specializes in Mediterranean and American food. They have excellent take-out service or, if you prefer, they have a few tables to sit at. You can also buy lotto, cigarettes, snacks, beer, coffee, and other beverages. I chose to have the chicken-finger basket—talk about good food, great pricing, and a good amount (I couldn't finish the entire meal). The fingers were more like my hand size, and I could order them any way I wanted. My companion choose one of their wraps, which was plentiful as well as made to order on your choice of honey wheat, white, or tomato wrap. I will continue to patronize this establishment; they are great!!"

Saville's Farm Market.
3910 N. Buffalo St. (Rt. 240), Orchard Park.
662-4485.

[EC, 8/04] says: "A neighbor told me about the pies that Saville's makes. I kick myself for not trying them sooner, but I bought an apple pie there last Friday. It was so tasty that it didn't last more than 12 hours!!! I simply couldn't stop eating the pie! It was the best I've ever had. They're baked fresh each morning on the premises by the owners. Definitely worth the trek to Orchard Park!!! There is a wonderful selection of fresh fruits & vegetables as well. Much fresher, and much cheaper than the local supermarkets."

Sawyer Creek Hotel.
3264 Niagara Falls Blvd., North Tonawanda, NY.
694-2168.

[SD, 11/06] says: "Several years ago, we visited this restaurant. I ordered a fish fry, and, although the fish was good, the macaroni salad was spoiled. We didn't see the waitress again until we were finished eating. When I told her the food was spoiled, her response was, "Oh", and she took my plate away. She never apologized or took anything off my bill. Since I don't like to make a scene, I just left vowing never to return. Last week, we decided to give the place a second chance, since it is very close to our home. I ordered the filet mignon, and my husband ordered the baby back ribs. My filet was so tough I couldn't cut it with the steak knife. And my husband's ribs were nothing but fat. I did complain about the steak, because I couldn't even chew it, and the waitress did apologize and ask if I would like something else. I decided on the roast beef sandwich, because I thought it would be quick. 15 minutes later, I received my sandwich, and it was very fatty, but at least it was shredded fat. The restaurant is also very dirty, and the ceiling looks like it is about to cave in. I will never return and would just like to warn others not to waste their money. The fact that there were only 2-3 other couples in the place on a Saturday night should have been a clue. Also, on my credit card receipt, the restaurant was listed as Rico's Cafe, not Sawyer Creek...?"

[ES, 1/07] says: "I went to the Sawyer Creek Hotel for lunch on a Friday afternoon, my first time there. As I waited to place my order, the ccok came from the kitchen and dumped the swill container (the container that catches the overflow from the beer taps) into a pitcher and then continued to fill the pitcher with fresh beer from the taps. He said he was making beer batter for this evening fish frys. Oh my good; can you believe this? I went back a second time, this time just to have a beer and see if he did it again. Again, it was a Friday afternoon, and sure enough, he did it again. Needless to say, I will never eat at that restaurant again. Never. I have contacted the Niagara County Health Department and hope that they address this issue. Can you imagine what they do back in that kitchen?"

Say Cheese! Pizza Co..
545 W. Klein Rd. (near Hopkins Rd., near Dash's Plaza), Williamsville.
689-9477.

Possibly part of a chain. There's also a restaurant with this name on Grand Island.

[ECB, 8/06] says: "We received a coupon for a free pizza and decided to give this place a try. It's your usual hole-in-the-wall local pizza joint that does pick-up and delivery exclusively. We got a pepperoni and green olive pizza for our coupon and added an order of fifteen hot wings and a 2-liter of Coke (after being told they were out of root beer). Went to pick it up and were told they were out of Coke as well, so we ended up with Cherry Coke. Got the food home. The pizza was OK, about what you'd expect, but it was sloppily sliced (irregular sizes and only cut halfway through). The wings barely had any sauce, putting them on the mild side of mild, and there were only eleven. Not a place I'll be ordering from again."

La Scala Ristorante.
9210 Transit Rd., East Amherst.
213-2777.

In a word, superb! Italian, by way of Lebanon, with at least one chef from the late lamented Pranzo. [MER] and I ate here [8/05] a few weeks before its official opening, having asked the manager (a friend of ours, as are the owners, who overlap with the ownership of La Marina) if they were serving yet and being told that, though not yet officially open, they had had a "soft" opening about a week before and had been doing a brisk drive-by business since then, which just goes to show how this East Amherst neighborhood had been desperate for this kind of restaurant. Located in the former Salonika site, but completely—and elegantly—redecorated (with separate private dining rooms that are wi-fi equipped and separate pizza and drinks bars), their nearest competitors would be Pietro's and Calvaneso's (definitely not the much more informal Salonika that it replaced). Before eating, we were given a small dish of a scrumptious olive tapenade to spread on bread (along with oil, if we preferred). We both began with the $7 La Scala Fattoush salad ("field greens tossed with tomatoes, onion, cucumbers, toasted pita, dressed with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice & Cayenne"), which can be ordered plain, mild, medium, or hot (the pita bits are soaked in varying degrees of Cayenne); we ordered "mild" and it was plenty tangy. [MER] had the $32 filet mignon ("10 Ounce served over roasted potato [actually, the potato was displayed vertically to the side of the steak], vegetable [asparagus the night we were here, cooked to perfection], gorgonzola bread & Cabernet demi"); it, too, was cooked to perfection and as tender as marshmallows. I had the $25 bouillabaisse "Marseilles" ("Baby lobster tail, clams, mussels, shrimp, scallops & catch of the day served in an herb tomato broth served with a parmesan cheese crouton"); though not quite as garlicky or saffrony as I like, it was delicious. Dessert for [MER] was a delicious trifle; for me, a chocolate-wafer cup filled with mixed berries; exquisite. We'll be back for more! (Other options included a daily "Minestra"; Caesar salad or baked goat cheese salads; roasted banana peppers, crab cakes, or fried calamari appetizers; a clam and oyster bar; various pastas; tripe, chicken, bethanjhan (stuffed eggplant), seafood, or bracciole among the entreés (as well as daily specials). The separate "Pranzo" lunch menu includes the daily "Minestra", several salads, various panini and pastas, and three varieties of pizza. They also do home and office catering, as well as private parties.) We returned [9/05] and were equally pleased. I ordered from their "specials"-of-the-day menu: Caprese Roma Tomatoes with Sweet Basil, Bocconcini Mozzarella, and Red Onions as an appetizer salad, followed by Golden Rainbow Trout broiled with Apple-Smothered Bacon, Roasted Garlic and Thyme, over Orange and Yellow Snow Crab Lentils with Asparagus, with a Warm Roasted Garlic Sherry Vinaigrette. I was worried about the bacon ovewhelming the trout, but it was merely wrapped around the outside and could easily be ignored; the lentils were nicely crunchy and tasty—altogether a successful dish. For dessert, I was offered a surprise, since it was my birthday: hazelnut ice cream with chocolate sauce and whipped cream, accompanied by various fruits (straw-, rasp-, and blueberries, watermelon, pineapple). Returned again [2/06]: [MER] began with sauteed artichokes battered with parmesan and egg; delicious. For my main course, I had Alaskan halibut, pan seared over artichoke risotto with citrus buerre blanc, garnished with a jumbo shrimp; excellent. Dessert was a wonderful tiramisu. My 10-year-old son had a pepperoni pizza, which he enjoyed (and which I had as a leftover for lunch the next day; also excellent, even for my NYC pizza taste buds :-). In [4/06], I came with some colleagues and a visiting lecturer; I had a special: pan-roasted filet of escolar (a white fish), with roasted potato and grilled asparagus served with a homemade pesto sauce and a homemade ravioli. The fish was excellent, the asparagus and roast potatoes quite tasty; the lone ravioli, however, was overly al dente. My colleagues seemed to enjoy their meals, too. I returned [6/06] and ordered from the menu of daily specials. I began with a citrus salad with Bibb lettuce, strawberries, kiwi, and (I think) avocado, with a honey vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts; light and tasty—a great start to a meal. For the main course, I had a caramelized halibut over roasted potatoes, finished with grilled pineapple, mango salsa, and grilled lime, topped with a white wine, lemon, and butter sauce. The salsa had just enough tang, but not overpowering the delicate fish. My 10-year-old son had a pepperoni pizza, which was quite good—more along the lines of the pizzas we've had in France than anything else available in Buffalo. [8/06]: I began my meal with a grilled romaine salad with aged balsamic, strawberries, and candied pecans; it was tasty, but I must admit that I didn't like the consistency of the grilled lettuce, and the dressing was a bit overpowering. However, my Mediterranean pasta was excellent: caramelized scallops, sauteed shrimp, and the largest mussels I've ever seen, along with Kalamata olives, artichokes, baby spinach, sundried tomatoes, and red-wine-soaked feta over whole-wheat penne. [MER] and I stopped by for a late, light supper, [12/06]. I began with a slightly-too-salty shrimp bisque filled with lots of tiny shrimp, followed by the mussels alla romana: sauteed with garlic, basil, cannelini beans, tomatoes, and roasted red peppers in a white wine lemon sauce; delicious—the only thing I should have asked for was a spoon to scoop it all up with. As always, the service was impeccable. [MER] and I returned [4/07] with a friend from out of town. As usual, the food, service, and ambience were superb. [MER] and our guest began with appetizers of beefsteak (unfortunately misspelled as "beef stake") tomatoes and fresh mozzarella sliced with red onion rings and fresh basil, with an olive oil and raspberry honey balsamic vinaigrette; they were both pleased, as was I with my rich and creamy, lightly fried, sweet-potato gnocchi in a maple-walnut cream sauce. For their main courses, [MER] and guest opted for the "cowboy filet", tender as all La Scala's steaks are. I opted for a northern Italian shellfish stew with clams, mussels, shrimp, and scallops, sauteed in San Marzano tomato broth with cannellini, banana peppers, and crostini: delicious. Excellent coffee, and, for dessert, I had a wonderful tiramisu. Be warned: La Scala is not inexpensive; our meal, with wine, came to over $200. [11/07] returned with [MER], my stepson, and my 12-year-old son. La Scala now has a slightly new menu, with more extensive seafood items. I began with an off-the-menu field-green salad with fried leeks, garbanzo beans, beets, tomatoes, and what may have been portobello mushroom slices with melted bleu cheese (which I avoided like the plague) in a balsamic vinaigrette: a perfect starter. For my main course, I had the new Seafood Trio: canatappi pasta (curly macaroni), asparagus, artichokes, spinach, tomatoes, large shrimp, huge scallops, and a baby lobster tail: delicious. [MER] began with a special appetizer: coconut shrimp with polenta, which she loved, and had filet mignon as her entree, tender and tasty as always. My stepson loved his gnocchi with steak tips in a cream sauce (another new menu item), and my son loved his cheese-and-pepperoni pizza (ordered from the separate pizza menu). Once again, a superb meal, and the waitstaff, headed by Tom Vullo, was—as always—impeccable. [5/08] Stopped in for an early, impromptu dinner without reservations on a night when they were fully booked, but the (new) hostess, who didn't recognize us, offered to seat us in the pizza dining area, which we happily accepted. I began with the pear, strawberry, walnut, and arugula salad with a citrus vinaigrette; it was light and fresh. For my main course, I chose one of the daily specials, a tender and sweet, pan-seared butterfish with a crunchy, tropical fruit salsa (avocado, pineapple, mango, honeydew), accompanied by the most delicious ("Mediterranean") rice I've ever had—a secret ingredient that might have included some cinnamon (it tasted a bit like shortbread). [MER] had her usual, tender, delicious filet mignon cooked medium. For dessert (or "desert", as their on-line menu spells it), we shared the cooked-to-order Godiva chocolate soufflé—a sort of dark chocolate cake-like pudding with hot, melted chocolate in the center. The service, headed by the ever-attentive Tom Vullo with excellent assistance, was perfection as usual.

[WHN, 9/05] says: "Excellent! I drove by La Scala many times recently, and wondered when it would open. After reading your review, I learned it was open and made a reservation to celebrate my sister-in-law's birthday. When we pulled in, we noticed their grand opening sign and hoped they wouldn't be overwhelmed. No fear. We were promptly seated, and the service was impeccable and perfectly paced. We shared several appetizers: excellent crab cakes—probably part of the above-mentioned La Marina legacy—fried calamari, and baked goat cheese salad. A small house salad is also included with each entree. My wife and brother-in-law both had pork bracciole ($24), which they agreed was tender and delicious, with a red-sauced pasta on the side. I had one of the daily specials, veal chop saltimbocca ($38), which was cooked perfectly to medium rare, as ordered. It was served with an unusual, sweet, but tasty, fig risotto. My sister-in-law had sole, sauteed, I think ($21), which she said was also excellent. This also came with a side of pasta. All dinners included a vegetable (zucchini), too. My wife and I shared key lime pie for dessert, and my brother- and sister-in-law shared a cannoli. Both desserts were very good. The coffee is imported from Italy, our waiter told us. Although we had decaf, it was fresh brewed and strong, as coffee in Italy usually is. The wine list is quite good and fairly extensive, although with somewhat fewer Italian wines than I had expected. Pasta dishes are available in half portions for those who want a pasta course, or a side dish with their entree, as well as full portions as an entree. We were told they're open for dinner only, so this may have changed since the August review. We're looking forward to returning very soon." Which they did in [10/05]: "Our second visit to La Scala was somewhat disappointing. The food was still very good, with three exceptions—cold mashed potatoes with two of the dinners, one tough steak (out of four), and the coffee wasn't hot. But first... our reservation was "lost". Once "found", we were put in a back room with no atmosphere, no ambiance, and no decor, except for a room-wide mirror on one wall, and large, red "EXIT" signs over the doors. Very depressing to spend $100+ per couple for dinner, and be put in a room that has all the charm of a warehouse. In general, the service was disjointed: The bread arrived after we finished our appetizers, and our main courses arrived before our salads, which we would not have gotten at all if we hadn't reminded the waiter. Yes, we will go back, but we will definitely specify we do not want to be put in one of their "banquet rooms"." [WHN, 8/07] update: "We met another couple for dinner at La Scala last night (8/18/07). It was our first return visit in nearly two years. My wife started her meal with the "Fattoush" salad of mixed greens. Our waiter warned her that it was "hot", but she told him she liked spicy foods. Actually, she thought the salad, and especially the dressing, was bland and not at all spicy. She said she would not order it again. [Editor's note: I don't normally interrupt reviews, but here I can't resist observing that one person's "hot" is another's "mild": I had the Fattoush once and found it so hot that I never had it again, but my "supertasting" taste buds just don't like spicy foods. I think "mild" wings are hot enough. So the fact that [WHN]'s wife didn't think the Fattoush was spicy doesn't necessarily mean that it wasn't :-). And now back to the review....] The rest of us ordered Caesar salads, which were very good. A few diced tomatoes and a slice of prosciutto were served to the side, which was a nice added touch. For the main course, our wives had a nightly seafood special—monkfish in a saffron-flavored wine sauce. The fish dish was described as fabulous and "absolutely delicious". My friend and I had both had veal Francaise—egg-coated veal escallops, sauteed, and served with capers and lemon. It was perfect. We skipped dessert, but ordered coffee. Our friends lived in Italy for five years and said the coffee tasted just like Italian coffee."

[MJH, 9/05] says: "If you are looking for spaghetti and meat ball type restaurant you are at the wrong place I was very disappointed . nice restaurant but no Italian food ."

[MRT, 12/05] says: "This is a superb restaurant. When you are first seated at your table, you are brought a basket of delicious bread as well as a very tasty olive tapenade and extra virgin olive oil. It was difficult to hold back on enjoying the bread to save room for the rest of our meals For appetizers, my husband and I each ordered off the specials. I ordered a portabella mushroom stuffed with salmon. The taste was outstanding 10/10. My husband ordered their lobster bisque, as well as their crab cakes from their regular menu. I tasted his crab cakes, and they were excellent (10/10). He rates their lobster bisque 8/10 as compared to Hutch's. My husband ordered the Dover sole off the special menu. He rates that 7/10 as compared to the Dover sole of the long lost Grano restaurant in Clarence. I ordered their filet mignon. My filet was perfectly cooked, and accompanied with spinach and mashed potatoes. I rate their filet mignon 10/10. Both of our meals were accompanied with an excellent simple salad. For dessert, my husband ordered a Godiva chocolate eruption. I ordered tiramisu. We rate both desserts 10/10." [MRT] returned [11/07]: "Last weekend, on Saturday, 11/3/07, my husband and I visited la Scala for dinner. We once compared La Scala with Hutch's. My husband ordered three appetizers for dinner: crab cakes and 2 items from the specials list: a shrimp tempura and a pasta with steak tips. I began with the La Scala Fattoush Salad, and a fish from the specials list with shrimp risotto. My husband was not terribly impressed with his dishes. I adored my salad, and so I was very much looking forward for my main dish. I was very disappointed in the fish. It smelled fishy—it was not terribly tasty. I left most of it over. I did enjoy the risotto and the sautéed vegetables that accompanied the dish. I must say that the service at La Scala is exceptional. We did not order desert (no item appealed to us). [ Editor's comment: They could not order dessert, however, because the menu only offers "desert"!] Rather, we ordered coffee and espresso. Sadly, we are crossing La Scala off our list of excellent restaurants. We drove to Butterwood Gourmet Desserts, where we greatly enjoyed our des[s]erts."

[GOw, 4/08] says: "On a recent Saturday night, we decided to check out this seemingly-always-busy restaurant on Transit Road. I called at 7:30 pm and asked what the chances of getting a table for two were and was told there was a 40 minute wait. I made a 9 pm reservation. We were seated immediately in one of the busiest (fine dining) restaurants I have been in. Wow, I think they may just make a go of it here. The bar was packed and most every table was full with quite a few parties of 6. This is a noisy place—a good noisy. It creates a sense of excitement and anticipation when everyone seems so happy and having a good time. We were able to have fun doing some people watching—lots of interesting characters. The place is beautifully decorated, with warmth and a very cool waterfall. It takes a little maneuvering to get to the restroom—had to elbow a few men in Armani standing around the bar to get there. J had a nice Chianti, and I stuck with a lager. They have no beer on draft; bottles only. I thought our server just forgot to bring me a glass; then I noticed a few other guys drinking right out of the bottle, so I said what the heck and took a good swallow. Seems a little too fancy a place to suck beer out of the bottle, but I am fine with that. We ordered the fried calamari, and it was very good. I believe it had a cornmeal based coating. Nice and crunchy, and the marinara sauce was very good. They also have a bread server who brings bread, olive oil, and an olive tapenade. This was fine. Our server never mentioned a salad, and I assumed it was à la carte, but then he came with 2 dinner salads; I am glad we like Italian dressing, since we were not asked. Not a problem; it seemed a bonus to get this. J ordered the La Scala Eggplant, which was excellent! This is not a typical eggplant parm. This was 3 thickly-sliced pieces of eggplant, crisp and delicious with excellent sauce and al dente spaghetti. Truly, this was one fine entree. I had the chicken marsala—I know, terribly boring of me when there were so many other interesting items to order, but I was very happy with my choice. I love the taste of the marsala sauce with the mushrooms. These were not canned mushrooms, nice and fresh—Portobello perhaps. A good, albeit comfortable, choice. We like this place and will be back."

Scharf's Schiller Park.
34 S. Crossman (in East Buffalo, off Genesee St., between Pine Ridge and Bailey, near the Cheektowaga town line), Buffalo.
895-7249.

[MEL, 3/98] says: "Standard German fare at cheap prices; I had a beef and noodles entree which was pretty good."

[DY, 9/02] says: "One of the few places left where you can get authentic German cuisine in Buffalo (I recommend that you don't go there for burgers or steak, although I'm sure they're excellent; instead, enjoy ethnic cuisine that you can't find elsewhere). Their sauerbraten is as good as I've ever had, as are their potato pancakes, spaetzle, and dumplings. The German band music and wall decorations lend a homey feel to this German-American treasure."

[BMcWS, 7/07] says: "Finding Scharf's is a bit tricky, and the neighborhood it is in is not the best, but this is surely a piece of authentic Buffalo. Call ahead to find out their hours. On the night we went, they were only open until 7. Also, skip going on Fridays, since the fish fry replaces the dumplings. Don't be alarmed when you get there—the restaurant can be found by going through the old-time tavern. Three of us enjoyed sauerbraten, potato pancakes, Wiener schnitzel, German potato salad, and sweet and sour cabbage. Everything was excellent. The sauerbraten was fork tender. The potato pancakes were thick and crunchy. All the sides were excellent. The place was practically empty when we were there on a Friday night, which is a shame since the food here was truly excellent. We also enjoyed the rye bread that came before our meals, and found our included salads pleasant."

Schimschack's Restaurant.
2943 Upper Mountain Rd., Sanborn.
731-4111.

[T&CT, 4/03] say: "As we exited the car, our noses were met with enticing fragrances of char-grilled food. The entrance filled with figurines immediately relaxed us as homey feelings came over us. Our coats were hung, and our host led us to a table with a breathtaking view. Our server, Sharon, was not only efficient but caring. We never felt rushed or in need of anything. Courteous checks on our needs were not handled with "How are you guys doing?". Instead, we heard "May I get anything for you?". Personal and comfortable. The only interuption to a soft, candle-lit dinner were the occasional flames from their dessert confection, Banana Foster. The steak was tender, and done as requested. The seafood was fresh and tasty. Our overall experience was wonderful, relaxing, and truly a dining memory to cherish."

[BC, 10/03] says: "We went to Schimschack's for our anniversary dinner and left disappointed. The menu consisted of the the standard items. Our food was bland and uneventful. The view was very nice, but the decor inside needed some work. The service was good."

[J&NS, 11/03] say: "My wife and I have been going to Schimschack's Restaurant for a number of years and have always found the food very delicious, the view outstanding—especially at sunset—and the ambiance very enjoyable and relaxing. I'm not going to be repetitive to [T&CT, 4/03]'s writeup, but that is exactly the way we see this place. The Banana Foster is an excellent way to finish off a meal split for the two of us. It's about a 50-minute drive for us to get there from Lancaster, but it's always worth the trip. I recommend, to those interested, to get there before sunset. It adds to the romance of the evening. 3 stars!!!"

[LG&ST, 1/05] say: "A party of 6 of us went to Schimschack's this past summer. This is a restaurant my husband and I have been patronizing for years with fond memories. What a disappointment this past visit was. The waiter was harried and inattentive. When he brought our food, everyone's arrived but mine. The reason? I quote our waiter—"Sorry, but your order didn't make it to the kitchen." Hmm, didn't make it to the kitchen? What happened in that no man's land between our table and the kitchen? When my meal did finally arrive, most of my party was finished eating. Within minutes, the waiter came to clear the dishes and asked if we wanted dessert. I had to ask for my plate back as he reached for it, as I hadn't come anywhere near finishing. The waiter offered a round of drinks on the house for the trouble, not so magnanimous since we all were having soft drinks or house wine. (When the check arrived, we were charged for the drinks anyway.) I wrote a letter of complaint to the management and got a 20 dollar gift cert. in response. Like I'd go there again! Too bad, too, as the place used to be quite good, and the view is great. I've talked to others who've had similar disappointing experiences. The place is running on its old reputation now, and, in my humble opinion, won't be running much longer. No stars here."

[J&NS, 2/05] reply: "I'd like to respond to the latest review of Schimshacks by [LG&ST]. If they had been patronizing this restaurant for years with fond memories, why do they let one evening stop them from coming back? As I read the review, it appeared that the restaurant tried to make amends with a gift certificate and a round of drinks. The main problem to their evening was an inexperienced waiter that had missed an order and forgot to credit the table with a round of drinks. I have been to this restaurant a number of times and have always enjoyed the evening with my wife. I think everyone is deserving of a second chance, especially since [LG&ST] have been going there for years. They shouldn't let one waiter's forgetfulness and inexperience keep them from coming to a place that they have enjoyed for years. That's my take."

[SMD, 5/05] says: "I had the pleasure of dining at Schimschacks recently. I was a little skeptical, given recent reviews, but it turned out to be one of the most pleasurable dining experiences that I have had in a long time. While enjoying the view, we dined on Chicken Rolundo, a boneless breast stuffed with spinach, smoked ham, swiss cheese, and topped with a white sauce and their house specialty of baby back ribs. Both entrees were delicious and well prepared. The ribs just fell off the bone and were served with a sweet tomato, not hickory, BBQ sauce on the side. The chicken was equally satisfying. Really delish! The service was attentive and professional, and we both remarked how nice it was to dine in a restaurant where the only noise was the murmured conversations of the other diners, not music blaring in ears. For dessert, we opted for the bananas Foster, which was prepared tableside. It was totally decadent and a great ending to a really lovely meal. All of the diners around us seemed pretty happy, too. I will definitely return to Schimschacks."

Schunk's West Hill Grill.
Keller Rd., East Eden.
No known phone.

[P&NO, 3/04] say: "I live in Jacksonville, Florida; I used to live in North Boston. I found a very good tavern/restaurant in place of an old bar that used to be a dive. It is on Keller Road, called Schunk's West Hill Grill. My husband (Pat) and my in-laws enjoyed the Friday night fish fry. The food and service were wonderful. The bar has been redone, very clean and comfortable; they were crowded, but we were seated promptly. The portions were generous, and the food was very tasty. We had a bacon-wrapped shrimp appetizer, which I highly recommend. My husband and I visited 3 more times before returning to Florida; we had the specialty of the house, invented by the owner, Daniel Schunk: He calls them Maple Wings; they were the best wings I have ever eaten. We also sampled his prime rib sandwich, which was very large and delightful. They have a full bar, and they are open for lunch. My mother in law's golf girlfriends frequent this establishment after their games. It was a very pleasant dining experience. I look forward to returning on my next trip up to Buffalo."

Schwabl's.
789 Center Rd. (on Rt. 16, near Union Rd.), W. Seneca.
674-9821.

German, Hungarian.

[ATw, 6/06] says: "We arrived at approximately 7:30 on a Thursday night in late June to find the place packed. We were directed toward the front of the restaurant near the bar area, but no one gave us any more information. Finally, we asked if we should put our names on a waiting list, and were told we were already on one. We waited over a half hour, then were told we could seat ourselves "over there". We had looked at a menu, so we knew what we wanted. Our server came over and asked to take our order. I ordered the haddock dinner, and we were told they were out of haddock. Now, the menu is pretty limited—maybe 12 items or so in the dinner area, so being out of haddock, which is used to make 3 of the dishes, was disappointing. Instead, I ordered roast beef on weck, and when I ordered mashed potatoes, we were told they were out of those, too. We got our food about 15 minutes later. The roast beef was fat-filled and chewy, and the yellow pike we ordered instead of the haddock was filled with bones. We were not told there were bones in it, so when I took a bite and chomped down on a bunch of bones, I was not happy. The waitress did not check back on us for about 15 minutes. By this time, I was disgusted with the food and had no more pop to wash it down with. The waitress was fair—no t overly friendly, but efficient for the most part. When I mentioned the bones, she said "That's the problem with yellow pike." That would've been nice to know when we ordered it. All in all, considering the reputation that Schwabl's has, I'm surprised it was this lousy. Needless to say, we will never return."

[a] Scotch 'n Sirloin.
3999 Maple Rd. (at Bailey), Amherst.
837-4900.

Although probably not part of a chain, there are a lot of look-alike restaurants around the country with similar names (e.g., "Cork and Cleaver").

[RM, 5/00] says: "It seems to have gone significantly downhill over the past few years. The salad bar made me nervous, and the accompanying dishes were not particularly well prepared or presented. The steak, however, was excellent, which made it worthwhile for me."

More recently, [JSc, 9/07] says: "Our visit to the Scotch and Sirloin Steakhouse was a pleasant one. There were four of us in the party, and we had reservations at 6pm on Tuesday (9/25) for which we were seated promptly. The SnS was very busy, unusual for a Tuesday nite. Appetizers/drinks were ordered: shrimp cocktail, stuffed peppers, and a seafood-type of bruschetta (special for the day). The salad bar was simplistic, but everything was well stocked. Also, there were four types of bread that were available at the salad bar. The appetizers arrived at the same time we came back from the salad bar. Good timing!! We all ordered the NY sirloin with various side dishes. My wife, who loves sweet potatoes, got a generous plate of sweet-potato French fries with her steak. Some places offer that selection but get skimpy on them. I got the veggie of the day, which was green beans mixed with a balsamic sauce. My in-laws both got baked potatoes heaped with sour cream. If you love mushrooms, you must order the side order of mushrooms at SnS. They are the best in the area. The steaks were grilled exactly the way we all had ordered them. My wife and I shared a delicious piece of key lime pie with our coffee to finish off a wonderful meal. We had Gusto coupons for 15 dollars each. Total for the bill came to $150.00 w/coupons, tip, and tax. We saved 30 dollars on the coupons. We've gone to SnS numerous times, Saturdays, Fridays, weekdays, and it's always been consistently good. Maybe that's why they were so busy on Tuesday; the word is getting around."

Sea Bar.
5229 Main St., Williamsville.
204-5283.

[JAK, 7/07] says: "Last week, as I was driving home from work down Main Street in Williamsville, a new sign caught my eye. At the site of the former Caffe Aroma was a new sign with the name "Sea Bar" and a Kirin Beer neon sign. Being a fan of sushi, I was giddy with the thought of a sushi bar within walking distance of my house and took note for the following week. Being next to Trattoria Aroma, it was difficult to tell how busy Sea Bar was, but tonight my wife and I stopped in, in hopes of securing a table, and we were in luck! A table was open, and we sat down. The new surroundings were decidedly not coffee house—a curved wall with chunks of raw glass, wall mounted vases with fish, a flat screen TV (blissfully off), and a long arced sushi bar and display case. My surprise came when I sat down at the table, gazed at the sushi bar, and saw...Mike Andrejewski! After the loss of the beloved Tsunami, I could not imagine that this was not a huge event, but as we learned from the waiter, this new restaurant only opened days before in a soft roll-out and will become a huge hit I am sure! This is not a big place—bar seating, a few singletons along the windows, and maybe 8 tables in all. This will become a tough booking! Alongside Mike was a gentleman we well recognized from Kibarashi the first time we lunched there, so it seems that the Buffalo sushi wars are on! We ordered two glasses of Pinot Noir from a short but accommodating list as we looked over the menu. This is not a place to come for great breadth, as the choices definitely feature the fish, but there are some very pleasant twists. We started with the foie gras. Lightly torched and placed over a loose maki roll with mango, it was unwieldly but worth the struggle to break apart and savor. Seconds came up with a BBQ salmon maki with avo, a sour component (pickle?), and a deep, smoky BBQ sauce underpinning it all. Lastly, we had the large chef's sashimi platter, which included (this night) a bed of daikon and seaweed salad, tamago, lobster-tail chunks, octopus, salmon, kani, and several other fish that were tasty but unannounced by the server. There was nothing left on the plate. This was perhaps the best drop-in visit I've ever had. Expecting nothing, we were treated to the return of a man who is coming back with a new and refreshing offering. The newbie service will smooth out, and the Sea Bar will find its land legs. It's just great to find this old friend back in fine form. And within waking distance!"

[DaK, 8/07] says: "Positive Review! Had dinner with some friends at Sea Bar, 7:30 on Wednesday evening. Unable to make reservations (they don't accept them), we were going to simply have a drink while waiting for a table, but alas there is no traditional bar at Sea Bar, so we stood around in the miniature lobby until a table was ready. Luckily, the wait was not very long, and we were seated within 15-20 minutes. Wine was good; mostly very traditional wine choices, but they do have a special sushi wine (not saki), which I haven't seen before, and which was quite good with the sushi. On to the main attraction: The sushi was marvelous! We enjoyed: Beef on Weck Roll, Vegetable Butterfly, Spicy Tuna, Miso Carmel Crab, BBQ Salmon, and a Tiger Roll. All were wonderful, each having a unique twist on their original counterparts, and all containing very fresh fish. Fish tacos were the only disappointment of the evening: too much rice and not enough fish. Atmosphere was very relaxed and not nearly as uptight as I was expecting a new sushi bar in Williamsville to be. We will definitely be back to try more of their "contemporary sushi"."

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

Sean Patrick's.
3480 Millersport Hwy. (near N. French), Getzville.
636-1709.

[AFN, 7/06] says: "My daughter and I had lunch at Sean Patrick's on Saturday, 7/15. She had a dish called Chicken Madeline—sauteed chicken in a red-pepper cream sauce over penne pasta. I had Chicken Souvlaki. Both were very good. Previously, my husband and I had been here for lunch and dinner a few times, and to a pre-wedding rehearsal dinner for a large group in their banquet room. On all occasions, the food and service were very good."

Seneca Niagara Casino.
310 Fourth St. (at Rainbow Blvd.), Niagara Falls, NY.
299-1100 or 1-877-8-SENECA (73-6322).

See La Cascata, Koi, Thunder Falls Buffet, and The Western Door.

Seoul Garden.
2298 Niagara Falls Blvd., Tonawanda.
692-3888.

[AG, 5/02] says: "The site of a former Chinese greasy spoon, they still serve Chinese dishes, but the Korean offerings are a bargain compared to Korea House, especially for lunch. The panchan (side dishes) aren't as elaborate as KH either, but they're fine, with your obligatory kim chee, marinated mung bean sprouts and pickled veg, etc. No table grill for your bulgoki—it's cooked in the kitchen—but it's mighty tasty, and for $5.75 at lunch, how can you go wrong? Also recommended: dwen jang chigae ("soybean paste pot stew with seafood, vegetables and tofu"), a bubbling little cauldron of tofu, bonito-y broth, and bits of squid and mussels ($5.75 at lunch). Not on lunch menu, $8.95, another Korean classic: Ohjing uh bokum, squid with vegetables and rice pasta discs in a piquant hot and sweet red chile sauce, with vegetable."

[CJH, 3/05] says: "Price is reasonable, and food is great. It would be better if I was Korean, because they give their own people food first, even though I ordered before them. Service is okay and could really be better. Got to try BiBimBob, KimBob, Bulgoki, and that squid stuff. I love their side dishes, especially their KimChi and dried bean curd. I give it a 2 out of 4 stars."

Shadow Lounge.
1504 Hertel Ave. (between Sterling Ave. & Wellington Rd.), Buffalo.
835-3975.

[TD, 9/06] says: "I dined at Shadow Lounge approximately two weeks ago with a friend. We went to the restaurant specifically for the fondue, which the restaurant was supposedly famous for, as well as for the seafood Alfredo, a personal favorite. The decor, upon entering, was nice enough. The service was incredibly slow, despite the restaurant being almost empty. We immediately ordered the fondue only to be told they were out. After a bit of chatting, we were told they were not out of the Maytag bleu cheese, just the steak skewers that accompany it. So we asked if we could order the fondue and just get a steak and have the chef cut it up. The waitress shared with us how crabby and miserable the chef was so he probably wouldn't want to do that. We sent him a drink back to help improve his mood. The waitress apparently understood nothing, because as our throats were starting to bleed from having absolutely nothing to drink, despite placing drink orders, she came back to take our orders, seafood Alfredo and chicken pot pie, and asked what we had decided to do about the fondue. We were dumbfounded. We expected the fondue out any second. So we cancelled the pot pie, ordered instead a steak, specifying that it was for the fondue. Finally everything came out, together. The steak was not cut up, apparently both the waitress and crabby chef were confused, and the seafood Alfredo would have been mildly tasty had it been edible. Unfortunately one of the shells around the utterly tasteless clams came out shattered, so each bite needed to be taken with great care. Eventually, I gave up. The Alfredo sauce was not tasty enough to risk chomping down on a clam shell. We attempted to order more drinks throughout the meal and were sucking on our ice cubes by the time the waitress returned and, again, the bar and restaurant were empty. I will absolutely without a doubt never go to Shadow Lounge again."

[CEP, 1/07] says: "Some friends and I decided to come here on a Friday night specifically for the fondue. Walking in, the bar was crowded, and we met with a sign that said "Please wait to be seated", so we did. And we waited. And waited. No one ever came to the door, so when we saw a table of four vacating, we swooped in and seated ourselves and were acknowledged by the waitress clearing the table. Once we were seated, we waited and waited some more. After about 15 minutes, the waitress finally came back over, and we expedited our ordering by asking for the drinks and chocolate fondues simultaneously. These were brought out reasonably (for the evening) promptly, and were excellent. When we were finished, we did get the check after we made a point of asking for it, but were wary about leaving the money on the table at such a crowded bar. We couldn't find a waitress for about 10 minutes, but, when we saw one, we handed it off and left. The fondue, however, was very good and reasonably priced. The decor was comfortable and chic, but the live band was ear-splittingly loud for such a small place, which detracted from conversation and the general experience. Had the volume been down a few decibels, it would have been wonderful music. Overall, I thought I would go back on a weeknight or for lunch, when it would be quieter and less busy, but, after reading the above, review I might reconsider."

Shadow Martini Bar & Restaurant.
441 Third St. (near the Seneca Casino), Niagara Falls (NY).
205-0757.

[1/04] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

Shamus Restaurant.
98 West Ave., Lockport.
433-9809.

[WHN, 9/07] says: "Shamus is in an old house (150 years old, they say) in downtown Lockport. Our Lockport friends have been there several times and said they enjoyed it very much. With the Gaelic name, we thought the menu might include Irish pub fare, but it doesn't; it is primarily beef, chicken, and seafood, plus some lamb, pork, and vegetarian dishes. We had an excellent lobster bisque to start, then I had baked chicken breast stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, and feta cheese that was delicious. My wife had a garlicky shrimp scampi served over rice that she enjoyed very much. One friend had filet of sirloin, while his wife had a seafood pie made with crab, shrimp, and scallops. They both said their meals were very good, too."

Shanghai Red's.
2 Templeton Terr. (downtown, on the waterfront former site of Crawdaddy's), Buffalo.
852-7337.

I [Bill] have not eaten here, and, judging from the reviews below, I have no plans to. At least one other friend of mine, who was at a fund-raiser held here for a local hospital, told me that the food was pretty awful. What I find fascinating is how many negative reviews I've received; it seems clear that a good restaurant is desperately desired at this location. So let me suggest an alternative: Drive a few minutes down Route 5 to Root Five Waterfront Restaurant; I think you'll like it a lot better than the folks whose reviews of Shanghai Red's follow liked Shanghai Red's.

[HPK, 11/04] says: "I cannot tell you how I looked forward to seeing this new restaurant; I was so excited to see something worth while on the waterfront. However, I am not sure how to review the experience. First—the restaurant is gorgeous; they spent a lot of money fixing the pl