Bill Rapaport's Buffalo Restaurant Guide

Alphabetical Listing of Restaurants: W

Wah Sing
Waldens
Warehouse Pizza
[a] Wasabi
Water Street Landing
Wehrle Family Restaurant
Webb's Captain's Table
Wegmans
Wellington Court Café
[m] Wellington Pub
The Western Door
Wiechec's Lounge
William Seward Inn
Wilson Boat House
Wine Thief
Wiseguys Pizza
Wi-Tini's
WJ Morrissey's Irish Pub

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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Wah Sing.
238 W. Ferry St. (between Allentown & Buff State), Buffalo. 881-5125.

[MEL, 6/98] says: "Probably the worst Chinese restaurant I have been to in recent memory. The chow fun tasted downright vulcanized."

Waldens Restaurant.
2040 Walden Ave. (in the Millenium Airport Hotel), Cheektowaga.
681-2400.

[AFN] says:
[12/06] "My husband and I had lunch here in early December, while attending a seminar in the hotel. I had a spicy southwestern chicken wrap, and he had a turkey club. We had to be in and out in less than an hour, and the staff was able to accommodate to our schedule. Once again, the food and service were excellent."

[8/06] "A friend and I had lunch at Waldens on Friday. Since we arrived early, we were seated at a window looking onto the hotel's indoor courtyard, where preparations were underway for, we guessed, an Indian wedding reception. Women dressed in traditional saris were putting up very colorful decorations. Their activities added an interesting diversion to our luncheon. For my meal, I had a habanero wrap, which was grilled chicken, with a mixture of vegetables, and a very hot habanero pepper sauce. It was extremely spicy, but delicious. My friend had a "Roma Melt"—an open-faced chicken sandwich with chunky tomato sauce and cheese. She said it was delicious, too, and said she hoped to take her husband on the next day they both have off. Because we used a $5 coupon from the "Entertainment Book", lunch for both of us was only $13 plus tip. We attended a conference all week, and had lunch at four different restaurants on five days. Normally, we rarely have the time to go out to lunch, so being able to do so was a real treat. Although all four restaurants were good, we agreed that Waldens and King and I were the best."

Warehouse Pizza Co..
4360 Milestrip Rd., Blasdell.
823-5000.

Although it would appear to be a chain or franchise, it seems to be a local creation of the folks who also own the Orchard Park Duff's and Athens Family Restaurant. The menu is available in PDF.

[DBr, 8/08] says: "Recently, a friend and I checked out what we call "The Warehouse." We both live in the Southtowns but had never stopped in before. We were pleasantly surprised by the interior space. It's large and divided into different areas. This was perfect for us. The bar area is separate. We wanted a few cocktails while watching the Olympics, and this kept the families with small children away from our "adult time". Other seating areas were obviously created with families in mind. These areas surround the many video games available. My friend repeatedly commented on what a fun place to bring her 7-year-old son and 12-year-old daughter. The bar area had too many TVs to count—great for my friend; she's a sports nut. We had our drinks, a little conversation, and decided to return next time there was a big game worth watching. I was with the same friend when we stopped back (quite soon after our first visit) for a drink and a snack. My friend is a waitress. She noted the poor service we received this time and counted 5 of the staff huddled in conversation near the kitchen while our drinks were dry. We had ordered a couple of appetizers that tasted "OK". Our spinach-artichoke dip was overly seasoned with garlic. The stuffed banana peppers were bland, tasting mostly of bread crumbs, and held little cheese or seasoning. While there were very few customers in the place, dirty dishes and empty glasses sat in front of us as we watched the staff deep in conversation. Needless to say, we weren't happy. Last night was my third visit to this place. I took another friend for a drink. I had to give it a shot. This time, the barmaid was rude. We thought about trying another appetizer. I asked the barmaid what was her favorite. She said to try the peppers. When I told her I had tried them and thought they were bland, she turned and walked away! My friend's comment was, "Wow, what an attitude." I'll echo [RDM]'s review: food—mediocre, place—cool. However, if an establishment's staff/service is rude/poor on a regular basis, what's the point of going there no matter how many TVs they put in front of you?"

[RDM, 3/07] said: "Not much to say—less than mediocre. I had high hopes because the interior looked clean and modern. There were TVs everywhere for sports fans and a wide-open bar in the middle of the restaurant. The waitstaff uniforms were very strange: my first clue that something was off about this place. They had strange, white ruffled shirts on, and fedoras. The food was horrible. My side salad was extremely small, although it was made up of fresh mixed greens. My husband and son shared the cheese quesadilla for an appetizer. It was bland and tasted microwaved. The tortillas were soggy, not crisp. Our pizza was mediocre. It tasted like it was trying to be a Pizza Hut pan pizza, but the dough was too sweet and had to0 much cornmeal on the crust. My husband and I both agreed we felt a little sick to our stomachs after the meal!"

Wasabi.—WARNING: WEBSITE STILL TAKES A LONG TIME TO LOAD (BUT NO LONGER HAS LOUD MUSIC :-)
[a] 100 Plaza Dr. (in Dash's Plaza at Hopkins Rd. & W. Klein Rd.), Williamsville. 689-5888.
752 Elmwood Ave. (across the street from Spot Coffee; between Allentown &; Buff State), Buffalo. 887-8388.
3701 McKinley Pkwy. (in McKinley Mall), Blasdell. 828-1881.

Reviews of the original, Williamsville location:
[5/07] Williamsville location given 4 (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[WHN, 11/09] says: "Last night, Saturday, 11/7, we went to Wasabi for the first time for dinner. The sushi and sashimi combo platter was excellent. It included a spicy tuna roll, yellow fin, albacore, and a third kind of tuna, salmon, a cooked shrimp, and two other kinds of sashimi, which I couldn't identify. My wife's chicken teriyaki was reported to be on a par with that of Sake Café. We had a reservation and were seated immediately, and the service was prompt. However, other people were waiting, both when we arrived and when we left. I assume they didn't have reservations, but aren't sure, so reservations are strongly recommended."

[LCo, 6/08] said: "On a recent visit to Wasabi's Williamsville location, I had an Oshinko Roll and a Sweet Potato Tempura Roll. Oshinko is pickled vegetable and makes for a roll with a great springy-firm texture. The Sweet Potato Tempura is Wasabi's best vegetable roll, hands down. The sweet potato is thinly sliced, so it cooks to a soft texture, and the tempura stays warm and crisp inside the roll. I had also tried the Miso Soup to start; it was standard as miso goes, but still delicious. Other than the horrible location that seems like it's in the middle of nowhere and way too far away for someone in Buffalo, [Editor's note: Speak for yourself! This place is practically around the corner from where I live, and quite near the UB North Campus! :-)] the sweet potato tempura is enough for me to go back."

[JFG] said:

[10/07] "To celebrate our anniversary, we revisited Wasabi. I simply don't understand the negative reviews. The quality and service were comparable to our earlier visits—in a word, excellent. The ceviche was pedestrian but good—I prefer the hotter variety to the fruit based served here, so it's a matter of personal taste. The sashimi dinner which I had was excellent and tasty. My wife likes the Tuna Salad and the various rolls. I plan to return and continue exploring the menu. I've had nothing that I feel was a disappointment; quite the contrary, in fact."

[6/07] "We made a visit to a relatively new restaurant in suburban Amherst called "Wasabi". Our local restaurant critic had awarded it high marks and, always being on the lookout for good sushi or sashimi, since both Kuni's and Tsunami have closed, we decided to see if the high marks were deserved. We started out with an interesting variation on hot and sour soup prepared with a miso base and having shrimp, scallop tofu, and mushrooms. It was excellent. We also had yakitori and a pepper tuna wasabi salad. Everything was very good. I decided to try the Omakase for an entrée, and my companions had an assortment of sushi and sashimi. The quality was excellent, the presentation was very attractive, and the quantity was outstanding. All in all, we sampled the eel, toro, tuna, octopus, white tuna, salmon, mackerel, yellowtail, flying fish roe, a couple of rolls—the lobster and the eel-avocado—and there wasn't anything that I wouldn't order again. Adjacent tables had some good-looking tempura, which I want to try on my next visit. The menu is varied and extensive, and the sushi bar looked very well stocked—exceptionally well, actually. Obviously, we'll be back. So far, with the possible exception of Kuni's To Go, this is the best local sushi restaurant of which I am aware. And by "local", I do not mean to include Canadian locations in Niagara Falls or Toronto. Try it; you'll really like it—if you like sushi and sashimi or Japanese cuisine."

[ESi, 8/07] said: "I felt compelled to chime in after some of the negative reviews I read about Wasabi's. I will admit that the service can be slow, especially on the beverages, but the food is worth the wait. Ingredients are fresh, and the presentation is fantastic. My husband & I have dined there several times and look forward to our future visits to sample more of the chef's diverse menu. The Haru Maki is addictive, and the Lobster Wasabi Roll has become a favorite. For those who find it expensive, the lunch menu is a great alternative. For example, they have a special: your choice of 3 classic or hand rolls for under $10."

[HPK, 7/07] said: "I did not try anything except the sushi, and I could not eat it. Bad, bad, bad. Don't waste time or money."

[BMa, 5/07] said: "A positive review. After reading the negative reviews of Wasabi, I felt it was time to put in my two cents. It sounds as if the negative reviews are fans of another restaurant and feel it necessary to bash the newcomer. There is room for debate here, and certainly there is room for another sushi restaurant, especially of the caliber of Wasabi. Since a good friend of ours is a retired sushi chef, and another two friends own sushi restaurants in other cities, I have had the pleasure of eating fantastic sushi and learning a little about the art of Japanese cuisine. First and foremost, the quality of a sushi restaurant depends on the quality and freshness of the fish. Secondly, it is in how the chef prepares his fish. Third, I hate skimpy portions. I really don't like to read through the fish slices. I like a generous slice of fish when I'm paying a hefty price for the pleasure. Wasabi is a welcome addition to the East Amherst restaurant scene. Sleek and modern looking, friendly and attentive service, attractively-plated food, and very clean bathrooms make for a very pleasant dining experience. The food is fresh and very well prepared. I am not a fan of some of the rolls that are popular in American sushi restaurants, especially the ones with cream chese or surimi, so I usually order a sashimi platter or a combination of sushi and sashimi. I recently shared the latter with my husband on a Friday evening. The restaurant was very busy, but I found the service to be friendly, very efficient, and prompt. Once the restaurant was at full capacity, the waitstaff did their best to be accomodating. Our server was always ready to refill our drinks, bring another glass of water, and remove used plates, always with a smile. Sometimes you have to wait. In our case, the wait was short. The yellow tail is buttery and delicious. The fresh scallop (in the shell) was really a delight. Sliced thinly and placed back into its shell for presentation, it was accompanied by a citrussy sauce, which I think was ponzu. The assortment of fish was good, sliced generously, and artistically arranged on a long platter. I particularly liked the fresh salmon, which was rich and supple. This is one of the few restaurants that carry uni (sea urchin) on a regular basis. I prefer the uni from Santa Barbara, as it tends to be sweeter than the one from Maine, and, at this time of the year, it tends to be from Maine. We were fortunate that the one we had was still from Santa Barbara. Since I don't care for white fish or albacore tuna, I would have liked to see less of those fish on my platter, but since I didn't order à la carte, I suppose I can't complain. Some of the sushi bars in other cities I frequent know the fish I like and automatically serve only those fish in my order. I always find that a nice touch. The chef is knowledgeable when it comes to quality and freshness in seafood, and if you sit at the sushi bar, you can watch him slice the fish with expertise. Usually, the place fills up pretty quickly on weekends, so it is better to come early."

[KY, 4/07] said: "Review: Negative. We were a group of 4 that decided to give Wasabi a try on their grand opening. At that time, I couldn't find a website/forum to leave a review for this so called "sushi restaurant", so I figured I'd leave one now since I've one that exists. The decor was very appealing, but the food and service was absolutely horrendous. The four of us were seated immediately and then waited minutes before our order was taken. At that time, we had just finished our cup of tea and were not offered a refill for an hour. As time went on, we were averaging a cup of tea every half hour, and we needed to hunt down our waitress for a refill. With animosity building up, we requested our food that we had ordered, and kept being brushed aside. After waiting 2 hours, we finally got our food, and at that time we were so hungry we didn't even bark at the chef and waitress. The waitress then brought over what looked like leftovers from another table, said it was on the house and that they are so sorry we had to wait so long. It looked like beef, so we each gave it a try, and it was like chewing beef-flavored gum. It was by far the worst tasting and toughest beef I have had in my life. I was literally exhausted after eating that one piece. Needless to say, the sushi was awful; I had a bitter salmon sushi and tuna sushi. The chef does not know how to prepare sushi. The chef must have some an organ and have the bodily fluids leak on it. [sic] With all that said, this restaurant should close its doors. For those that are looking for a better place to eat sushi, go elsewhere. It's not worth your time and money. I would rather go to Wegman's, which is right down the street. If you're looking for a better place to eat sushi, I would prefer Fuji Grill. It's ironic that after chef Tony Kang (owner of Wasabi) left Fuji Grill, the quality and appearance of the food has much improved. I hope this review helps."

[RK, 4/07] said: "I have never offered my formal review of a restaurant before. However, after my recent experience this past weekend, I felt it was necessary. My wife and I and another couple visited Wasabi on Saturday evening, March 31st, for the first time. The four of us are sushi lovers and were looking forward to a new experience at a new sushi restaurant and some catching up. The décor was very pleasant, and the sushi, rolls, and wine selection were very good. The service was good also. The menu was very extensive but we really enjoy sushi and rolls so we didn't try any of the other menu options. The evening was very enjoyable up to that point. After paying the $135 bill along with $30 tip, we finished our wine enjoying each other's company for about 30-40 minutes at most; we weren't clock watching, and we do not make it a habit to occupy a table for an extraordinary amount of time after we are finished, and we certainly are not inconsiderate to anyone who may be waiting. Anyway, to our surprise, the waitress came up to the table asking several times if we needed anything else or if we were finished. After informing her we were fine and would be leaving shortly, she interrupted informing us that we needed to leave because they needed the table. She said people have been waiting for 30-45 minutes. I could not believe what was happening! I have been to many restaurants during my life from fast food to high-end restaurants and have never been treated like this. I thought it was a joke, certainly not [at] a place where the bill totaled $135! So, as we were walking towards the door, I noticed three tables that were completely empty, and there was only one group of three people checking in with the hostess. There weren't any lines at all inside or outside the restaurant; there wasn't even another person standing there. I was so irritated that I asked for the manager. I explained what had happened, stressed that I was not happy with the situation, and that I am in sales and would make sure that I would never recommend his restaurant to anyone. He asked me to point out the waitress, which I was glad to do, and he said he would speak to her, but I must admit, I got the impression that he was not all that concerned about what had happened. I must add that I have been to Fuji Grill in Amherst, and this has never happened even when it is clear that they were very busy. I must admit Fuji Grill's sushi is just as good if not better. Also, Kuni's on Elmwood was a very small restaurant with minimal seating. It was common for lines of waiting customers to extend outside to the sidewalk, and still this has never happened. I can say with conviction that I will never visit this restaurant again or recommend it to anyone, especially when there are places that are just as good and/or better and know how to properly treat their customers. Hopefully, others will strongly reconsider visiting Wasabi's after hearing about our unfortunate experience. Not a pleasant way to end what was supposed to be an enjoyable relaxing night out with friends."

[ALS, 3/07] said "Wasabi is an excellent Japanese restaurant. The sushi and sashimi are superb. So is the sea bass teriyaki that my wife ordered. Presentations are very nice. So is the restaurant's décor," and then he stopped by my office to emphasize the excellence of this restaurant.

[PT, 1/07] said: "Just-opened Japanese restaurant in an ex-Quizno's, owned and operated by a former chef of Fuji Grill, a few blocks away. Completely redone, so it doesn't look like a former sub shop. Very good sushi and sashimi in a wide variety, plus "kitchen menu" items like chicken teriyaki, shrimp and vegetable tempura, and more."

Review of the Blasdell location:

[RDM, 7/09] says: "My husband and I enjoyed a wonderful meal here Thursday evening. We shared a yellowtail jalapeno appetizer, which was, of course, pretty hot, but we both enjoyed it. Then we both ordered a few rolls and some individual sushi/sashimi pieces. Everything was fresh and full of flavor. The only glitch was that, once we were served, our waiter seemed to forget about us, and I waited quite a while for another glass of wine. It was a busy evening, but we finally had to flag down another waitress, who was nice enough to fill our drink order. We've decided we enjoyed our sushi so much that we will return."

[MHa, 4/09] said: "Positive. An FYI for you folks in the Southtowns. Wasabi has opened another branch near Hamburg. They are in the McKinley Mall plaza, next to a dental office, very close to the Olive Garden. I often eat at the Hopkins Road [Williamsville] location, but last night I went out with some friends from the Southtowns and decided to give it a try. Elegant decor, small sushi bar, quieter than the Hopkins Road branch of Wasabi, but every bit as good. Pristine fish, excellent fried tofu, well-prepared salads, and beautifully presented food. Since I am a regular at the Amherst location, I have gotten to know the staff and owners, so I must be honest about that fact. Having said that, I am a regular and have been eating sushi well before it was in vogue, so I can say, objectively, they are still the best."

Review of the Buffalo location:

[6/08] Buffalo location given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[LCo, 6/08] says: "After complaining that Wasabi's Williamsville location was in the middle of nowhere and way too far away from Buffalo, I was excited to see that an additional Wasabi was opening on Elmwood Ave. It's in the former Kirabashi, former Kuni's location. After eating at the new Wasabi, I was no longer excited and mostly disappointed. To start, I had Miso Soup and Edamame. The soup was fine, and the Edamame was lightly salted and delicious. I also tried the Oshinko, Asparagus, and Sweet Potato Tempura rolls. All of my vegetable rolls were cross-contaminated with Tobiko, a.k.a. flying fish roe, as if someone with grubby fingers or a grubby mat made my sushi. As a vegetarian ordering vegetable rolls, I was sad to have my food sullied with roe. The Sweet Potato Tempura was disappointing as well. It seemed dry and blander than the tempura at the Williamsville location. If the quality of the food at Wasabi is the trade-off for location, I might have to stick with Williamsville."

Water Street Landing.
115 S. Water St. (in the former Riverside Inn), Lewiston.
754-9200.

Please note: In the interests of full disclosure, [AFN] has told me [Bill] that she is related by marriage to the owners of another Lewiston restaurant, Carmelo's Coat of Arms. Of this rival restaurant, [AFN] says:
[6/09] "My sister, our daughters, and I went to the Lewiston Region Tour of Kitchens on Saturday, 6/13. I'm not quite sure how to categorize the review, so I've made it for Water Street Landing, because this was the only restaurant actually visited on the tour. They served heirloom tomato bruschetta, mushroom bruschetta, and tapenade with an assortment of breads at one of the houses, plus pastries and desserts from DiCamillo's Bakery and The Village Bake Shop, and wine from Hazlitt 1852 Vineyards on Seneca Lake, in the restaurant, which provides a gorgeous view of the Niagara River. All their food was very good. There were six other restaurants from Lewiston, Niagara Falls, and Youngstown offering samples of their cuisine at the various houses on the tour. My personal favorites, from The Youngstown Village Diner, were chicken and corn chowder and Cobb-style salad with lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cheese, ham, orange wedges, and hard boiled egg with Italian dressing; and "Louisiana shells" stuffed with Andouille sausage and chicken, topped by cheddar mornay sauce, from Brickyard Pub & BBQ. The only dish I really disliked, as did my daughter, was so-called lobster and crab cakes from The Bistro at the Olde Fort Inn, which tasted like they were made with surimi instead of real crab meat. However, the food served by most of the participating restaurants was excellent: Mediterranean pasta with pesto, artichoke hearts, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, and feta from Red Coach Inn; Italian rice balls topped with cheese-stuffed banana peppers from Casa Antica; mozzarella stuffed with prosciutto, asparagus, and tomato compote from Carmelo's. Overall, the tour was like a multi-course tasting-menu experience. Excellent! We have never been to The Youngstown Village Diner, which is said to overlook the Niagara River, or to The Brickyard Pub. I told my husband we'll have to try them this summer."

[12/05] "My sister, her daughter, and I had lunch here during Lewiston's Christmas Homes tour this weekend. My sister and I both ordered a daily special, chili-coated shrimp over a corn-meal-encrusted rice cake with corn and black bean salsa. It was tasty, but...there were only two shrimp on each plate. Not large, jumbo shrimp, but teeny, tiny, baby shrimp...for $11 per serving. Not worth $11."

[JKl, 6/09] says: "We dined at this restaurant for Mother's Day. We had a party of 9 and made reservations for 11 a.m. Only 1 person in our party had ever dined at this restaurant, and, even though it was ‘only’ for a buffet, every single guest agreed that we would come back in the future for a more intimate and romantic dining experience. The rounded ‘booths’ facing the windows looked amazing and would be perfect for a late evening dinner celebration with someone special. We were seated at a long table near the windows and had a nice view of the gorge. Our waiter was extremely attentive, and our water glasses were consistently filled throughout the meal (a gold start for them, as I only drink water at my meals). Drinks were brought quickly for those who ordered them. The Mother's Day brunch was $19.99 per person and well worth it. The buffet was extensive, with plenty of items covering both the breakfast and lunch menus (unlike most brunches that serve mostly breakfast foods and a couple carved meats). The dessert display was breathtaking, and everything sampled was delicious. We particularly enjoyed the omelet and Belgian waffle station. All buffet items were hot (a hard thing to accomplish) and well-supplied throughout our visit. A simple Mother's Day brunch has led to 9 people pledging to return to this restaurant in the future—I'd say job well done!"

[WHN, 9/05] said: "We've dined here twice over the summer, and on both occasions found it to be exceptional, both in terms of service and quality of the food, as well as offering a spectacular view of the Niagara River and the Canadian shoreline. (For the best view, request a table—which should be comfortable for four people—at the windows when making a reservation.) My wife and I had steaks on both visits, and they were perfect. The main restaurant has outdoor dining on a patio overlooking the river, as well, and there's a more casual bar and indoor/outdoor restaurant on the lower level, which, I think, serves mostly sandwiches, wings, and the like. On our second visit, with another couple, we all ordered salads to start. The waiter told us they were really large, and we should probably order just two and split them, which we did. The half-salads were enormous, so his honesty was most appreciated. One of the owners also owns the Le Metro restaurants on Elmwood Ave. and in the Walker Center plaza on Main St. in Williamsville."

[KATS, 9/05] said: "Beautiful restaurant from the folks that brought us Le Metro. Overall, the menu is very similar to Le Metro's, with a few notable exceptions, one being the price. One of my favorite entrees at Le Metro is the chicken paillard—priced at $13. Here, it's $18. I understand that you pay a premium for the view and the seasonality of the restaurant, but—and this is a big but—the food is not of the same quality as Le Metro, not even close. After begging my husband to take me to Lewiston for dinner for months, we were both extremely unsatisfied and disappointed. My steak was ordered raw, and came out "pan seared". I'll eat almost anything, but this steak was raw and the sides were pedestrian. The other entrees were fair to average. One diner was happy with one of the specials, but the other three of us were all disappointed."

[SMD, 6/05] said: "I took my partner here for his birthday, based on the recommendation of a friend. Although there was no signage, we knew the place from its previous incarnation as the Riverside Inn. They've really done some beautiful updates to make the place comfortable, yet sleek. And who can argue with that view! The Niagara River is practically your tableside companion! Being a Tuesday night, it was not very busy, so we were promptly seated by the windows. Spectacular! The delights did not end there. The service and food were both excellent without being pretentious. We shared the bruschetta appetizer, which featured olive tapenade, herbed goat cheese, and chopped tomatoes on grilled ciabatta bread. It was very tasty, and we finished every last bit. I was undecided about my entree, so our friendly and knowledgeable waiter suggested that I try the shrimp scampi. It was the best I've ever had. The shrimp and linguine were both cooked to perfection and perfectly seasoned. My partner chose the lemon chicken and was also very pleased. It came with polenta and sauteed baby spinach and a preserved lemon sauce. It was tangy and wonderful. We shared an ice cream dessert, which was fine. I give this place very high marks, and, based on our experience, I will recommend it to all my friends. Our dinners, appetizer, drinks and dessert came to less than $75. Certainly reasonable for such an excellent meal."

Wehrle Family Restaurant.
29 Wehrle Dr., Buffalo.
837-0050.

[ECB, 1/05] says: "Utterly vile. My iced tea tasted like it had been sitting in a container that hadn't been cleaned for months, all of the sugar dispensers were solid blocks, and the scrambled eggs seemed like they'd been cooked the day before and reheated. The only thing that didn't taste vile was the toast. When informed of how bad the meal was, the woman at the register replied, "Oh. That happens sometimes." Avoid this place at all cost. Bad even for diner food. Denny's is preferable."

Webb's Captain's Table Restaurant.
115 W. Lake Rd. (Rt. 394, just a bit north of the Chautauqua Institution), Mayville.
753-2161.

[WHN, 6/07] says: "Their upper level deck, overlooking Lake Chautauqua, is a nice place for a casual meal. The indoor dining rooms are very large and somewhat dark, probably OK at night, but the deck is the place to sit in the summertime for good burgers, sandwiches, etc."

Wegmans.
[a] 5275 Sheridan Dr., Williamsville.
631-4300.

[MZ, 2/08] says: "I had checked in with you earlier to see if there were any kosher delis or restaurants remaining in Bflo; here's the only thing, aside from the carryout you referred me to [i.e., Takeout Taxi, 631-2222], that I've found. There's a small location in Wegman's deli section that has a breath of memory of Barney Greengrass or Zabar's, and which is treated as kosher. I have been looking for good chopped liver, and theirs is exceptional here. Don't bother, how ever, with their potato pancakes, which taste more of matzo than potato. (They do carry some good frozen p'cakes in their kosher section. Check for NYC or NJ origins. Also in their ethnic section, they have Streit's egg noodles, which, if you typically can't find frozen fresh egg noodles, are an exact substitute if you parboil them in chicken stock.) They also have some various smoked fish, which I haven't yet tasted."

[BL, 9/07] says: "We have been to Wegman's now and then for lunch, eating upstairs in their Paris-cafe-like setting. Friday, we used a gift certificate and had dinner at the Sheridan location. What a wonderful time! The food is good and creative and offers a lot of choices at the Market Cafe. I had the Chinese buffet, and my spouse had one of the meal offerings for the evening: pork loin with potatoes and green beans. With drink, came to $24, so it is not fast-food cheap, but fast-food very good and no different than most casual restaurants in price. What was great was the place had a very healthy crowd on a Friday night with all kinds of people, and there is live entertainment. The group that night was Babik, playing Eastern European jazz swing popular in the 30s. Oh, it was great, and the people loved it. Wonderful way to spend the evening from 6-8:00pm and an alternative to our usual Friday destinations. Wegmans knows how to bring in the people."

Wellington Court Café.
11 Wellington St., St. Catherines, Ontario, Canada.
905-682-5518.

Given 4 (out of 5) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[m] Wellington Pub.
1541 Hertel Ave. (next to Bob & John's La Hacienda, Buffalo.
833-9899.

[CW, 8/08] says: "One of the most reliable and satisfying places to eat. Great pub fare: one of the best fish fries in Buffalo, served both Wednesday and Friday, lunch through closing. Burgers are also very good. Ample portions, friendly staff, appropriate for families, friends, casual dates. Full bar, patio seating."

[AJT, 4/07] said: "Unpretentious, simple fare. Sandwiches plus the usual appetizers of wings, etc. I had their Reuben on rye with an order of Cajun fries, which are thick fries dusted with seasoning. Companion had a burger and Curly Q seasoned fries. The Reuben was done properly, with freshly sliced corned beef (as opposed to "parts is parts" loaves of corned beef). The burger was done to expectation, which was "well". The Curly Q fries were OK, but a few of the Cajun fries were not thoroughly cooked. Both were served with potato chips, as well. Reuben was $5.75; burger was $5.75; fries were $2.75. Beer was $2.25; a drink was $3.75. Service was good, since the dining room was largely empty at 9:45 P.M. on a Sunday. Orders, with drinks, were filled promptly. It's a comfortable neighborhood place, and recommended."

The West.
See Manhattan West

The Western Door.
310 Fourth St. (in the Seneca Niagara Casino), Niagara Falls (NY).
278-3211.

[6/04] Given 3½ (out of 4) stars by Janice Okun, Buffalo News restaurant reviewer.

[BJC, 6/09] says: "I recently ate at the Western Door. We had reservations for a birthday dinner. The dining room is very nice; the chairs are very plush and comfortable. We were seated right away and given water. We had two waiters for the evening. They brought a basket of 4 types of bread with three spreads to choose from: two whipped butters and a hummus. My favorite bread was the cheddar jalapeno biscuits. My girlfriend and I both ordered the iceberg-wedge salad to start. It was very large, almost too big for a starter. A half head of lettuce, grape tomatoes, a large amount of blue-cheese crumbles, and covered in a white, creamy dressing with onions on top. We both had the 8 oz. filet mignon cooked medium. It was excellent. It had the perfect sear and pink on the inside, just how I wanted it; very tender. The steak also came with a small amount of veggies on the side. We ordered the garlic mashed potatoes à la carte. They were pretty good; one order is enough to share. The service was very good the whole night; they bring out your food on pushcarts instead of trays, which is interesting. Overall, a very good experience for a special occasion."

[WHN, 12/05] said: "The Western Door is first and foremost a steakhouse, and an excellent one at that. A friend and I went here for dinner without reservations, and there was a long wait for tables, but we were able to be seated in the bar area immediately. We split a "Deluxe Seafood" appetizer ($25) that was really huge—loaded with shrimp, lobster, crab, clams, and oysters. I had a 24 oz. Prime Rib ($32) and he had an 18 oz. NY Strip Steak ($30). Both were cooked to perfection and very tender. The sides are a bit expensive—$5 for a baked potato or rice, for example. There's a decent selection of beer, and a very limited choice of wines by the glass—all from New York State."

Wheatfields.
    See J. T. Wheatfields.

White Inn.
52 E. Main St. (Rt. 20), Fredonia.
672-2103.

Excellent continental cuisine in an 1868 hotel restored by former colleagues of mine. (They no longer own it, however.)

[WHN, 6/07] says: "Several friends, who have been here a number of times, recommended the White Inn recently, so we went for lunch. The crab cakes my wife and I both had were excellent—all crab meat with little or no filler; almost like being on Chesapeake Bay."

[6/99] I [Bill] began with Thai Crab Cakes, which were good but not very Thai-tasting; [MER] had a good onion soup, though the croutons were a bit tough. For the main course, I had sea scallops in a Dijon mustard sauce with smoked-salmon cakes; quite tasty—but accompanied by tasteless green beans. [MER]'s Chicken Grand Marnier was OK, but nothing to rave about. We did have a wonderful chocolate mousse cake for dessert. I would certainly come back when I was next in the neighborhood; the menu is quite appealing, even if our choices were less than ideal. I should add that it's on the expensive side.

Wiechec's Lounge.
1748 Clinton St. (in Kaisertown), Buffalo.
823-2828.

[JKl, 6/09] says: "I can't believe this old dive is not listed on your site! So I figured I might as well be the first. My review is one sided—I have only dined here on Fridays during Lent for their A-Mazing fish fry. So, first the positive (and really, there only is one), which is the delicious food they serve. Wiechec's has the best and the largest fish fry in Buffalo. They have a "half portion", which covers the standard dinner plate. Then the regular portion overlaps the plate. You get a heaping portion of French fries and also mac salad and potato salad. The beer-battered fish isn't overly battered, but this is definitely not fish for someone who likes it healthy. It is served piping hot, probably because there are sooooo many people packed in here that nothing sits around for long. So the downers: The wait time on a Friday during Lent is mind-boggling; I'm talking at least an hour. They have an old-fashioned list you write your own name on to get a seat. Also, this is an old South Buffalo bar/restaurant—no fine dining here. The décor is super-outdated, scrungy, and beat-up, to say the least. But the best fish fries are in the dive-iest bars, right? Two major downers for me: (1) They don't accept credit cards, and (2) they serve pop only by the can (no free refills), and their water is straight from the city pipelines, folks, so it's not a good backup. Can you balance the super-long wait and so-so atmosphere with a killer fish fry? I can, but only once per Lenten season!"

William Seward Inn.
6645 S. Portage Rd. (Route 394), Westfield.
326-4151.

Yes, this is that William Seward's house, the Seward of "Seward's Folly" (now known as Alaska) and Lincoln's Secretary of State; he was an agent for the Holland Land Company in Westfield. A young female Westfield resident wrote to Lincoln when he was first campaigning for president and suggested he would look better if he grew a beard; the rest is history.

[PT, 10/08] says: "My husband and I had dinner at the William Seward Inn last night, Saturday 10/4. During the "off-season", they apparently have only one seating at 7 PM, and it isn't necessary to select your dinner choices in advance. To start, we both had mixed green salads, then filets encrusted with bleu cheese. For dessert, we had chocolate mousse. All the food was delicious. Breakfast this morning was very good, too."

[WHN, 6/07] said: "Our nephew recommended The William Seward Inn very highly, so we made a reservation for dinner and an overnight stay to celebrate our anniversary. There are two seatings, 5 P.M. and 7:45 P.M.. We chose the latter. Dinner is a 4-course, $45 fixed-price menu, with a choice of six appetizers and six main courses, and a selection of desserts. A house salad is also included. The inn asks that appetizer and entree selections, which can be chosen online, be made at least a day in advance to ensure availability. I chose soft-shelled crab with mustard vinaigrette and fresh dill as the appetizer, and fennel-scented duck breast with pinot noir sauce for my entree. Both were delicious, with the duck perfectly cooked to medium rare. My wife selected sauteed shrimp with tangerine and riesling for her appetizer, and beef tenderloin with rosemary-balsamic cream sauce as her main course. She said both were excellent as well. In between the appetizer and the main course, the house salad of mixed greens and cherry tomatoes is offered with several dressing choices, all made in-house. We chose a red wine vinaigrette with shaved asiago cheese. The salads were very good. A number of desserts are presented verbally, including several cakes, tarts, creme caramel, mousse, and cheesecakes. I chose Bananas Foster cheesecake, served with fresh bananas and drizzled with caramel. Delicious. My wife chose "six nut tart", served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, which our server described as like "pecan pie on steroids". She requested and received chocolate syrup on top. She said it was superb. The wine list is not large, but is very reasonably priced at $5 or $6 per glass, with most bottles around $20, with a few in the $30-$40 range. The restaurant is small, with seating for perhaps 24-30 people in two dining rooms. Reservations are required and, as noted above, menu choices must be made in advance. Open Wednesday through Sunday, year 'round."

Wilson Boat House Restaurant.
57 Harbor St., Wilson.
751-6060.

[AFN, 6/09] says: "My visiting daughter, grandson, and I had lunch at the Wilson Boat House on Wednesday. My daughter and I split a Caesar salad and a grouper sandwich with chipotle mayo and what was described on the menu as a sweet bourbon sauce. My grandson had a beef on weck. The food was very good, as was the service, but the restaurant was chilly, even though it was a warm day. Someone told me they are only open in the summer because it's not heated. I don't know if that's true, but it's been very cool on our last two visits."

[WHN, 5/09] said: "We had lunch at the Wilson Boat House on Sunday, May 17. They had just reopened for the season earlier in the month and had begun serving lunch on Friday. The restaurant is under new management, and the menu has changed quite a lot from what I remember. My wife and I both had white fish burritos with rice, black beans, roasted peppers, jack cheese, and shredded cabbage. They were delicious, and the accompanying home-made potato chips, with minimal salt, were also excellent. The website doesn't show the lunch menu per se, but many of the sandwiches, salads, and appetizers offered at lunchtime are shown on the banquet menu, but the luncheon menu prices are somewhat lower and don't include soft drinks, tea, or coffee.

Of its old incarnation under the previous management:

[AFN, 7/07] said: "Two friends and I had lunch at the Wilson Boat House yesterday, 7/6. Two of us had Caribbean lobster sandwiches, which were spicy-hot and delicious. Our other friend had a shrimp salad—jumbo shrimp over a bed of greens—which she said was also excellent. We each had dessert, which was also very good. Great food. A water view. Economically priced—the salad and sandwiches were about $9. What more could you ask for on a nice summer afternoon?"

And [WHN, 5/06] had said: "We used to eat here when it was a somewhat scruffy, rundown place that had really good fish fries. The old Boat House, which actually rented boats, has been replaced by a completely new and very attractive restaurant on Wilson harbor, looking onto the town marina and a channel that runs into Lake Ontario. We have not been here for dinner, but on two visits my wife and I have had very good sandwiches for lunch, including turkey and smoked gouda on foccaccia, Caribbean barbecued pork, and jerked chicken. The seafood chowder is also very, very good. Friends have told us their fish fries are excellent, too. Apparently, it's owned by the same people as the Old Red Mill Inn in Clarence, because the dinner menu features a "Red Mill Prime Rib" special on Saturday nights. Aside from the food, it's a great place to watch the boating activity in the harbor on a nice, sunny day."

The Wine Thief.
431 Elmwood Ave. (at Bryant, just north of Allentown), Buffalo.
332-2929.

[AMB, 11/08] says: "Last week we tried the Wine Thief after the Philharmonic concert. It was crowded, even that late, which was nice to see. We had reserved a table and were seated promptly. The menu is not huge—a few salads, pizzas, and a list of "small plates"—sadly, I think they had run out of Buffalo mozzarella, so both the heirloom tomato salad and one of the pizzas was out for the night. We had a very nice and attentive server, and enjoyed what we did order—a pear & frisee salad, some excellent squash soup, a nicely done pork chop, and a tasty and different duck taco. It is good to have another choice serving food late into the evening. The inside has all been newly renovated—could be a little cozier if they had more rugs, or more "stuffed chair" type seating (there were a few seating arrangements like that). The patrons were casual (we were clearly overdressed coming from the concert). Our main complaint was that for some place that would seem to have wine as a focus, the wine list did not list any vintages, and, while it was a wide selection, it really wasn't a list for "experienced" wine drinkers."

Wi-Tini's.
5809 Broadway, Lancaster.
651-1980.

That's "Wi-tini" as in "Mar-tini"; they describe themselves as a martini bar.

[GOw, 6/09] says: "I took my 16-year-old daughter here the other night for a little bonding. The inside decor certainly does not match what you would expect based on outside appearances. We enjoyed very good service, as we should have, since we were the only people there at 6 p.m. on a Wednesday night. The tables and chairs are cool, dare I say sleek? Interesting space. Our dinners get mixed reviews. Kait had the chicken stir-fry. She did not like the rice, and I thought it was unusual that the chicken sat on top of the dish, hence taking the stir out of stir-fry. To be fair, the ingredients were fresh and had nice flavor. I took our server's recommendation and had the pork chop. Wow; this was big, juicy, and delicious. The bourbon-maple sauce was excellent. The accompanying asparagus and broccoli were very good. Our server also told us about specials they have during the week, including a steak night and a pasta night. I can't remember all of the details. You can fine-dine here or have beer and wings at the bar."

WJ Morrissey's Irish Pub.
30 Mississippi St. (downtown), Buffalo.
852-0930.

[BI, 6/08] says: "4 of us dined here on Friday, June 13, 2008. To begin with, the staff were very friendly and attentive. It was a beautiful night, so we sat on the patio; not a terrific view, but the patio itself is set up nicely. My wife began her meal with the potato leek soup, which we all agreed was excellent. The rest of us enjoyed the mussels appetizer very much. For our main course, 3 of us had the fish and chips (basically a fish fry), which was also enjoyable. My wife had the Signature Reuben; she said it was the most perfect Reuben she has ever tasted. The prices were very reasonable; with everyone having an alcoholic beverage plus all of our food, the bill came to $67.00. The only downfall of WJ Morrissey's was that they ran out of a few menu items, which, on a night without many patrons, seemed a bit odd. They did make up for it by substituting other side dishes for us and even giving us some more French fries than need be. Overall, this place is recommended, and we all agreed we would definitely go again!"

Woo Chon Korea House.
    See Korea House.