Where To Do The Best Cross-Border Eating In Buffalo
There has been a great deal written about the Buffalo culinary scene of late. Heck, I even published a book/DVD about this (Nickel City Chef: Buffalo's Finest Chefs and Ingredients, by Christa Gelnnie Seychew).
But Where to do the best cross-border eating in Buffalo by Toronto Star food editor Jennifer Bain ranks among the top three newspaper pieces. Not only is it written in a delightfully breezy, in-the-know tone, Bain really does reach under the radar, recommending the offbeat as well as the same-old, same-old standbys.
"It’s refreshing to eat somewhere where trail-blazing eateries are helping to revitalize patches of the city, where hungry citizens are grateful for every new thing to eat, and where businesses are genuinely pleased to serve you."
"These are the things I love when I cross the border — not to shop or watch a game, but simply to eat."
Start with eclectic toast at Five Points Bakery + Toast Café (44 Brayton St., five pointsbakery.com) where she suggests extra sharp cheddar toast that comes with blue cheese and hot sauce plus sour cream and garlic pickle. She then sends readers to Sweetness 7 on Grant for "cheesy grits topped with fried eggs, homemade sausage, tomatoes and ... homemade English muffins)." And segues to Public Expresso in the Hotel @ Lafayette and (can you believe it?) Paula's Donuts, now on Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda for "swoon-worthy peanut butter doughnut filled with peanut butter angel cream and frosted with chocolate." Such decadence.
She then recommends the entire menu at GiGi’s (257 E. Ferry St.) on the East Side and then skips right back over to the West Side to strongly recommend both Sun Restaurant (1989 Niagara St., suncuisines.com) and Kyel Sein Hein in the West Side Bazaar food court (25 Grant St., westsidebazaar.com).
"The cheekiest beef on weck variation comes as a sushi roll from chef/restaurateur Mike Andrzejewski. Mike A., as he’s known, at Seabar (475 Ellicott St., seabarsushi.com)." Cheeky, indeed. And delicious.
Toutant (437 Ellicott St., toutantbuffalo.com), Oshun (5 E. Huron St., oshunseafood.com), the Mansion on Delaware (414 Delaware Ave., mansionondelaware.com) and the Buffalo Proper (333 Franklin St., buffaloproper.com) all get solid endorsements, as well they should. But even low end joints like Suzy-Q’s Bar-B-Que Shack (2829 River Rd./Niagara St.) get a nod.
She salutes Buffalo poutine, nods at the vibrant food truck scene, and then bows out afterswinging by a few watering holes.
All in all, a refreshingly offbeat and comprehensive panoramic view of the Buffalo culinary scene that will appeal as deeply to the Buffalo suburbanite as to the Torontonians for whom it was written.
