P. F. Chang’s Bistro: Good deals, lots of ambience
Chinese food goes sexy. And successful. P. F. Chang’s China Bistro has been packing them in for about a month now in the Walden Galleria’s ultra-eating section (as opposed to the food court — it’s definitely not the food court). The Scottsdale, Ariz.,-based chain features what is basically a menu of standard favorites, but they are presented with panache. (Updated: 11/20/09 10:56 AM )
Friar’s Table: A place where beef is king
“Specializing in Steak & Seafood,” the menu says. And that’s what I think you should keep in mind while dining at the venerable Friar’s Table, which has undergone a change in ownership during the last year. This is a big place, cozily decorated — several rooms, nice lighting, pictures of jolly old friars living it up here and there. (Updated: 11/13/09 5:05 PM )
Tokyo Shanghai Bistro: There’s something for everyone at this sleek new spot on Elmwood
A new addition to the Elmwood Avenue dining scene always starts a buzz in the neighborhood. There’s a lot of foot traffic on the street, so sidling up to windows and peering inside is strictly de rigueur from the very second the first signage is posted. Tokyo Shanghai Bistro, which opened last month, is no exception to that rule. (Updated: 11/06/09 8:49 AM )
Village Inn: Comfort food with flair
It feels like a time warp. The tiny comfy Village Inn at the very end of Ferry Road on Grand Island is housed in historic territory in what was once called Ferry Village. The building, more than 100 years old, and steps from the river, provides picnic tables in season outside, ruffled curtains, captains’ chair and a menu of house-made comfort food inside. (Updated: 11/06/09 8:58 AM )
Romanello’s South: Dinner for two that’s tasty, too
It’s a big restaurant, all right. Romanello’s South, a suburban sibling of the city’s Rhode Island Street Romanello’s of beloved memory, is owned and operated by the same family (which has been in the biz for almost a century now and also owns the Old Orchard Inn in East Aurora). The Romanello menu has stayed pretty much the same through the years. (Updated: 10/30/09 8:42 AM )
Torches: Clever ideas ignite menu
It’s not enough to cook up innovative culinary ideas when designing a dish. They have to be intelligent, innovative ideas. Some of today’s chefs forget that when they, laudably enough, try to move away from a same ol’, same ol’ menu. (Updated: 10/16/09 8:34 AM )
King’s Court: Old-school style, Greek fare reign
There’s an old-fashioned feel to the King’s Court Restaurant, situated on Delaware Avenue, about one good hop from the bustling bars of Chippewa. Oh, King’s has a bar, too, but it also has an extensive, elegant dining room behind it with cloth-covered tables and huge chandeliers and what is described as a Greek-American menu. (Updated: 10/09/09 9:22 AM )
Eastern Pearl: New restaurant is Cantonese, if you please
Located at the corner of the Boardwalk Blue Plaza, the newly opened Eastern Pearl is the very heart of casual country. Yet, inside, the place is glamorous indeed. Handsomely upholstered booths, good lighting, a sophisticated little bar and — what is this? — a Chinese fountain on the back wall. The tables are well spaced so the place is relatively quiet. Even the chopsticks are special. They are shiny ivorylike plastic and much fancier than the usual break-apart wooden splints. (A lot more slippery, too.) (Updated: 10/02/09 8:08 AM )
Tempo: An elegant place where meals are events to be savored
Universally acknowledged as one of the stars on the Western New York dining scene, Tempo presides over Delaware Avenue with dignity. (Updated: 09/26/09 11:36 AM )
Danny's South: Generous servings of 'Buffalo Cuisine'
Is there such a thing as “Buffalo Cuisine”? Ah, that’s the question. But if the answer happens to be in the affirmative, Danny’s South provides it. In fact, Buffalo Cuisine is advertised. Right there in big letters on the sign over the restaurant at the corner of Abbott and Big Tree roads. (By the way, there is another Danny’s at 3715 Genesee St. near the airport.) (Updated: 09/18/09 9:41 AM )
Della Terra: Gorgeous room adds to the ambience
It’s a dramatic looking and glamorous restaurant. Della Terra, at the new Embassy Suites Hotel, is described by the management as an Italian bistro. But at dinnertime, it’s a lot more formal than that. (Updated: 09/11/09 8:52 AM )
Louie’s: Greek sauce is truly special
Hot dog places that don’t charcoal-grill their dogs have to offer something else to get the people in the door. And at Louie’s, it’s the Texas-style sauce, called, on this menu, “Louie’s Special Greek Sauce.” (Updated: 09/11/09 8:51 AM )
Juniper: In heart of Elmwood Village, an imaginative menu
It took a while to get here but Juniper finally opened last month in the very center of the Elmwood Village. In fact, the restaurant is so determined to become a neighborhood hangout that it actually offers a 20 percent discount on Tuesdays to diners who live in the 14222 ZIP code. It’s called the “2-2-2 deal.” (Updated: 09/04/09 9:03 AM )
Lagniappes: Cajun delights at tiny restaurant in Allentown
If you’re in the habit of reading our restaurant box before you get to the review, you already know that Lagniappes (pronounced LAN-yaps) is small. But maybe you don’t realize how small exactly. It’s not much bigger than a habanero chili to tell the truth — and if you can’t manage to shoehorn yourself into its diminutive non-air-conditioned confines or on the patio, you’ll have to rely on takeout. (Updated: 09/26/09 11:35 AM )
Wasabi: New location carries on a winning formula
If you hit a winner, stick with it. A perfect example might be the new Wasabi that opened last spring in the Southtowns — a shrewd move because this is an area of Western New York where Japanese eating places are not exactly thick upon the ground. (Updated: 08/21/09 8:46 AM )