I love waffles. I mean I really love waffles. I love baking too so it was only a matter of time before I would take on the waffle. Now, you may think that wafflin’ is easy but you will find that it is just as hard as pimpin’ if you want good results. Good results mean a shatteringly crispy exterior and a delicate crumb. Wafflin’ ain’t easy. Creating good food is a combination of great ingredients and proper technique and even waffles go from great to insanely delicious with great ingredients and proper technique. Cool gear is helpful but not necessary although I do use a restaurant style rotation iron to create the deep waffle pictured. A recipe I found on food network is what really pointed me in the right direction for waffles with the introduction of a key ingredient that I had not seen before.
Let’s talk about the key ingredients: My waffle recipe contains a combination of ALL PURPOSE (AP) FLOUR and TRADITIONAL WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR. I really like this combination and it adds a whole grain element which is always nice. I use KING ARTHUR FLOUR. Martha Stewart uses it too and that should be good enough reason for anyone.
OIL is a necessary evil. I use SMART BALANCE oil because it is a blend of healthier oils and you can’t skimp on the oil. Oil gives you a crisp crust and properly prepared, it will not taste oily. It really is what separates the pancakes from the waffles.
CORN STARCH! Yes, you need corn starch and a seemingly large proportion of corn starch to flour for waffles. Waffles give off a lot of steam while frying and continue to steam a bit after they leave the iron. This steam softens the crust of a 100% flour waffle but does not soften the crust of the corn starch enhanced waffle. This recipe uses 25% corn starch to flour. Use corn starch and you will get super crispy waffles.
BUTTERMILK gives the waffle a lot of flavor and helps activate the leavening reaction but not everyone has buttermilk on hand. You need it in waffles for the acidity to create the leavening reaction and big rise. In fact this is even more than important than the flavor it adds so you need a solution if you don’t have buttermilk. I use a homemade buttermilk substitute. Just add one tablespoon of lemon juice to one cup of milk. I use skim milk. After about 15 minutes you have a curdled sour mess that is an almost perfect substitute for real buttermilk. Now for the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- ½ cup AP FLOUR
- ¼ cup Traditional WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR
- ¼ cup CORN STARCH
- 1 TBSP GROUND FLAX MEAL (optional but good for you)
- ¼ tsp BAKING SODA
- ½ tsp BAKING POWDER
- ½ tsp SALT
- 2 tsp CANE SUGAR (use refined sugar if you don’t have cane sugar)
- 1 cup BUTTERMILK (or buttermilk substitute)
- 1/3 cup SMART BALANCE OIL (you have to use oil and this is probably the healthiest)
- 1 EGG (lightly beaten)
- 1 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT (You can use two if you like)
PREPARATION:
Thoroughly mix all of the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix thoroughly but don’t over mix. Let it sit for 15 minutes and give it a couple of stirs. Let it sit for 15 more minutes
Here is a punch list of techniques to guarantee success:
- Preheat the iron
- Do not spray the iron with non stick spray. Plenty of oil in the recipe
- Fill the bottom of the iron with the correct amount of batter which will differ based on the model.
- Close the cover and leave it alone. Some irons have a light that says it is done. It is not done. The waffle will steam a lot. When the steam slows down to barely steaming the waffle is done. You can now open it and check. It should be medium dark golden brown. It steam turns to smoke you waited too long.
- Close the iron for a minute between waffles and let it recover.
- You can heat an oven to 200 and keep your waffles in there for a bit if you are making a lot ahead of time. Don’t stack them on top of each other and don’t cover them or they will get soft.
To make the strawberry topping on my waffles slice some fresh strawberries. Taste the strawberries to determine if they need any added sugar! If they are out of season and not quite sweet then sprinkle them with a little sugar and lemon juice. Taste one. If it needs a little more sugar then add it. Leave them in the fridge for a half hour but no more than an hour and they are done. The sugar breaks the berries down and makes them juicy. The lemon juice brings out the berry flavor. This is also my favorite topping for crepes. Mmmmm crepes. I will have to make them soon.
Juniper dining room.
I’s sure many of you have driven by Juniper multiple times and not even noticed. I myself was fairly unaware of the Elmwood Ave restaurant (about halfway between the “Elmwood strip” and Allentown) until my friend began working there a few months back. After many nights of him coming home and bragging about the great food he was given by the chefs to try, I knew it was time to give it a whirl myself. The menu, which changes constantly and can be checked out online, is full of a variety of chef Kate Elliott’s food designs. It is obviously by looking at the menu, that she likes to showcase as many local products as possible.
Being a fine dining restaurant, the food comes with a fine dining price. That being said, the atmosphere and design of the restaurant is both fancy and comforting at the same time, you easily could wear anything from a suit to jeans to and not feel out of place. The night I decided to go, they debuted their new Pub Menu. The Pub Menu consisted of about 8 items (which they rotate often as well) all under $15 in price. I decided to eat at the bar and order from the Pub Menu so I could try a few different items.
The bar at Juniper.
After I sat down, I was pleasantly surprised to see they offered one of my favorite beers on tap, Hooegarden. If you are a wheat beer fan it is a must, it has a spicy, warming and smooth taste (Don note: maybe one of my favorite beers to get on tap, the flavor are way more intense then in a bottle). After chatting with the bartender and co-owner Lindsay Malinowski, I decided to go for the Focaccia of the night ($10) and the Steak Frittes ($11). While I waited for my food and enjoyed my beer, Malinowski chatted about the struggles they initially had in opening the place, and also how they decided on everything from the decorations to the wine list. The staff really made it a very comfortable and enjoyable experience.
The focaccia of the night (above) was a mixture of gorgonzola cheese, figs, and bacon. It was much larger than I had anticipated when it came out (considering it’s relatively low price tag). It easily could have sufficed as my entire meal. The focaccia was absolutely delicious. The saltiness of the bacon combined with the sweetness of the figs and the bite of the gorgonzola was perfectly matched. It was one of the better “pizzas” I have ever had. It tasted light and fresh but still was hearty and very filling, overall it was damn good. I would highly recommend the focaccia to anyone venturing to Juniper, whether it be a meal at the bar, a light dinner or an appetizer to split among the table.
Steak frittes.
The second part of my dinner (much of which went home with me) was the steak frittes. It basically was a really nicesteak sandwich,topped with marinated mushrooms and a balsamic, garlic aoili. The steak sandwich was good, however I think I was still enamored with the focaccia because it didn’t really stick in my mind as something extraordinary. What was very tasty however, was the homemade aoili that was used as the sauce. The garlic was balanced with the balsamic and it made for an excellent sauce. The steak was well cooked to a perfect medium rare and was fairly juicy. It was a bit tougher cut of meat than I had hoped, yet the taste of the sandwich all together was nice. After dinner the bartender talked me into a “liquid dessert” and he whipped up a great cocktail to end the meal with.
The first thing that comes to mind when mentioning Juniper is probably something along the lines of fancy, expensive or fine dinning. Although the restaurant offers its fair share of gourmet meals, which are well received and tasty, it is a very underrated place to go for a snack, small meal and a drink. I will definitely return to Juniper for the Pub Menu and some Hooegarden on tap, and I think Juniper is a perfect place to hang out and chat over a nice drink and a delicious and fairly reasonably priced snack. So next time you are in the Elmwood area and can’t decide on a place to check out, stop in at Juniper and I’m sure they will make you feel as welcome as they did me.
Back in October of 2009 we featured an article about my friend Adam’s clothing company, My Buffalo Shirts. They have a couple awesome designs for Buffalo sports fans with their Hockey, Lacrosse and now Football t shirts. Well after already having one clothing company, I realized that I should ask Adam about his favorite places to eat around Buffalo. He took some time out of his busy schedule to answer some questions. Here’s what he had to say in our first Buffalo Foodie of 2010:
Where is your favorite place to eat & What do you order there?
Adam: Definitely a tough question. I have been to Black & Blue Steak & Crab twice and it has become easily one of my top places to go for an outstanding meal. The Filet Mignon and the King Crab Legs are the two entrees I’ve had (It makes my mouth water just thinking of them). I’m a big fan of the show Deadliest Catch and Black and Blue prides themselves on using the king crab from Bristol Bay, which is off of Dutch Harbor. Its an added exquisite touch knowing where your food came from. Everything about Black & Blue I really enjoy, from the layout, the lighting, the gignormous wine refrigerator, the courteous staff and the presentation of the food.
Other than B&B, two other places I frequent are Buffalo Brew Pub and Pearl Street Brewery. Why not go to places that have some great beer? I consider both these places staples of the Buffalo area. I like the Chicken Wings at the Brew Pub. At Pearl St. you can never go wrong with the Spinach Artichoke Dip. Pearl st is one of those places in my mind that its hard to get sick off.
Where do you like to go grab a drink and relax?
Adam: BSG is a favorite of mine. They have pretty outstanding bar food and you can’t go wrong with their prices. In addition, they have a nice waitress staff…..
Growing up in the southtowns, it was quite often a ritual to go to The Boston Hotel (the original location) on Monday nights for clams and crab leg clusters. No lie my brother once ate 12 dozen clams drenched in butter and hot sauce in one sitting.
Being raised in Buffalo, What foods did you grow up on?
Adam: My mother’s side was Italian, so we ate a lot of Italian based foods….lots of breads and pasta. Buffalo seems to be full of Italian restaurants from Salvatores to Chefs which I always liked. When ordering out, we would generally order from Ricottas pizza. Pizza and subs! (Ricottas pizza was my first job and to this day I still eat their food, and I still think their pizza is by far the best in WNY).
What restaurants are you most looking forward to trying?
Adam: I would like to try Jo-Jo’s Wine and Bistro (located next to black and blue), it seems like a really sweet place to take a bunch of people, a classy place to sit and enjoy the ambiance and partake in some conversation and drink some good wine.
I also feel I’m the only one in buffalo that has yet to go to Gabriel’s Gate…maybe its time to spend less time making shirts and more time going out to eat!
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Buffalo Eats would like to thank Adam again for his time and recommend everyone go to Adam’s website My Buffalo Shirts and check out a couple of their designs or read an awesome article featured on Buffalo Rising about his company. Or if you are afraid of shopping online (its 2010 people) then check out his shirts at Bay-6 in West Seneca’s South Gate Plaza.
River Horse Brewing Company in Lambertville, NJ
This article marks the start of what I am debuting as Beer Porn. As I’m sure many of you are, most food lovers are also passionate about truly flavorful and unique beers. As mentioned in many of my earlier posts, I love trying craft beers I have never had before. Sometimes I end up finding hidden gems, and sometimes I end up tasting something that resembles what I envision being made in a garbage can in the backwoods. That being said, no one can debate the fact that the United States offers more fantastic craft brew options than any other country in the world (Don edit: I totally agree, just go watch American Beer).
Taking my passion for great beers, I felt that everyone would enjoy hearing about new and unique beers on Buffalo Eats. It’s obviously important to understand that as with food, everyone has slightly different beer tastes. I generally steer toward heavier, unfiltered styles but I haven’t met a type of beer that I have ever legitimately hated. Given a choice when out in Buffalo, I usually grab myself a Bravarian style wheat, yet recently have become more enamored with some of the hoppy delights breweries are pumping out. Make sure you take this into consideration when hearing my thoughts, and I hope everyone enjoys the new Beer Porns on the site.
The first beer I chose to “test” is from the River Horse Brewing Company in Lambertville, NJ and was reccomended to me from my father. River Horse offers what they call a Belgian style ale called Tripel Horse.
Tripel Horse Belgian Ale
The first thing I noticed when getting myself a bottle of Tripel Horse is that it proudly advertises its highly intense alcohol content of 10% While most craft brews (average 5%) are a bit higher than the average American ale (around 3 1/2%), 10 percent is quite high and it definitely caught my attention after finishing the bottle. That being said, most beers with that high alcohol have a much stronger and harsher alcohol taste. The Tripel Horse is surprisingly smooth and easy drinking. The mouth feel is thick and luxurious and almost seems to coat the inside of your mouth a bit. The brewing company describes the beer as a fairly “dry” beer and this was noticeable. It have a crisp clean finish and only a very faint back taste of hops. Usually when I describe a beer as having a “crisp” taste, it usually means it was quite hoppy, yet this certainly wasn’t the case here. The beer is brewed with hints of vanilla and that taste definitely comes through pretty heavily when drinking. I would highly recommend giving this beer a try, especially to anyone who enjoys a hearty, warming beer. If light lagers are your style, stay far away from the Tripel Horse. However, it’s perfect for the cold Buffalo winters and the 10 percent alcohol content certainly helps put on your “liquid sweater.”
When I think of Buffalo I think Vegan. Not really, but this recipe takes its inspiration from a recipe I found on the post punk kitchen web site hence the name. All day I was jonesing to make something with oat flour and this afternoon, out of curiosity, I brought home a half-gallon of vanilla soy milk. Everything happens for a reason. I had the key ingredients and the inspiration thanks to theppk.com. One thing led to another and I made these amazing cookies.
Before I get into the recipe I want to talk a little about some of the ingredients so you know where I cam coming from. A few years ago I was searching for healthier ingredients for cookies and OATMEAL and was at the top of the list. Soon I was loading the magic bullet with whole quaker oats and in a few seconds, home-made oat flour. You really should write this down. Oats are a “superfood” and home-made oat four is much more versatile and can be added to almost any baked good.
Now let’s talk about Dutch-Processed Cocoa. DPC is cocoa treated with an alkali so it is neutral where as natural unsweetened baking cocoa is acidic and so will react with baking soda to create a leavening reaction and bitterness in my opinion. DPC is a little more delicate in flavor so I almost always use it unless the recipe specifically calls for natural.
Espresso powder is brewed and then dehydrated and ground espresso. Use it whenever you make something that includes any form of chocolate. When added to chocolate baked goods it intensifies the cocoa flavor and causes a reaction called mochachocolatteyaya.
Flax is another super food. I add it, in its ground meal form, to almost every single baked good I make. It imparts a slightly nutty flavor.
White whole wheat flour is just as good as traditional whole wheat but much more delicate and light in flavor and color. I only use King Arthur Flour. In this recipe the DPC, espresso powder and flax meal are all optional. The white whole wheat can be replaced with equal parts of all purpose or oat flour. Don’t be afraid to mix it up and experiment.
Now for the recipe:
INGREDIENTS:
- 2 cups OAT FLOUR
- 2 cups WHITE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR (all purpose or oat flour can be substituted)
- ½ cup DUTCH PROCESSED COCOA
- 2 tsp ESPRESS POWDER (optional)
- 1 tsp BAKING SODA
- 2 tsp BAKING POWDER
- 2 Tbsp GROUND FLAX MEAL
- ½ tsp SALT
- ½ cup LIGHT BROWN SUGAR
- 1 cup CANE SUGAR (white sugar is ok but I like the flavor of unrefined sugar in baked goods)
- 2/3 cups SMART BALANCE LIGHT BUTTERY SPREAD. (soften by leaving on counter)
- ½ cup LIGHT VANILLA SOY MILK (any soy milk or regular milk will do)
- 2 tsp VANILLA EXTRACT
- 1 EGG (sorry vegans this is why I call them Vegan Intentions. Leave the egg out if you want it won’t change much)
- 1 cup SEMI SWEET CHOCOLATE CHIPS (optional too)
Wet batter scooped onto parchment
DIRECTIONS:
Thoroughly mix the dry ingredients together minus the chips. Cream the sugars and fats. In other words, mix the smart balance and sugars until they are creamy. Then mix in the other liquid ingredients. Combine the dry and wet and mix well. Don’t overmix. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter. It will be firm but very wet and sticky.
Use a small ice cream scoop to scoop batter onto a baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 12 – 14 minutes. I use a thick baking sheet with parchment paper so it take 14 minutes in my oven. Let them cool on the sheet for a few minutes before you move them to the cooling rack. They are ridiculous eaten warm with a glass of milk. Sorry vegans but I like my milk.
Everyone in Buffalo has their own favorite pizza place and most of the time what matters the most is where you grew up. Alli and I both grew up in Orchard Park, and in Orchard Park you fell into one of 4 categories of Pizza lovers…. There was the southern tip near Boston, NY that had Brunners or Ricotta’s (which is what I grew up eating and still has great pizza). Those who lived in or near the Village of Orchard Park, like Alli did, mostly relied on Capelli’s, located next door to the Orchard Park Roller Rink. The last category were the kids who grew up on the border of West Seneca or near the border of Hamburg. And those kids were closest to one of the two locations of Nino’s. (There are other smaller pizzeria’s as well, but those of you from OP know those were the main 4).
Now I’m not trying to make the case that Nino’s pizza is the best Pizza in Buffalo; I think it’s almost impossible to even make such a claim. Virtually every pizzeria in the greater Buffalo area has their own unique style of pizza and accordingly every person has their own idea of what a good pizza is. With that said, however, Nino’s is OUR favorite pizza in WNY (and believe me, we have eaten at a LOT of pizza places). It made in the standard Buffalo size: somewhere in between NY style thin and Chicago thick. Their crust is always crunchy and the sauce and cheese they use has a unique flavor that you just can’t get anywhere else. There really is no other way to describe it other than incredibly delicious. Even though Alli and I have moved out of Orchard Park, we still make plenty of trips down there to get ourselves a slice or two…or twelve. The pizza is the best when it comes right out of the oven, and luckily the West Seneca location has a great seating area. Get a steamy slice and add in some of their house made blue cheese for dipping and there is absolutely no way you that you can’t enjoy this pizza.
When we recently stopped by their West Seneca location I realized that we’ve never mentioned them on the website and they were long over due for a Food Porn. Not only do they make a great pizza, they do it at a really affordable price. Their small pizza (seen above) is $6.50 for a cheese ($8 for a cheese and pepperoni) and a side of fries, which are also quite good, is less then $2. As I said before, they have a large seating area at this location and the the wait for food is always pretty short.
Their Curly Fries are always fried to perfection, not a soggy fry to be seen for miles, and they are coated with a generous amount of salt and some other seasonings that I can’t put my finger on. Basically, I have never been to Nino’s and NOT ordered these fries; they are an absolute must any time I go there.
If you live anywhere near the southtowns or are ever in the general area and have never tried Nino’s, I really really suggest you check this place out. I know pizza is almost a religious food item in Buffalo and people take it very seriously so I promise that you will not be disappointed. (And, hey, their wings and subs are pretty darn great as well).
For a long, long time now I have been told that I need to try DiBella’s. In fact most people I’ve talked to have always made some “yum” noise immediately after I mentioned the name. So while I had an idea of exactly what their subs were going to taste like, I still really wanted to try it out. One weekend Alli and I found ourselves spending a good amount of our day in the Niagara Falls Boulevard area and figured it was a good time to try DiBella’s.
Walking into an empty restaurant (we got their shortly after they opened for the day) is always weird; you feel that everyone is automatically looking at you and it just always awkward. Luckily at DiBella’s, as soon as you walk in the order counter (pictured above) is the first thing you see and I automatically noticed was how similar it was to the sub counter at Wegman’s. In fact, nearly everything was the same as ordering a sub from Wegmans. I remember hearing in the past that Wegman’s used DiBella’s subs rolls and after tasting a Turkey Sub I wouldn’t be surprised if it was true.
My Turkey Sub (pictured above) was quite the delicious meal. Something that I really enjoyed about DiBella’s was they had 3 different sizes of rolls. That didn’t mean they took a uniform 1-size-fits-all roll and cut it accordingly, they actually had different rolls cooked at different sizes. What’s the big deal you ask? You still get two “butt” ends! I love that part of the roll; the crispy end that seems to soak in oil and that thick crust is arguably the best part of the roll.
Alli ordered a Hot Roast Beef (not pictured) that had the claim of being supplied by Stafford, NY’s Red Osier (a restaurant highly recommend from my coworker Matt). Served with a side of Au jus, it was something that actually is not found on a Wegman’s Sub board. For someone who isn’t a big fan of subs in general, Alli was very impressed with the quality of the Hot Roast Beef (not overcooked, still tender), the tasty juices, and the crisp and fresh roll. Alli adds: As someone who would never go out of my way for a sub of any kind, I would actually put their hot Roast Beef as potential lunch option when I’m at UB.
DiBella’s has now grown out of Western New York and have opened locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Michigan. The atmosphere of a 40’s/50’s style deli is pretty neat and the prices are fairly reasonable for the quality of food you get. However, if you have eaten a Wegman’s sub before then you’ve basically eaten a Dibella’s sub, so there won’t be anything too exciting in your meal. The different size rolls are great and they have some different menu options then Wegman’s has so if you are in the area (on the Boulevard or near their other WNY locations near the Galleria Mall on Union or on Transit in Williamsville) and are in the mood for a filling sub, go ahead and give it at try.
Now, I’ve been to WJ Morrisey’s before but that was before I began my journey into food blogging and sadly my first meal at this restaurant probably consisted of some sort of boring chicken sandwich. That was years ago, and while I didnt remember the food to well, I did remember how much I loved the decor of the place. It really does look like a (somewhat) authentic Irish pub and, though I have yet to experience this, probably a fantastic place to watch some soccer. After going to Toronto last month and having an awesome meal at The Duke of Kent, I had an incredible urge to go back to WJ Morrisey’s and try out the “traditional fare” on the menu.
It hurts me to say this, but I really don’t like Guinness. While I can enjoy a really good stout on occasion, I just don’t think it has a great taste. But being in an Irish pub I knew that I couldn’t order just any regular beer, so I decided to go with a favorite of mine, Harp (yes I understand the North American version is brewed by Labatt). What I loved about the Duke of Kent while we were in Toronto is that there was literally nothing boring on their tap menu and thus I was essentially forced into drinking something from England/Ireland/Scotland and I loved it. I know in Buffalo you are pretty much required to put Bud Light and Labatt on your tap wall, but I would love something more exotic then Guinness and Harp….
Our previous visit to WJ’s involved a really disappointing and burnt to a crisp order of potato pancakes. Thus we were tentative to try them again. However, we went for it anyway and it turned out to be a good move. This time they were not burnt in the least and actually might have been the best part of the meal. I can’t describe them much other than saying they were a very typical yet very deliciously seasoned and perfectly crisp potato pancake. A very tasty but not filling appetizer that most people will be very happy with.
For our main entrees Alli ordered the Fish and Chips (~ $10) and I ordered the Shepherd’s Pie (~ $12, top picture). We’ve had several fish fries on Buffalo Eats, and while the term “Fish and Chips” makes an eater assume they are getting something different, compared to Buffalo’s Fish Fry, this was pretty much the same thing. WJ’s Fish wasn’t horrible but the actual batter was lacking and didn’t have that big crunch that I love. In my opinion, the more batter the better; I want it basically to look like a gigantic Chicken Finger. In all fairness, though, the fries were fantastic “pub fries”, thick but still having that crunchy outer shell.
My Shepherds Pie was delicious and I have to admit that it was just as good as my Toronto experience. The beef wasn’t ground as much as it was sliced but that still worked for me. It was loaded with peas, green beans and corn all covered in a fantastic brown gravy and covered with a thin shell of mashed potato. I loved it and I ate every bit of it (while completely ignoring the salad that came on the side) and I caught Alli stealing a few bites here and there.
Overall I have to give WJ Morrisey’s one and a half thumbs up. We were completely satisfied by the meal and while the beer list wasn’t a abundant as I hoped, I am looking forward to heading back when the World Cup begins to out their Bangers in Mash and Irish Stew. Sitting directly next to HSBC Arena is a blessing and a curse, pre and post Sabres games I’m sure they are packed. However, aside form Sabres games and the occasional Bandits game, I didn’t think people would really go downtown to that area. I was wrong, however, and early on a random Friday night (with no Sabres on TV or playing next door), the place was pretty stocked. If you have any urge to try out some Irish cuisine, I highly suggest that you go pick up a Restaurant.com certificate (they are good for drinks too!) and go check it out.
Ok, ok, I know what you are thinking, “Oh look he decided to write about another Buffalo place that was on the Food Network.” I’ll admit, however, that it’s nice to see local places featured nationally, but the fact that a 40 year old with wristbands and terrible hair decided to feature this local place was not the reason I decided to write about the Lake Effect Diner. I have been to this Main Street iconic diner a few times before, and to be honest, all have been after a great night out, full of adult beverages and debauchery, and this visit was not much different. Nothing says a great weekend morning than some fantastic greasy diner food.
Every time I have visited I get the same immediate feeling when walking in….I always feel like I’m taking a little step back in time. The silver decor, the soda jerk machine and the big board with daily specials are always a welcome sight.
The great atmosphere of the Lake Effect
After my standard morning beverage order of a large water and a coffee, I took a while to decide on the ultimate diner question…breakfast or lunch? A lot of times I end up mixing the two into one interesting meal but my breakfast craving was curbed by the giant coffee portions at the Lake Effect. I decided on a bowl of the soup special and a BLT sandwich.
The soup of the day was potato, cheese and ham soup. It sounded just about perfect when I saw it on the board walking in. The soup was very flavorful, very rich, and very filling. It was seasoned well and had big chunks of the house made smoked ham. The bowl, which was only 5 dollars, was very large and definitely filling. The only problem that I had with it was that it was fairly cold when it arrived. I generally don’t send food back in a restaurant and since it wasn’t ice cold I still ate it, but I think it would have made the soup a little better if it had been properly served hot.
I decided on the BLT for my sandwich, and this isn’t out of the ordinary. A great BLT is one of my favorite sandwiches even though it is possibly one of the easiest meals to make and prepare.
The Lake Effect makes and smokes their own bacon in house and so I figured their version would be a treat (not to mention it was well priced at $5.50). The BLT certainly did not disappoint. The bacon was extremely think, crisp, and wonderfully smoked. On top of that, they really piled the bacon onto the sandwich. If you are a BLT fan, which I have no idea why you wouldn’t be, then I highly recommend giving the Lake Effects a try.
Between the coffee, soup and BLT, I ended up eating fairly cheaply at the diner. That being said, for diner standards it definitely was priced a bit high. Most sandwich’s were around 10 dollars and entrees more than that. However, it needs to be mentioned that the quality of food and products used at the Lake Effect seem to be, and taste like, they are of slightly higher quality. Not many diners would take the time and effort to smoke meats in house. The Main Street diner car is a nice place to have a late breakfast or lunch on weekends. Just be prepared to pay a little extra than your average diner for the increased quality in product.
I was sitting in Starbucks working on my thesis (aka staring at my computer screen and checking out facebook) when lunch time hit. Since I was on Niagara Falls Boulevard, I figured I would go to one of my old standbys, Moes Southwest Grill, for a burrito and some chips and salsa. Shot a call to my roommate who seemed interested in some Mexican/Southwest cuisine but instead recommended that I gave El Palenque a try. I have heard a mixed-bag of reviews on the place, so I was skeptical to give it a try, yet he insisted and said they had an extremely cheap, yet filling lunch menu. When I got to the restaurant (on the corner of NF Blvd and Sheridan) the place looked promising. In my experience, Mexican places with old disgusting buildings and broken down old signs have by far the best food. Walking in it was what I fully expected, a very stereotypical decorated Mexican place with bright red and green colors everywhere.
While we were taking a look at the menu, the server brought out some complementary chips and salsa.
Complimentary Chips and Salsa
The chips and salsa were definitely homemade and both were tasty. The salsa was a little smooth for my taste but my roommate found it perfect, seeing he generally complains salsa and sauces are way too chunky. We both thought the salsa was a bit mild but nothing a few dashes of the hot sauce on the table couldn’t cure. (Hot sauce side note: Every table had two, both Habanero sauces, both very hot and tasty, yet one was green and one was red. If anyone can ever tell a difference between the two, let me know because I couldn’t taste the difference for the life of me).
We both eventually decided on one of the lunch specials, considering there’s 21 to choose from, it wasn’t too difficult of a task. The lunch specials are all very reasonably priced (between 4 and 7 dollars) and all looked to be of extremely sufficient size. I went with lunch special #1 which was a chile relleno, a taco, beans, and a guacamole salad. My roommate went with special #18 which was a burrito with a side of rice.
The special #1 turned out to be a ton of food for a lunch meal. I am a big fan of chile relleno so I dug into that first. The filling was tasty and the sauce that topped it was good, however the outside coating was a bit soggy. All in all a pretty solid relleno. The guacamole salad was basically just a scoop of prepared guac put on top of a bit of shredded lettuce. I wouldn’t necessarily call it a salad but the guac went well as a topping for the taco. The taco itself looked pretty standard until I took a bite. The meat inside was seasoned perfectly and tasted much different from any other taco I have had from around here. The meat was moist and had a bit of spice on the back of the tongue. The biggest surprise of the lunch for me was the refried beans. Refried beans can at times be terrible if they are not made properly. However, this simple dish can be excellent when made well. This version was very smooth, well spiced, and extremely tasty. I would highly recommend giving their beans a try if you are a fan at all.
My roommate also seemed to enjoy his lunch. The burrito was not overwhelmingly large, yet proved to be a filling and tasty lunch. In a brief description, he offered the valuable insight of “Yeah, it tastes good.” I will back up his palate and say that if he enjoyed, it probably was a pretty tasty dish.
It turned out to be a solid recommendation for lunch. By no means is this place “authentic” Mexican food, however, as with most Americanized Mexican dishes, meat/cheese/sauce combos usually usually taste pretty good. The dinner menu was a bit more expensive yet still very affordable. If you are in the boulevard area, I would recommend stopping in to El Palenque for a quick, inexpensive, and tasty meal.
