Kevin Purdy has some pretty cool jobs, for one he is currently the Contributing Editor at the technology and productivity blog Lifehacker (under the Gawker Media family of blogs). He’s also done freelance work for the Buffalo News, Buffalo Spree and IT World. But his newest venture is maybe the coolest, he’s the author/creator of the Complete Android Guide, a guide for those who are looking to do more with their Android cell phones. Kevin does all this as a resident of Buffalo, NY and is a huge food fan as well, so it was only natural that he’d be a great Buffalo Foodie. I got in touch with Kevin on twitter and sent him a couple questions about where he loves to eat around Buffalo, here’s what he had to say….
What are some of your favorite restaurants in Buffalo?
Kevin: In no particular order:
- Left Bank: brunch and daily ravioli.
- Shango: most underrated food, beer/wine selection, and brunch. I actually don’t eat brunch all that often, but I appreciate the rare indulgence.
- Suzy Q’s: This pulled pork is being served at my after-funeral luncheon.
- Fiamma: Steakhouse cuisine, but with a playful and taste-minded touch.
- Pizzas from La Hacienda in Niagara Falls and Romeo & Juliet’s on Hertel Ave.
- Elmwood Taco & Subs: vegetarian burritos, and I love their hot sauce.
- Jim’s Steakout: After 10pm. Also, did you know that, if you can mouth or mumble the phrase “Nacho on it!”, they’ll put nacho cheese on just about anything? The next morning, you reach in your jeans pocket and see a receipt with NACHOONIT printed out. It’s like a magic time capsule made of beer, razor-thin steak, cheese product, and indigestion.
- Kuni’s: It’s our nearby place when there are no dinner plans. Classical sushi excellence, plus the best design in Buffalo: menus, space, bar, web site. Your readers know how rare a good, informative restaurant site is, I take it.
- Duff’s: Somebody (Custom Brewcrafters?) makes a house beer for Duff’s. It’s nice, hopped more than standard drafts, and it’s very drinkable. A lunch special with 20 wings, a big bowl of fries, and a small pitcher is something like $20, and it’s my favorite, day-ruining lunch to share with someone.
Where do you like to go out on the weekends and grab a couple drinks?
Kevin: Cole’s, on non-weekend nights. Otherwise, Founding Fathers or The Place.
If you had a friend visiting from out of town, where would you take them around Buffalo to show them a good time?
Kevin: Depending on the visitor and the occasion, I’d do Allen St. Hardware, Founding Fathers, Suzy Q’s, or maybe Kuni’s. I’ve actually got visitors coming in tonight (Friday), and we’re going to try to hit Shango and then the Blue Monk, if the crowds aren’t unbearable.
What kind of food memories do you have from your childhood?
Kevin: I grew up in Baldwinsville, a suburb of Syracuse. Roughly once a week, we had incredibly greasy pizza and wings from Gino & Joe’s–which, by the way, had the same exact logo and lettering as Gino & Joe’s in the Main Place Mall, but staffers at both spots swear they’re not connected.
My mom had a recipe for “Korean steak” that was mostly soy sauce, MSG, onions, and sesame seeds, and, my word, those end pieces were worth fighting over.
My dad, a regional seafood distributor, knew the chef at Grimaldi’s Chophouse in Syracuse in its original ownership, where Alec Baldwin and Kim Basinger had some kind of notable party once, and we’d get special appetizers and all the waiters’ attention. As a kid, it felt like royalty.
Is there any cuisine or restaurants you wish Buffalo had more of?
Kevin: Good gyro stands, vegetarian-friendly spots, and more small pubs that make their own beer. (Clarification: I try to eat vegetarian during the day, then reasonable meat amounts for dinner).
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Buffalo Eats would like to thank Kevin for taking the time to answer our questions. If you are a tech nerd like myself and love “how to” articles, I highly recommend you check out Lifehacker. They post some great articles on there, my favorites are the “Lifehacker Top 10” posts. Even though I am an iPhone user, for those of you on Team Android the Complete Android Guide seems like a great resource (and for $9 bucks it’s not pricey!). On top of all of that, you can also follow Kevin on twitter.
Buffalo is lucky to have a man like Kevin in its midst.