Fiddle Heads is an unassuming restaurant at the corner of All and Franklin. They've been around for quite some time, and have managed to maintain a dedicated following, turning out solid, quality menus.
Our latest visit was after a local wine tasting. Wanting to get some dinner after trying a number of different vintages, we called Fiddleheads on a Friday night and BINGO, an 8:45pm reservation was ours. The building is an old one with a door right on the corner, entering diagonally. After a short wait at the bar, we were seated at a window table, perfect for people watching.
Fiddleheads has a small but comfortable bar with a cornice suspended from the ceiling, seemingly afloat. I ordered myself a Grey Goose vodka gimlet, and my wife a glass of red zinfandel. Soon after came a dish of herbed olive oil with slices of French bread and potato herb bread.
The bread was great after a wine tasting, but wanting something more substantial, we opted for the duck breast satay with a spicy peanut sauce - very crisp and well spiced duck, with a nice balance of sweet and hot in the peanut sauce. We're duck fans, so this was perfect. The specials were intriguing. Soup was spiced pumpkin bisque, and the appetizer of the evening was a trio local cheeses and fruit. They were out of the sea bass entree (which we would not have ordered due to it's endangered status) so we went off the menu. The smoked Bavarian pork chops with red cabbage and risotto was very nice. The chops were smoked so well, that just putting a piece in front of your mouth and inhaling evoked a wood fire. The cabbage was a nice foil with a nice sweet/sour balance, while the risotto was a bit soft for my liking. My wife has the salmon crusted with a pecan praline, with a dried cherry pilaf and sauteed vegetables (peppers, onions and Brussels sprouts). Both were earthy, and served with care.
This is a great little romantic nook, and especially so if you are trying to come off as a Buffalo foodie in the know. The prices are midrange, so expect anywhere from $16-22 for the normal entrees, with specials going to about $28. There's something for every budget.
We're told that the desserts are to die for (this night included dense, flourless chocolate cake, and a apple/pear tart with maple sauce), but we preferred to linger over our drinks and reflect on our experience.
Make a reservation. Now. You won't regret it.