More Than Wings in Buffalo (and Western New York)

Buffalo NY is like a beautiful ball gown, once admired and feted, now stuck in the attic - dusty, faded and torn, but the essential beauty of what was intact.

Buffalo was the 8th largest city in the US in 1900, riding high with shipping, burgeoning steel production and the coming of hydroelectric power. Some say the assassination of President William McKinley in 1901 in Buffalo changed that, and over the years a slow decline started as the Erie Canal closed, the port was bypassed by the Welland Canal and the eventual closing of the steel mills. It is the death-rattle of so many Rust Belt cities.

So why come to Buffalo? "The City of Good Neighbors" is centrally located on the Niagara frontier, and while that may only say "The Falls" to you, there is a lot to see and do. Restaurants are plentiful (more than just wings, people!), as is nightlife along Chippewa and Allen Sts. Shopping either at malls (The Walden Galleria) or in trendy boutiques (Elmwood and Hertel Aves) is a great way to spend an afternoon. The Buffalo Zoo is on the edge of the Olmsted designed Delaware Park, along with the nearby Albrigh-Know Art Gallery, Buffalo Museum of Science and Historical Society. Want sports? How about taking in a Bills, Sabers, or Bisons game? Even a drive along the cities many parkways and grand avenues give and idea of the city's former grandeur and what will come again.

Don't just make Buffalo a punch line about snow - you won't know what you are missing!

Quick Tips:

OK - you've heard about Buffalo weather. One bad storm 20+ years ago and we're branded for life! Actually, visiting the city in winter is probably not the best time to come (unless you are a snow bunny on the slopes), but the other three seasons are marvelous!

A little known fact is that the temperature has NEVER gotten over 100 degrees in the summer here.

Buffalo is a seasonal town of festivals and shows, so if you are going to be visiting, check out what’s happening around town. The City of Buffalo website is a great place to start!

Best Way To Get Around:

DRIVING: Buffalonians call the town "The 20 Minute City" -- wherever you are going, it's going to take about 20 minutes! Driving and parking are a snap. Traffic is moderate, and even rush hour is only a minor inconvenience. Park at a meter (free after 5pm, and weekends), or Downtown, parking ramps and lots are abundant.

TRANSIT: Only locals without cars or commuters use transit. The bus system does not run as frequently as you might like if you don't know the route schedules. There is a subway, but it only runs up and down Main St, from downtown to the south campus of the University at Buffalo. The train is also free on the above ground portion in the downtown area. Fares for the transit is .50 one way. Fares and schedule are available from the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority .

TAXI: Taxis are not allowed to be hailed on the streets in Buffalo. Call up a service from the Yellow Pages if needed.

WALKING: Walking, as always, is a great way to see the city, allowing for leisurely strolls down the avenues and through the parks, and the ability to make quick impulse stops!

This is it, baby. We're talking chicken wings, those heart-clogging little wonders that put Buffalo back on the map! Frank and Teressa's Anchor Bar is where they started one night in 1964 and they still pump them out in mass quantities.

I've had so-called "Buffalo Wings" around the country, and few come close to the simplicity of the original – deep-fried wings, butter, and hot sauce. No breading allowed, people! Wrong, wrong, wrong!

The Anchor Bar's wings are great - big, meaty wings that are crisp outside, and coated in that famous sauce in your choice of heat: mild, medium, hot, and suicidal. Serve 'em up hot with celery, blue cheese dressing, and a cold beer and you have Buffalo Heaven! Dip your wing in the dressing and dig in! They give you napkins and lots of them, but I find the tongue to be a more efficient cleaning machine . . .

The bar itself is super-casual – wood-paneled rooms covered in license plates from all over the States, pictures of the famous and infamous who have dined there, vinyl seat chairs and no attitude. During the evenings you may even catch a jazz combo playing for a modest cover charge. But really, who are we kidding? You're there for a grease-fest and you're going to wallow in every moment of your visit to the epicenter of a culinary icon. They even won a James Beard Food Award in 2003!

Few are the cities that are so closely tied to a single food, but such is our fortune. And we wouldn't have it any other way!

And oh, there is other stuff on the menu. Who cares?

Ah, Ted's. Breathe the fresh air of American road cuisine when you walk in the door. Ted's has multiple locations, but to me, this is the one - THE place for hot dogs anywhere in America. Don't believe me? Ask Jane and Michael Stern of Gourmet magazine, who ranked Ted's among the 10 best hot-dog stands in America!

Ted's is not much to look at - your basic roadside joint with neon and picnic tables. When you walk inside, you are instantly hit with the smell of charcoal and grease (not in a bad way), and you follow your nose. Two lines form along the glass panels that separate you from the grill, manned by an army of youngsters, with one "pit boss" manning the grill. This is a heavy-grated iron job, and you can see the embers glowing beneath. The pit boss asks for your order and barks it out as he/she moves your order into the queue over the coals - dogs, sausages, burgers ... the smell is heavenly.

The thing here is to watch that grill. They use hot dogs by Sahlen's - long, slender numbers (in either jumbo or footlong varieties) in natural casings that spittle and crack on the fire. They wiggle as they heat up, but the pit boss grabs a fork and tongs and hacks at them, tearing the casings so the smoke can permeate deep within. As you move down the line, you can see the skins getting deep red, then black, before they are slammed into a bun.

Once at the counter to pay, you get your drink and your choice of toppings for the dog. Being a good NY'er, I go for mustard and onions. My wife is a mustard ketchup. My dad - the works, including chili sauce. The magic starts when you actually bite into the wiener - the snap of the skin, the quick WHOOSH of heat, and then the flavor of the meat mingling with the condiments. Wow. This is a hot dog. Not a roller dog, or a NYC boiled dog, or off an electric grill... no. This is a singular, sublime experience.

To complete the deal, and to be a true Buffalonian, you must do two additional things. One, order onion rings. Not rings, per se, but pieces of sweet onion in a flaky crust and deep-fried to a tangle. Half the coating falls off, but what remains is just enough to complement the onion's bite. Second - loganberry. This is a ubiquitous Buffalo quaff - loganberry syrup and water (not carbonated) to wash it all down. Nothing short of Buffalo's version of the Nathan's Famous orange drink.

There are a handful of restaurants that you can name nationwide that are defining of their genre. If you are anywhere near the Buffalo/Niagara area, you'll make sure to stop at this one. Ted's. Remember the name.

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.

The simplest of food can be the most profound. Without the trappings of sauces and infusions, the ingredients must stand naked and exposed, with nothing on which to rely but their honest quality.

Kuni's is full of ghosts for me. This same room in the heart of the Elmwood Village once housed the restaurant at which I was chef and manager for 3 1/2 years when I was working my way through college. The memories flood back, but quickly fade with the anticipation of the meal to come.

Kuni is a quiet man, but when the door opens, he flashes a smile and greets his guests, barely 5 feet away in his tiny temple. This is the charm of Kuni. Many here are regulars, but at the end of your first visit, you feel like one too.

"So, do you like sushi?" This question is a social litmus test for me. Most people say no, and I terminate the conversation quickly. But sometimes, I get a nod of uncertain acknowledgement and I know I have another novitiate.

Kuni's is not a big place; 10 seats at the bar and maybe another 14 at the tables, which are prized by those who line up at 5pm. In summer it expands by 4 tables on the outside patio and is perfect for people-watching and for people watching you, enviously, as they ogle your grilled eel and salad of tuna, tofu and avocado. It is not a place for the claustrophobic, but it is a place for social intimacy. Elbow to elbow with your fellow diners, you can share your favorites.

"Have you tried the squid rings in teriyaki?"

"The tsukune was so good tonight - the sesame glaze on the chicken was a-MA-zing!"

"The enoki mushrooms and wakame in the miso soup was so refreshing..."

Confused? Be glad that you are dining with me tonight, then!

We'll have an order of the toro - the fatty belly meat of the tuna and one of the most expensive cuts. It melts on your tongue and your doubts waver. We also have the mackerel smoked by Fat Bob's Barbeque - a little oily, but a familar American taste that you never knew would translate so well!

Since you are a neophyte, sushi - beautiful, meaty pieces of fish laid atop perfectly seasoned rice with vinegar and wasabi. Tuna, yellowtail, salmon and shrimp are perfect for the uninitiated. Dip the pieces in a small dish of soy mixed with wasabi (green horseradish) and understand the sublime majesty of the simplest of foods. No rich sauces, no roasting or braising necessary.

I'll have the chef's combo of sashimi - no rice, just slabs of fish and perhaps mushroom, egg or roe of Kuni's choosing. He know what is best, and so I trust his instinct to guide my palate.

You'll learn to trust Kuni, too. In this temple, if he is not a god, he is surely an angel.

Occasionally, a restaurant with a spotty reputation will clean up its act, regroup, and come back with a renewed sense of artistry and purpose. The Brownstone Seafood House and Oyster Bar’s former incarnation battled a losing war with criticism of uneven food quality and high prices, and while those are still of concern based on my experience, on a good night, I’ll bet they can pull out a corker of a meal!

The Brownstone wants to be Buffalo’s event celebrations place. C’mon – who doesn’t want lobster or king crab legs to kick out the jams? Such it was that my wife and I went at the request of my mother-in-law for a belated birthday dinner.

This beautiful building seems to stand alone in a block populated by drycleaners, a TV station and parking lots, and the interior reflects it’s stolid face. All exposed brick, wood and wrought iron, with a open ceiling that soars above the bar to the second story eating area, this is a classic masculine seafood/steak place mixed with a (strangely) dance club soundtrack. Think urban couples in their 30s looking for a prestige meal and a place to be seen eating it.

Seated at a table looking down to the bar, we settled in and perused the menu. Heavily seafood as expected, appetizers are standard, with clam chowder, crab cakes and raw bar offerings all present. We passed however as a basket with crackers and biscuits appeared with a spread made of smoked salmon, minced shrimp, cream cheese, and cheddar. Highly addictive. The cracker selection was unimaginative, but serviceable and while the cheesy biscuits were fresh, they were a tad greasy. (Rather like those you get at Red Lobster. I don’t think that was what they were shooting for).

The salads are nothing particularly special, and they seemed to be swimming in dressing based on the way the leaves were weighed down. My wife ate a few bites, left the rest, and the waiter never bothered asking if there was anything wrong with it. A full plate should’ve been a warning sign.

The entrees were definitely a step up. We ordered the seared scallops over gnocchi with red pepper sauce, crab legs, and I had the bouillabaisse. All of them were very good, plainly presented and deftly handled. My soup was the bargain of the night – at US$21.99, it was a richly flavored broth resplendent with scallops, mussels, tuna, whitefish and crab claws. It was a hot, hardy meal, served with a large unexceptional crouton with potato rouille

Desserts of poached peaches in a pastry cup and a crème brulee were good quality, but not exciting. Least exciting of all? My coffee was lukewarm. Ouch.

Perhaps on a busier night or later in the evening, the kitchen hits its stride. However, to be top flight restaurant (and charge top flight prices), small details need to be seen to. I can wait a while for a return trip.

The Theodore Roosevelt Inaugural National Historic Site witnessed the moment that the US entered the modern era of world prominence. On September 14, 1901, in the library of the home of his friend Ansley Wilcox, TR was administered the oath of office of President of the United States following the death of President William McKinley at the hands of an assassin.

The beautiful Greek Revival building now stands between modern buildings, but was once in the heart of the most affluent neighborhood in Buffalo. Originally the site of a War of 1812 army barracks, the house was constructed on the old foundations and expanded over the years.

The museum includes a number of restored rooms, a very interesting exhibit room tracing the house's rendezvous with destiny (along with original TR artifacts), a gift shop, and a large room upstairs that features changing exhibits and art shows. Note that the second floor is not handicapped-accessible.

The crowning jewel is the restored library on the first floor, the room in which Roosevelt took the oath. The room has been restored, including many books and furnishings that are original to the room. After Wilcox's death in 1930, the house passed out of the family and became a tea room that altered the original configuration. The restoration of this room is quite faithful, though, and you can sense the gravitas in the late Victorian trappings. You can also view a video featuring a re-enactment of the event!

Parents and older children will enjoy the history, while younger kids can take advantage of some children's programs. Check their website for other special programs, including Victorian Christmas Celebration, Teddy Bear Picnic, Mother/Daughter Teas, and other Roosevelt/Presidential related exhibits.

For any fan of Roosevelt or student of history or the Victorian era, this is a great place to experience an earth-shattering moment, frozen in time.