Dining
SHORT ORDERS
Summer games (Updated: 06/12/09 6:58 AM )
Ribs outshine the wings at Quaker Steak & Lube
Sometime in the early ’80s, my husband, Bud, and I embarked on a journey to the hamlet (or chick-let?) of Sharon, Pa., to check out a place called Quaker Steak & Lube. It was a casual restaurant sited in a defunct gas station that crowed to anyone who would listen that it was serving the “Best Wings in the USA.” Based on a trip to the mother church (aka Anchor Bar), Quaker Steak had revamped its menu from a cook-your-own-steaks emphasis to a wing emphasis. Wings were just garnering a big reputation at the time. (Updated: 06/12/09 8:59 AM )
CHEAP EATS
I find good Cheap Eats in many different ways. Some are scouted out by our companions, others are recommended by happy customers. But sometimes I spot a place and do some research. When I can’t find a menu online, I usually call and ask a few questions, including whether the prices are reasonable. (Updated: 06/12/09 9:02 AM )
SHORT ORDERS
Food fund-raisers (Updated: 06/05/09 6:56 AM )
Sippy's unique ethnic mix on menu has hits and misses
You’ll have to admit, it’s an unusual format. Sippy’s Restaurant, a large place not that far from the airport, sports a big sign to inform us that it specializes in Italian, American and Indian cuisine. Even in an area of many ethnicities, that’s an impressive lineup. (Updated: 06/05/09 10:25 AM )
Cheap Eats: Plenty of Polish favorites at Potts
There are certain ethnic cuisines that imply “hearty,” and Polish is one of them. When I think of homemade Polish food, I think of big guys with hands the size of hams sitting down to generous plates. On a recent visit, John, Pat, John and I discovered that Potts Deli and Grille is pretty much on the same wavelength. (Updated: 06/05/09 10:16 AM )
SHORT ORDERS
Locally grown meals (Updated: 05/29/09 6:51 AM )
A special touch
There’s a new chef at Verbena, a dignified upscale restaurant on Maple Road that many years ago was the site of the late Daffodil’s. Bruce Wieszala is his name; he’s a Buffalo native who has spent the last few years in Atlanta, where he cooked at some well-known restaurants and appeared on the Food Network occasionally. His sous chef is John Hammill. The more formal dining-room menu reflects the man’s interest in contemporary ingredients and local produce. (The casual informal “grille” menu, served in the large and very handsome barroom, provides sandwiches and — should you be in the mood for it — a deep-fried Twinkie or two ($3). Those short rib sliders don’t sound half bad either, by the way.) (Updated: 05/29/09 6:51 AM )
CHEAP EATS: Rooster's Cafe is a delightful stop
Rooster’s Cafe is in a plain, square building on an industrial strip of Ridge Road in Lackawanna. So stepping inside is a bit of a shock. The decor is bright, from the red and white walls to the checked floors, and there are roosters everywhere. (Updated: 05/29/09 3:14 PM )
SHORT ORDERS
New on Lake Ontario (Updated: 05/22/09 6:53 AM )
Hayes Seafood House: Little restaurant is big on fresh fish
They call Hayes Seafood House “a taste of New England in Clarence,” and that’s only a slight exaggeration. Perched there on Main Street, miles away from any water of consequence, this little, one-story, free-standing restaurant almost looks like a hot dog stand. (Updated: 05/22/09 8:09 AM )
Cheap Eats: Hot Dog Heaven has more than meets the bun
Wemay be the last people in Western New York to realize that Hot Dog Heaven is much, much more than just hot dogs. The menu includes breakfast all day (with truly astonishing prices of $1.80 to $3.10 for specials until 11 a. m. daily), omelettes, sandwiches, melts, salads, burgers and souvlaki, as well as soup, milkshakes and all the sides your heart could desire. Plus, a large whiteboard near the door lists the day’s specials, which seem to be basically some selections picked off the menu and reduced in price. (Updated: 05/22/09 8:46 AM )
Caroline’s at Glen Iris Inn: Swept away at the falls
More challenging than beating egg whites in a greasy bowl; more stressful than coaxing the very first slice from an apple pie. Heck, probably harder than leaping a tall oven in a single bound. Sometimes figuring the number of stars to award a restaurant can cause even the sternest critic to grind her teeth, and that’s certainly the case for Caroline’s at the Glen Iris Inn. (Updated: 05/15/09 10:06 AM )
Cheap Eats: Top-notch sauce at My Tomato Pie
It’s sad when a beloved restaurant closes, and their dishes are just a fond memory. Perfect spaghetti sauces seem particularly memorable—and impossible to duplicate unless you know the secret of selecting and simmering ingredients. So it wasn’t really surprising that Pat and John were transported back 30 years by their first taste of “Mama Rose’s Spaghetti” at My Tomato Pie. The venerable Mama Rose’s Restaurant at Kensington and Olympic that they’d frequented in the 1960s moved up to Millersport Highway, then closed, but family members preserved the recipes and still cook from them here. (Updated: 05/15/09 11:00 AM )
SHORT ORDERS
Cooking competition (Updated: 05/15/09 7:01 AM )
