 |
By Elizabeth Licata and Christopher Schobert
 |
|
Fish fry image by Jim Bush.
|
1. Fry one on
This Friday night tradition has become such an indelible part of local food culture that you can find online maps simply for fish fry locations. Obviously, the Lenten season is March Madness for them, but here, they’re stapes year-round. There has been a curious trend toward giant honkin’ FFs in recent years—it’s a tad surprising to receive a hunk of fried fish that doesn’t run off the plate by about three or four inches. (Can these be considered foot-longs?) It’s value for your Friday-night dollar, and while it’s not very healthy, I defy anyone to find a more satisfying meal than a fish fry and a brew.
—C.S.
 |
|
Ted’s image by Jared Mobarak.
|
2. Hot dog heaven
It’s rare to find a food consensus, but only the daft or tastebudless would deny that Ted’s hot dogs are the world’s finest. Lunch or dinner at one of the seven local locations is as indelible a WNY childhood memory as a stop at the Falls, and infinitely more impressive. (Sorry, Wonder of the World.) The details are key—the dogs are charcoal broiled, the hot sauce isn’t too hot, the French fry and onion ring orders are enormous, and, of course, there’s the Loganberry. And don’t ignore the burgers and chicken sandwiches, or the simple joy of watching your food being prepared by employees who are pleasant and cheerful. A rarity, that.
—C.S.
3. Made for each other: pizza and wings?
I was about eleven years old when I learned that this combo was truly “a Buffalo thing”—this was during a family trip to see relatives in Minnesota, during which pizza was ordered. BUT WHERE WERE THE WINGS?! I’ll tell you where—Buffalo. Here, pizza and wings go together like Martin and Lewis, Sonny and Cher, and Heidi and Spencer, and thanks to a pizza place on virtually every corner, this satisfying duo is easy to find. Obviously, the variations are many, but certainly, there will be bleu cheese. As for the best, well, depends on who you’re asking. (Personally, I think La Nova is hard to beat.)
—C.S.
4. A sub of our own?
The chicken finger sub is such a simple concept. And yet, it appears to only be available in WNY. (Ask expatriates, and they’ll confirm this.) Some might consider it our Philly cheese steak, but with a key difference—this one hasn’t gone national, except in bastardized form. Subway recently attempted a “Buffalo chicken sandwich,” with ranch instead of bleu cheese. But let’s be honest. If you’re eating a chicken finger sub, you’ve likely resigned yourself to its unhealthy-ness. And that’s part of the fun. It’s a pizzeria specialty, but Buffalo’s most beloved CF joint might be Jim’s Steakout, as any hungry, hungover college student waiting in line on the corner of Allen and Elmwood at 3 a.m. can testify. They are also popular at John & Mary’s, a local institution that’s been around for almost sixty years.
—C.S.
 |
|
Pizza Plant image by J.P. Thimot.
|
5. Pod people
In the search for the quintessential family dinner spot, I’m sure many haggard parents have come to the conclusion that nothing tops Pizza Plant. Let’s break it down: The “pods” can be customized for even the fussiest of wee diners, and can be neatly devoured with a knife and fork—no greasy little pizza-stained hands. The Plant bar—the full name is actually Pizza Plant Italian Pub, doncha know—might offer WNY’s most ambitious and unique tap list. The “Icescreamer” and cookies are worth joyfully weeping over. And both the Walker Center and Transit Road locations are smartly designed and located. It all adds up to a WNY combination that is hard to top—give us a Pod and a beer, and we’re happy.
—C.S.
6. The mighty pierogi
If pasta and potatoes are two of the most comforting comfort foods, imagine how blissful it would be to combine them. That is what a peirogi does. Sometimes, there’s even cheese, not to mention sauerkraut. It’s sheer genius, and that genius has found its highest expression in Buffalo.
Pierogis reign supreme at Eastertime, when they can be found at the Broadway Market, but they are made year-round by several area vendors, including K Sisters (2116 Clinton), Nowinski’s (distributed throughout the area), and others. They can also be found at restaurants like Polish Villa II, Perisons, Prosit, Bistro Europa, and Ray’s (all in our Dining Guide). —E.L.
7. It’s good enough for Dean Martin
He called it pasta fazool, others say pasta fagioli, and an anglo version might be macaroni and beans. Anything with pasta tends to be pretty tasty, but, as with pierogi, the double-starch combo hits it out of the ballpark. Variations on this staple of peasant cuisine are found throughout Italy, including Sicily, and its popularity is widespread throughout the U.S. I’ve heard they even have it at Olive Garden, but there is no need to resort to a chain to find great pasta fagioli. Not in Buffalo. WNY is not the only place where authentic Neapolitan and Sicilian dishes are made well; it shares this distinction with other Northeastern cities. But try finding a good version of pasta fagioli in Charlotte, NC and you’ll understand why it’s on this list. It can be had (reasonably priced) at Santasiero’s (where it is called pasta fasolla and is an entrée or soup), Chef’s (as a soup), Marco’s (as a soup), Amici’s (as a soup), Mangia (as a soup), and many other traditional/old-fashioned Italian restaurants. I should also mention a dish I think of as the somewhat healthier cousin of pasta fagioli: beans and greens, excellent versions of which are found at Fortuna’s and Michael’s in Niagara Falls, as well as many other venues. Buffalo is truly rich in this soul-satisfying school of Italian cuisine.
—E.L.
 |
|
Beef on weck image by Jim Bush.
|
8. Buffalo’s other specialty
Beef on weck may have lost a bit of ground as the chicken wing (and all of its variations) continues to dominate American bar food, but we know how to value this hearty and dignified contender. Beef on weck has nineteenth century origins; it was first eaten in Buffalo by German immigrants. The salty, caraway-laden kummelweck roll combined with beef is what makes this sandwich unique to our area, but there is local debate about how, exactly, the beef should be chosen, cooked, and carved. Should it be rump or eye of round? Should the slices be evenly thin, or irregular, with somewhat thicker pieces and shavings mixed together? How much fat should there be? Regardless of how you would personally answer these questions, it’s a good bet you’ll be satisfied with the answers that these area restaurants have found: Schwabl’s, Eckl’s, Charlie the Butcher, and Anderson’s. Coles and Frank’s Grille also offer solid contenders.
—E.L.
9. A hot of a different color
It may seem redundant to mention Texas Red Hots when we’ve already talked about Ted’s, which also celebrates the Sahlen’s dog, but many foot-long aficionados insist that the char-broiled dog served on a steamed bun with mustard, chopped onions, and Texas Hot Sauce deserves its own place in the pantheon of Buffalo specialties. According to writer/chef Joe George, it’s all about the sauce. “Sauce recipes vary from restaurant to restaurant and their spice blends are guarded secrets,” George says. “Some restaurants claim to simmer their sauces for eight hours. This is a far cry from fast food.” If you want to show some respect for the Texas Hot, try any of the six locations of Louie’s.
—E.L.
10. A Buffalo confection
It’s basically just spun sugar covered with chocolate, but sponge candy has assumed legendary proportions as the go-to sweet for this region—and there is no evidence that it is popular anywhere else but here. Though there are similar treats known by other names in Canada, Great Britain, and across the U.S., Buffalo is the center of the sponge candy universe.
The simplicity of the candy is its genius. It offers the richness of chocolate, but also has a deceptively light texture. Connoisseurs of sponge demand a “light as air” interior texture and a crisp chocolate coating, and many cite Watson’s not only for its fulfillment of those qualities but for its innovative addition of orange chocolate to their offerings. Fowler’s is another great go-to for this treat. Like many Buffalo-centric foods, sponge candy is routinely shipped from here to destinations worldwide.
—E.L.
SUBSCRIBE NOW
Back to the Table of Contents
Back to Top
|
|
|
