NYC Tastes

It's New Brew Friday and today we're drinking a delicious Double IPA from the new Belt Line Brewery in Buffalo, NY. This frothy orange DIPA give off delightful aromas of fresh mango and pineapple with more juicy citrus fruit flavors on the palate of orange, mango and lychee with a bitter  finish.  This is a fantastic summer beer; full of fruit goodness but low enough abv (6.7%) to crush all day long. In addition to beer, Belt Line has a full kitchen serving up a doughy  Breadhive Everything Pretzels with white beer queso, a hefty Diner Double Cheeseburger and a few great veggie options like the Beyond Meat Chicago Dog loaded with  Barrel + Brine  pickles,  Weber's Mustard , tomato and onion jam. If you're headed to the  Shelton Brothers Festival  this October, Belt-line is a great place to add to the beer weekend itinerary. Belt-line Brewery & Kitchen 545 Swan Street Buffalo, NY 14204

Carte Blanche is one of the newest restaurants to pop up  on Buffalo Street in Hamburg.  This little strip is becoming quite the food & drink hub with hot spots like  Grange Community Kitchen  and  Hamm & Fatty's Beer Co.  now dotting the street.  Along with new restaurants comes new ideas like BRUNCH! Years ago Buffalo was completely devoid of a brunch scene.  Coming from NYC the pure absence of mimosas and Eggs Benedict in the morning was just shocking.  Luckily this new generation of spots understands the importance of this mid-day meal and Carte Blanche definitely understands the importance of morning after carbo loading with this incredible Toast & Jam Spread. Popovers and freshly baked bread served with a trio of whipped butter, bright raspberry jam and a buttery caramel sauce for those morning sweet tooth moments. These popovers were excellent; crusty on the outside with a warm, eggy interior perfect for slathering wi...

It's no secret the Western New York area has been in a major period of revitalization over the past 5 years. Downtown Buffalo is absolutely booming with gorgeous new parks, shiny cocktail/craft beer bars and farm to table restaurants.  That same rebirth is now expanding to the Southtown's with the most recent opening of Grange Community Kitchen out in Hamburg.  This airy new bakery/bar/restaurant comes from the former chef and general manager team from Elm Street Bakery in East Aurora. The similarities between the two restaurants are evident immediately. Delicious baked goods in the pastry case up front for breakfast, a short list of local beer & wine at the bar and a big pizza oven in the back churning out incredible sourdough pies topped with ingredients like Oyster mushroom, fennel sausage and spicy green pepper. The Porchetta Sandwich is a house specialty served on an excellent seeded bun topped with broccoli rabe pesto and pickled vegetable giardiniera...

Brunch is somewhat of a recent event in Buffalo.  Years ago there were only one or two spots that understood the importance of runny eggs and fruity cocktails on weekend mornings.  However there's been a big shift recently and now lots of new places offer brunch; Martin Cooks being one of the best. The bright lively space was absolutely packed my last visit.  Luckily my friend Ben has the same feeling as me in these situations- more time for cocktails!!  I started with the Apothecary Reviver made with Rum, Thai Basil, Cucumber and Kale (gotta get those veggies in) before moving onto to  a juicy Blueberry Mojito. Once seated we had a chance to peruse the menu which changes seasonally. I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate Spring than a gorgeous bowl Shrimp & Asparagus Risotto. This dish has everything I could ask for at brunch; ultra creamy risotto, bright slivers of asparagus and a cheesy fried egg on top. ...

My last day of holiday vacation I had planned to spend touring the wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake with my parents.  We were about 15 minutes from the border when I discovered my passport had expired!  Lucky for me my parents regrouped quickly and suggested lunch instead at Salvatore's Italian Garden.   The first word that comes to mind when I think of Salvatore's is gaudy.  It's a big brash Italian restaurant decked out in all kinds of marble statues and fountains.  Everything from the enormous glass chandeliers in the lobby to the vintage toy displays in the bathroom. Barbie dolls for the women... ...and model cars for the Men's Room. It's just completely over the top and for the holidays it's decked out even more with twinkling lights and Santa Clauses.  It's like a big winter wonderland Italian American style. I absolutely love the craziness of it all!    Not to mention the food and wine are quite delicious.  We b...

Buffalo continues to explode onto the craft brewing scene with places like Resurgence  and  Big Ditch  dotting the downtown area. Now the Southtowns have started to become their own little beer mecca specifically in East Aurora with arguably the best bottle shop/beer store in WNY Aurora Brew Works and now the brand new brewery 42 North.  This sprawling space features a huge outdoor patio in the back with a roaring fire pit, a game room with shuffleboard and life sized Jenga for both kids and adults plus a gorgeous bar made from reclaimed wood in the main area with tables overlooking the brewing tanks below.   42 North has a nice mix of both house brews and guest taps on the menu at all times along with cider, wine and soda for just about any palate to be happy.  We enjoyed the Borderland IPA when we visited and their collaboration with Elm Street Bakery down the block the Elm Street Coffee Porter. For now they just offer a limited food menu.  The...

I'm closing out the Buffalo recap with Big Ditch; a fantastic new brewery and restaurant that just opened downtown.  These guys aren't exactly new  to the brewery scene. I tried a bunch of their brews at a Gene McCarthy's beer dinner years ago. I wasn't blown away by anything then but obviously they've done some serious tinkering because the overall quality and flavor of their beers have improved tremendously. Their flagship brew was the Hayburner, so named for the work horses used to construct the nearby Erie Canal.  It's a crisp, refreshing IPA with soft, citrus notes perfect for just about any occasion. For a bolder brew the Hayburner with Citra was an excellent choice with big juicy flavors of mandarin orange and melon with just a slightly bitter finish.  The food menu at Big Ditch incorporates all the Buffalo staples like crisp chicken wings dressed with spicy Hayburner IPA s...

Saturday afternoon Mr. T and I headed to the waterfront for lunch at Liberty Hound.  The weather was overcast and gray but that didn't seem to deter anyone from flocking to the outdoor tables.  We decided to grab a seat at the bar and wait it out with their signature drink and an order of Crab Cakes. The Lady Liberty wasn't that great...too much fruit crushed the refreshing mint flavor of the Mojito. The Crab Cakes on the other hand were quite delicious with big hunks of Blue Crab inside a crisp outer shell with lemon remoulade sauce. Once our outdoor table was called we ordered our mains; grilled Mahi Mahi Fish Tacos with Srirachi aioli and mango salsa... ...and an order of Fish and Chips loaded with a big piece of Cod so lightly breaded there was only the faintest hint of grease.   Bonus Points- the sun came out revealing a gorgeous blue sky for that seemed to go for miles. Liberty Hound 1 Navel Park Cove Buffalo, NY 14202

The long weekend trip continued with more cocktails after brunch down in the Cobblestone District at shabby chic Balleyhoo. I absolutely LOVE this bar!  It's divey but sleek with a touch of serious rockstar and their cocktails are off the hook.  Mr. T stuck with his classic Negroni order but I went off into jam land with the made to order Jam Session. It's super simple; pick your spirit, pick your jam and they create the rest!  My friend Adam was creating all sorts of amazing concoctions...bourbon with Victoria plum, white rum and grapefruit... ...and my absolute favorite vodka with Morello cherry. There's really nothing I love more than a fabulous pink drink :) Ballyhoo 211 South Park Avenue Buffalo, NY 14204

My last trip to Western NY felt like a food and drink extravaganza.  There are so many  new places in the city...for example Southern restaurant Toutant.  Head Chef James Robert brings hearty fare from Louisiana like a classic basket of Beignets; incredibly light pillows of fried dough dusted with powdered sugar... ...Biscuits and Gravy with two fried eggs drizzled in a sausage sauce that evoked memories of Thanksgiving supper... ...and a crisp buttermilk Fried Chicken; light on the grease and perfectly seasoned with a side of collard greens. The Southern specialties continued with the cocktails including a classic New Orleans Hurricane... ...and some tasty originals like the Delta Princess with Peach Vodka, Lillet and Watermelon Gastrique... ...and the smoky Street Sense with Pisco, Mezcal, cucumber and egg whites. Fantastic cocktails, great Southern food; I can't wait to hit this up again on my next visit! And spea...

There's nothing better in life then sipping a delicious beer in the sun on a gorgeous summer day and on my recent trip to Western New York I got to spend the entire afternoon doing just that at Southern Tier Brewery. Located in the town of Lakewood, Southern Tier is probably best known for it's seasonal beer Pumking, a strong pumpkin ale that seriously tastes like a slice of fresh baked pumpkin pie with cloves and vanilla.  This is thanks to the huge amount of real pumpkin puree they put into each batch.   But don't just stop at the Pumking, this brewery has so much more.  Take for example the Hop Sun, a pale wheat ale with such a crisp lemon flavor and dry mouthfeel I would swear it was an IPA.  Or the deliciously dark Mokah; a rich imperial stout brewed with chocolate and roasted coffee. Obviously these guys brew A LOT.  Just take a look at those amazing tanks.  Southern Tier produces over 100,000 barrels of beer a year and distribute their brew...