Hungry for More

"I don’t think changes in the Buffalo restaurant landscape amount to a revolution. But in the months that followed my Cleveland trip, there has been a surge of interesting occurrences involving food, drinks and people who provide them to the public. Folks hellbent on deliciousness are planting seeds, shopping for real estate and holding secret seven-course dinner parties in undisclosed locations.

Spurred by the growth of a discerning, digitally expressive cadre of diners, hungry for the new and different, what can the Buffalo restaurant scene become? Given the developments in the last year, it’s a legitimate question to ask."

Check out the whole story here.

Here's another recipe from "Meatless," from Martha Stewart Living, featured in today's Buffalo News.

Arugula, Potato, and Green Bean Salad with Walnut Dressing

2 tablespoons white-wine vinegar

2 tablespoons plain low-fat yogurt

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted (see page 363) and finely chopped

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tablespoons walnut oil

1 ½ pounds fingerling potatoes, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick rounds

6 ounces haricots verts or other green beans, trimmed

3 ounces baby arugula

Finely chopped toasted walnuts bulk up the yogurt dressing for this gorgeous salad. It’s pretty enough to serve to company, either as the main course of a vegetarian meal or as a meatless offering at a summer potluck. Serves 8

1. Whisk together vinegar, yogurt, mustard, and the toasted nuts in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Add walnut oil in a slow, steady stream, whisking until emulsified.

2. Bring a medium saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes, and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer potatoes to a colander to drain. Return pan of water to a boil.

3. Prepare an ice-water bath. Add green beans to boiling water and cook until tender and bright green, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and cut into 2-inch pieces.

4. Arrange arugula, potatoes, and green beans on a platter. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with dressing, toss to coat, and serve.

G Per serving: 122 calories, 6 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 0 mg cholesterol, 17 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 3 g fiber

Here's another recipe that Jeff Meyers makes for his family's Tet feast, as featured in today's Buffalo News.

Russian Beet, Potato, and Carrot Salad

3 beets, stems trimmed with about ½ inch intact (about 1 ¼ pounds after trimming)
2 tablespoons cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
Salt
1 shallot,finely chopped, rinsed under water, and well drained (about ¼ cup)
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh herbs such as dill, mint, parsley, and/or tarragon
Dressing
4 ½ tablespoons cider vinegar, red wine vinegar, or white wine vinegar
¼ cup canola or other neutral oil
¼ cup mayonnaise, preferably whole egg
¾ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
salt
2 large carrots, 8 to 10 ounces total, peeled and cut into ½-inch dice
3 or 4 white or red boiling potatoes, about 1 ¼ pounds total, cut into ½-inch dice.
3 eggs, hard boiled, peeled and chopped
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Place the beets in a baking dish and add water just to cover the bottom of the dish. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until easily pierced with a knife. (A covered ovenproof saucepan may be used instead; if the pan has a heavy bottom, heat the pan on the stove top until the water simmers before putting it in the oven.) Remove from the oven, uncover, and let cool.
2. When the beets are cool enough to handle, cut off the stems and root ends and use your fingertips to slip off the skin. Cut each beet into ½-inch dice and put into a small bowl. Toss with the vinegar and season lightly with salt. Set aside for at least 15 minutes tolet the flavors develop.
3. Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a bowl large enough to accommodate the finished salad, whisk together the vinegar, oil, mayonnaise, salt and pepper. Add the shallot and herbs and stir to mix. Set aside near the stove.
4. Bring a saucepan filled with salted water to a rolling boil and add the carrots. When the water returns to a boil, cook the carrots for 5 to 7 minutes, or until tender but still moderately firm. Using a slotted spoon or skimmer, lift out the carrots, shake briefly over the pan to drain off excess water, and then add to the bowl holding the dressing.
5. Return the water to a rolling boil. While the water is heating up, put the potatoes in a large bowl and fill with cold water. Stir the potatoes with your hand and pour out the cloudly water. Repeat until the water is clear. Drain the potatoes well and add to the boiling water. When the water returns to a boil, cook the potatoes for 4 to 6 minutes, or until tender but still moderately firm. Drain well in a colander and, while still hot, add to the bowl holding the carrots and dressing and toss well.
6. Add the beets and egg and toss again. Taste and add extra salt and pepper, if necessary. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate to chill thoroughly before serving.

(From “Into the Vietnamese Kitchen,” by Andrea Nguyen, Ten Speed Press)

By Jill Terreri

Acropolis on Elmwood Avenue is seeking a live music license, and owner Paul Tsouflidis is interested in opening a second location in Orchard Park or Hamburg. 

Tsouflidis' license appplication will go before the Zoning Board of Appeals later this month. 

More details here. 

Buffalo News City Hall reporter Jill Terreri notes that Joe's Deli, one of the best sandwich shops in the city, is opening a second location on Elmwood Ave.:

"Lyons and his wife, Rachael Rossitto, own the business and are purchasing 534 Elmwood Ave. They plan to maintain the outdoor patio, offer indoor seating and takeout food, and be open by May, Lyons said.

Lyons also is seeking a liquor license and plans to be open seven days a week."

Read the full story here. 

By Andrew Z. Galarneau

Here's some more recipes from Faith Gorsky's "An Edible Mosaic" (Tuttle Publishing, 144 pages, $24.95), featured in today's Buffalo News.

Spiced Shawarma Chicken Wraps

SHAWARMA DAJAJ

Serves 8

Preparation Time: 30 minutes, plus 2 to 24 hours for the chicken to marinate

Cooking Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes

Continue reading "Recipes: Shawarma chicken wraps, tamarind drink from 'An Edible Mosaic'" »

Madonna's, the new Italian place on Allen Street, won't let you get away hungry. Its large helpings were lunch the next day, but it was fried artichoke hearts and chunky, creamy tomato soup that left us wanting more after a recent visit.

Read the review here, in today's Buffalo News. 

When Geoffrey Zakarian, the “Iron Chef” and Food Network star, goes out to eat in Lewiston, he likes to stop by Carmelo’s.

That’s because of sophisticated, ingredient-focused dishes such as Smoked Beef Tongue Tonnato ($9), a spin on the classic Italian appetizer of thinly sliced poached veal topped with a tuna mayonnaise.

by Andrew Z. Galarneau

Attention all aspiring food writers: prizewinning cookbook author and instructor Molly Stevens wants to give you the recipe to writing success. For free.

The Buffalo-born, Nichols-educated Stevens, whose cookbooks “All About Roasting” and “All About Braising” have won numerous national awards, will be talking about writing and her creative process in a presentation at The Filling Station, the restaurant at 745 Seneca St., adjacent to the Larkin at Exchange building.

Continue reading "Top cookbook author Molly Stevens gives free tips on food writing Jan. 31" »

This just in from Slow Food Buffalo Niagara: the Jan. 28 open-to-the-public meeting featuring beekeeper Geri Hens has been moved to a new location.

"We had to move the meeting because of construction work at Horsefeathers. The new location of the meeting will be Frizlen Group Architects, 257 Lafayette Ave., Buffalo."