Introduction

The Taste of Buffalo is an event held every July in Buffalo, New York, usually the weekend after Independence Day. It has been a summer favorite since 1984, and attracts over a half-million people during its two-day run, making it the second largest event of its kind in the country.

It has become a yearly tradition for us to go to the ToB, accompanied by our good friends, the Ragaus. As the kids have grown older, their tastes have broadened from nothing but Louie's hot dogs to trying, and sometimes actually enjoying, some of the more exotic cuisine. Of the many events that the Buffalo area enjoys over the summer, this is probably the one that we enjoy the most.

We all have our personal favorites for which we look forward to sampling every year: For me, it's Artichoke Gratinee from Bing's; for Tom, it's Bananas Foster, some years provided by Applebee's, some years from Coffee Bean.

A rule of thumb that we follow is that we try to stay away from foods that we eat regularly outside of the ToB, such as pizza or beef on weck. Other foods, such as the wonderful potato pancakes and rouladen from Scharf's, we know we like, and will save for a visit to the restaurant itself. For us, Taste of Buffalo is a chance to sample foods we've never eaten, to check out restaurants we've never patronized, and to have fun with the surprises that come with these choices.

One thing is for sure: with so many different kinds of foods, it's hard to go hungry! A word of warning: For an average family, it's not hard to spend $80-$90, so budget accordingly (when I first wrote this paragraph in 2000 I said $30-$40, how times have changed).

I hope you enjoy the following reviews. Although we have been going to the ToB since 1992, it wasn't until 2000 that I had the idea of sharing my experiences with others. Some fine restaurants, such as Curly's, are missing as a result, but should not be overlooked. Oh, by the way, the colors I chose for each section are based on colors prominent in each year's design, gleaned from my collection of Taste of Buffalo T-shirts.

2000: It's About Time

This year's theme was "It's About Time," although the underlying theme seemed to be seafood; lots of it, and all of it delicious. As usual, we met up with our good friends, Sue and Frank, who this year had someone new to bring, their son Alex.

Things we enjoyed:

We followed our usual ritual of parking in the Fernbach Ramp, then walking up Court Street to Main Street, which is the hub of the event. Turning right on Main, we headed for the nearest ticket booth to get ready for the day. After stopping by the Pearl Street Brewing Co. to get our bearings, we obtained tickets, and I went across the street to Giacobbi's Trattoria, where I bought the Crab and Shrimp Bisque in a Bread Bowl for myself, and the Crab Toasted Ravioli for Laura. Tommy had the Bow Tie Pasta w/Six Cheese Sauce from the Pearl Street Brewing Co.; he enjoyed it, but didn't want to fill up, so Jill, Laura, and I also got to try it. I also had their Smoked Gouda and Blonde Ale Soup, but found it a bit strong for my taste.

After that, we crossed to the other side of Main Street and proceeded East. I crossed back over Main to get a couple of hot dogs for the kids from Louie's, which probably had the longest line at the event. Once the kids had their tummies filled, we all felt better.

Funniest name: Bevan's "Warsaw Steak Sandwich," which was actually a fried bologna and onion sandwich.

Getting back to Court & Main, we got in line for free ice cream sundaes, courtesy of CherryMan Jumbo Topping Cherries (which also had Magic Shell topping on them; yum!). We then nosed around the Adelphia exhibit for a few moments, then were on our way again.

No Taste of Buffalo would be complete for me without a stop at Bing's. This year, instead of their artichoke gratinee, they had a new item, Bing's Combo Artichokes and Bruschetta, which was basically the same dish but on a piece of bread. It was as delicious as always, and the bread made for an interesting addition. We also had their Pancetta Bacon Wrapped Shrimp w/Polenta and Pesto, which was OK, but not one of our favorites.

Another tradition for me is Jerk Chicken, which I learned to love in Jamaica many years ago. Curly's restaurant used to have the booth that provided this wonderful dish, but now Caribbean Experience meets the need. Fortunately, I still had some lemonade from a previous stop at a drink booth, which I needed to quench the fire in my mouth. While I was enjoying that, Tommy had the Peach Cobbler from Craig and Craig Twin Bakery.

It was now getting close to dessert time. Tommy and I had the Bananas Foster Brownie from Applebee's, which we had seen on their menu only a few days before, while Laura had the Big Easy Gumbo from Empire Brewing. After that, she and Jill enjoyed an order of Applebee's Country Skillet Potatoes. We then stopped back at The Village Bake Shoppe, where their Triple Chocolate Brownie with Caramel Sauce was just too good for words.

Finally, we made it back to Court Street, where we headed back to the cars and home. Another great year!

Things we missed:

The Chocolate-Covered Frozen Cannoli on a Stick from Melanie's Sweets Unlimited looked really, really, good, but we were too full by the time we got back there.

We all also wanted to try the Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Pie from Orazio's, but, again, we were too full by the time we headed back that way.

Suzanne's Fine Dining won an award for Crab Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, but we missed that booth for some reason. There were so many seafood dishes this year that I guess it was easy to overlook some.

Sharf's Schiller Park Grill has wonderful Potato Pancakes, but we figured we'd just go there sometime (they also have great sauerbraten).

We never found out what Killer Pecans (Bavarian Nut Co.) are ...

2001: A Taste Odyssey

This year's theme was "2001: A Taste Odyssey." As usual, our good friends, the Ragau's, joined us for the event.

Things we enjoyed:

After parking in the Fernbach Ramp, we walked up Court to Main, as usual. Turning right on Main, we headed for the nearest ticket booth to get ready for the day. After obtaining a healthy supply of said tickets, I beelined for the Pearl Street Brewing Co. to get some of their Six Cheese Pasta with Shrimp, which was delicious. Laura got the Smoked Gouda and Blonde Ale Soup from them, also; I had tried it the year before, and found it a bit strong.

Next, I went across the street to Giacobbi's Trattoria, where I bought my yearly helping of Crab and Shrimp Bisque in a Bread Bowl. We stopped and listened to Terry Buchwald's Elvis Tribute, which was very good.

We headed back to the heart of the event, where Laura crossed back over Main to get a couple of hot dogs for the kids from Louie's, which had a long line, as usual (you can't beat a char-broiled Sahlen's hot dog). We made our way to a bench in LaFayette Square, which became our base of operations for a while. Laura backtracked to Bailey Fish & Seafood for their Haddock Super Sandwich, which was a bit messy, but quite good. She also tried the Hummus from Cobti's, which she enjoyed as well. I went to Anderson's Frozen Custard to get a couple of Lemon Icicles (Lemon Ice on a stick) for the kids. I cheated a little bit, and went ahead to one of our favorite stops every year, Bing's, for their wonderful Artichoke Gratinee. Tom absolutely loved their Goooo, which he describes as "Vanilla ice cream, chocolate, and caramel, mixed in a blender, with pieces of Oreo on top."

Trekking North, we passed by CherryMan's free sundaes, because the line was just too long. Jill managed to get Buster Bison's autograph, and was absolutely thrilled by it. Another tradition has been to get souvenir T-shirts; I didn't think they were as nice-looking as in past years, but they are still great to have.

The best dish I had this year was the Corn Crusted Sea Bass with Smoked Tomato Jalapeno Sauce from Arnie's at the Briarwood. Tom and Jill enjoyed the Strawberry Romanoff Tart from Cameo's, which looked pretty good to me.

As we neared the Hyatt Regency hotel, it started raining. We ducked under an overhang on the Huron Street side, and ventured out for our last helpings of the day. Laura went up to AppleBee's for the Bourbon Skillet Potatoes, and I went to the Roseland Restaurant for Ice Cream in a Waffle Cone with Fresh Strawberries (which won for best dessert).

As it was raining, we went down Huron to Pearl Street, bypassing the crowds, and walked rapidly to the car. Despite the rain, it was another great year!

Things we missed:

This year, we can't think of any one thing in particular that we were sorry we couldn't try. We always have regrets about not being able to sample everything, but nothing stands out as an "Oh, I wish I had tried some of that ..."

2002: Bringing Buffalo Back Home

I was pretty bad about writing up this year's ToB. In fact, this part is going to be written an entire year after the event, with the help of a map/menu from it and my own flawed memory. Here's what I remember:

Things we enjoyed:

We followed our usual route of starting at Court, going South to the end, crossing over in front of M&T Plaza, going back on the East side of Main Street to the northern end, Then on the West side of Main back to Court.

I had the Crab and Shrimp Bisque from the Park Avenue Grille; Giacobbi's Trattoria, from where I usually obtained this dish, wasn't represented this year, but the dish from this restaurant was just as good.

The Meat Pockets from the Tropical Bakery were very good, and this restaurant's first appearance at ToB was a good one. My annual helping of Bing's Artichokes and Bruschetta Combo didn't fail to disappoint, either. Oh, and their Buffalo Goo Ice Cream was great!

Caribbean Experience's Jerk Chicken met the need of another ToB tradition.

Romanellos's Roseland's Waffle Cone with Vanilla Ice Cream and Fresh Strawberries was a nice dessert, and a nice way to end the day.

Things we missed:

Buffalo Chicken Wing Chowder from Carmine's Restaurant sounded intriguing, and I have no idea how we missed this. I'm also sorry I missed the Grilled Tequila Lime Chicken with Black Bean Salsa from the Old Red Mill, and the Creamy Cajun Chicken Portabella Pasta from Orazio's sounded good, also. I think part of the problem is that we follow the same route every year, and by the time we get to the northern end, we've filled up on entrées and are working on desserts.

2003: Luau on Main

This is the first time in at least six years that I was not able to go, due to soreness from a lithotripsy that was performed on me the day before. However, I was able to attend "by proxy", as Laura and the kids brought home some goodies for me, based on a list I made using the on-line map/menu as a guide. So, here goes:

Things we enjoyed:

For starters, I had a helping of one of my traditional dishes, Bing's Artichoke Gratinee. This was followed by a bowl of Buffalo Chicken Wing Chowder from Le Metro, a tasty dish of chicken chunks, celery and carrots in a Buffalo chicken wing sauce-style broth, topped with bleu cheese. I don't know how I missed this last year, but it was yummy!

Next was a Black and Blue steak sandwich from the Old Red Mill, which was a piece of Cajun-blackened steak on a roll with bleu cheese. Very tasty, and the bleu cheese in this sandwich went well with the aforementioned chowder.

Dessert consisted of the Red Coach Inn's Brownie Sundae, which survived the trip home pretty well (a few minutes in the freezer re-solidified it), and Chocolate Dipped Gran Marnier Strawberries from Orazio's, which were messy but delicious.

Other dessert items I saved for the next day were the Mud Bar Brownies and Quarter Pound Cookies from the Montana Mills Bread Co., a place we patronize regularly, but one of those ToB booths which are good for using up extra tickets.

Laura said that she'd go again just for the Artichoke Fritters with Gorgonzola Sauce/Dip from the Park Ave. Grill. Jill really enjoyed the Potato Wedges from Buffalo Wild Wings, and Tom focused mainly on desserts (six in all), his favorite being Banana Foster from Coffee Bean, and his least-favorite being Peach Cobbler from Soul Food Shack (he liked it in general, but didn't care for the crust).

Things we missed:

For me, the event itself. However, even though I wasn't there, I felt like I was, and have a T-shirt to make it feel even more real.

A few things on my list that my family didn't get because they either wouldn't have transported well, or were too inconvenient to obtain, included: Bourbon Wings from Chester's, Crab and Shrimp Bisque from the Park Ave. Grill, Creole Seafood Cakes from Meister's Grill, Buffalo Hot Nuts from the Bavarian Nut Co., Jerk Chicken from Caribbean Experience, and Buffalo-Style Popcorn Fish from the Old Red Mill. Oh, well, some things to look forward to next year …

2004: A Star-Spangled Taste

After last year's problems, I was really looking forward to attending this year. Once again, the four Yearkes and the three Ragaus were on a mission! I also feel good that I am writing this only a week after we went, so the information and impressions are still fresh in my mind.

We started with the usual drill: Fernbach Ramp, Court to Main, purchase many tickets, walk towards Church Street to start at the beginning. No sense repeating all that again.

Things we enjoyed:

My first dish was the Haddock Super Sandwich from Bailey Fish & Seafood, which was absolutely delicious, messy, and fun. It's a full haddock fish fry in a pita wrap, complete with fries, cole slaw, and tartar sauce. While I was enjoying that, Laura was trying the Artichoke Fritters from the Park Avenue Grille, which turned out to be her favorite dish of the event.

I followed up the Super Sandwich by heading across the street to Kabab and Curry; I've never been sure if Indian/South Asian is a style of food I enjoy, and have always declined lunch invitations to such places because I didn't know if would enjoy it, so I figured this was a perfect chance to find out. I ordered the Chicken Makhani and Basmati Rice, and it was very tasty, with a hotness that really snuck up on me. I beelined to the Pepsi stand across the street, and told the woman who served me that they had a great location! Oh, and Laura tried the Vegetable Samosa, which was also very good. Kabab and Curry is about a mile from our house, on Transit Road near Maple, so we may just stop in some time when we're in the mood for spicy stuff.

Next up was a New Orleans-style restaurant, The New Rendezvous, as I love NOLA cooking. Their Seafood Gumbo was very good, with lots of shrimp, but I couldn't judge the hotness because my mouth was still reacting to the Chicken Makhani. Two booths down was the Lafayette Tap Room, where Laura and I split a Zesty BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich. In fact, while Laura was getting the sandwich, I went across the street to Spicy Thai for some Crab Rangoon, which we also shared. The pork sandwich was good but not remarkable, but the crab rangoon was extremely good, and much different from what we usually get at our local Chinese takeout restaurant.

Of course, the Taste of Buffalo would not be complete without Bing's artichoke dish, which this year was the Artichokes Combo; however, where previous years' combo had Artichoke Gratinee and Bruschetta bread, this year the Artichoke Gratinee was combined with a deep fried artichoke, which was very, very good. Next booth over was the Hamlin House, where I tried the Cajun Chicken Filet on roll, which was disappointing, as the chicken was not very spicy and it was an ordinary hamburger roll, which was kind of cold and cooled down the chicken.

I took a break for a while, and didn't try anything again until we got to Cameo's, where I tried the Turkey Portabello Mushroom Dumplings, which were not very tasty, in my opinion. It was at this point I decided I was burned out on main course-type dishes, and moved on to the desserts. A Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter Waffle from Orazio's was just what my taste buds needed. I decided to stop at this point, as there were many foods I wanted to try, but no room in the tummy for them. I went to the Edy's Grand Ice Cream booth near the Tops Stage for a Grand Light ice cream sample, and listened to some great music while my companions went to the end and came back. This would be the end of the food tasting for me.

On the way out, we used up the remainder of our tickets at the EM Chrusciki Bakery, getting some delicious Pastry Hearts and New York Style Cheesecake with Topping.

Things we missed:

Unfortunately, I ran out of room by the time we hit Huron Street, and only sampled a couple of small desserts on the way back. I'm going to propose to the gang that next year we start at the Chippewa Street end for a change, as this is not the first time I've been forced to skip some of the wonderful foods at that end of the event.

2005: Safari on Delaware

This year's event featured a big change, a move from the traditional Main Street venue to Delaware Avenue. Organizers believed that spacing the booths around Niagara Square and up Delaware (a much wider street than Main) would make it less crowded and congested, and after attending I have to agree. I'll still miss walking up and down Main, where the different squares lent themselves well to the various bands and other acts, but this worked well, too.

(I have to apologize here: I forgot to write this up at the time, and it's now seven months later, so my memories of what I ate and what we did are a little fuzzy.)

After parking in the Fernbach Ramp, instead of taking Court Street to Main, we walked the other direction, towards City Hall. We wandered around the East side of Niagara Square for a bit, to get our bearings and take in the much different layout. Many of the activities, including those for the kids, were in the square itself, and made for a nice central area out of the traffic flow.

Things we enjoyed:

I started out with a Potato Pancake from Scharf's, just because it sounded good, even though I get these every time we go there. I followed it up with some nice, spicy Jerk Chicken with Beans and Rice from Caribbean Experience (and a Pepsi, of course!).

Moving around the Square, I stopped at Bing's for some Artichokes Gratinee, an annual favorite that I can't miss. I followed that up with a visit to the Pearl Street Grill and Brewery booth, where I enjoyed their Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Basil Cream Sauce.

The West side of the square didn't have much that appealed to me, but we enjoyed standing in the shade of the entranceway of City Hall to eat. The art deco artwork that adorns this building is pretty cool. Even if you don't like that style, you have to admire the amount of work that went into it.

Moving closer to Delaware, we purchased some Ribbon Fries from St. Angelo's Restaurant, which we had seen many people carrying. They're more like a hot potato chip than a French Fry, and very, very good.

My final entreé of the day was Crab & Shrimp Bisque from the Park Avenue Grille. I really like seafood soups and bisques, and this was excellent.

I don't have a lot to say about dessert, surprisingly. I guess I was in a rare mood this year, but I didn't have too many sweets. JP Bullfeather's Chocolate Sin Dessert sticks out in my mind, as does Bing's Mint-O-Potamus Goo, but I don't think I had much else in the dessert category.

Things we missed:

Off the top of my head, I can't think of anything. I'm sure there are some fine foods we would have enjoyed, and I kind of missed being on Main Street, but the whole new experience of being on Niagara Square and Delaware Avenue made this year unique.

So, there's my annual writeup, better late than never. We had a lot of fun, as usual, and can't wait for 2006!

2006: We be Jammin' on Delaware!

This was our fifteenth Taste of Buffalo, if I am remembering correctly. The Caribbean theme was not emphasized as much as I thought it would be, but the event design was pretty nice and I couldn't resist getting a T-Shirt. As with last year, it was in Niagara Square and on Delaware Avenue, and as always our good friends the Ragaus joined us.

We parked in the Fernbach Ramp, a bargain at $3, and entered Niagara Square from Court Street. As we had pre-purchased tickets from Tops, our first mission was to find the Tops tent so we could redeem our voucher for the free knapsack. Once that was done, we redeemed our ticket vouchers and started walking the booths from #54, the last one numerically.

Things we enjoyed:

That booth happened to be the first one on my list, El Sugarbowl Take-Out, where I tried the Sorullos de Maiz (Corn Sticks with Cheese). which had a nice cornbread-like taste. Next to them was the The Basket Factory, and their Seafood Bisque was very good, with big chunks of seafood and very hot. The Rouladen (Rolled Steak) from Scharf's Restaurant was good, very juicy and with a tasty stuffing, and Jill always loves their Potato Pancakes. Next up was a Carribean Citrus Pork sandwich from the Red Mill Inn, which was good but did not have a distinct citrus taste in my opinion. My next stop was at the Lafayette Tap Room booth, where I tried their Jambalaya. The bowl was filled to overflowing, and had a big chunk of what I am assuming is Charizo sausage in it. A good value, and so spicy I drank an entire bottle of water afterwards! Tom tried the Chicken Makhani & Basmati Rice from Kabab and Curry, and to my surprise really enjoyed it. Planters Peanuts had a booth where they were giving away free samples, and I tried their Sweet and Crunchy peanuts, which reminded me of Beer Nuts.

Of course, no trip to the Taste of Buffalo would be complete without an order of Artichokes Gratinee from Bing's, and Laura and I actually split an order because they give such large portions. We hit another freebie, Turkey Hill ice cream, which was very good and very cold and hard considering the hot day. Passing City Hall, I stopped at Eddie Ryan's for their Dutchess (Beer Cheese) Soup. I love beer cheese soup, and haven't had it since the Flying Tigers restaurant closed. By that point, I was getting pretty full, and coasted the rest of the way around the square.

Once on Delaware, I continued to take a break from tasting until we came to the Hamlin House, where I tried their Cajun Chicken Strips w/ Jack Blue Cream Sauce. I was a little disappointed that they were not spicier, in fact they weren't very hot at all, but they were good and the sauce was great. Also on Delaware, Tom tried the Mango Smoothie from the Clarence Center Coffee Co. & Café, and even though he had to wait almost 20 minutes he said it was worth it. One sour note about this stretch of the event was that the U.S. Immigration Service at 130-138 Delaware not only had their stairs roped off so weary patrons couldn't stop and rest on them, but had a security guard stationed to chase off people who perched on the stonework garden walls. Nice show of civic spirit, folks.

On the way back around the square, we stopped on the steps of City Hall to rest, and found they were having free tours, which are also offered year-round during lunch hour. The observation deck is closed because of the restoration work being done to the exterior, but we were able to view the murals in the lobby and go up to the 13th floor and sit in the Common Council chambers. It's a beautiful building, and I'm amazed by the amount of symbolism built into it.

I had waited on most desserts, saving those for the return trip, but I was so full that I only tried three of them. Cameos had a Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge Cream Tart that was very good. Tom went over to the Chester's Pub and Grill booth to get an order of their Fried Bananas Foster, which he found very good even though it was different from the Bananas Foster he's had elsewhere (these were sticks almost like a mozarella stick). We had watched many people walking around with the Double Fudge Torte from the Sweet Tooth, and that was terrific. I used my last three tickets on some Goo from Bing's, which is always a treat.

Things we missed:

In the past I've enjoyed the Jerked Chicken from Caribbean Experience, but passed this year because I didn't want to fill up too soon (but I did anyways). Chester's Pub and Grill had a couple of interesting dishes, Cajun Boiled Crawfish and New Orleans Chicken and Rice, but again I was just too full. I had already had seafood bisque, but if I had not then the She Crab Soup from Center Street Smokehouse and the Crab and Shrimp Bisque from Park Avenue Grille both would have intrigued me. The Park Avenue Grille also had a Buffalo Wing Burger that I really wish I'd have had room to try. Cameos' 3 Cheese Tortellini in Tomato Basil Cream Sauce w/ Asiago sounded good, as did the BW'S Barbecue Reuben from BW'S Barbecue (I love Reuben sandwiches, and a barbeque version sounded interesting). The JunkYard Dog (Loaded Fish Sandwich) from Ms. Goodies would have been fun to try, and I am curious about Burrito Bay's Hotzzarella Cheese Sticks.

As for desserts, I'm sorry I missed the Banana Surprise Pudding from Ms. Goodies, the Collosal Cashews from the The Bavarian Nut Company, and the Chocolate Sin Dessert from JP Bullfeather's, the latter of which I've had before and really liked.

Special-Guest Review from Laura:

The first dish I tried was the Crab Dip from "The Basket Factory." This was the only disappointing dish I had all day. It had almost no crab flavor. There were large pieces of spinach in the cheesy-looking dip, which reminded me of melted Velveeta, but with less flavor. There were nacho chips to dip in it, which were less than inspired, and the dish as a whole was very bland. Artichokes Gratinee from Bings were delicious, as usual, and the portion was large enough to share. Vegetable Samosa from Kabob & Curry was flavorful and, along with a sampling of my son's Chicken Makhani & Basmati Rice, reminded me that I'd like to try out this restaurant.

The Dutchess (Beer-Cheese) Soup from Eddie Ryan's was very flavorful and I really enjoyed it. It was very nice that it wasn't overly thick, as some cheese-based soups can be. I would definitely get this soup again. Onion Peels from Applebees were predictably good, but the dipping sauce wasn't as flavorful as ones I've had with a blooming onion from stands at the Fair or from Outback Steak House. The last "main course" dish I had was the Chicken Chimichanga from St. Angelo's. This was really delicious, hot & fresh, and just too huge. I wish they had offered a mini version (or just a half portion), as there are so many tasty things to try at "Taste of Buffalo." As full as I was already at this point, I still really enjoyed every bite!

Moving onto desserts, I only had room for two: The double fudge torte from Sweet Tooth, which was amazingly chocolatey; and the Mango Sorbet from Red Mill Inn which was very flavorful and not too sweet. It'd like to try this restaurant again, as it has been many years since I've dined there.

All in all, it was a wonderful "Taste" with very nice weather for the event and, as usual, an amazing turnout. I'm already looking forward to next year.

2007: Fun by the Forkful

This year, we decided to change our starting point. We all agreed that, in previous years, by starting at Court Street and working our way around the circle, by the time we got to the booths on Delaware Avenue we were too full to each much else. So, we walked through the square and behind the booths on Delaware so that we could start at the beginning.

The weather was great, warm with a nice breeze and clear blue skies, and City Hall looked great after its recent facelift.

Things we enjoyed:

I started off at booth 2, Cecelia's Restaurant, and found their Fried Ravioli with House Tomato Sauce a good way to start the day. Moving on to the Steer Restaurant, their Blackened Cajun Burger with Carmelized Onions & Crumbly Bleu was very, very tasty, served on a kaiser roll and with a nice crispy coating on the burger. Next up was Vegetable Samosa from Kabab and Curry, which Laura had enjoyed back in 2004, and which I found very good, especially with the [needtofindthenameofthis] sauce I drizzled on top. My biggest disappointment was finding that BW'S Barbecue did not show up, there was just an empty tent at spot 13. As I said last year, I had regretted not trying the BW'S Barbecue Reuben and wanted to make sure I did this year. Bummer. So, I backtracked slightly to Mobay's Caribbean Cuisine, and found their Jerk Chicken Kabobs with Peppers & Onions both very hot and very tasty (I think I drank half a bottle of water afterwards).

At this point we were in front of New Era Cap Company's new office and store, and decided to look around. What a beautiful building! The store has a wide variety of caps from different teams, and easily two dozen variations on Buffalo Sabres caps alone. It's an impressive place, and I for one am grateful that they made this committment to Buffalo and Western New York.

Something that Tom and I both found intriguing on the menu was the Rootbeer Cheesecake from Suzz's Cafe. We thought it was great, with a taste like a root beer float. I could not pass by a restaurant we enjoy going to, Cameo's on Niagara Falls Blvd., without trying something, and their Shrimp and Real Crabmeat Salad w/Rosa Marina Pasta was rich and creamy. The Chocolate Covered Hazelnut Banana w/nuts from the Park Avenue Grille was tasty but very messy, and they should probably think of a better way to serve it, as the chocolate dripped everywhere.

By the time we hit Niagara Square I was starting to get full, and hot as well. To the left of City Hall was Turkey Hill's booth, and we all got cups of their new Duetto ice cream, a combination of vanilla ice cream and cherry Italian ice, which was very good. The last thing I had was another dessert, Bing's Goo (oh, and Laura let me have a forkful of her Artichokes Gratinee just because I have to try this every year). And speaking of Bing's, Jill's favorite dish this year was their Crab Cakes.

Things we missed:

Again, I was extremely disappointed that BW'S Barbecue was a no-show, I have heard much about them and really wanted to try one of their dishes.

Other items that I ran out of room for included Ms. Goodies' Junkyard Dog (Loaded Fish Sandwich) (actually, we came by this booth early but I knew if I had this I'd run out of room for other things), Sorullos (Corn Meal Fritters w/Cheese) from Niagara Cafe, the She Crab Soup from the Center Street Smokehouse, the Chicken and Andouille Gumbo from Chester's Pub and Grill, Garris Bar-B-Que's Fried Okra, and the Crab Rangoon from Spicy Thai.

Just too many good things and not enough capacity. Well, if we start from Niagara Square next year maybe I can get a few of these. Actually, alternating our starting point in future years might be a good strategy.

2008: 25 Years of Fun by the Forkful

This was the 25th Taste of Buffalo, and our 17th. We decided to go on Sunday because Saturday was blazing hot and we had another engagement we wanted to honor, and this turned out to be a great decision; not only did we get to attend two nice things in a weekend, but Sunday was pleasant with a nice breeze and sunshine. Our good friends, the Ragaus, rode with us this year and we parked, as usual, in the Fernbach Ramp. We crossed Franklin and entered Niagara Square through Niagara Street, passing through a large Ford exhibit.

I tried to stick to my two basic rules of thumb, which are: don't eat anything from a restaurant that I've already eaten at that restaurant, and try to avoid chain restaurants, even though they can be very good, stick to local places.

Things we enjoyed:

I started this year with a Philly Cheese Steak Ravioli from the Forestview Grill Bar Bakery, and it was really good. It was traditional ravioli dough with philly steak and cheese inside, then covered with a cheesy cream sauce and sprinkled with peppers and onion bits. This was probably the best new dish I tried this year.

Next up was the Banana Coin from Spicy Thai, which was very tasty. We decided to go clockwise around the square first, instead of our usual strategy of going up Delaware Avenue and then navigating the square counterclockwise, just for a change (hmm, while writing this I just read a note in last year's review to try alternating our starting point in future years, and I had completely forgotten about it until now). This change of routine gave me a chance to try the Chicken Portofino from the Avanti Italian Grill, whereas if we had gone our usual route I'd have either been too full or been out of tickets (or probably both). I appreciated they had a sample portion for two tickets, but would have enjoyed a full portion as it was very good, with a sauce that was both rich and light, as contradictory as that might sound. This was my second-favorite new dish.

Of course, no Taste of Buffalo would not be complete for me without visiting Bing's booth for their Artichokes Gratinee; as usual it was superb, but I wish they had a sample size as the regular size is quite large and filling. I then crossed over to the La Marina Restaurant booth for their Crab Cake with Cajun Cream Sauce, which was very good. It was just spicy enough without having to panic and grab for the Pepsi bottle, although I did take a healthy drink when I was done. After that I opted for a dessert, going to the Red Coach Inn's booth for their Chocolate Strawberry Crepes. The crepes were nice and light, with a chocolate filling kind of like pudding and garnished with strawberry slices and whipped cream.

I was tempted to get a Pierogi from the Polish Villa, but I was worried I would get too full too soon and we want to go there sometime soon anyways. So, I just took in the view of City Hall and the new construction on the corner of Delaware and Niagara Square while the others sampled various good things (Jill really enjoyed her potato pierogi).

The next booth I visited was Fat Bob's Smokehouse, where I had a sample of their Texas Chili, which was so thick it was almost more like stew, and full of good things.

Laura tried the Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp from Carmine's Restaurant; I was going to try that but she said that while good she didn't think it was worth eight tickets for two shrimp, so I passed. I instead went to JP Bullfeathers for their Jack Daniels Glazed Chicken Fingers. The sauce was just right, not too overwhelmingly "bourbony" and sweet without being too sweet.

I mentioned in my 2007 writeup that I was disappointed by the absence of BW'S Barbecue, but they were here this year so I tried their BW's Signature BBQ Sausage, which was very good. I normally don't think of putting sausage and barbeque sauce together, but this worked nicely. A trip to Blasdell might be in order this summer to try some of their other foods.

Finishing off, I went to the end of the event (or the beginning depending on your perspective) for Fresh Clams Casino with Applewood Bacon Stuffing from Cecelia's Ristorante. The clams were meaty and the stuffing was spicy and tasty, and this was a wonderful final entree. I ended with a dessert, going to The Steer Restaurant's booth for Warm Apple Crisp with Hot Cinnamon Ice Cream, which was absolutely delightful. A great finish to another great year. Oh, and I'd have to say The Steer's staff were probably on the short list of booths having the most fun; when they put on Chumbawumba's song "Tubthumping", they were bouncing all over the place! It was great to see them really enjoying their work.

Things we missed:

As I mentioned earlier, a Polish Villa Pierogi would have been nice but I'll save that for a trip there. Worrying about filling up also caused me to avoid Eddie Ryan's Dutchess (Beer Cheese) Soup, but I had tried that in 2006 and knew that it was very good; Tom, however, had not had it before and really enjoyed his portion.

The opposite problem, being full (and out of tickets), stopped me from getting the Tropical Style Curried Chicken from Caribbean Experience, the Chili Cheeseburger from The Steer Restaurant, The Mobay (Tender Shredded Jerk BBQ Chicken on Coco Bread from Mobay's Caribbean Cuisine, or the Oreo Cookie Shake from the Clarence Center Coffe Co. & Café. Oh, well, maybe next year …

Special-Guest Review from Laura:

The Crab Cake w/Cajun Cream Sauce from La Marina was excellent, especially the sauce, but the Lobster Crab Cake from Red Coach Inn was even tastier. The Red Coach Inn also offered a coconut toasted almond shrimp which was delicious with its sweet, but not too sweet, dipping sauce. It would have been better with the tails removed, as the shrimp were so curly it was a bit hard to eat, but it was well worth the effort. Stuffed Mushrooms from the Fireside Inn looked nice, but I just couldn't pay $4.00 for 3 mushrooms, so I didn't give them a try.

Crab Rangoon from Spicy Thai was amazing. I try this dish at most Chinese restaurants that we go to, and this one was one of the best I've ever had - very flaky and light and more crab than cream cheese. Also from Spicy Thai was the deep fried banana coin, which was crispy and tasty. Strawberry Crepes from Polish Villa were disappointing - very bland and hard to eat (they were too rubbery to cut with my fork). Folks who've had them at the restaurant rave about them, so what I tasted was especially disappointing. The Cream Cheese Brownie from Panaro's was very good, but not as good as I thought it might be. The cream cheese didn't seem to have much impact on the flavor.

I thought the Chocolate Peanut Butter Smoothie from BW's Barbecue was going to be a drink, which didn't appeal to me, so I didn't buy one, but I sampled my daughter's and it was absolutely delicious. It was not a drink, it was more like a cream pie filling - very light & fluffy with delicious peanut butter and chocolate flavors both coming through. I was sorry I didn't get one for myself until I bought the Whipped Peanut Butter Chocolate Oreo Pie from Orazio's, which tasted every bit as good as BW's offering, but also included an oreo crust. It was my favorite dessert this year. I also tried the Double Fudge Torte with Raspberry Puree from Sweet Tooth (one of this year's healthy offerings). I love chocolate and raspberry and was disappointed that this bland dessert didn't have a lot of either flavor. My son let me taste his Mango Smoothie from Clarence Center Coffee Co & Café and it had a very fresh mango flavor - nice & sweet, but not sugary. The Navy Bean Hummus Pita, aka "The Blazing Saddle," from The Steer was huge, but a little bland for my taste. Their other dishes, especially the apple crisp with Hot (pink) cinnamon ice cream looked really good, but I just didn't have room at that point to give it a try. I often wonder why we don't go to the Taste of Buffalo two days each year instead of one, because there are always so many dishes we wish we had tried. I suppose the cost is what deters us.

Lastly, winner of most puzzling name for a dish, I tried the Chunkee Monkee from Craftsmen Café. It was a sort of no-bake peanut butter/oatmeal ball cookie. It was really tasty and I wish I had bought a whole bag instead of just a sample size portion.

Things I missed this year: I missed Sharf's, I can't resist their potato pancake. I couldn't find a chimichanga anywhere, and due to poor planning on my part, I never tried any of the delicious-looking cheesecakes. I could not find Taste of Buffalo t-shirts for sale anywhere this year. We have some from previous years and I had hoped to get one, but either they didn't sell them, or I never saw them. I don't think they had them last year, either.

I'm looking forward to next year's Taste of Buffalo. I hope they bring back Sharf's and the t-shirts. I wish they would limit the event to local restaurants, rather than including national chains, but I've never run out of things to try from local restaurants before I've run out of room and tickets, so I guess that works out okay. As usual, I came home from the ToB happy and full.

2009: The Year of No Theme

Starting this year they seemed to have abandoned the idea of each year having a theme. I thought this was a shame, as it gave each year its own distinctive personality, as well as some interesting T-shirt and cap designs.

I'm going to stop repeating the usual intro. Unless stated otherwise, we met up with our friends, the Ragaus, parked in the Fernbach Ramp, walked up Niagara Street to enter the event at Niagara Square, and so on and so forth. Yada yada yada.

Things we enjoyed:

A Taste of Buffalo to me is not complete without Artichoke Gratinee from Bing's, so of course I had a nice dish of that. Bravo served up a very good Lobster Bisque, and I followed that with Bourbon St. Steak Tips from Chester's Cajun Grill. Chester's is on our list of restaurants we try to visit semi-regularly, as it is close and has great food.

For the first time, we saw Dinosaur BBQ in attendance. We've eaten at their locations in Rochester and Syracuse, and have been hoping they'd open a place in Buffalo. Could they be putting out "feelers" to see how well they'd be received here? Dare we dream? (Note made in 2014: It took almost five years, but they did open up on Franklin Street and it is just as good as the other locations. And maybe even better, because it's closer.) I could not help but try the Smoked Chicken Slider, because (a) it's delicious, and (b) because I wanted to encourage them to come here.

Other great dishes I tried included the Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding from Mobay's Restaurant, Sorullos (Corn Meal Fritter) from Niagara Cafe, and the Nickel City Mac and Cheese w/Blue Cheese, Sundried Tomatoes, Goldfish Crackers and Hot Sauce from Torches.

An Apology

I am sorry that my notes for this year are a bit sketchy, but I was very, very late in typing them.

2010

Again, no theme and no T-shirts. I guess they're gone for good. Too bad. This year I tried something different. Every year we start by going around Niagara Square, and by the time we get to Delaware Avenue I'm already filling up. So this year I waited until we got to Delaware to start trying things, even foresaking the Artichoke Gratinee from Bing's.

Things we enjoyed:

The Buffalo Roadhouse Grill, which is a locally-owned spinoff from the now-closed Roadhouse Grill chain, was serving Roadie Bites, which sounded interesting and were very good.

The Nickel City Mac n Cheese from Torches was so enjoyable last year I had to try it again, and that was followed by some Sweet N Spicy Pasta from The Grill @ The Dome.

The Oreo Cookie Shake from the Clarence Center Coffee Co. & Cafe reminded me of a shake I used to get at a long-gone restaurant on Main Street in Williamsville, and it brought back fond memories. Next up was a visit to Encore Restaurant for some Blue Crab Sushi which was rich and enjoyable.

Cecelia's Ristorante was serving Maytag Bleu Burger Sliders and as I am a big fan of bleu cheese on burgers, this was a must-try. One of the more interesting items was the Reuben Soup from Joe's Deli; as I love reuben sandwiches, this was a winner.

And finally, a couple of desserts: Jamaican Sweet Potato Pudding from Mobay's Restaurant, and topping off the event was a Dark Chocolate Fun-ana from Landies Candies.

A Nice Exhibit

The Boy Scouts of America had a really nice exhibit set up on Delaware near Huron. As Tom had become an Eagle Scout the year before, this was a really nice reminder of the things he did and I was lucky enough to share with him.

Another Apology

I am sorry that my notes for this year are again a bit sketchy, but like last year I was very, very late in typing them.

2011:

The Year of Amnesia

I failed badly this year. Not only did I not type in my notes in a timely manner, I lost my notes. I know I was there, I know we had a nice time, but I cannot remember what I had. It was all good, though.

2012:

This year I decided to put technology to use. I downloaded the menu from the web site, then entered in the restaurants I wanted to visit and the foods I wanted to try into a spreadsheet. I then printed out a double-sided "cheat sheet", with the restaurants in alphabetical order on one side and sorted by location number on the other side. It worked pretty well!

Things we enjoyed:

Kicking off things was a dish of Baked Beans from Dinosaur BBQ. This was followed by an excellent plate from Garris Bar-B-Que consisting of freshly deep-fried Chicken, Catfish, and Hush Puppies. I am particularly fond of hush puppies, and this dish was one of my favorites this year.

Next up was a visit to Francesca's for some Lobster Gnocchi, then to Bing's for the traditional Artichokes Gratinee. More seafood followed at Bravo, where I savored some Lobster Bisque. It was time to get something sweet into the mix, and a Dark Chocolate Dipped Banana from Landies Candies filled the bill. Besides, it's heart healthy!

Eddie Ryan's Beer Cheese Soup was the last item in the Square for me. On Delaware they had a parking lot set aside for the local food trucks for the first time, which I was really glad to see. I first visited The Cheesy Chick for a Classic Grilled Cheese and it was a nice piece of comfort food. The The What?!?! Burger from The Roaming Buffalo may sound weird at first glance but trust me it's great: A burger topped with crunchy peanut butter and bacon jam. (Later note: They now call it the "WTF?" burger.)

Rounding out the day was a Roast Beef Sundae from Red Osier, and some Jack Daniels Fingers from JP Bullfeathers.

Things we missed:

I didn't have much in the way of desserts this year. I guess it was a combination of filling up on main courses early this year, plus my sweet tooth must have taken the day off.

I should have tried the BBQ Blue Burgers from BW's Barbeque, but I was just too full by the time we got there. Mr. Bones had a dish called a Secret Weapon?, which sounded intriguing (I never found out what it was). Delhi Chaat had a dish called Chicken Xacutti, and Carmine's Seafood Stuffed Mushrooms sounded really good, as did the Prime Rib Chili from Friar's Table.

2013:

Technology was the key again this year. The spreadsheet idea from last year worked out so well I did the same thing this time.

Things we enjoyed:

Caribbean Experience always has great food, and their Tropical Curried Chicken followed that trend. The Chicken Crunch Slider from Miller's Steak and Crab was very good, as were the Catfish Nuggets from Garris Bar-B-Que.

Alex's Place had an interesting item called a BBQ Pot Roast Egg Roll, and that was followed by some delicious Seafood Gnocchi from Francesca's.

A rookie restaurant this year, the Indian Falls Log Cabin had the most interesting dish I tried, Beef on Weck Ravioli. The ravioli was stuffed with a mixture of beef and horseradish, then sprinkled with caraway seeds and rock salt. Wonderful!

Bravo was serving Chicken Diavolo, and I could not pass up a traditional Dark Chocolate Dipped Banana from Landies Candies. I did foresake another tradition, the Artichoke Gratinee from Bing's; I guess I just wanted a change this year.

Riverstone Grill was serving Jim Beam Molasses Bacon, which had a great mix of sweet and salty. This was followed by some Pistachio Encrusted Chicken from Manhattan's, and the event was topped off with Banana Pudding from Nette's Fried Chicken.

Things we missed:

The Balls of Fire from Joe's Crab Shack sounded interesting, as did the Seitan Wings from Merge, but as usual I was too full by the time we got to that side of Delaware Avenue. Oh, well ...

2014

Unlike the last few years, this year I did not have a pre-made plan of what foods I was going to try; time slipped away for some reason. We did our usual meetup and parked at the usual place, got our tickets at the booth on Court Street, and proceeded clockwise around Niagara Square. One thing I noticed right away was that Bing's, a perennial staple of the event, was missing. No traditional artichoke dish from them this year, then ...

Things we enjoyed:

I started with a Vietnamese Spring Roll from Saigon Cafe, and it was hot, fresh, and tasty. A great opener! The next stop was to a rookie tent, T.C. Wheeler's, where I tried a very good piece of Reuben Pizza (Jill tells me the Pizza Nutella with Almonds was very good too).

The spiciest dish I had this year was next, from another rookie, the The Village Inn. Their Lemon Tabasco Clam Chowder was hot and spicy, with generous hunks of clam meat.

Continuing around the square, next up was Indian Falls Log Cabin. I had tried their Beef on Weck Ravioli last year, so this year I went for the Seafood Mac and Cheese and enjoyed it.

I would say my favorite food this year was the Red Neck Egg Roll from yet another rookie, J.D. Smokin Grill n Bar. It was fresh out of the fryer, nice and crispy and hot, stuffed with BBQ pulled pork and coleswaw, and served with duck sauce. Wonderful!

Across from them, in front of City Hall, was Sun Restaurant, where I tried the Black Rice Sun Roll with Salmon and found it interesting. The black rice had a somewhat wheaty, almost nutty taste, and was quite a change from traditional white rice sushi.

That was it for the Square. We then foraged on to Delaware Avenue. By this time, my sweet tooth was acting up, maybe because of all the spicy stuff I had already eaten, so I decided to focus mostly on desserts. Even though I have a rule of not patronizing booths belonging to restaurants I usually visit, I made an exception at the next stop because Paula's Donuts has Peanut Sticks that cannot be denied.

Next up was a Oreo Stuffed Cannoli from Panaro's Restaurant, And after that my last main course item of the event, the Dill Brined Fried Chicken and Biscuits from Joe's Deli, which had an interesting, pickel-y taste to it. Oh, and all three of the previous stops were rookies, too, so there was a real trend here for me to try new places, albeit unconsciously.

Two final desserts topped off the day: A Peanut Butter Crunch from BW's Barbeque, which was a ball about an inch in diameter with crunchy peanut butter, a hint of chocolate, and a great overall crunchy texture. Last, but certainly not least, was a stop to Landies Candies for a Dark Chocolate Dipped Banana. This year, instead of serving them on a stick, they handed out two banana halves pre-wrapped in plastic. While they were still delicious, I found the plastic difficult to open (especially when holding other things), and it gave the impression of getting a vending machine item rather than something specially made for the event. Maybe that's a bit unfair, but that's how it felt to me.

Things we missed:

I would have loved to have tried the S'Mores Sundae from Anderson's Frozen Custard, the Catfish Nuggets from Garris Bar-B-Que, the Junkyard Dog from Ms. Goodies, and the Roast Beef Sundae from Red Osier, but everyone has their limits and I met mine this year.

Merge had an interesting item named Cacoa Balls; I don't know what they are but they sound interesting. And speaking of interesting, Tom went to the Frank's Gourmet Hot Dogs food truck and got an Impractical Joker (Brooklyn HDC all-beef frank topped with special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and sesame seeds). Do those ingredients sound familiar? ;-)

Finally ...

Without a doubt, another winner of a ToB! Even though I didn't visit them this year, it was great to see the food trucks represented by some of the best, and nice that they are welcome to this event. And finally, great job by the 17 new restaurants this year!

2015

So, it's July 11, 2020, and as I was posting notes about this year's event I realized I had never followed up with the 2015 ToB. Unfortunately, time has clouded my memory of what I ate, so this "wish list" I made before we went will have to serve. I know that everything I had was great, because I probably would have remembered otherwise.

716 Food & Sport: Buffalo Mac & Cheese

Bar Louie: Voodoo Chicken

Caribbean Experience: Jerked Chicken

Cecelia's Ristorante: Meatball Slider

Eddie Ryan's: Beer Cheese Soup

Indian Falls Log Cabin: Beef Tenderloin Napoleon

Oshun: Shrimp Cocktail

Panaro's: Sponge Candy Caramel Cannoli

Paula's Donuts: Paczki

R&R BBQ Food Truck: BBQ Cheddar Sliders

Snooty Fox: Snooty Meatballs

Templeton Landing: Crab & Shrimp Bisque

The Cheesy Chick: The "Cheesus"

Ulrich's 1868 Tavern: Rouladen Sandwich

White Rabbit FroYo: Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel FroYo

I regret not posting my notes right away, because my memory is like a sieve on a good day and trying to remember what I ate five years after the fact is pretty much impossible.

2016

We entered the event at Court Street, bought our tickets, and headed counter-clockwise towards Delaware Ave.

Things we enjoyed:

My first dish was the Honeycomb Taro Dumpling from Mandarin Garden, which was a great start. Next was a stop at Oshun for a Fish Taco, which I especially enjoyed for the pickled red onion in it.

Turning on to Delaware, I had to see what the Alehouse Angels from the Ebenezer Ale House were all about. The menu description said "Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Bronzed and Dusted with Cajun Spices, Drizzled in a Lime Creole Mustard." Sounded like a winner, and turned out to be my favorite dish this year.

Next up was a dish that turned out to be another of my favorites, Nani's Meatballs from Osteria 166. They were moist, flavorful, meaty, and delicious. I never can turn down a good meatball ...

I next visited Giacobbi's Cucina Citta, formerly Carmine's, which burned down during the ToB last year. They are in a new location, but I asked if they still have the catering business we've used in the past and thankfully they do. Their Crab & Shrimp Bisque in a Toasted Bread Bowl was a nice dish, and the bread bowl was especially flavorful.

Heading to the end of the Delaware section, I tried the Fried Goat Cheese from The Lodge Bar & Grill, which was really good and made even better by the relish accompanying it, and the Crab Rangoon from Papaya, another winner.

Heading back towards Niagara Square, I had my first dessert item, the Sponge Candy Caramel Cannoli from Panaro's. I am a fan of all things related to sponge candy, and this did not disappoint.

I was glad to see the return of Curly's Grille, and their Jerk Pork Slider reminded me of why I missed them. That was followed by a dish of Sea Salt Caramel Pretzel from White Rabbit Frozen Yogurt, which was really good and really cold (brain freeze!). And standing in front of city hall reminded me of what am impressive building it is.

Circling around back to where we started, I finished the event with a Pepperoni Roll from TC Wheelers and a Frozen Chocolate Dipped Banana from Sweet Melody's. Sated and out of tickets, it was, sadly, time to depart.

Things we missed:

I was getting too full to try the Deep Fried PB&J from Stack Burger, which I regret because it ended up being an award winner. 716 Food & Sport had a dish called Grilled Chicken on Weck Wings, which sounded really good. I also wanted to try the Walking Taco from Deep South Taco but the line was too long. Stuffed Texas Toast from Chiavetta's BBQ sounded interesting, as did the Savory/Sweet Fried Spring Rolls from The King & I, and it was hard to pass by the S'mores Cupcakes from the Baked Cupcakery. Maybe next year ...

Finally ...

Another good year, despite some strong winds that helped keep things cool but caused some tent damage. I was glad to see more food trucks there, and they seemed to be doing well. Oh, and it was a good place for Pokémon GO, too. Lots of critters and PokéStops. ;-)

2017

So, I'm writing up 2017 a year later, having just found my notes. I'll spare the usual details and just get right to the foods I tried.

Things we enjoyed:

I couldn't pass up Jerk Chicken from Caribbean Experience.

One of my favorites this year was the Beef on Weck Eggroll from Local Kitchen and Beer Bar, which came with a container of horsey sauce. The flavors of beef, caraway seed, salt, and horseradish were vivid and it was perfectly fried.

I snuck an early dessert in from White Rabbit Frozen Yogurt, and the Dutch Chocolate had a great, rich taste.

The Chicken Butter Tikka Masala from India Gate was very good, and a generous portion.

For some reason, and I can't explain why, I'm not a big cannoli fan, but the Sponge Candy Caramel Cannoli from Rolling Cannoli Truck was awesome. Maybe it's my deep love for sponge candy, or the way it was all put together, or both.

The Glazed Pork Belly With Carrot and Ginger from Black & Blue Steak and Crab was very good. It's weird that this restaurant is at the corner of our street and we haven't gotten there yet. We need to work on that.

Bar Louie had a Voodoo Chicken dish that was quite different from what I've had elsewhere, and very, very good.

My final dish this year was Handmade Ricotta Gnocchi from Cecelia's Ristorante, and it was a very nice dish. A good way to top off this year's event.

Things we missed:

The Braised Bacon Sliders from SEAR Steakhouse sounded interesting, as did the Shrimp Buenos Nachos from the Flaming Fish food truck. But, you know, there is only so much room in the digestive system and only so many tickets ...

2018

The weather was perfect this year. The heat wave we had been under for the last couple of weeks had finally broken, and the temperature was pleasant, with clear blue skies. We bought our tickets on Court Street, and decided to start on Delaware instead of Niagara Square this year. We were missing three of our usual entourage due to work and vacations, but we foraged on anyway.

Things we enjoyed:

I started with a couple of Nani's Meatballs from Osteria 166, which were quite tasty. Just down the road a few tents was Black & Blue Steak and Crab, and the Braised & Fried Pork Belly was very good.

Next up was one of Buffalo's first food trucks, Cheesy Chick, and their Triple Cheesus with Bacon is a fun sandwich. I don't normally think of putting mac and cheese in a sandwich but it really works with this one.

The Guajillo Roasted Hog Taco from SEAR Steakhouse was very nice. For something healthy, I went to BW's Barbecue and had their Grilled Pineapple, which had a nice carmelized glaze on it.

Another favorite this year, which was a favorite last year too, was the Beef on Weck Eggroll from Local Kitchen and Beer Bar, which came with a container of horsey sauce. It had a great taste and I wished I had purchased the full portion instead of the taste.

All in all, I'd say my absolute favorite this year was the Chicken 'n' Waffle on a Stick from the Dirty Bird food truck, a rookie at this year's event. The waffles were perfectly done and had a nice vanilla taste, the chicken was crispy and not greasy, but the maple syrup bourbon sauce is what really put it over the top in my mind. Laura agrees that this was a favorite.

Following that, another mutual favorite this year came from Carmine's, the Buffalo Chicken Stuffed Mushrooms. The mushrooms were large and juicy, and the filling had just the right amount of spiciness. By the way, welcome back after that disastrous fire three years ago!

Laura liked the Hard Cider Slushie from Three Brothers Winery and Estates. It wasn't too alcoholic and had a nice taste.

There weren't too many desserts calling my name this year, but the Cinnamon Buns Hun from the Cheesecake Guy food truck was a fine ending to a nice day.

Things we missed:

I wanted to try something from Rue's Pierogi, but then decided I'd rather go to their restaurant sometime in the near future.

The Chicken Lettuce Wraps from Water Lily Cafe sounded really good, but 10 tickets would have put me over my ticket budget. I wish they had offered a half-size version of that dish.

The Chicken Coconut Noodle Soup from Sun Cuisines sounded intriguing, but I was just too full by that point. Same for the Deep Fried PB&J from Stack Burger and the Dutch Style Fries from #getfried Fry Cafe.

Well, I can either hope they're back next year, or try their actual restaurants.

Finally ...

It was another great year at my favorite Buffalo festival. We were there for about four hours, including time to wander around the vendor booths in the middle of Niagara Square. We followed it by some nice pool time, and then a late dinner. I can't believe I was hungry after all that!.

2019

Short version: Everything I had this year was great. I didn't regret spending one single ticket.

Another year of perfect weather, warm with a nice breeze to keep it pleasant. Our friends, the Ragaus, couldn't join us this time but hopefully next year. We purchased our tickets at the Court Street booth and proceeded clockwise around Niagara Square.

Things we enjoyed:

I hadn't had breakfast, so I started the day with Nutella Fried Dough from T.C. Wheeler's Bar & Pizzeria. I figured something doughy would buffer my stomach from the onslaught ahead. The portion was generous, and what can you say about Nutella that hasn't already been said?

Next up was another dough-based dish, the Deep Fried PB&J from Stack Burger. It had a great taste and the purple whipped cream on top (I presume it had grape jelly mixed in) was a nice garnish.

A visit to the Ru's Pierogi truck was next. In recent years food trucks have become a major part of this event, and I'm fine with that, because they usually have great stuff. I tried the Beef on Weck Pierogi and it was delicious. The pickles were an interesting addition that gave it a little something "extra."

Circling the square to almost our starting point, I had to try the Jerk Chicken from Caribbean Experience, even though I've enjoyed it many times before. Tender, spicy, and fresh off the grill, it was a real treat. We really need to get to their restaurant someday.

As we proceeded up Delaware, next up was another food truck, Cheesecake Guy, where I tried their C is for Cookie dish, which was chocolate chip cheesecake with a dollop of chocolate chip cookie dough on top. Yeah, that hit the spot!

We don't eat at Indian restaurants often, and when we do I embarass myself because I can almost never remember what I like, so I almost always try something from an Indian place at ToB. India Gate, served a nice helping of Chicken Butter Tikka Masala, and my memory of how much I enjoy that dish was refreshed.

Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill was serving Chicken Wontons, which I had to try because, well, wontons, and they were quite tasty.

To get a tiny bit on the healthy side, I went to BW's Barbecue and ordered a portion of Grilled Pineapple, even though I had tried it last year. It was just as good as the last time!

OK, now this dish was probably the most unique one I had this year: Chocolate Soup from The Chocolate Bar. Having a tent must have been easy for them because it was a stone's throw from their restaurant on the corner of Delaware and Chippewa. I have no idea how they kept a mousse-like consistency with hot chocolate, but it was wonderful and the bits of strawberry and mint were the perfect garnish.

Finishing the walk up Delaware, and topping off my tummy, was a visit to Sweet Life Dessert Experience for a S'more Waffle. A generous scoop of ice cream was welcome as it was starting to get hot.

Things we missed:

The Blackened Prime Rib Bites from Alex's Place really called out to me, but the line was just way too long.

Same for the Dirty Bird food truck, although I had tried one of their other wonderful Chicken 'n' Waffle dishes last year. Hopefully I'll catch them parked somewhere soon.

Dalmatia Hotel had Honey Creole Wings, but I was too full and pretty much out of tickets. Same for the Buffalo Chicken Potstickers from the Eli Fish Brewing Company.

Chrusciki Bakery, was serving Apple Cinnamon Pierogies, but by the time we got back to the square I was still too full.

Finally ...

Copying the text from last year, It was another great year at my favorite Buffalo festival. We were there for about four hours, including time to wander around the vendor booths in the middle of Niagara Square. We followed it by some nice pool time and then a late dinner.

2020

This year was certainly different. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic the Taste of Buffalo wasn't outright canceled, but went "virtual" for 2020.

Participating restaurants offered takeout versions of select dishes, published in an online menu, and patrons could purchase them during the event weekend (July 11-12), or for an extended period in some cases (July 11-19). I appreciate those restaurants who used the extended period, because they were offering full-sized portions, not the usual "taste" sized portions, and this would have been way too much food to eat in one weekend.

So, if this had been a "real" Taste of Buffalo weekend, here is a list of what I would have tried to taste. We are going to try to get takeout from a few of these places over the next week, and I'll update this list as we try some of them. We may even visit some of them after the official event dates have passed, because there's too much to cram into the allotted schedule given that these are not the usual portions we eat at the event.

My List

• Babcia's Pierogi: We've had pierogis from them several times and they were always perfect.
• Buffalo Soul: Fried Chicken Dinner
• Caribbean Experience: Jerk Chicken Meal - (2020-07-12) The meal came with three large pieces of their terrific jerk chicken, plus rice, cabbage, and a plantain. Another wonderful dish, but I miss the big clouds of smoke from the grills by their tent.
• Carmine's: Crab Cake Stuffed Shrimp,Artichoke Fritters, and Cup of Seafood Bisque - (2020-07-17) Much more than a taste, the dinner came with a generous portion of the entree plus salad, fettucini, and bread with a tangy butter. That plus a healthy cup of the bisque and Laura letting me snarf a fritter from her order made for a fabulous feast!
• Cheesy Chick: Cheesus with Bacon
• Chrusciki Bakery & Simply Pierogi: Loaded Pierogi Bake for Two - (2020-07-11) We stopped in today and bought some potato and farmer's cheese pierogis. They gave me a dozen sauerkraut pierogis because my name was one of the names of the day. We didn't eat any today but I know they'll be great when we do.
• Dinosaur Bar-B-Que: We try to eat there regularly and I always enjoy it. The BBS sandwich in particular is awesome.
• Eli Fish Brewing Company: Eli Fish Plate
• India Gate: Chicken Butter Tikka Masala
• Lloyd: Anything. This is a go-to place when we're in the mood for takeout. There's nothing there I don't like (how's that for a double negative?)
• Mineo & Sapioi Street Eats Food Truck: A Taste of the Truck
• PhatCatz: Sweet Potato Waffle and Fried Chicken - (2020-07-11) This was delicous, and I would definitely get it again. The waffles were sweet without being annoyingly so, and the chicken was crispy outside and moist inside. They also had an organized take-out system set up and our order was right on time.
• Share Kitchen & Bar Room Food Truck: Bison Sliders
• Souped Up! Food Truck: Stuffed Banana Pepper Soup and Bacon Jam Cheddar Melt
• Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill: Chicken Wontons
• Stack Burger: Taco Burger
• Sweet Life: Nutella Crepe
• Water Lily Cafe: Thai Basil Chicken and Thai Spring Roll

Afterward

I admire their effort to keep the event going, and I 100% agree with their decision to cancel the live part, but it just wasn't the same as walking up and down Delaware Avenue and Niagara Square. Hopefully next year we can get back to something resembling "normal."

2021

Back to normal! Or something resembling it, at least. There were only about 1/3 of the usual number of restaurants, and the tents were spaced farther apart from each other. We were there a shorter amount of time because of the smaller number of venues and because the crowds were smaller, making for smaller lines (with some exceptions), but the net result was that we still had some terrific food.

Most of our usual crew couldn't join us, for various reasons, so Laura, Tom, and I sojourned forth to consume our yearly samples. We purchased our tickets at the Court Street booth and proceeded clockwise around Niagara Square.

Things we enjoyed:

Right where Court Street intersects Niagara Square was Babcia's Pierogi, and I couldn't resist their Polish Taco, which is grilled smoked kielbasa, crisp bacon, caramelized onions, fresh barrel kraut, sweet & sour red cabbage, horsey sauce, Weber's mustard, served in a warm, grilled naan bread. Outstanding!

Cutting around the square a bit, I next had Key to Our Soul Fried Chicken from Buffalo Soul. The chicken was breaded and fried perfectly, and the sauce was really interesting, kind of a cross between sweet & sour sauce and Buffalo wing sauce. This was probably my favorite dish this year.

Next up was a visit to the Water Lily Cafe tent for one of their Thai Fried Spring Rolls. Yum!

I try not to repeat myself, or to patronize restaurants where we usually dine, but a bite-sized piece of the Grilled Apple, Bacon And Cheddar on Sourdough Sandwich from The Cheesy Chick was too hard to pass up.

Now for the first desert item of the day, the Grilled Apple Cinnamon Roll With Scoop Of Sweet Cream Gelato from Chrusciki Bakery / Simply Pierogi. Oh, yeah, that was a winner. Warm, soft, gooey, and delicious.

Completing the circuit around the square was a Garlic Grilled Shrimp Skewer from Alex's Place. I have to be candid here: Although it was very good, it was one piece of shrimp for $2 worth of tickets, and in my opinion the worst value of anything I tried. Sorry, but that's how I feel.

We started up Delaware Avenue, and this year the event only went to Mohawk instead of almost to West Tupper as in previous years, so there weren't that many places to try. In fact, the items I had were all repeats from previous years. The Beef on Weck Eggrolls from Local Kitchen and Beer Bar are great, and I had previously tried them in 2017 and 2018. From Sidelines Sports Bar & Grill I had the Chicken Wonton, which I had eaten back in 2019; this is a surprisingly spicy dish and really good. I couldn't pass up Nani's Mini Meatballs from Osteria 166, even though I had those in 2016 and 2018. Cooked perfectly and flavorful, in a very nice sauce.

Back to the Square, I felt I needed one more item of substance, so I bought some Penne With Pink Vodka Sauce from Carmine's, who always has reliably great food.

Finishing the day was a helping of Not Your Mother's PB&J from Cheesecake Guy. They describe it as, "Our twist on a childhood classic! Two rich and creamy solid peanut butter slices of cheesecake sandwiched on a bed of your favorite jelly. Add a drizzle of more peanut butter and jelly, and crushed salted potato chips... too good to be true." And this is not hyperbole, it really was exceptionally good. I believe the jelly and the drizzle was loganberry, giving it even more of a home-town taste.

We used up the rest of our tickets and went home, happy and satisfied.

Things we missed:

We skipped Dirty Bird Chicken N'Waffles LLC yet again, to my dismay. I really wanted to try the Fried Chicken Taco, but the line was just too long, from the time we arrived until the time we left. I guess we'll have to make a visit to their brick 'n' mortar sometime.

I wanted to try the Chicken Tandoori from India Gate, but needed to prioritize my calorie count and what could comfortably fit in my tummy. Tom had a Samosa from there that he enjoyed very much.

I'll bet the Greek Fries with Gyro from the Venus food truck were good, and I'm sorry I missed those.

Same goes for the S'mores Waffle from Sweet Life Desert Experience. I hope they're serving it there next year, because that will be a priority.

Finally ...

I am so glad the event went on as normal this year. It was welcome after a year and a half of virtual hermitage. I missed the company of our usual cohorts, but the three of us had a really nice time, and our dog, Gwen, enjoyed some quality time with my Mom, so it was a win for all of us.

2022

The event was completely back to normal this year, with the usual number of tents and no restrictions. The weather was perfect: Mid 70s, clear blue skies, and a light breeze from the lake. An ideal environment for walking around Niagara Square and Delaware Avenue.

After parking in the Fernbach Ramp, as usual, Laura, Tom, and I sojourned forth to consume our yearly samples. We purchased our tickets at the Court Street booth and proceeded counterclockwise around Niagara Square toward Delaware Avenue.

Things we enjoyed:

I had only eaten a banana at home so far, so I started out with something sort-of "breakfasty," the Unbridled Cream Cheese Coffee Cake from Unbridled Cafe, right on the corner of Delaware and Niagara Square. It was moist and flavorful and a nice way to start the event.

Next up was a visit to Brodie's, where I tried their Haddock Fish. It had a nice breading and came with King's Hawaiian Roll and a choice of tartar sauce or hot sauce. Very tasty.

Because I have a fondness for German food, and because a couple of our favorite German restaurants have closed, I was compelled to try something from Hofbräuhaus Buffalo. I decided on the Kartoffelsuppe, described as a creamy Bavarian potato soup with fresh vegetables and slices of frankfurter. It had a nice, thick texture and a rich, almost smoky, flavor. We need to try this place sometime soon.

We often have pierogis from Babcia's Pierogi in our freezer, but that didn't stop me from trying the Apple Pierogi, which had a nice sauce and whipped cream on top. I'm glad I did.

Next up was the first food truck on my list, The Flaming Fish. Their Shrimp Buenos Nachos were great, and they gave out generous portions. The nachos were topped with shrimp, corn salsa, shredded cheese, and a dollop of sour cream. It was one of my favorite dishes this year.

Speaking of favorites, I would say my overall favorite dish was the Jerk Wings from Caribbean Flava. The jerk sauce had a touch of sweetness and a heat that caught up to you a few seconds later. They were not outrageously not, equivalent to a medium wing, which is perfect for me. We all agreed we need to visit their restaurant sometime in the near future.

The last stop for me on Delaware was right at the end, at the Fat Ladys' Cakes and Pies. food truck. I had a Cookies and Cream cupcake that knocked my socks off. Moist and rich and full of flavor. I'll look for this truck at future food truck events, believe you me.

Returning to Niagara Square, I had heard a lot about the Trinbago Chinese Chicken from the KT Caribbean Cuisine food truck, so I had to try it. This was probably one of the best values at the event, a full chicken leg for only eight tickets. It was crispy and had a tasty sauce that's kind of hard for me to describe, but it was very good.

By this point I was getting pretty full, so decided to finish up with a couple of desserts. The S'more Waffle with Ice Cream from White Rabbit Dessert Experience was terrific. A big piece of waffle with graham cracker crumbles on top, followed by a scoop of vanilla ice cream and topped with a rich chocolate sauce.

My final item was something on the healthy side, a Belgian Chocolate Frozen Bananas from Sweet Melody's Gelato. The Belgian chocolate was rich and delicious, and bananas are healthy enough to negate the calories, right?

We used up our remaining tickets at Chrusciki Bakery, where I bought a Buttercream Sandwich Cookie to enjoy later. It's two chocolate chip cookies with buttercream in between, and sprinkles around the rim. I was too full to eat it, but I can't wait to try it later.

Things we missed:

When we first arrived I went to the tent of The Dalmatia Hotel, where I was hoping to try the Peanut Butter & Jelly Wing because it intrigued me, but they weren't ready yet and by the time we returned I was too full.

The same thing happened when I went to try the Beer Crust Pizza from The Draft Room. The tent just had some employees sitting around. Too bad, it sounded good.

I was going to try the Pud "Pad" Thai Chicken from Taste of Siam LLC, but I was starting to fill up and figured I could try their restaurant some other time.

I also passed on Mia Isla and their Pernil, described as Puerto Rican style roasted pulled pork with savory seasonings. My aspirations could not be matched by my stomach capacity, sorry.

There were a lot of favorable comments about the Breuben Slider from the Big Ditch Brewing Company, but honestly, ten tickets for a relatively small sandwich just didn't work for me. I'm not cheap, but in my opinion it was just not a good value. Too bad, because it looked good.

Finally ...

It was great to have the event back to completely normal. The three of us had a really nice time walking around, eating, chatting, and taking in the sights. As with last year, Mom watched Gwen and they had fun. Thanks, Mom!

2023

We arrived around 11:30 and parked in our usual place, the Fernbach Ramp. By the way, this ramp only cost us $4 for the three hours we were there, compared to the $10-$20 other parking lots were charging for "event" parking.

The weather was perfect: mid '70s, sunny, and a slight breeze from the lake. We met up with Tom and Kay, bought our tickets, and were on our way.

Things we enjoyed:

The first place I wanted to try was right by the ticket booth, Anchi A La Carte. I had a Sweet Bao Bun with red bean filling (they also had ones with taro filling). It was tasty and had the most interesting texture.

Heading on to Delaware Avenue, My next dish was the Meatloaf Sundae from Kith & Kin Bakeshop & Bistro. The meatloaf was tasty and had just the right seasonings, and was covered with mashed potatoes, gravy, and corn. Very nice.

Next up was the Hofbräuhaus Buffalo for some of their Dunkelbier Goulash. I still can't believe we haven't eaten there yet and we'll have to remedy that situation soon. Unlike the goulash we normally eat, it didn't have noodles; it was chunks of meat in a dark beer sauce that was vaguely saurbraten-ish and very good.

Moving on, I went to the La Casa de Sabores tent for the Stew Chicken (Pollo Guisado). I don't think I've ever had Dominican food before, but I will definitely try more. Two large pieces of tender chicken in a delicious sauce made for what was tied for my favorite dish at this year's event.

After having a bunch of savory foods, it was time for something sweet. The Ice Cream Nachos from Nick Charlap's Ice Cream intrigued me, and it was a fun dish. It had waffle disks, a big glop of vanilla soft-serve, and hot fudge. It may not have been "exotic" enough for the tastes of some of the foodies, based on some reviews I've seen, but it was tasty, fun, and won an award, so there. ;-)

It seems a lot of people have been talking about the Loganberry Cheesecake from Genevieve's Cheesecakes, and for good reason. I'm not normally a big cheesecake fan, but this had a wonderful flavor, and in fact was my other favorite dish this year.

After a couple of nice desserts, back to regular food, in the form of Steak & Cheese Logs from Steaksters. Think of Chinese egg rolls filled with steak and cheese, with bleu cheese on the side for dipping. As much as I like bleu cheese, it actually detracted from the flavor, so I ate most of it plain. Yum.

Getting back to Niagara Square, I wanted to visit the A'mano Fresh Pasta Kitchen tent, as their restaurant is on the corner of Main & California in Williamsville and close to us. I love a good bolognese sauce, and their Rigatoni Alla Bolognese makes me want to visit their restaurant soon.

My final dish of the event came from Golden Hour Treats. The Desert Glow Crepe was described in the brochure as "crepe, biscoff sauce, cookie & white chocolate," and the flavors came together into something really delicious. A fine way to end a fine day.

Things we missed:

I wanted to try the Peri Peri Corn from Mother Cluckers but the line was just too long. Their food must be good, so I'll be on the lookout for their truck at future events.

Stack Burger was featuring their Loganberry BBQ Burger, but it was big and I was afraid it would fill me up too much. I really like loganberry and this sounds interesting, so maybe a visit to their restaurant is in order.

The Pholourie from KT Caribbean Cuisine sounded interesting, but I was starting to fill up by the time we got to their tent. Maybe next time.

Foods I didn't eat this year because I've had them before included Apple Pierogi from Babcia's Pierogi, Chicken & Waffle on a Stick from Dirty Bird Chicken N' Waffles LLC, Jerk Chicken Wings from Caribbean Flava, and the Cookies & Cream Cupcake from Fat Lady's Cakes and Pies. I'd recommend any of those any time, though.

Finally ...

On a non-food related note, this was the longest I've walked since my back surgery, and I was pleasantly surprised I was able to cover the whole thing. I was getting a bit sore by the time we got back to Niagara Square, and Laura graciously got me my last dish (the crepe), but I've found I have to savor small successes during my recovery, and this was one of them.

2024

This year we parked in the Augspurger Ramp at Pearl St. and West Chippewa St., and started at the Delaware and Chippewa side instead of the Niagara Square side, just to be different. Our son, Tom, drove with us, and we met up with our daughter Jill and her husband Nick about 20 minutes after we got there. I was really glad they joined us, and it made the day much more enjoyable.

Things we enjoyed:

The first place on my list was Genevieve's Cheesecakes, because I wanted to try the Turtle Cheesecake, but I didn't feel like starting out with a dessert item. On the way back to the car, we stopped there and got some for later. I really enjoy their loganberry and key lime cheesecakes, and after dinner I found this was another winner.

The next place was Allen Street Hardware, but they were not open yet, which was too bad because I wanted to try the Short Rib Melt on Rye. By the time we got back there I was full, so hopefully I can try them next year.

I had wanted to try the Loganberry BBQ Burger from Stack Burger last year, but was too full. This year I gave it a go because it was the first thing I ate, and it was great. The loganberry BBQ sauce went well with the burger and cheese, and it was slider sized so it didn't fill me up too much.

I think my favorite dish this year was the Crispy Chicken Ramen from Lime House Sushi & Ramen. It was a cup containing a layer of ramen noodles, veggies such as corn, bean sprouts, and carrot, then two strips of fried chicken, all in a delicious broth. The portion was generous for ten tickets.

Next up was my first dessert, the Banana Spring Rolls from Water Lily Cafe. They were deep-fried spring rolls stuffed with banana, just as you'd expect, and drizzled with chocolate sauce and condensed milk. Superb!

One good dessert deserves another, and in this case it was the Reese's Cupcake from Not Just Cakes. It was a chocolate cupcake with peanut butter icing, and in the middle of the cupcake was a half-inch layer of peanut butter. I really enjoyed it.

Up next were the Korean Beef Ribs from Milk and Tea, then, venturing into Niagara Square, I had the Fried Sesame Chicken Moneybags from Moneybags Dumplings.

I love beef on weck, so the Beef on Weck Barrel Roll from Barrel Factory Kitchen seemed like a natural thing to try, and it was very good. That was followed by another dessert, a Belgian Chocolate Dipped Frozen Banana from Sweet Melody's. I've had them many times before, but they're just so good! Tom had the Buffalo Peanut Butter & Jelly Sundae from Sweet Melody's and I wondered what made it "Buffalo." Two things: The jelly was loganberry, and it had Cheerios on top.

Last up was a Pork & Shrimp Bao Bun from Anchi A La Carte. I had the Sweet Bao Bun from there last year, which made me really want to try this. The texture and flavor is really hard to describe, and I enjoyed it very much. After that, I was just too full for any more.

In addition to the Turtle Cheesecake from Genevieve's Cheesecakes, we also brought home some Chrusciki from Chrusciki Bakery for Gwen and she really enjoyed them.

Things we missed:

There were quite a few repeat dishes from last year, and I would have tried them again but I always want to try new items from new places to expand my horizons.

As I mentioned earlier, the Short Rib Melt on Rye from Allen Street Hardware sounded great, but it's too bad they weren't open when we passed by their tent.

The Peri Peri Dirty Corn from Mother Cluckers sounded good, but the line was very long, just like last year.

I would have tried the Cheeto Shrimp Burrito from Lime House but in general I'm not a fan of avocado. Same for the Breakfast Egg Roll from Resurgence Brewing Company. Too bad, they both sounded great otherwise.

Chiavetta's has great chicken, but we get takeout dinners several times per summer when they do fundraisers at local places around town, and we always have a jug of their sauce in the pantry.

Finally, the Nashville Hot Fish Slider from Carubba's Chicken Pit sounded good, but, as with some other dishes, I was just too full at that point. Laura had the Nashville Hot Chicken Slider, and found it good but hotter than expected, above medium wings hot.

Finally ...

It was very hot and sunny, and we were pretty worn out by the time we finished, but it was really fun. Our companions came back to our house for a dip in the pool and we had a nice afternoon cooling off.

It felt great to be much more back to normal as far as my health. I was able to walk the whole thing, not just without any difficulty but feeling really well. It made the event just that more enjoyable.

2025

This year we parked in the Fernbach Ramp at Pearl St. & Court St. and walked up Court to Niagara Square. We were accompanied by our friends Dan and Joyce, and met up with Tom and Kay shortly after arriving. We proceeded to the ticket booth on Genesee and turned in our Tops vouchers for tickets.

There were about ten less restaurants this year, around 40 instead of around 50, and in their place were more cooling tents. This was a smart idea, as it was close to 90 degrees while we were there.

Things we enjoyed:

One of the places I wanted to try was right on the corner of Genesee and Niagara Square, El Coquito, one of the many new restaurants this year. The Beef & Cheese Pastelillos/Empenadas caught my eye, and it was very good, a nice way to start the event.

Walking up Delaware Avenue, I tried the small sized Batter Up from Nickel City Vice, because it's never too early for dessert. This was two small sugar cookies sandwiching cake batter ice cream. Nice and cold on a hot day, and very tasty!

There was almost no line at Mother Cluckers Grill when we came to their truck. I had wanted to try something from them for the last couple of years, but the lines were too long. I tried the Peri Peri Slider and enjoyed it. The Peri Peri sauce was tangy but not too hot, with a taste that's kind of hard to describe but very good.

Next up was Lime House Sushi & Ramen. Last year I had the Crispy Chicken Ramen and it was my favorite dish, so this year I tried the Dumpling Miso Ramen and it was just as good. The nice thing is that they will add just as much or little spice as you want, so you can get the heat to your preference.

I love peanut butter and jelly, so the Deep Fried PB&J from AJ's Kitchen was an obvious choice. That was followed by the Sausage, Asiago & Spinach Pierogi from Babcia's Pierogi, which had a really tasty sauce on it and large hunks of sausage. Yum!

One of the most interesting dishes I had this year was the Chilled Banana Soup from Allen Street Hardware Café. It had a subtle taste of banana and coconut, with a rich vanilla taste overlaying that. I'm glad I tried it and would have it again.

Heading back, we stopped at Dimples Pancakes for Stroopwafel, two pieces of waffle, similar to pizelle, with a caramel filling in between. It was so good I bought a second piece to take home to Mom, and Laura bought Traditional Dutch Mini Pancakes to bring home to Gwen, our resident canine foodie.

I love Jerk Chicken ever since I first tried it in Jamaica many years ago, so I had to get the Rasta Pasta with Jerked Chicken from Caribbean Taste. The chicken was very tender, shredded, and put over a bed of Jerked Alfredo sauce that was just wonderful. The portion size was generous, and I think it was my favorite dish this year.

As always, my stomach fills before my ambitions, so the last stop was Venus Greek & Mediterranean for their Dubai Chocolate Bites. The chocolate was rich and I always love pistachio, so this was a great way to end the day.

Things we missed:

There were a few repeat dishes from last year, and I would have tried them again but I always want to try new items from new places to expand my horizons. Notable among those were the Chicken 'n Waffle on a Stick from Dirty Bird Chicken n' Waffles, the Steak & Cheese Log from Steaksters, and the Bao Bun from Anchi A La Carte. Maybe next year.

I really, really wanted to try the Signature Five Cheeses Macaroni & Cheese from MAC Lady Catering, but I was getting too full by the time we got there. I hope they are back next year.

India Gate had a dish named Butter Chicken Taco Twist which sounded intriguing, but, again, I had to make choices based on tummy capacity.

Last year I tried the The Desert Glow Crepe from Golden Hour Treats and it was wonderful. I'll bet this year's dish, the Desert Glow Waffle, was just as good. Maybe I'll find out next year, or sooner if we go to their restaurant.

Finally ...

It was a scorcher of a day, and Tom made a new rule about not going if it's above 85. I agree with this. Our companions came back to our house for a dip in the pool, as is our tradition, and Mom joined us later in the afternoon. Dinner consisted of pizza and wings from Mattina's Pizzeria and various pastries for dessert. Oh, and Gwen loved her Traditional Dutch Mini Pancakes from Dimples Pancakes. She has a deep, abiding love for pancakes, and her eyes get wide just at the mention of that word.

Conclusion

So, what's the worst thing about the Taste of Buffalo? Waiting for next year, of course!

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